It was almost a year ago that Sonny and I were invited to French Polynesia to hang out and do some photo sessions for local designers HaniHaring. This bridal styled shoot was one of them.
Photographed on location at the Sainte Famille church on the island of Moorea. Isn't it so beautiful!
Stunning dress designs by the talented local duo, Hani and Benji, of HaniHaring.
Models - Kim Yen, Teihotu, Giselle, Hoani, Eileen and Tumai.
Make-up - Tevei Renvoyer. Hair - G. David Coiffure.
And a pause on our road trip in the middle of nowhere.
This joint wasn't too bad.
We ended up with the best digs in the place too!
This is the view from our verandah.
The view from the bed
Oh so nice!
And the view from our lounge/kitchen/dining/second bedroom pavilion to our bedroom pavilion.
Told you we had the best digs!
Wanderings...
We did lots of wanderings. North and south.
Pretty much a full day of walking on the beaches.
On a hot day.
So when I got to a point on the strip of sand that was always promising an end in the form of a point, but in fact just kept going, I was keen to get in the water.
Two steps in brought me to a screeching halt, though as the shallows came alive with more rays than I have ever seen. The more I looked, the more I saw!
Now, I'm not certain that these flighty little guys even had barbs to sting me with, but having fallen victim to a barb from their kinfolk once before I had absolutely no intention of taking the gamble. A sting from a ray is an incredibly painful experience as the poison travels along your limb, and lingers until soaking the entry point in boiling water for long enough to neutralize the toxins brings it back to just being acute pain.
It's such an incredible coastline, with the red earth and the azure waters, that the following day I was lured into a helicopter for a different perspective,
and if you know me at all, you know I don't like to get around in things that fly.
It was a little overcast, so we waited for it to clear as much as it was going to, then gave it a whirl (yes, I do think that is a bit funny).
Our sweet joint was the beachfront building on the far right...
Spectacular!
Landing on the beach was pretty cool.
There is not a soul around, but there obviously are quite a few different ones around when we were not.
I love these pathways.
Eco Beach is a dreamy place to stay.
Dramatically stunning. A place for lovers of the beach, as well as lovers of the land. A place for lovers! Great destination wedding location - get married on the beach, and you are pretty certain to not have rain (in the 'winter' months). I'll come and photograph your wedding for you!
I would have loved some fly screens on a door or window here and there so I could leave them open overnight. There are some seriously large exoskeletal beasties.
The food was beautiful (nothing in this part of WA is cheap, and I have just learned to accept that), and the staff were always friendly, always helpful.
I left feeling quite spoilt and definitely relaxed, but not before a quick dip in the pool.
Last month I was in Fiji again, photographing another wedding.
I am a really really lucky girl!
I was back at 'my second home', the Shangri-La Fijian Resort, to photograph a whole lot of fun at the wedding of a couple of New Zealanders (which made it even more international, kind of!).
I would love to share wedding photos with you, but my couple wants a little privacy so you will have to make do with the assurance that we got some awesome photos of them (they were very brave), and just make do with other photos from my trip.
The day before the wedding I did a little location scout around the resort, and the local village of Cuvu.
The long, tree-lined drive at The Fijian is one of my favourite spots.
From the entrance at the causeway where the guards seem to compete with each other about who will give the loudest and most exuberant "Bula!", all the way along to the reception lobby, I just love the way it looks and the way it makes me feel.
Lucky for me, my bride and groom were a bit more photogenic than my hairy assistant.
That evening we tagged along with the whole wedding crew on a village visit.
The day of the wedding, the weather was picture perfect Fijian bliss, from first thing in the morning through to it's colourful sunset, and beyond, into a warm and windless evening.
It was bookended by days of low cloud, wind, and rain, but Fiji is always beautiful and I still found plenty of things to do.
Such as finally exploring beyond the sign pointing to Tavuni Hill Fort, which I had driven past on so many occasions on my way beyond Sigatoka. The cooler weather was perfect for the 15 minute wander up the hill.
Back in the early 1800's a Tongan Cheif, Maile Latamai, who was having some hard times on the home-front, decided to hop in his boat and paddle over to Fiji. About 500 miles, so I guess things were pretty bad at home. The cannibalism didn't seem to faze him and he set up home on Tavuni Hill.
The residents of the nearby village still claim Tongan descent.
It's an interesting visit through history, and there are some spectacular views over the Sigatoka River and valley from up there too.
This is the killing stone. I had a really eerie feeling when I was near it.
Shell midden. The remnants of the seafood (mostly freshwater collected from the river way down below) that was eaten when other people were off the menu.
The following day, with little time left before I went home, I was determined to get some snorkeling in no matter what.
I went out in front of my room, and travelled with the current around the point and onto the beach. It was a fairly superhuman effort given I had gotten quite sick after the wedding, and given the weather...
Despite this, under the water was still a blissful adventure-world for me. Listening to just the scratchy tinkle of the many fish grazing on the coral and in the sand is one of the most peaceful sounds, and it really makes me smile (which often sends water rushing into my goggles and I choke a little, but it's worth it).
I love these fish. They are so curious, and a little territorial, so they will come up and give you a stare, and when you turn away they chase after you and give a little nip. Too funny.
The visibility was not good and the current too strong for me to take more photos. I decided instead to just go with the flow (boom-tish) and enjoy the music of the underwater.
All my recommending of the place seems to have worked. The only problem is now I need to remember to book - otherwise I have to join the queue outside!
So while I was waiting I had a quick walk with my camera around night-time Cuvu.
When you look at this photo, it really helps if you can hear the ear-bleeding volume of the tinny speaker system pumping out dance-pop.
Full house each night!
and this mud crab deliciousness is one of the reasons.
I think the staff are another good reason to keep coming back.
Thanks, Lusia!
Next day, we were supposed to be homeward bound, but our flight was cancelled. The airline put us up in the Sofitel, on Denarau.
An impressive foyer, and huge swimming pool, but the Sofitel (or anything on Denarau) is not a patch on the Shangri-La. Our room was tiny, the noise coming from the other rooms was significant with the balcony door open, the beach sand is grey and the swimming area is dull river water. And it's all modern, and completely charmless.
But, down the road from Denarau, I stumbled on this cool, newly opened Indian restaurant.
Best Dhal and Saag Paneer I've had.
So if you fly into Nadi around lunchtime, take a drive over there, or if you do stay at Denarau, make sure you drop in to the Bombay Lodge.
A spectacular finish to an always spectacular visit....
Though someone must have forgotten my intense fear of flying!
With my stomach in my shoes and my brain all woozy, I managed to get a few nice photos out over the islands and the surf at Cloubreak.
Sunset was just about on us, and the Fiji Pro had just wrapped up for the day.
It was pretty awesome.
Our lovely pilot, who didn't let me die in a helicopter crash.
Namotu Island. I could stay there one day. Anyone want me to photograph a wedding there??
Cloudbreak, and the tower, and if you look carefully to the upper left of the tower you can see a line of dark specks. All of the onlookers (many I imagine with heavy camera gear) trekking across the reef to board boats.
It was a glorious, full sun kind of day for Vanessa and Matt's wedding at Peats Bite on the Hawkesbury River.
The location is accessible only by boat and sea-plane, which makes the wedding so much more of an adventure. A journey for the guests.
That's Matt out there on the boat, ferrying us early arrivals between the restaurant area, the boys' putting-on-ties-and-having-a-yarn area, and the house where the girls were getting ready.
My kind of wedding... An oyster table
and a lollies and cake table!
Beautiful Vanessa.
Matt, and his men.
Vanessa's parents were so lovely!
The day was all glorious sunshine,
but it was also pretty windy. Vanessa's veil was everywhere, except neatly placed where it should be,
but at least she could laugh about it.
When it came to walking down aisles, it was more a case of wooden jetties, which with high heels are a tricky negotiation at the best of times, but add a big dress and a gusty wind and you are definitely going to need help!
Vanessa kept very busy with four changes of dress (three dresses, but she wore the white one twice because, well, it was beautiful and she probably wouldn't wear it on another day).
She changed into red, which would be the traditional colour for a Chinese wedding, for the tea ceremony.
Matt's family (the Eatons) showed everyone how to do the Nutbush...
Matt's Pop was gorgeous. He told us (wearing the speech-maker's cap) that Matt had stolen his thunder by proposing to Vanessa in front of the whole family, who were gathered at a party to celebrate his 'significantly' numbered birthday!
And that's what I love about photographing weddings - you journey, for a day or so, alongside someone else's family and friends, and experience with them the highs and lows, camaraderie and humour, and the warmth and love of their circle,
and it always makes me smile.
Congratulations Vanessa and Matt.
And thank you for letting me share such a beautiful day.
I've always said I love to take photos because it "makes me smile", and here's the proof.
While it looks like some awesome studio set-up, this was actually taken while I was shooting a wedding last weekend (I'll post those photos in a couple of weeks).
I had a strong sense of deja vu heading off to meet to-be-weds, Charlotte and Daniel last week.
It was the same time last year that I had taken my kids with me to meet Carla in the lead-up to her Fiji wedding, and then (as we were nearby) gone to view the sculptures at Rookwood Necropolis, and here we were again.
Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, and while the drizzle and sometime torrential rain suited the mood of the cemetary, it wasn't so good for a sculpture walk. We only got to see a few pieces.
Stevie Fieldsend - Solve et Coagula
Veronica Andrus-Blaskievics - Teardrops
Judith Kirby - Guardian Angels
Neil Laredo - Gate
Kelly Milton - Ex Libris
Jane Burton Taylor - Clean Washing
Dongwang Fan - The Prayer
Tammie Castles - Preservations
All of the sculptures were great, but my favourite was
Ad Long - Shoot
Partly because it was so lovely to photograph
"Hidden" Sculpture Walk is on at Rookwood Cemetary until the end of this month, so if you get the chance (and it's not pouring with rain) you should check it out.
Lucky had already photographed them as an engaged couple in this cute session with their kombi, so they were au fait and very adept with the whole posing affair, but perhaps they were not so used to having 15 photographers pointing their lenses to them...
Not that we would have noticed. They were gracious, lovely, and more than willing to be coaxed into nooks and crannies many times over!
I don't spend a lot of time looking at the work of other photographers, but not so long ago I came across Lakshal Perera and fell a little in love with his pictures.
Then after reading his bio, and his blog, I fell a little in love with him too.
So I did something I don't do, and wrote to him to tell him (not that I was in love with him, and it's not love like love-love anyway, so shoosh), and he replied with grace and loveliness, so I was impressed.
Impressed enough that when he put a quiet word out about having a go at hosting his first workshop that would be about not just taking nice photos, but being good people while we did, I booked a ticket for Melbourne.
Excited, because I had never attended a workshop on anything, and had not really discussed the creation of a photograph with anyone since year 12 art class (and I think we all agree that was forever ago).
First flight of the day - 6am...
Pretty in the rain, and
pretty above the rain
I dumped my luggage at the hotel (Vibe Savoy, which was perfectly located for me, and comfortable, with an internet price that made my eyes water) and jumped a train for the studio.
Lightdrop Studios is a beautifully wooden-floored space in what once was the Younghusband (is that not the best family name you have ever heard?) wool/produce stores.
You can see it's age in these glass window panes
I love the way they warp and undulate
There is a stigma wrongly attached to wedding photography that sets it somewhere on the scale near glamour photography, but it's people like Lucky, and the other photographers (each one who is turning out stunning images) attending the workshop that are changing that view. The Be Nice and Take Nice Photographs workshop covered many aspects of photography, and running a business, but it's key focus was that of values and ethics. It was confronting at times (having to think about yourself can be), but it was just so lovely to be surrounded by honest and supportive people who share common ideals.
I did say confronting, didn't I. We paired up to photograph each other, and I was the odd one out left to photograph Lucky. I was a little freaked out. I admire his talent as a photographer, so I felt under pressure. We had to try to capture the essence of the person, but I just wanted to capture him as quickly as possible!
I do like the shot, I like the serenity in his eyes, but I don't think I have really shown the viewer what a lovely, warm person he is. If I'd stopped to think about it, I would have shot him interacting with others because that is where he shines the most.
Lucky took his turn with me. He said I looked like Galadriel. See, told you he was nice.
I finished my two days feeling invigorated, inspired, and ready to invest in what I do. I have the courage to move forward, and I have made many new friends.
Hugest thanks to Lucky, and his gorgeous, talented, and clever wife, Kristen. To Ben, for his fantastic cooking and general taking care of us, and to everyone else for being so 'nice'.
I'm going to throw in some gratuitous plugs as well, just because I had such a great time. A weekend worth of yummy juice was supplied by Summer Snow Juice, and a most delicious Sri Lankan feast came from Lakmi in Abbotsford.
I didn't do any of the touristy things in Melbourne this time, I ran out of time. But if you want to view pictures from one of my other trips there, be my guest.
On the flight home, the cloud cover was so thick it felt like forever for us to break through,
though it was pretty awesome when we did!
Some passengers felt the forever more than others, as there wasn't enough time to give everyone a meal service.
We were probably only out of the clouds for 15 minutes before we began our descent!
Where some are reticent to move away from the traditional portrait style, more and more people are seeking an 'indie' look for their wedding photography, and here's where it gets interesting...
The whole key to fashion (and in turn, what we seek to represent our wedding) is that it is evolving.
The bold colours, defined shoulder pads, and statement poses of our 80's wedding may begin to look a little dated on the wall, just as the staid images of 1930's weddings do, and after the resurgence of the sunflare again loses it's ember, so too will the 70's flower child wedding portrait.
Which brings me to the present day. I'm going to (for want of a better description) call it the 'hipster, funky, retro, vintage, shabby-chic style' of wedding portraiture, which I admit is covering a fairly broad range.
The homely, the pretty, a little vintage, a little gritty.
It's all about pastels, caramels, and greys. There is still a bit of sun flare here and there, and a fair smattering of light bleed.
It's fashion.
It's cool.
It's bold and different - especially for something so 'traditional' as a wedding - a (you hope) once in a lifetime event. One that cannot, ever, be replicated.
So you had better
get
it
right.
Right?
Well, not strictly.
You see, the beauty of digital 'film', coupled with the fact most of these 'indie' looks are created in post production, means that you can digitally remaster/restyle your wedding pictures - provided your photographer kept the RAW files (as I always do).
That means you can take you 'hipster, funky, retro, vintage, shabby-chic style', which I am certain that as 'editorial' and pretty as it looks now with it's (for the most part) lack of any true whites, and 'album cover naive posing'...
Ok. I have to stop here. I'm worried you are taking this all wrong.
I love the look!
I really do. If I were lucky enough to be getting married now, it's what I would have for my photos. I'm just breaking it down for the purposes of description here.
...So you can take your wedding photos from 2013, and restlye them
ten, twenty, thirty years from now!
The raw image that your photographer took won't look like that finished product you have printed.
Your scope is endless,
and I think it's so cool.
You can update your wedding photos to suit the fashion, to suit your decor, to suit your mood!
Again, provided you have a photographer like myself.... a hoarder of images, who will have kept all of the RAW files, the 'negatives', the originals from the day.
I'm going to start offering a re-touching (bumps, lumps, lines, general gussying-up) and re-styling (changing the whole look/vibe/theme) service.
Here's a couple I mucked around with last night...
I've been really keen to trash someone's wedding dress for a while now, and Carla was keen too.
Eager participants and an idyllic location - perfect!
Just a shame I couldn't get my hands on some underwater housing for the watery shots, instead using a waterproof Olympus, and filming on the GoPro. I will grab stills from the GoPro when I get a chance and post them here, because there are some great moments.
In the meantime, here's a few of my favourites...
So relaxed now - just gorgeous.
Love it.
They swam across the lagoon to get to this driftwood, with a giggling audience in tow. It was worth it!
Love. Love!
So cool. Probably the most fun I've ever had on a photo shoot!
A big thank you to Carla and Greg for making me smile so much.
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