Behind the scenes (photos below)
I have known Trish for well over ten years – before returning to her music career she was a seriously good professional wedding photographer, not only did she encourage me to pursue the trade – she also mentored me.
The first time I met Paul and saw them together I would have confidently bet every cent I had on them marrying. I was overjoyed when I heard they were engaged even more thrilled when they asked me photograph their wedding. Whilst on the surface this would seem to be straight forward, it quickly dawned on me that whilst most weddings are high stakes, one off events – shooting a wedding for another wedding photographer who has also mentored you adds more than just an extra glass and a half of pressure.
I packed just about every piece of photographic kit I own and made the 5-hour trip to Brisbane to get myself sorted. I believe that reconnaissance and planning are an essential part of wedding photography because as any experienced photographer will tell you – there are always things that you just have to manage on the day.
The big day arrived and a quick curtain pull at the hotel revealed the first eventuality – a sky as menacing as an All Blacks haka, all of a sudden the backyard wedding and reception for 70 people looked more likely to be an indoors-y and intimate event. Now Paul and Trish’s Queenslander is a beautiful and spacious home – probably designed for about 4 or 5 permanent residents and enough room for a good sized soiree for maybe a dozen more but 70 was going to be a push. It is this kind of situation where experience helps – something all the providers had so we started working around the worst case scenario.
No sooner had the “I do’s” been done and the paperwork signed when a good old fashioned, regular as clockwork, Brisbane wedding season storm boomed and crashed the party forcing everyone into and UNDER the house for the reception! Fortunately everyone was pretty cruisy and philosophical and of course there for their friends’ celebrations and partied on regardless. Fortunately for me I love flash photography and love a good challenge so I set about turning what could be seen as a disaster for some photographers into a unique and very real part of their big day incorporating the storm into the narrative of the day. Two of the photographs taken at the reception under the house won awards in Australian Photography Magazine and Capture Magazines “Mono awards” for black and white photography but more importantly Trish and Paul loved the photos and MOST importantly they had a truly beautiful, memorable and fantastic day.
