“Did the Real Estate Agents send you?” I jumped and looked around. A guy in a suit was standing right behind me, his tie flying free in the cold westerly.
I was a little self conscious at being seen photographing let alone in front of a shop window full of undressed mannequins.
I wasn’t from anywhere and didn’t have a reason for being there, “Ah … no … sorry”
He looked down and noticed the camera swathed in black tape ...”oh”, and kept his gaze on me as we turned and walked away from each other.
Brisbane Street Photography, Fortitude Valley 1988
(Wednesday, 10 February 2010)
It’s good top have Plan B. Sometimes that is nothing just not Plan A. Luckily Jacob and Kim had one when the sky over the border ranges turned black. The boys carried the Chuppah (Jacob had made) up the beach and across the road to a restaurant.
The storm spent itself by the time of the ceremony shrouding the remains of the day in a dreamy mist that came off the sea.
Gold Coast Wedding Photography, The Boatshed Bar and Cafe, Currumbin Wedding, Non-Flaky Wedding Photography, Wedding Photo-documentary, 2008
(Wednesday, 10 February 2010)
Any photographer doing their work properly is bound to get these type of letters. Here's a few from the last couple of months.
Hi Stephen,
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!
I don't think I can thank you enough for the fantastic photos of our wedding. You are amazing, thank you SO much. They are perfect. I have watched that slideshow nearly a million times and its perfect. Its so much fun being able to relive the day watching it, it makes me feel so happy. Everyone I have shown (there have been lots) loves them. You have such a great eye and capture the most important parts of the day - how happy everyone was.
Thank you again... I could just keep saying it. They are perfect and I love them. It was a pleasure to have you there with us. I hope your family enjoyed their holiday too.
We had a great time in Turkey. Its a beautiful place and I highly recommend Kas.
Thank you, just once more.
Hope all is well. Take care and next time we are down your way maybe we can catch up for a coffee.
Kate & Ricky Megee
Hi Stephen,
Just wanted to let you know that we have recieved the cd of all the photos. We cant express enough how much we love them. Everybodies personality shines through, and we feel like we are re-living the happiness and fun of the day everytime we look at them. And we cant stop! I have no idea how we are ever going to pick photos to put in an album, let alone to frame, we want every single one of them.
I have already showed heaps of friends and family, and everyone that sees them wants to know your website and contact details, as it seems that what you do is what everyone wants. One person, a friend of my cousin, said that they are the most beautiful wedding photos that she has ever seen, and she had worked in the industry!
Honestly, we knew your were good, but we had no idea how blown away we would be (in some photos, literally!).
Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.
Look forward to hearing from you soon,
All our thanks and best regards for a wonderful new year,
Joel and Meagan
Well hello Stephen!
WOW, the photos are amazing!!! We are sooo happy with them and can't thank you enough! Sorry it has taken a while to reply, we have spent a couple of nights playing with the photos :-)
We will definitely be recommending you to anyone we can! We will take your advice on Friday evening and sit down with a fine wine and enjoy! They really did capture the day so well, especially the special moments! So glad you took Jase and I outside during the reception, those pictures are unreal!
Chat soon
Trace
(Wednesday, 10 February 2010)
Ten years ago when I started shooting weddings around Byron Bay there were 3 other photographers putting their hands up for that work (digital photography and the internet has since unleashed a tsunami of contenders and there is now about 40 in the same area).
Greg Mace was numero uno back then and was getting opportunistic shots on film that most still can’t get with the luxury of digital equipment. Greg’s approach is down to earth photojournalism and he doesn’t rely on photoshop to “make” his images. They are of the “what you see is what you get” variety which appeals hugely to me. We have become good mates and he’s still floating on a rising flood of new contenders.
Three years ago I had a potential client book with another photographer. For me that’s a no lose situation. If I don’t like the photographers work I think oh well they weren’t my type of client anyway , and if I do like the work I think at least I didn’t lose out to a dud. That particular time it was Todd Hunter McGaw.
I looked Todd up on the internet and saw someone who wasn’t into cookie cutter shooting. His (and his wife Alyda’s) work is witty, intelligent and beautiful, but more importantly authentic. A bit like Todd and Alyda themselves, although Alyda is in my opinion is slightly more beautiful than Todd.
Lizzy Sawdon lives in northern Queensland and quietly does her work. The big thing for me is much of her work wants to cut through the bunk that sits over nearly everything, and which photography in the wrong hands perpetuates. This gives her a great photo-doco eye.
I can’t say much about Jonas Peterson that hasn’t already been said, I’ll spare you the wow’s, OMG’s, the awesomes, and the blah about tilt shift, he gets platitudes like
that daily by the dozen. He seemed to come out of nowhere in 2009 and is now a worldwide phenomenon. I found out about him the same way as with Todd less than a year ago. When I heard his name I thought who? His blog set my mind on fire (I’m one of many). The way he used the internet to communicate was a revelation. His unfailing aesthetic sense and sublime writing both show humour and beauty as well as the occasional acknowledgement of pain and melancholy. It gives his work a maturity and completeness that lifts it above the one dimensional stuff often held up as great photography especially within the wedding industry.
In one way or other I owe these photographers, there are others but first things first.
(Wednesday, 10 February 2010)
I’m off to Singpore in early May to photograph Gracie and Kuns wedding. They flew into Brisbane before xmas and we discussed their plans over dinner.
(Wednesday, 10 February 2010)