Archive for April, 2009

It’s a fact – brides & grooms the world over hope & pray for perfect weather for their big day. I’m sure E+J were no different, but when the heavens opened up and the wind blew their response was most certainly not disappointment or concern…they simply held onto the fact that it was their wedding day, rain or shine & nothing else mattered! I couldn’t have agreed more.

These were some of the most challenging conditions I’ve faced as a wedding photographer, but when two people are as happy and in-love as these two are…well, how could you not get a bucket load of emotion-filled, fun-lovin’ photos.

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I just love this shot. Little Miss A climbed up on this chair ever-so carefully…”Mummy said to be careful not to scuff my dress!”, she said. Then she suddenly realised that her dress had all these beautiful layers and her flowers could just sit there…all by themselves. Amazing! Doesn’t she looks like a perfect little doll. And check out those eyelashes.

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Isn’t she beautiful?! A princess bride through & through. And she has the heart to match.

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This shot was technically kinda tricky and it took me a little while to figure things out. These guys patiently sat with their lips locked for quite some time. They didn’t seem to mind too much though. And the other patrons at the cinema were so patient and simply accepted that this was the pre-movie entertainment! lol.

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And this shot was one of our final shots of the afternoon. It was exceptionally cold at this point, but the sunset at the groom’s parent’s farm was the perfect end to a perfect afternoon. Not ‘perfect’ perhaps in terms of the weather, but in every other respect…completely.

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Congratulations Evie+James. You were fantastic and I felt so honoured to be a part of your special day.

Donna xx

told you so…

April 22, 2009

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I really did take a record number of shots of this sweet little princess. Couldn’t resist sharing this one. The bride had just presented her with a thank you gift – the necklace that she is admiring in the mirror. It’s a candid moment – not set up – and the sheer delight on both Miss H’s and the bride’s face is priceless. A beautiful moment.

D xx

dan+sharni=love {part II)

April 19, 2009

Here goes…a bumper post. Bigger than ever, but I just loved everything about this day and I have so many sweet, images to share. Let’s start with the groom…

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and, the adorable page boy who took his job very seriously.

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to one of the sweetest little flower girls I’ve ever met. she was a princess through & through and I think I took way too many photos of her!

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and, finally…the stunning bride. I think I used the word ‘beautiful’ so much that it is now completely worn out!

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Leg of Mutton Lake – Mt Gambier. Not the prettiest of names, but a very pretty place.

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And this is me in sniper-mode, capturing the bride through the branches & grass as she prepared herself to meet her groom for the first time that day. I love this shot, mostly because I know it is a little unusual and sneaky, but also because it captures a truly candid moment. The bride had no idea…I was very well hidden!

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And this…this is one of my new favourite images. I love it. I love the dress billowing down to the ground and the way the groom gently & lovingly held his bride. *sigh* It’s just too sweet.

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Phewww! Told you I had heaps to share.

Dan & Sharni…you were both amazing to work with. Sweet. Totally in-love. & truly blessed to have each other. You made my job easy and fun. I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of your special day. I wish you every conceivable happiness in your new lives together.

Donna xoxo

dan+sharni=love {details}

April 18, 2009

I’m a details kind of girl. Always have been. I think it’s the little things that make something stand out. Especially a wedding. Dan & Sharni put so much of themselves into the {details} of their wedding. It was perfect. Completely, utterly beautiful.

(To those of you that are planning your own wedding, you may just find some inspiration here…)

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The ceremony was held at Leg of Mutton Lake – not a romantically named venue, but a truly romantic, picture-book location. These red berries adorned many of the trees…

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I fell in love with this ring box. If you’re planning a wedding it doesn’t hurt to have a ring box other than the store supplied box. Store supplied ring boxes can look very generic, but not this one. I believe it was purchased at an Oxfam store in the city.

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For a while now I have been looking for a way to capture the wedding cake other than pointing my camera at it and hitting the shutter button. This one took some figuring out, but with a little know-how, some black cardboard and a roll of sticky tape I managed this…

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The love heart in the background is the candle light from one of the tables. It seemed a fitting tribute to such a head-over-heels-in-love couple like Dan & Sharni.

I’ll have some images of the happy couple soon. Stay tuned!

Donna xo

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Have you ever seen anything cuter? Not including your own little sweeties…or mine, of course! lol. Took this one at a wedding recently and simply forgot all about it. She is an absolute sweetheart and judging from the way she clung to Mum & Dad throughout the day, she is entirely loved and adored!

D xo

snapshot…

April 16, 2009

Sometimes scrolling through numerous photos means you miss the big picture (so to speak). I love the idea of seeing a snapshot of an entire wedding – a kaleidoscope of moments frozen in time. All the details, treasured moments, fun and frivolity of a complete day all in one image. So here goes…Ben’s & Briodie’s very own kaleidscope.

Enjoy. xx

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2 Infinity & Beyond…

April 13, 2009

I love it when I arrive at the bride’s place on the morning of the biggest day of her life and she simply flashes an enormous smile that says all on its own, “this is it…!” At that moment I know it’s going to be an amazing day. And it was. So many family and friends gathered to wish this much loved couple well, including a few of the bride’s Year 6 students, gumboots and all!

This is going to be a bumper post so grab a coffee and settle in!

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Being an easter wedding I absolutely couldn’t resist this shot. It had to be done. lol.

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The inscription on the groom’s ring reads “2 Infinity” and the bride’s “& beyond!” (well it was supposed to read ‘& beyond’, but there was a slight mix-up at the engravers…doesn’t matter though it still has the same depth of meaning and humour!)

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Ben & Briodie desperately wanted a Hummer as their wedding car and couldn’t find one to hire anywhere nearby. Out of the blue, they called a local guy who replied ‘it’s all yours!’. It is testament to the fact that I live in one of the best communities in Australia. Who does that…who lends their car to a couple they don’t really know just ’cause they asked?! Amazing!

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Again, a friend of the couple’s and good friends of mine allowed us the use of this amazing property, The Customs House (http://www.thecustomshouse.com.au), in Port MacDonnell. I’d like to sincerely thank Heidi and Brenton for their generosity. In fact, if you like what you see, why not organise a getaway and stay a night in their luxurious B&B. It is seriously beautiful as you can see from these photos!

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I just love this photo! It’s different and totally Briodie…there couldn’t possibly be many photos like this one lying around in people’s wedding albums! Ha ha.

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You need to look carefully at the above photo to ‘get it’! And it probably helps if you are a friend of Bride & Groom.

Told you it was going to be a massive post! I know there are tons of people out there that just adore Ben & Briodie and I didn’t want to leave them wanting more. I’m sure you’ll agree that Briodie made the most beautiful bride and remained totally true to herself. The whole day was perfectly them and oozed fun and pure happiness. Congratulations guys and thanks for allowing me to share your special day with you…it means a lot!

Donna xoxo

real families…

April 4, 2009

There is something honest and beautiful about this family…I think because they didn’t try to be anything other than themselves. They came exactly as they are…’NY’cap and all!

My catch-phrase/slogan/thingy has always been ‘art lives here’ and it doesn’t mean what you might think. It’s not about me, my business or my photographs, but about reminding people that real beauty is in the things that make up our everyday lives. Our kids. Our partners. Our families. The “art” is already there and all I have to do is capture it to the best of my ability. And these guys made my job eeeezy!

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Photographers the world over will tell you that the hardest photo to get…the “money shot” (so-to-speak) is always the family one. It is never easy to capture the personality and beauty of everyone in that same split second. Actually make that 1/125th of a second! I think that’s why I love this family photo so much. In fact, it may be one of my all-time favourites. The morning light was just gorgeous and everyone gave me something special all at the same time. Gotta love that!

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Thanks for a fun morning guys and for just being YOU!

Donna xo