Warning – boring technical lighting information for photographers inside…

click here to keep reading…

Naomi has been super busy pumping out wedding albums for our clients and new ones for our studio samples. Just between you and me, I think we’ve made Queensberry pretty happy in the past few months

The below album is one Naomi created from Matt and Jess’ recent wollongong wedding. The album was created with a photo-front, in classic black leather and using the Queensberry DUO format. (both matted and digital pages)

if you own one of our Queensberrys make sure you join the ‘I own a Queenberry’ group on facebook )

Kenney of Glen & Leila wedding fame contacted me months ago to see if I was available to run a crazybooth for the 21st party of his sister, Louise. Louise had a 1950′s theme for her party (think Mad Men, Grease etc) which looked awesome!

The day of the party also marked the 3 year anniversary of Louise and her boyfriend, Brendan, so I did a short photoshoot just before the party started with them all dressed up…

so easy to photograph… )

I love these sun-flare ones…

the tourist information centre in Campbelltown made a fitting background )

then onto the party!

the crazybooth photos can be viewed here.

Happy birthday Louise! Thanks for letting me be a part of your fun fun party!!

after the link below is a whole blog-post on some of the editing we do to our images, including 25 rollover ‘vi’ images to see before and after editing…

click here to keep reading…

– sorry for double post — stickying it to the top of the blog.

Back in February I blogged about running some workshops for lighting. We had an overwhelming response to our preliminary questionnaire – including people overseas and many interstate.

Naomi and I racked our brains to create a format which would benefit the workshopee the most and decided on running direct 1 on 1 workshops. We decided to do it this way so we could really rock out and give you the attention and tuition you deserved. Here’s how they will roll…

1 day technical workshop –
For one day you will receive the personal and undivided attention of myself to learn whatever photographic technique you would love to know more about. This could include, video-light, off-camera flash, modifying natural light, my post-processing techniques… etc. (as long as I know about it, we can go through it together)

This won’t be a business coaching, pep-talky day with me, we will get into the gritty techniques I use to create my images.

The usual format of the day will run from 10am to 8pm and will include around 6 hours with a live model (if required) to learn-on-the-job. You have full access to my extensive equipment for the day.

1 day Bridal shoot -
Everyone that signs up for a 1day will be eligible to attend a special bridal-shoot I will host for a small group of people.

The first scheduled shoot will be on Friday the 20th of August and a second one on Saturday the 21st of August.
We are planning to have this shoot at the gorgeous Summerlees Cottages in Sutton Forest (in the Southern Highlands). We will have 2 models in wedding gowns, with some stunning theming by an event specialist. The groups will be between 4 and 6 people, giving the opportunity to put what you’ve learned into practice with the encouragement and feedback of myself as we go. This won’t be a watch-me-shoot, you will be doing most of the photography with some guidance from me as I stand beside you. This day will run from 12 midday to around 7pm, after the sun has set. Images you create on this day can be used in your portfolio.

Investment – the 1 day and access to the bridalshoot is $1100.
We have a payment plan available if required (50%  and fortnightly creditcard payments therafter)

My availability will be for select weekends and most weekdays between now and the dates listed for the first bridal-shoot above. If you are interested, email info at vibrantphotography.com.au or visit my contact page and send me your details. After we receive your email we will chat about what you want to learn and create an individual itinery for the 1 on 1 day we spend together. We will find a date that best works for you.

If you are interstate / overseas, we can have a chat about how we can make this format also work for you.

here’s an image that was taken at Summerlee’s when I shot a bridal with Jenny Sun last December…

Back on the 22nd was Dave & Katie’s wedding in the Hunter Valley! I originally met them both on Stuart & Tania’s wedding back in 2008. Dave was in the bridal party and I got chatting to them both during the reception. Fast forward a year and a half and it was their turn, with Stuey in the b.party! They had their ceremony in the gorgeous St Patricks of Nulkaba church and their reception at The Sebel Kirkton Park also in the Hunter Valley. The last time I was at The Sebel, it rained all day for Dale & Megan’s wedding so we couldn’t go outside and play in the grounds. (which prompted my wet weather gaurantee) I was super anxious about the weather considering it had been raining in Sydney and Newcastle the weeks before, but we were blessed with a near-perfect day and only a slight show-up of rain.

So here’s a few photos from their gorgeous day…

Katies dress is Naomi’s dream wedding dress…

the flowergirls + boy were waiting for the bridal cars to arrive – lots of cuteness captured…

you can’t really see it at this size, but Dave had some glassy looking eyes as Katie walked down the aisle…

one of the female guests at the reception asked me if I had photographed a bride as beautiful as Katie before…

just outside the church was some glorious vibrant colours )

I really loved Katie’s themeing and the details she put together. The flowers were amazing!

it was joked in the speeches that the only thing Dave loved more than Katie was their dog – who made it to the wedding in the form of their cake-topper…

Thanks for letting me be apart of a beautiful day D&K.

Feel free to leave them some nice words in the comments link below

Each year during the PMA Australia tradeshow, the Canon Aipp Professional Photography Awards (or APPA) is held also. This gives Australia wide photographers the opportunity to have their work judged by a panel of professional photographers and awarded appropriately. A total of four images can be submitted in a range of categories for judgement. Points are awarded out of 100. Prints that score over 80 are awarded a Silver award, with a sliding scale up to a Gold with distinction being the highest merit level.

This was the first time I entered the APPA’s. I barely made it. It was a last minute decision which only just made it in. This year there was a record number of entries submitted. The judging is cut-throat and highly scrutinised, even the quality of your printing can let you down.

Anyway – I received a sms today saying that 2 of my 4 images had been awarded Silver Awards.
The awarded images are below…

Print A
I entered this into the ‘Wedding Photojournalism’ category.
This image was taken at Tom & Ciara’s wedding back in 2008. The 2 flower girls were peering into the church just before Ciara was due to walk down the aisle into the church.
It scored an 83, 2 points short of a Silver with Distinction

Print B
Also entered into the ‘Wedding Photojournalism’ category.
This was taken at Nathaniel & Skye’s recent wedding in April this year.
Skye was having her dress done up by her sister, a wooden tree motif hang on the wall in the background of her parents house.
This print scored 80.

My other 2 entries both received 76 each.

Thanks to Brent from Photomart for matting my entries while I waited the night before they were couriered, and to Jeremy from Imagescience for his advice and fantastic printing.