Wedding photographers in Australia

—First and foremost – whom can you name as the best wedding photographer in Brisbane? :)

—Ha! There's a mad, crazy hoard of us.

—What should be the criteria for a bride and a groom to choose their wedding photographer?

—Love the work – don't employ your photographer then ask for an aesthetic from another artist!
Vibes! Would you want to drink a beer with them? Ideally you start the booking process with good vibes, and finish the wedding singing bad karaoke together.

—How did you get into wedding photography?

—So here's the story – my father had been a wedding photographer and so I had my first little film disposables from about 5 years old. I’d shot probably thousands of rolls by the time I made it to photography college, but it was the moment where I was standing in the darkroom seeing that first image rise out of the chemical trays that I remember. Everyone else around me was fairly cool about the whole process but I couldn’t stop laughing with this electric thrill. This was the moment in my life where it became absolutely clear – I knew this is what I was going to do now. Weddings? Everyone loves a party. And a wedding is the best kind of party to shoot.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Learning the world's secrets.
I'll share some of them with you.
No one cooks better than a Greek mama or parties as hard as a Croatian groomsman. Vietnamese elders are the bravest karaoke singers, the French do the best cigar and whiskey bar (not to mention the cheeses) and that Ghanaians will crush any dance floor. Chinese door games can be a hair raising experience, and it is deeply moving it is to see Maori women sing a welcoming song to the bride.

—What is the most impressive moment in your life?

—Once, driving home very late from a wedding (of course), I saw space junk or a comet or the worlds most massive shooting star – so bright it illuminated everything around me. It travelled directly down the line of the straight highway I was driving for a full 10 seconds before burning out. An exceptional moment.

—What influences the value of a photo? What are its elements?

—The value in a photo is, I feel, in how valued the subject is in it.
For example, a wife will always love a portrait of her husband that has captured how she sees him. If he's a charismatic person, than a genuine laugh. If he's a quiet person, then a photograph of him unaware, relaxed and thoughtful.

—If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

—I wouldn't bother going to study, and instead buy a great kit and apprentice myself out 3 years earlier instead. I did the ol' highschool > study > apprentice > professional route. But study is now a moot point with online resources like Linda.com.

—How do you define success? How do you measure it?

—Can't measure it but you can feel it – are you getting enough quality sleep? Are you eating well and sharing good wine with friends? Do you have leisure time with your loved ones, and does your work fill you with pleasure?

—Do you believe in the traditional roles for men and women?

—There are definitely things men are better at, like being muscly and crushing rocks with their bare fists. And there are definitely things women are better at, like looking good in high heels and jean shorts.

—What is special in wedding photography?

—Often having a professional photograph your family is a very rare event. With this in mind I always devote a lot of time and care to capture portraits of treasured people – grandparents, GREAT grandparents, brothers, sisters, children.

—What will be the future of wedding photography?

—Wow this is cool, I hope it will be some sort of virtual reality with a fully rendered 3D capture from the entire day. You'll be able to bang on your head set and take a walk through the entire event from any time and angle.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—Good visual narrative – all the elements needed to give you context.
The split second – at the high point of madness.
The feels – something that makes your heart hurt or leap.

—What things that common people don't usually see can a wedding photographer notice?

—Ha! "Common people," love it.
One of my favourites is the tight-lipped, crazy-eyed stage-whispered threats of a parent to errant child – usually during a particularly tender moment during the ceremony.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—Hunger. Bride, groom, photographer and squad members should be loaded up with snacks. Picnic style canapes and champagne if you're fancy, sausage rolls and red bull if you're not.

—Can you give a few tips for wedding photographers who are just starting out?

—Sure! Don't train yourself out of -not- shooting things. Such as the weird, or awkward, or funny or embarrassing moments. These are some of the greatest photographs you could take!

—How do you handle criticism?

—I walked through a lot of fire in my early years of learning to shoot, and I'm still here :) Think of my teacher as being that old guy from Kill Bill who strokes his beard a lot.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Mostly I have dreams where I've overslept my alarm and a bride is calling me, asking where I am, and I'm a 2 hour drive away. I guess that's my biggest worry.

—Who inspires you in your life and why?

—Jimmy Nelson, photographer and author of Before They Pass Away. His is a body of work that is truly exceptional and of historical value.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Not everyone will like you all of the time, but you should always conduct yourself in a way that people have no loss of respect for you.

—What would you like to change in yourself?

—I would love to learn Chinese. And sign language. And also do some pottery. And learn to ride horses. Probably should exercise more too.

—Are you photogenic?

—Yes, and I'll tell you why – I have a high threshold for embarrassment. The less self conscious you are, the better you photograph.

—If you were a cartoon, book or movie character, who would you be and why?

—Trinity from The Matrix. She was cool and wore latex before lip injections and enormous butts became the symbols of beauty.

—Do you take nothing but wedding photos?

—I also take the most amazing travel portraits of my husband Maurice. Our holiday photos just look like he went by himself.

—What is the biggest mistake you have ever made at work?

—Working at a camera shop, shipped two very expensive video cameras to someone who turned out to be fraudulent. OOPS!

—Is there anything that you wish you hadn't bought among the gadgets that you own? Why?

—No, but people love to "gift" me their defunct camera gear. Please stop doing this baby boomer friends.

—Tomorrow I will go and do...

—EDIT! Pat my cat. Email clients! Poke around the fridge and hope for the best. Print some albums! Look at memes!

—What person can be the symbol of the 21st century in your opinion?

—Elon Musk. Billionaire, genius, puts a model car in his real car then launches it into space. What a legend.

—Who are your heroes?

—My colleagues, for lifting my heavy, heavy camera bag up and down stairs and into the car innumerable times.

—Should your parents have been more or less strict?

—Less. I was raised conservative Catholic. Not allowed to watch The Simpsons when you're 17... come on!

—What would you like to alter in the world?

—Let's turn down the level of racism shall we, it seems to be gaining momentum instead of losing it.

—What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

—That the rules don't actually matter, and only diminish the potential expression of true moments.

—Is there anything around you that you would like to change?

—I'm about to try my hand at home renovation, in a very literal interpretation of that question!

—Are there any trends in wedding photography?

—Yes, and they're mostly so cheesy. Things like making love hearts with your hands.... plz no!

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—I have no other talents. LOL, no I can cook quite well. But photographing is my true purpose.

—What's the side of you that the public never sees?

—Lying around in pyjamas, no makeup, orange Dorito stained fingers, unshaved legs.

—If aliens come to the Earth and you are the first person they meet, what will you tell them?

—I guess I'd ask them if they wanted to join us for lunch, I know a good place...

—What's the stupidest thing you've ever agreed to do?

—To go on a VERY long bush walk, mere hours after getting home from a pub crawl.

—Do you have a favourite joke? Tell us.

—Any Gary Larson comic ever published. He might be the funniest man on earth.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—When the alternate drop arrives, the chicken is always overcooked. Always.

—Do you believe that you replicate the soul of the person you are shooting?

—Only if you're really, really good. Like Steve McCurry's Afghan Girl.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a wedding photographer?

—Steve McCurry (again). Portrait photographer for National Geographic.

—When are you completely satisfied with your work?

—When a couple tells me they cried seeing the pictures. (With JOY).

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Jonas Peterson. He seems like a very relaxed, interesting fellow.

—What do you do in your spare time?

—I punch through Netflix series like a karate master does bricks.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—I spend A LOT of time on lovely curation sites like this one.

—Where would you like to live?

—I'd love a couple of years in Istanbul. I'm a big fan!

—What about life on other planets?

—Oh jeez I hope so. Certainly spices things up.

—What do you want to say with your photographs?

—This is a mirror of your life in this moment.

—If you are called to shoot a movie, what genre will it be?

—Whatever genre Monty Python calls itself.

—The most annoying thing in life is:

—People farting next to you on flights.

—When you're going to travel, what do you take with you and why?

—My husband, because he can read maps.

—The best thing in life is:

—Champagne and cheeses with friends.

—Is there life after marriage?

—YES! It just keeps getting better!

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—I am a woman of no limits.

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—Cats. I'm not embarrassed.

—Who do you want to take photos of?

—People madly in love.

—Are you fond of travelling?

—I live for it.

—Who do you have no respect for?

—Paedophiles

—Who or what do you hate?

—Celery. Eww

—Do you develop friendships easily?

—Yes

—What should future newlyweds pay attention to when looking for a wedding photographer?

—There is a list of standard questions every bride and groom should ask their potential wedding photographer. to ensure they understand what they will be receiving, and when, and for how much. But in the end, you need to go with your heart. It's the kind of day for it.

—How did you start working in the wedding photography field?

—I've been a photographer for almost 20 years, I started off in the studio (and dark room) doing commercial photography until my mentor left for super-stardom overseas. I ended up becoming a DJ for some years until I found my love for photography again when I started traveling regularly. A few friends of friends started asking me to shoot their weddings way back in the day, and in 2011 I thought I'd turn pro and try and make a living from it. I love it. It's a full-on experience each time.

—What is there in your work that brings you joy?

—My profession? Well, we're all artists, and artists tend to be a little bit... je ne sais pa? Different. And generally very supportive of each other. I've met some amazing people in my profession that I am honored to call friends.

—Is there anything in your work that you don't like or even hate?

—Like many artistic professions, we are subject to oversupply, and amaters flooding the market with cut-prices and underwhelming skills, which can give the rest of us a bad name.

—What are the key elements that make a photo attractive?

—Coming from a film background I suppose I'm a little old school and would say light, tone, balance in composition, authenticity. I am utterly drawn to symmetry.

—Do you like travelling?

—Yes! I'd love to be a travel photographer but with a young family I'm happy to be taken on the odd destination wedding photography assignment here and there.

—What is absolutely unacceptable when taking photos?

—Running out of batteries, memory cards, not having back up gear, and not running your bride and groom into the ground with poses and directives!

—Do you look good in pictures?

—Ha ha – nope. But I know that everyone, in the right light, at the right angles, in the right mood, can look amazing as a photography subject.

—How do you deal with criticism?

—I am a proud Leo and I take criticism very personally but I also take it on board in an effort to try and constantly better myself.

—Are there tendencies in wedding photography?

—Yes! A trend I'm digging at the moment is Boho Weddings. I love a barefoot bride and groom.

—Can you imagine what wedding photography will be like in future?

—Hmmm interesting! Drones and selfies?

—What moment in your life you treat as the most significant one?

—Seeing my wife give birth – twice. There is nothing more impressive on this earth.

—Who would you choose to try taking photos with?

—Nirav Patel and Sean Flanigan