How many weddings I have I photographed? 

I've worked on over 500 weddings in the past 11 years in 3 states. Having small kids has kept me out of the international game but I'll hopefully get to shoot some weddings overseas once my kids are easier to travel with. 

What is a planning session?

As part of every wedding that I do we have a planning session over Zoom or sometimes in person to go over a schedule for your day and work out your locations. 

If your wedding is at a venue I haven't worked at before, in most cases, I will drop in to get familiar with where everything is and what position the sun will be in. I do these visits on a weekday because as you can imagine my weekends are busy shooting weddings and spending time with my kids. You're welcome to come along on these days of course. 

We'll cover things like ceremony location and any issues that I see with lighting. We'll work out where to take your family and group photos and where you would like your formal photos to be done. Sometimes a planning session might take a couple of phone calls to get it all sorted out.

Once we've got our plan, I work on a schedule for the day  and we keep fine tuning it right up until close to your wedding day once the venue has their schedule sorted out for you. I then have that printed out and with me on the day so that I know where I need to be and what to be set up for.

What is a highlight gallery?

Inside a week from your big day, I will have a highlight gallery ready for you to view. These are usually 100 to 200 images that follow the sequence of the day (sometimes more). They’re fully edited finished photos and they are uploaded to my website with a password. You are welcome to share this link and password with anyone and you can also right click and save the photos so that you can use them on your social media accounts. They are low resolution copies to load quickly online and so I don't recommend using these files for any printing.

How does a full day actually work?

I used to do everything based around hours and what was happening was that the hours were getting packed in with as many things as possible to get the most out of the time booked. This was creating a fair bit of stress which doesn't help the result with your photos and film. During the pandemic, it gave me time to look at how my business was running and how I could make things better for my couples. I decided to make my only offering a full day purely to make the day much more free-flowing. This way I can cover everything from your preparations through to your send off at the end of the night and create space for you to enjoy a stress-free wedding.

How much do wedding photographers in Australia cost?

According to ASIC's Moneysmart, the average cost to hire a wedding photographer in Australia is just under $4,000. That doesn't take into account any albums, wall art or other printed items.

How many photos do I shoot?

There's a difference between how many I shoot and how many are delivered. There are many external factors such as weather, reception formalities, venue decorations and details. Some parts of the wedding are edited ruthlessly and some aren't. With the ceremony, I edit the photos down a fair way to provide you with only the best images. The best moments. In most cases, you can expect anywhere from 350 to 1,000 photos of your day.

What resolution do I shoot video in?

Everything is shot and delivered in 4K

How far in advance do you have to book?

I work on a first-come first-served basis. For the popular dates, I am generally booked out 12 to 18 months in advance. The first thing to do is to check if I have your date available so get in touch with me here to check.

Can you choose the music for your wedding video?

The short answer is yes but the longer answer needs a blog post all on its own which is over here.

I use a music service called Musicbed which is hands down the best that I've come across. When I'm looking for music, I generally start with a slower song to help build the mood and then finish off with a more upbeat song. I also try to match the key of the songs so that it flows nicely together.

Feel free to jump over to Musicbed to go through the playlists and you'll get the vibe of the music I usually go for by checking out some of the wedding films I have produced.

What are the different styles of wedding photography?

In my opinion, there are two main styles of wedding photography, Traditional and Candid.

Traditional wedding photography uses a list of required poses for a classic look whereas candid photography focuses on capturing the day as it unfolds in order to tell a story of your day. My approach to posing is very minimal. I try to help you look good, feel comfortable and relaxed and be present with each other. Wedding photography has moved away from the rigid posing although we will always get a couple of photos that I call the 'Grandma/Grandpa' shot. Just imagine that traditional photo of you on your Grandparents mantlepiece. Other than that, we will capture things candidly or try to create a beautiful moment for you. 

To sum it up, I aim for 90% candid and 10% traditional but it isn't an exact science. The 10% traditional/posed will cover your family photos and some of your portraits.

Check out this Blog Post too: Photography Styles

Do you have to buy products?

Nope, you can hire me just to shoot your wedding and deliver your photos via an online gallery but I do encourage you to print your photos. There's just something magical about seeing your photos in print vs on a screen. If you're a creative and know how to put together the different things that you want, you can use the high resolution files to make everything yourself. If you need help with Wedding Albums, have a look here .

What do I wear to your wedding?

Sounds like an odd question to have listed here but I think it needs to be addressed. What I wear depends on what I am going to be doing and what locations and conditions we are going to be shooting in. In most cases, I have to be practical. They are long days, with many wedding days up to 15 hours by the time I add travel and back up time when I get home. Sometimes I am kneeling, sitting and lying down on sand, dirt and road and so a pair of nice suit pants just doesn't work. Most days I'll be dressed in black with a suit jacket. On hot days, I'll lose the jacket!

How much "photoshopping" do I do?

To answer this question to start with, the majority of editing (99%) is done using a program called Lightroom. Very rarely, we will do basic advanced editing in Photoshop. There's a big difference in the editing process but to keep it simple, we break it down into two parts, 'Editing' and 'Retouching'. Editing is the usual process of going through all of your photos, putting a look and feel over them and then manipulating settings on each photo depending on the needs of that image. Retouching is what is commonly known as 'Photoshopping' and is considered the art of advanced editing to remove or alter the image to achieve a final look. Anything like reducing the size of arms, belly, legs, hips etc or the removal of distracting elements is considered advanced editing or retouching and is not included as part of your standard pricing. That's not to say that it isn't available but there will be a cost as it can sometimes take an hour per photo for retouching. Giving an exact cost is impossible without looking at the image and knowing what you want done. If you did want something done, let me know and I can work out a price for you.

To learn a little bit more and see a before & after shot showcasing the editing style, please visit this blog post on Before + After editing your wedding photos.

What are the advantages of hiring a professional photographer?

A professional photographer means experience. And with experience comes modern, tried and true equipment alongside someone who is fully apt in understanding his or her capabilities. From the correct exposure, to framing, to knowing all of the ins and outs, a professional can tailor design and deliver the results more efficiently.

And because professional photographers are experienced with weddings, they can ease you through the day, ensuring that it comes together with ease, as they capture each moment for long-lasting memories.

This was a post on Easy Weddings’ Facebook page recently, which I thought was worth spreading.

“Biggest regret of my wedding was not paying for a professional photographer - I ‘thought’ the amateur photographer we used plus the guests photos would be enough... They weren't.

Spend the extra money and get a good photographer - when you look back at your wedding and get the photos out, you need those gorgeous portraits!”

When do you get your photos?

Highlight galleries will be uploaded within a week. Final online delivery will be 4 weeks after the wedding but please factor in public holidays and time off for the big holiday periods such as Christmas and Easter.

Have I worked at your venue?  

Possibly but to a professional it really doesn't matter. We can take a quick look at any location and within a few minutes we can sum up what we need to do and get on with the job. If I haven't worked at your venue, I will always try to scope it out ahead of time so that I'm familiar with not just the lighting but some of the more practical issues such as parking and any possible traps that can cause timing to go off course. 

What is the Booking Process?

After we meet, an automatic email will be sent to you with the details for how to book via an online form. Once that form is completed, I will generate a wedding photography contract that will need to be signed off on screen. You will also receive an invoice an a seperate email with details on making payment for your deposit. Payments can be made by EFT, Visa or Mastercard. You will get a confirmation email and copy of the signed document as a PDF once the contract has been signed successfully. 

Do you need a permit for your wedding?

You'll need a permit to have your ceremony in a public place but not to go and get your formal photos taken. To book your ceremony in, visit the shires website at https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Activities/Event-Planning/Weddings

Am I insured? 

Yes, I have public liability insurance.

How far will I travel for a wedding?

I’ve worked on weddings interstate and all over Victoria. I will travel as far as you need me to including overseas weddings. The prices listed on my page include up to 2 hours travel from the Mornington Peninsula. Costs for overnight stays, air travel and so on can be worked out once I know what's required. As a rough idea, I generally charge the cost price for a basic hotel room as well as any extra fuel, air fares and hire cars etc. I also don't worry too much about the time it takes for me to get to and from these locations unless it's a 3 day camel ride to your ceremony. In that case, I might need to work something out. I also look at things differently and depending on the time of year and location, I might bring the family and make a small holiday out of it. That doesn't mean I will bring my rowdy children to your wedding of course! You don't want that... So if you have a destination in mind, lets have a chat and work it out.

Why is a professional photographer so expensive?

There is much more to what I do as a wedding photographer than what you see on the day. A usual wedding will take anywhere from 30 to 40 hours of work on top of the actual day itself. As well as the hours of work there are equipment costs, insurance, marketing, vehicle, phone, internet,  power, hard drives and advertising to factor into running a business. A professional wedding photographer doesn't just have a nice camera and a computer with photoshop.

Successful wedding photographers must be extremely good at many things at the same time. Most of them have nothing to do with photography.

We can't have a bad day. We must be on top of our game at each wedding we photograph. At any given moment of your wedding day, we must be unflappable, professional, creative, dedicated, sociable, friendly, intuitive, empathetic, sensitive and master of our equipment. We must be able to communicate and manage the expectations of everyone on your day, be they a guest or worker. We are with you longer than anyone on your wedding day. Confidence, charm and a sense of humour are other requirements.

We are your timekeeper. We help keep you on track. As your wedding day unfolds, you will come to understand how the experience we brought to the day was worth every dollar. This, in addition to gorgeous images that capture the love, fun and emotion of your day is what you are paying for. Equipment of course is a major expense and buying new gear each year is not uncommon. New gear is not to brag about, but to consistently deliver better quality images.

What equipment do we use?

We use Professional level full frame digital and cinema cameras from Nikon, Sony and DJI. We have professional lenses in both prime and zoom with fast apertures for low light situations and we have at least 3 professional audio recording options. We have a range of wireless flashes with light stands for reception venues and night photos outdoors. 

What are RAW files and do you get them?

RAW files are the original ‘on camera’ digital files and are not supplied to our clients. Part of the work we do is to edit your RAW files to give them our signature look and feel as well as fix any blemishes or technical issues with the files. High resolution Jpeg files are then exported at the same size and resolution which means you will have fully edited usable images that can be viewed, printed and published anywhere.

I keep copies of your RAW files and edited jpegs for up to five years in case you lose your copies. This way I can provide you with a free backup in case of emergency.

Drone footage.

The use of Drones for your wedding film or to capture still images is subject to weather conditions and the laws around whatever areas we are in. I am a registered drone operator with CASA and I follow all the laws. For example, the laws state that drones can't be flown with 5.5kms of an airport with a control tower. There are also limits on how close we can fly near people so during the planning process for your wedding, these factors will be taken into consideration. If weather conditions prohibit us from flying, I always go back to the venue on a good day to capture what we need for the film.

What is the resolution of the photos you will receive?

Your High Res files will be the same resolution as what our cameras produce. We won't reduce the overall size of anything and you will have large enough files to print everything you could think of for all personal use. Because we use a range of camera bodies from Nikon and Sony, each camera is slightly different with it's megapixel and therefore resolution. 

Your low resolution files will be 2000 pixels on the long edge and set to 72DPI which is more than enough for anything on social media or to send by email. 

Changes to your Wedding Film.

During the editing process of your film, I use my best judgement for what to include in your short montage film. Obviously 10 to 12 hours of footage can't be squeezed down into a short clip and so you will have three rounds of changes after your initial draft has been sent to you. Further rounds of changes are charged at $125 per hour and will be quoted prior to going ahead. 

What happens if you need to cancel?

Unfortunately some couples don't make it all the way to their wedding day. These things happen. In a lot of cases, I take bookings well over 12 months in advance. During that length of time I will have other enquiries that come in for the same dates and I will have turned them down. Should a cancellation happen, in all likelihood, I will have lost the opportunity to replace it with another wedding.

It's a sad thing to happen and I never like to see it. Thankfully it is rare and I have only ever seen a handful of couples not actually make it. From my side of things, this is my business, my livelihood and I support my family with what I do.

Cancellations less than 6 months before the wedding will require payment in full. Cancellations of anywhere from 6 months before the date of the wedding will require payment of 50% of the chosen package price minus the deposit.

Can your friends and family take photos too?

Some photographers don't allow this but I can't imagine enforcing this rule. Or wanting to. The photos your friends and family take are as important as mine. Just in a different way. There are lots of photos to be taken.

I say shoot away at the ceremony... unless they are getting in the way and costing us time... I am happy to work beside any and all photographers. During the formal portrait photos, having a friend tag along with a camera can be distracting and interrupt the creative flow.  It may also cause your bridal party to get confused as to where they need to look. This session is one of the most important of your day and so I recommend your guests stay together and leave this part to us.

How do I back up my images?

Backing up images is a crucial part of the process of shooting a wedding. We've all had a hard drive fail and so I have invested in top of the range technology to minimise any risk.



When I get home from a wedding, I load up all images to my computer. It then does an automatic back up to an external hard drive. I also then send a copy of the RAW files to a dedicated Hard Drive. By the time I wake up the next morning, this whole process has ended up with 5 copies of every photo taken the previous day. That might sound like a lot but it's a wedding and I wouldn't feel comfortable unless this was done. Once your wedding is complete you will also have two folders in the cloud. One via your online gallery and another in my Dropbox business account.

Will I "pencil" in a date?

Unfortunately no. The only way to ensure that your date is secured is to pay the deposit and fill out a booking form. Holding dates can be a sticky situation and very hard to manage when you have multiple enquiries and meetings with couples for the same date.

Do I work with an assistant or second shooter?

I have second photographers available for anyone wishing to book one in. The responsibilities of a second photographer are to help with bags, sorting out equipment and taking photos of course. I've written a post about what Second Photographers get up to on a wedding day .