Zahara & Ryan

I am lucky in more ways than one that I was chosen to shoot Zahara and Ryan’s wedding at the Brunswick Mess Hall. I am lucky because it was such a fun, love filled day. I am Luckier still because originally they weren’t going to have a photographer along for their wedding.

Thankfully Zahara found me on Instagram and my work resonated with her so much that she decided to come down to my studio for a chat. She started out by telling me that they don’t really like their photo being taken and that they are camera shy. I’m a shy guy myself so I could understand where she was coming from. I also knew this meant they probably didn’t have many great photos of themselves. I knew that if I could get relaxed, natural and beautiful photos of them then I could be one hundred percent confident they would love them.

The thought of wedding photography can be intimidating for some people. They worry they’re not models and don’t know how to pose or that they aren’t photogenic. I like to remind people that every wedding I shoot the couples are all just regular people too. Not many people I photograph are trained to be in front of a camera and that actually helps! It’s easy for me to shoot intimate, natural portraits because the emotion, happiness and excitement that come along with a wedding day is what shines through. Forget the idea that you are having photos staged; it’s more that I am sharing your day with you and capturing all the ins and outs throughout the best day of your life. I’m photographing your love and your friends and family and in amongst all of that you will find beautiful images of yourself, hardly realising there’s a camera there at all.

Zahara and Ryan chose the simplicity of a Melbourne Registry Office (Old Treasury Building) ceremony to showcase their heartfelt and intimate love followed by drinks at Trunk, a fun little bar in the city. We snuck out and wandered the city streets and old buildings getting portraits amongst bookshops and theatres. We walked for at least five kilometres around Melbourne, choosing spots that looked good and finding light that was perfect at each turn. We ended up finishing our portraits at Fitzroy gardens before cramming into a maxi taxi and heading to the Brunswick Mess Hall.

We partied into the night, eating incredible vegan food and dancing to the DJ spinning vinyl. The Brunswick Mess Hall is a really incredible venue, the building is super stylish with interesting décor. Zahara styled everything herself so all the time and effort she put into the details backed up by the Brunswick Mess Hall created a magical atmosphere.