I’m still working my way through the thousands of images I took while photographing in Los Angeles. Here’s another of a great pair of models down at Santa Monica beach.
More Commercial Lifestyle Photography
Tag: professional photographer
Commercial Stock Photography Photoshoots
One of the ironies of my work is that I often photograph the weddings of couples from overseas, and shoot stock photography with international markets in mind. My stock work also is paid in US dollars but I have never worked there. Until now.
I’m just back from a couple of weeks working in Los Angeles doing some commercial stock photography for Getty Images and iStockphoto. The images taken will soon be available for license but I am also available for commercial photography assignments here is Australia especially for businesses in the Lismore, Ballina and Byron Bay areas of Northern NSW.
Here’s a quick selection of some if the images from the photoshoots I did in LA around Santa Monica and Venice Beach
Next photo adventure looks like being another trip to London later in the year to do some work a little different to what you might normally expect. This imagery isn’t going to be about all things British and I’m excited by what I may be able to capture in my camera.
Exquisite, Stunning, Stylish, Opulent Wedding Photography
As a wedding photographer there are things I love to see at the weddings I attend. The first, of course, is a couple in love. I also want to see them and their friends having fun with their families bursting with pride. After that, nothing else really matters because I see weddings as being about people in love, not about things, decorations and assorted flair. All that stuff is just a bonus. But what a great and stunning bonus it can be. This was exactly the case for Jasen and Katrina’s Lismore wedding.
This was the far north NSW society wedding of the year. Two wonderful people, respected businesspeople, high profile people – getting married in a highly anticipated ceremony. And it was perfect.
The stylish, timeless elegance of a black tie formal wedding, a traditional church ceremony, a fairytale horse and carriage, a stunning wedding gown, a clear marquee for the reception lit by chandeliers and candelabra, gold and white colour theme, with food from one of the best chefs in the country.
Was it great? No, it was better than that. It was a phenomenal wedding. And on to some wedding photos.
Biker Girls Fashion Photography in Lismore
Sometimes being a photographer really is all people think it is – pure unmitigated fun. There’s a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to bring together four fabulous models, a dozen classic motorbikes and two massive muscle cars in an empty city block but it was all worth it.
To be honest I couldn’t believe the bikes that turned up – a few Triumphs, BMWs, a couple of Ducattis, a Norton and an Ariel. An Ariel with a sidecar!! I would have loved to have had more time to play with the bikes but the guys were dropping by as a favour and were keen to hit the road. I also had a 56 Chev hotrod and a worked Ford F100 at my disposal in the deserts streets and lane ways of the Lismore CBD – a great location to photograph in.
If you are interested in some fashion photography for your shop or clothing label, or commercial photography of any kind. Drop me a line from my contacts page. I can do a shoot for you that will really make you stand out from your competition.
Special thanks goes to the members of the Northern Rivers Classic Motorcycle Club, Wal & Bianca and Andrew.
And for my father. Yes Dad, the pics are meant to be black and white. But here’s a colour one just for you.
Commercial and Business Photography in Northern NSW
In addition to being a wedding photographer, I also photograph a range of things for local Northern NSW businesses. This commercial photography can be anything from product photography in my studio, to location photography or other promotional photography for your businesses. I recently did a 3 day photoshoot at various locations around Ballina, Byron Bay, Lennox Head and outside Lismore for Creative Blinds. It was a great shoot that went super smoothly even though the lighting was particularly tricky.
I regularly shoot commercial images for clients who have decided to have a go at the photography themselves first to save money. The problem is that when they don’t manage to get the shot, they may have wasted significant time trying. I shot one job where the client had tried for 3 solid days to get what they were after. They called me at the last minute to step in and complete it for them. It was a studio shot that I set up, lit, photographed and post processed in under an hour. By trying to save my fee, they wasted 3 days of their own time.
If you are considering the need for some photography to help promote your business, please drop me an email or give me a call.
Super Special Portrait Photography of Wonderful People
A few weeks ago I got to take some very special portraits of some very special people.
When my parents come to town I normally grab them to model for me to take some stock photography of ‘seniors’. This time I decided to do something a bit different.
It’s important to me to continue to learn and grow as a photographer and I have been studying some innovative portrait photography techniques that initiate displays of genuine emotion. No instructions to “stand there and smile”. I used these techniques on Mum and Dad and they took us to a wonderful place.
This ended up being one of the most enjoyable photoshoots I have done in ages. I loved doing it, I love them and the love they have for each other is clearly evident in the pictures. Here’s a slideshow of a bunch of images from the photoshoot.
The Three Things You Need to Know When Choosing a Wedding Photographer
As much as all wedding photographers think they are going to be the best photographer for every client who walks in their door, it’s a fact of wedding photography life that not all photographers are suited to photographing all weddings. So choosing the right photographer is super important. After the reception is over, the dress cleaned and packed away, you are home from the honeymoon and all that’s left are the photos. Photos that will be with you for a lifetime. Photos that hopefully you have made into an album that will become a treasured family heirloom for generations to come.
So how do you choose the perfect photographer for you?
I’m here to tell you it is fairly straight forward and comes down to 3 simple things. The 3 P’s. Personality, Pictures and Price.
Each of Personality, Pictures and Price have their own importance depending upon your circumstance but regardless of your budget the least important is Price. So I will start there.
Price
How much you can pay for a wedding photographer varies enormously. How much albums cost also varies enormously. And so too does the quality. In wedding photography I believe you definitely get what you pay for.
Cheap photographers can be tempting but bear in mind the reason they are so cheap. Largely it is due to them being new to the industry. They are therefore likely to be using cheap camera gear unsuited to the rigours of professional demands and also unlikely to have backup equipment. A lack of experience also means they may be unable to deal with unforeseen circumstances, tricky lighting and a myriad of other problems. Then the images themselves may not be up to standard.
I see it time and time again where a bride hires a cheap photographer – and they actually like their photos – but if only they had paid a small amount more, they could have an astonishing better collection of images and a much better album. There are many photographers locally who will shoot a wedding with a cheap album for far less than it costs me just to have made one of the high quality Queensberry albums I supply. I know those cheap albums are a false economy too. I have had samples of them fall apart and images fade within a couple of years. The albums I supply will last long after anyone I shoot has passed away. They are forever and therefore the extra cost is well worth it. Please don’t let price be your primary consideration when choosing a photographer. Sure, it’s a factor, but don’t let it be the main one.
And that brings us to pictures.
Pictures
What is the work like of the photographer you are considering? Look at complete albums of an entire wedding. Exact copies of what the bride and groom got. Not a selection of a handful their best work. These photos are forever. Simply put, do you like the work?
When looking at a photographers work, a quick tip or two. Avoid imagery that is super highly photoshopped. Avoid the trendy Instagram look. Trust me, you might love it now, but in a couple of years time it will be dated and a sad trend of the past. Classic strong imagery without the need for gimics is always in fashion. Have a look at this photo from the wedding of Jackie Bouvier and John Kennedy. It’s 60 years old this year. It’s beautiful, it’s classic. It’s a photo that could have been taken yesterday. It’s what I strive for in all my wedding photography.
Here’s one of mine. I was raining, the light was tricky, there wasn’t much room to move and I love that shot. It will be beautiful forever.
Then again you might hate this and really want the super photoshopped imagery – fair enough. There are plenty of photographers out there that will do that for you.
Finally Personality.
Personality
I cannot stress enough how important personality is. If the photographer is in your budget and does great work you love but you don’t click, don’t hire them. Simply put, the photographer is going to be with you for the better part of your wedding day. They should be the type of person you would love to have hanging around. Someone you would go to the pub with. Someone you’d have over for dinner and some laughs. Over the years I have made solid friends with a bunch of people whose weddings I have photographed.
I photograph the weddings of great, gorgeous, wonderful people. They are great, gorgeous and wonder because I think that way about them. A couple of times during my career as a wedding photographer I have met couples that I didn’t feel that way about and have simply and politely told them, “Sorry, I don’t think I am the best photographer for you”. It’s not them, it’s me. We’ve got to click. I’ve heard horror stories about personality clashes during weddings mostly because the couple decided to get a cheap photographer and they didn’t really get along.
Of the three factors of Price, Pictures and Personality, I think the single most important thing to consider when choosing a wedding photographer is personality. Regardless of how good the photographer is, if you don’t ‘click’ it will be reflected in the photos. And within a few months of the wedding the extra you might have to spend is quickly a thing of the past. But the photos are forever.
I hope that helps you in choosing the perfect wedding photographer for you.
Free Professional Photography. Interested? Read On.
How would you like to have some professional portrait photography at a price to good to resist – free?
Photographs like the ones below:
Here’s the deal. We do a photoshoot, you get a disc of images to print for your own personal use. In return you will be my ‘models’. Your modelling fee is paid with the disc of images. You’ll get a selection of images that are Photoshopped for me to use as stock photography.
I am one of Australia’s best selling stock photographers – stock photography are images I take speculatively and then put into stock libraries to sell to third party users – and I am on the lookout for more models. Individuals are good, couples are great, families even better.
It’s a fun and relaxed photoshoot. You’ll probably just be doing things you would do normally. Logos, images and artwork on clothes are a big no no in stock photography so you’ll need to wear simple and plain clothing.
Interested in finding out more, just go to my contacts page and send me a message.
Facebook and Twitter. Where to find me.
The nature of the beast means it is often easier to post pictures, new work and what I have been up to on Facebook and Twitter than on my blog. For wedding photography I endeavour to have a couple of wedding photos on Facebook the night of the wedding and a larger set within a couple of days.
In order to keep up to date please head over to like my page on Facebook here and follow me on Twitter here.
AIPP Member Photographers – Look for the Logo
Just thought I’d drop in a quick note about the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). The AIPP was established in 1963 with the twin objectives of:
As the AIPP says “nearly 50 years after our inception, using an AIPP accredited photographer is still the best assurance you can get that your chosen photographer is a professional, skilled in the art of photography.
If you want to be sure you are using an AIPP accredited professional photographer…..look for the logo!”