Find inspiration for your Hawke’s Bay wedding or family photography session by looking at some of my recent work.
One of the most wonderful things about being a wedding photographer is seeing how an event with so many common elements can be interpreted so differently by individuals who bring their own story and aesthetic to their day. Michael and Saasha were a fantastic couple to work with because with their wedding, as with their love for each other, they knew right from the start what they wanted.
Read MoreAshlin and Elyse got hitched in Hawke's Bay at a lovely, laid-back little winery called Crab Farm, just on the edge of the coastal settlement of Bay View, near Napier. The wedding they wanted was 'chic boho' with a chilled and relaxed vibe. "That's why we chose Crab Farm, because it ticked all those boxes'.
Read More"By sticking to our guns and keeping our wedding so small we were able to capture every moment more intensely and be in a position where we were able to focus on each other and absorb all the beautiful moments our day created. There were no distractions, it was just about us and our love."
Read MoreHow many true love stories begin with a girl looking across a crowded room and locking eyes with an 'energetic, sweaty, mess'? Sam must have had quite the pulling power as his future bride, Georgia, was seduced by the dashing airforce chopper pilot (ok so I had to get that bit in early to off-set the sweaty mess vision) as he was grooving away on the dance floor of the Beer Barrel in Palmerston North (affectionalty dubbed 'Paradise City' by the new Mr. & Mrs. Hatrick).
Read MoreHawke's Bay weddings pose a bit of a conundrum: coast or country? There is so much of both that it can often be hard to decide, so Nikky and Sam found a little off-the-beaten-track place where they could combine both. Clifton Cafe is authentically Kiwi. From the red corrugated iron through to the simple number-8 fencing wire separating the paddock from the wide expanse of the South Pacific Ocean. Under a home-made floral arch in front of their friends and family, this is Nikky and Sam's love story. We hope you enjoy it!
Read MoreHawke's Bay's Ocean Beach is a special place filled with memories for so many of us from this part of New Zealand. But for Birdy Hansen, this long stretch of coastline has a history so deeply connected to her family, it was impossible to imagine her wedding to Jono happening anywhere else. Michelle Fey and Rebekah Trafford illustrated her day with their images, and Birdy has relived the special moments here on our blog in her own words. As always, we feel so honoured that our couples generously let us share with the biggest, most personal day of their lives.
Read MoreA picture is said to tell a thousand words, and in so many ways I find this to be true when photographing people in love. But I still believe in the power of words to put love in context, generate emotion and record history in the same ways we do with our cameras. Douglas' speech after he married his childhood sweetheart, Sophia, was so honestly written that I asked if he would let me share it with you. This is their love story, told by our images...and his words...
Read MoreJames and Jo's great love began 14 years ago and it was amazing to see how the emotional energy created by a wedding day was able to take them both back there to the feelings we all remember from the start of a relationship.
Read MoreThere are a couple of things key things that, as a photographer, contribute to making a wedding really memorable and special for me. First, it's good, old-fashioned chemistry. A couple who are IN LOVE, all capitals. It's nothing to do with how they look, it's all about how they are together. Secondly, it's a location that isn't just beautiful, but historical. A place that has generations of family memories layered on it, and I'm a big part of making some more very special ones.
Read MoreOccasionally people ask if I ever get bored shooting weddings (I've shot about 600, so it's a fair question!). I can confidently say 'no' because, for me, it's not the wedding that excites and interests me, it's the people. And even though it's bound to happen someday, I've yet to shoot the same bride twice. And I've never shot a bride like Kelly. She is a free spirit, a courageous, strong woman with the softest heart. When I found out she was getting married on my 40th birthday at Waipatiki Beach, I knew I had my party plans sorted.
Read MoreI've known Kelly for about almost a decade now - which is one of those comments that makes me realise time waits for no man. Unless your name is Scotty. He's known Kelly for far longer than I have and never forgot her after their paths went in different directions after a childhood friendship. But fate has a way of making things happen just when they should...
Read MoreThe last time I had Abi and Ethan in front of my lens, they were half the size they are now. We got some lovely, playful images of them in the late afternoon sun down by the river. But lately, I've really been enjoying shooting pre-teens in the simple setting of the studio, exploring personalities without the distraction of pretty backgrounds. I asked them to come in wearing what they felt most comfy in, and to bring one or two of their favourite things.
Read MoreWe are mostly Hawke's Bay wedding photographers, but for that reason, we love the chance for a good old-fashioned roadie to discover new creative spaces for wedding photography and to tell different stories. It's especially cool (literally and figuratively!) when the roadie is to Waihi Beach right bang smack in the middle of winter.
Read MoreAlex and I last caught up a year ago when he was four and I promised treasure if he joined me in a pirate hunt among the autumn leaves of Havelock North. I'm not sure he's forgiven me yet for not delivering, however he showed up with his game face on when we met a year later for some soccer at Waipatiki beach in winter.
Read MoreI have photographed what must now be hundreds of little hatchlings over my career, but at four days old, Louis was the youngest. And I swear, his older brother Felix was, without doubt, the most adoring older sibling I've ever encountered. As I quietly shot the two boys together over the course of a morning, I literally watched him fall in love. It was quite beautiful to behold, and even more beautiful to press pause on these fleeting moments for their mum and dad, who generously let me share these very personal images with you.
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