ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: REBECCA AND JED

 

Rebecca and Jed are possibly the most organised couple you'll ever meet. Here are two examples:

For the proposal Jed designed and created an iPhone app that he installed on Rebecca's phone. The next morning Rebecca discovered the new icon which, when activated, led her (with Jed in tow) on a treasure trail of cool places around Sydney. They finally finished up at Watsons Bay where a picnic (secretly set up by Jed's brother) lay waiting for them. With the sun setting over the harbour the timing couldn't have been more perfect for Jed to pop the question. And the whole thing was captured by his brother, hiding in the bushes.

As we worked together on the run sheet for their day it became apparent that photos with their family and friends after the ceremony would be very important, but as daylight savings had ended I advised that we would need to get through them as quickly as possible. So rather than just drawing up a list of the photos they wanted and who would be in them, they went a step further and published the photo list in the order of service booklet so everyone would have advance notice of which photos they would be required for. And it worked.

So it wasn't a surprise when they said they'll also supply examples of the types of photos they'd like me to get for them. At this point I knew they were getting too organised and that I had to say something. I explained that my style of wedding photography is to document the day as is unfolds using my own artistic vision, so trying to copy someone else's photos will just come across as fake. I added that there's a danger of overplanning and that their day should have moments of spontaneity. They should focus on having their own wedding day, not someone else's.

They graciously acknowledged, agreeing that they had booked me for my style and that they would like the day to unfold naturally.

But then Rebecca sent me another email with a short message:

"There is one request - I heard there's a unique look on the face of a man the first time he sees his bride appear at the end of the aisle. Would you please be sure to capture Jed in that moment?"

That was one request that I openly welcomed as I've seen that look many times and it really is something that can't be planned. So as Rebecca made her entrance into the Mosman Art Gallery, my camera spun round to Jed and this is what I (and his brother) saw.

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: ANNIE AND FRANK

When I realised it was time to get out of my parents' hair and buy my own apartment, I started a search that would last for an entire year. I viewed over a hundred properties across the boroughs of South London but none of them grabbed me with that instinctive gut feel I was told I would feel.

Eventually I found my dream home in the most unlikely place. It was a huge Victorian conversion literally around the corner from my folks, on a beautiful, wide, tree-lined avenue that I used to walk along twice a day on the way to school and back. I couldn't believe that what I spent a year looking for had been under my nose all the time. But then again you see things differently when you're grown up, don't you?

Annie attended the gorgeous Santa Sabina college whilst living literally across the road from it. I wonder if, as a girl, she ever imagined that the historic buildings she saw every day would eventually provide the perfect location for photos on her wedding day?

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: JESS AND GRANT

When it comes to special requests I try to be as accommodating as possible, and if necessary I'll pull out a bit of magic.

Jess was keen to have a photo under one of the big trees on Observatory Hill in The Rocks area of Sydney; a simple enough request given that she was marrying Grant just around the corner at St Brigid's. However, the weather gods had other ideas and their big day started under a heavy grey cloak as torrential rain wreaked havoc across Sydney. Not good. And by the time we arrived at the church there was no sign of improvement. The gumboots the girls had bought that morning looked like they were going to see action.

But during the ceremony something happened. Shafts of sunlight began to stream through the church's stained glass windows, and when the newlyweds emerged into the church's courtyard they found it dry, warm and sunny.

Not wanting to squander our good fortune we headed straight up to Observatory Hill and Jess got her photo. Sans gumboots. 

After an hour of photos, and with the sun rapidly setting, we headed back to the cars just as the rain returned and set in for the rest of the day. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, and while some might say it was divine intervention, I like to think it was just part of the service.

 

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: DEE AND MIKE

When we first met Dee and Mike we knew they were a very special couple. The love and connection between them was immediately apparent and we knew that their wedding day would be one to remember.

Fast forward six months and we were proved correct. From high emotions during both the bride's and groom's prep, through to the amazing Maori and Chilean dance performances and heartwrenching speeches at the reception, it was an honour to capture all those moments.

For now I wanted to share a quiet moment in the grounds of beautiful Vaucluse House. I found a spot that reminded me of Mike's New Zealand heritage and let the couple lose themselves in the lush undergrowth and each other.

 

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: ANNA AND ELLIS

 

I could say this is an image of Anna jumping for joy whilst looking captivatingly ethereal in her gorgeous flowing gown.

The truth, however, is that despite her hazardously high (but freakingly awesome) Alexander McQueen heels, she was still facing a challenge to be at eye level with her towering beau Ellis.

So, being a resourceful young lady, alternative methods of height adjustment were explored.

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: NICOLE AND WILL

 

This was a very special wedding for me. The girl who used to be my assistant back in media land was now all grown up and ready for the biggest day of her life.

We used to sit next to each other back in the OMD days, so Nicole was a front seat passenger on my journey to becoming a full time wedding photographer. And she was nothing but supportive. She would eagerly provide feedback on everything from my logo design to my website layout, and even in those early days she always said she would book me as her photographer when her "Prince" William eventually proposed. And she did.

When I first met Nicole I instantly saw a young January Jones. So it was somewhat fitting that her wedding fell on the same weekend that Mad Men made a triumphant return to our screens.

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: NICOLE AND CHRIS

 

Elopements. They're becoming more popular and it's easy to see why. There's a lot of appeal in the idea of escaping, not just from your home town but also from conforming to the status quo of the modern day wedding.

Keep it simple. Just pack a few things and head off to a gorgeous spot with some of your closest friends and family. Bringing your local weather is optional but I'm glad Nicole and Chris did.

After a few days of torrential rain in Sydney the skies cleared for the couple from Wagga. Conditions were perfect for an intimate ceremony on the deck of Quay, a stroll around the harbour, and then fine dining their nearest and dearest in Quay's Upper Tower. Perfecto.

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: ALICE AND TIM

 

Second chances aren't something normally associated with wedding photography, but Saturday was one of those rare occasions. Two months ago I was due to photograph a ceremony at Lavender Bay's beautiful Clark Park which overlooks Sydney Harbour. But a day of non-stop rain scuppered that plan and the ceremony was moved indoors.

Saturday, however, was a completely different story. It was a quintessential wedding day for Alice and Tim: warm, with bright blue skies and just a few light, fluffy clouds so it was game on for Clark Park. After a wonderful ceremony conducted by Tara Rennie, we headed off for photos around the harbour walk, a trail not short of photo opportunities. But, as I always maintain, all you need for a good photo is good light. So when I spotted a patch of sunlight warming up an old wall, I knew I had struck gold for this pair of Easter bunnies.

The rest was easy. Alice, sporting a gorgeous Lisa Gowing dress and incredible bouquet from Aleksandra, and Tim in his dapper blue suit had absolutely no trouble conveying how happy they were to be newlyweds. 

ONE FROM THE WEEKEND: JESS AND MATT

 

It took more than a year of waiting to photograph Jess and Matt's big day and in particular their reception at The Tea Room in Sydney's iconic Queen Victoria Building.

During that time I had been so excited about the prospect of running riot in this glorious space that I performed more location scouting missions than I can remember. But finding locations is the easy bit - there are loads of great spots where a couple can be captured amidst the beautiful architecture; the trick is keeping your bearings and learning how to efficiently navigate the kaleidoscopic mix of escalators, staircases, columns, glass and tiles across the three main floors.

When the day finally came round we had around half an hour to use the QVB before the bridal party made their entrance. My prep kicked in and I guided Jess and Matt around on my personalised photo tour. Most of the images we made faithfully captured our elegant and historic environment but we also wanted to create something a bit quirkier.

So here we have an image that combines various aspects of the QVB: the arched glass windows of a Victorian arcade; the strong lines of the modern escalators; and the rumours of ghosts.

THE CRAFT: THE BILLINGHAM BAG

I'm not big into politics but if I had the chance to swap our PM for another powerful redhead, I would immediately give Mary Portas that house in Kirribilli with the nice view.

Through her compelling TV shows, the grande dame of retail marketing has systematically transformed businesses, lives and communities across the UK and her latest show, Mary's Bottom Line, continues to showcase her sterling work. It's set in the north of England which was once the heart of the UK's textile manufacturing greatness. However, now that most clothing is made overseas using cheaper labour, these once proud towns and communities have fallen into desperate disrepair. Mary is on a mission to bring fashion manufacturing back to England by creating a saucy line of ladies underwear "Kinky Knickers" using only UK-sourced materials and labour, and to do this she has revived an old textiles factory and selected eight of the thousands of local unemployed youths to man the sewing machines. For most of them it's the first job they've ever had.

After just two episodes it's already apparent how much change Mary is effecting. On hearing the news that the knickers are going to be stocked in some of the world's most famous stores, such as Selfridges, the pride and excitement radiating from the young workforce was almost tear inducing.

I love shows like this that demonstrate true craftsmanship and passion. They invoke a desire to create beautiful things that you can be proud of and that you know will bring pleasure and happiness to those who become their owners. This is the aim of my artistry and I have an affinity towards companies that have a similar passion: Queensberry for their beautiful wedding albums, Hard Graft for their lifestyle and tech accessories, and now Billingham for their superb camera bags.

I've recently been on a quest for a new camera bag. The six I already own still do the job but I needed something different; a bag that would reflect my brand values and the quality I offer my clients. It would also need to complement my preppy wedding day outfits so I can blend in with the guests (well, as much as an Asian guy with an English accent can blend in). That immediately ruled out ninety-nine per cent of bags on the market which, while functional, are black and bland. Of the remaining contenders there was a clear standout: an English company that has been making finely crafted bags for the last forty years.

M Billingham & Co is uncannily similar to the companies mentioned in Mary's Bottom Line. The factory is based in a West Midlands town where everything from bricks to horseshoes and even parts of Concorde were manufactured. And it's still a family run business with employees who have been with them for many years.

The company originally made fishing bags but after realising that many New York photographers were using them as camera bags, production immediately switched to service gear-hungry photographers.

The bags themselves are gorgeous; a feast of heavy waterproof canvas, deliciously thick, vegetable tanned leather, and shiny solid brass fittings. And whilst they are available in black, the most popular colours are khaki and sage green. To sum them up they look less like camera bags and more like weekend bags that you would sling into the back of your MG convertible. In 1970.

Nostalgia's a great thing but the company has also moved with the times by including a QR code inside the bag on the Billingham label. Scanning the code reveals details of the people who stitched and assembled that particular bag. It's a neat little touch that creates an instant connection with the workers back in the factory who have poured their passion into crafting excellent products for people all over the world to enjoy. Just like Mary's teenagers.

My sage green Billingham 335 arrived this week and I'm excited to be sporting it for the first time at tomorrow's wedding. If you're thinking of investing in a fine camera bag then you can't get better than a Billingham. My only criticism is that there is a severe lack of photos of these excellent bags on the web, so here are a few I took earlier.