Hallie & Ivan's epic New Zealand wedding

June 05, 2016  •  2 Comments

I created B Captured six years ago, driven by my pure love and passion for the art of photography. Never in my wildest dreams did I envisage that my passion would one day become my full time job. Even today, I still pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming.

However, one thing I never expected was the level of pressure and energy involved with being a wedding photographer. The job does not start and end on the day of the wedding, but there is so much work and preparation that occurs ‘behind the scenes’ in the months leading up to and after the wedding. A wedding shoot can be intense and requires sound physical and emotional endurance and resilience. Circumstances are unpredictable and you are constantly having to think fast on your feet to solve any problems that may arise throughout the day,

for example, if the hair and make-up artist runs late or the ceremony is delayed or certain members from the bridal party need to leave due to a family incident. At the end of the day, irrespective of what comes your way, you are expected to deliver quality photos within the already restrictive time constraints. And amidst this chaos, you must maintain a calm facade to not lay any stress or worry on the couple, which will be reflected in the photos.

I always tell my assistants that the shooting is the easy part. The challenge is developing the skills to relax the couple, to make the experience fun and to manage situations that are out of your control to still present a collection of wedding photos that capture the joy and beauty from the day. No one wants to be reminded of the background mayhem. One tip, I’ve found my best photos were when I’ve been able to sweet talk the bride into doing crazy things in her beautiful wedding dress. J

Despite the above, being a photographer in my opinion is the most rewarding job in the world! The happiness I see when the couple looks through their wedding photos for the first time is the best feeling ever and I don’t think this will ever grow old. You also have the opportunity to meet different people from all different walks of life, with varying backgrounds, beliefs and cultures. You get to travel to new and exotic places near and far. Being a photographer has opened my eyes to the world and it is bigger and more vivid than I have ever seen. 

Each wedding to me is an adventure. You can never plan for everything, but that is what makes it exciting. You will encounter obstacles, trust me, I’ve been through the worse, which will push you physically and mentally to the limit. However, you will come out stronger and much wiser. Never do I think that I have reached the peak of my photography, I am just getting started!  I still have so much more to learn to continue to better myself.

I have digressed but the purpose of tonight’s blog is to share with you the amazing time I had shooting this amazing couple from Texas.

I first received an email from Hallie and Ivan back in November 2014. They wanted to tie their knot somewhere special, breathtaking and definitely unique. They wanted a very small and intimate wedding with their closest family and friends. They wanted an experience that they will treasure for a lifetime to come. They told me after extensive internet research, they discovered me and I felt extremely honoured to be chosen as their photographer to capture this special moment in their life. Their wedding went over two days, with the ceremony and reception on the first day and the second day was dedicated towards further shooting around beautiful New Zealand. Besides driving around New Zealand for amazing shooting locations, we also spent a considerable amount of time on a private helicopter, landing on one mountain top to the next. We shot under waterfalls, on the snowy mountains and so much more!

They chose their wedding ceremony to be at Earnslaw Burn, which is an exclusive spot where only Heliworks have exclusive rights to land there. This place is beyond magical with over thirty waterfalls! The couple have done an amazing job in finding this spectacular location. I thought I have seen it all, but this place truly took my breath away. The water was crystal clear and blue, the mountains were stunning covered in thick fog and clouds. And not to mention the rainbow that appeared during our shoot! Everything was perfect, thanks mother nature.

And the couple – I couldn’t have asked for better people! They are both completely down-to-earth, super easy to work with and were willing go the distance for a great photo.  This consisted of posing in freezing cold water, with the bride IN HER WEDDING DRESS, only metres from a cascading waterfall, standing on wet and slippery rocks along the flowing river, tolerating bugs that stick to your body (the most irritating and painful experience ever) and the list goes on. Not once did they complain, imparting total trust in me and what I do. Ivan and Hallie, thank you so much for agreeing to my eccentric ideas and for providing me with absolute creative freedom! I feel extremely lucky to be a part of your wedding and above all for the experience that has indeed enriched my life. I hope that I have done you proud and the memories I have captured will forever remind you both of this remarkable adventure we have shared together. 


Comments

Linda Goolsby(non-registered)
The word that comes to mind is "epic " !
Amanda Brown(non-registered)
Wow!! What a lovely wedding!! I just love the pictures :) <3
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