23 From '23 | A Snapshot of 2023 {Avon Valley, Wheatbelt & Perth Wedding, Family, Event & Commercial Photographer}

With Christmas approaching and 2023 coming to a close, it's time to reflect on another lap around the sun, with a random selection of some of my favourite images from the past 12 months.

23 memorable moments from 2023, in no particular order.  An eclectic mix of images taken during some of the incredible shoots I've been privileged to work on throughout the year, plus a few from my own collection too, because, well, personal work is good for the soul!

So a huge thank you to all who have made 2023 so rewarding for me.  Because without you, my amazing clients, friends and family, I wouldn't have been witness to these moments, or had the opportunity to create these beautiful images.

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and I'll see you all again in 2024!

22 From ’22 | A Snapshot of 2022 {Avon Valley, Wheatbelt & Perth Wedding, Family, Event & Commercial Photographer}

As 2022 draws to a close, it's time to reflect on another successful year as both a photographer and a business owner, with 22 randomly chosen images featuring some of my favourite shoots, places, people and experiences from the last 12 months.

It’s always hard to choose such a small number of images from the wide variety of genres that I shoot, and there are honestly too many highlights to list, but the one that definately rates a mention is being awarded as a Finalist in the Owner/Operator category at the annual Wheatbelt Business Excellence Awards in October - hence why the last shot below made the cut! But there have been so many other special moments too, dotted in amongst the 50+ weddings, family, event and commercial gigs I’ve had the privilege of shooting in 2022. And because I can’t possibly list them all, I’m just going to give it to you in pictures instead!

So here they are, 22 memorable moments from 2022, in no particular order.  An eclectic mix of both client and personal images, which I feel best reflect both my style and the amazing people and subjects I regularly work with.

And a huge thank you to all of you who have made 2022 so rewarding for me.  Because without you, my fabulous clients, friends and family, I wouldn't have been witness to these moments, or had the opportunity to create these beautiful images.

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and I'll see you all again in 2023!

5 Tips To Help You Prepare For Corporate Portraits {Perth, Avon Valley & Wheatbelt Corporate Photographer}

Good corporate portraits are a powerful way to market yourself. Regardless of whether you’re a business owner or a model, an influencer or an artist - or you just need new profile images for your social media pages, a professional portrait will set you apart. But let’s face it, it can be daunting to stand in front of the camera and pose for this type of image, as they can be quite formal! However, with some forward planning and a bit of communication with your photographer, you’ll be nailing your corporate portraits in no time!

1. Consider Your Requirements, Style & Branding

The style or type of portraits you choose will determine how your audience sees you, and should reflect both your personality and brand. A traditional head and shoulders against a blank wall is more formal than a portrait shot outside, or against the backdrop of your office or workplace. Often referred to as environmental portraiture, this latter style is better suited to a more casual, laid back vibe than a formal corporate portrait, which is, well, more corporate!

However, your requirements will also influence the style you choose, so consider the end use of your images.  If you need profile images for social media or the About Us page on your website, a head and shoulders portrait may be best, but if you’d like your images to communicate something about your business or lifestyle, an environmental portrait would be better.  

Your branding may also affect the style of portraiture you opt for.  If your brand is sleek, professional and corporate, a traditional head and shoulders against a blank wall will tie in well.  But if it’s more earthy, natural and laid back, an outdoor background or environmental portrait may be better. 

2. Think About Your Clothing

Clothing is a form of expression, so choose something which reflects your personality, business and brand – and remember, first impressions last!

Generally speaking, the simpler the better. Solid neutral colours and tones such as black, white, beige, tan, olive, pale blue and grey work best.  Avoid outlandish items (unless that’s really you!), patterns, stripes, and irrelevant logos or slogans. And if your branding is orange and black, don’t wear that purple blouse!

Avoid tight fitting clothing. A blouse or shirt that fits correctly allows the viewers focus to remain on your face.  And if you normally wear glasses, it’s ok to wear them for your shoot.  Oh, and iron your clothes before the day – creases are difficult to Photoshop, and they will sit better and look more professional.

Consider any group portraits that will be taken (you don’t want to clash!). And bring a couple of additional items such as a jacket or change of shirt, in case your photographer feels they will work better, and/or so you can mix it up a bit.

3. Consider Your Hair & Makeup

You probably don’t want to do this too often, so go the extra mile and book a hair and makeup artist, so you look extra fabulous in your portraits.

Or if you’d prefer to do it yourself, keep the makeup simple and natural, and do your hair the way you normally would, so you feel like ‘you’ when you look at your images.

Keep the weather in mind if your portraits will be taken outdoors.  Bring a hairbrush and hairspray on the day, and consider an ‘up-do’ if the wind will be a problem, as flyaway hair is almost impossible to Photoshop!  Same goes for 3 day growth, gentlemen, so if possible, shave the morning of the shoot.

And don’t be scared to have a final look over yourself in a mirror, just before and throughout your shoot – your photographer will get all the tech stuff right, but he or she is not to know that you hate your hair if the part is not dead centre, or a wisp falls over your shoulder.

4. Discuss The Details

Your photographer takes great photos – that’s why you chose them, after all!  But it doesn’t matter how good they are if they don’t know anything about you, your business or brand, or what you want from your portrait shoot.

The more information they have prior to the shoot date, the more likely they will be to achieve your vision.  So discuss the details, both at the time of booking, and as the shoot approaches.

Share links to your website, business and branding. Tell them what the images will be used for, and what impression you would like to create amongst your audience.

Share examples of images you like (and don’t like!) and discuss what you did and didn’t like about any past corporate photos you’ve had done.  Oh, and mention it if there is something you don’t like about yourself – they may be able to minimise it with clever angles and posing.

5. Allow Time To Prepare

The more prep you do, both mentally and physically, the better your photos will be! Get a haircut the week before, if you’re due for one, or have a facial if it helps your skin look good.

Spend some time practicing your poses and expressions in the mirror.  It may feel awkward, but if you have some idea of what looks good, it will be a big help to your photographer on the day.  

Spend some time trying clothes on, to make sure they fit correctly and look good on. Select a few outfits, check for stains and marks, then wash, iron and hang them ready for your shoot date.

Discuss your thoughts and ideas with both your photographer and your staff, and ask for their input. Ensure staff are familiar with the timeline for the shoot day, and understand what is required of them. And share the tips on clothing, hair and makeup with them too, so they can prepare and feel their best on the day.

Finally, get a good sleep the night before, and arrive with plenty of time to spare on the day, so you don’t feel stressed or under pressure at the start of your shoot.

So there you go, my five tips to ensure you get awesome corporate images for your business or brand!

Now, relax and have fun, and let’s nail those corporate portraits!

Dan + Kacey | Buckland Estate, Northam WA | 9 January 2021 {Perth, Avon Valley & Wheatbelt Wedding Photographer}

Dan and Kacey waited an additional nine months to tie the knot, after postponing their original plans for an Easter wedding when Covid hit early in 2020. And as Murphy’s Law would have it, their cool, Autumn wedding day was replaced with one of the hottest days we’ve had out here this Summer, at a cracking hot and slightly stormy 43 degrees!

High temps are tough enough for those of us who live in the Wheatbelt and are acclimatised to the conditions, so I can only imagine how this predominantly Perth based couple and their guests felt as the temperature soared on the 9th January! But being true legends, they forged ahead, without dropping any of our plans to march through paddocks or dance on sunset in the name of epic images. And it was totally worth it - after a relatively dark, overcast afternoon, the temperature dropped to a ‘mild’ 39 degrees, and the sun peeked through with just enough time left to nail the stunning images you see below!

Special mention to the following suppliers for battling through the heat and making Dan and Kacey’s day one to remember. Buckland Estate (venue), Three Seventy Hair Salon (hair & makeup), Lotus Floristry (flowers), Jonte Designs (gown), Totem Glamping (safari tents), and Base Woodfired Pizza (catering).

And of course, a huge thankyou to Dan and Kacey for entrusting their wedding day to me, and for the sweet little note of thanks I received below - you guys rock!

“We just got our prints! They are stunning! We are so happy with all the photos - they are perfect, and exactly what we had hoped for. Thankyou so much for nailing our vision Angie!”

Scott + Rebecca | Laurelville Manor, York WA | 26 October 2019 {Perth, Avon Valley & Wheatbelt Photographer}

Scott and Bec were blessed with a glorious Summer day for their stunning wedding, held at historic Laurelville Manor in York, Western Australia recently.

This wedding was packed with all the elements that get me excited, from the location, just 20 minutes down the road from me in the beautiful Avon Valley region, to the venue (one of our best loved local properties) and the couples families, a bunch of lovely farming folk, some of whom I know from my days in the agricultural industry. Not to mention the dusty paddocks on the outskirts of town that Scott and Bec chose for their bridal portraits - what more could a country based photographer with a background in agriculture ask for?!

A huge thanks to the following vendors for helping create such a stunningly elegant day for this gorgeous young couple. Laurelville Manor (venue), Kay hair & Co (hair), Mint Makeup Artist (makeup), Flowers By Elli Paige (florals), Ryan Clune (celebrant), Heyder & Shears Catering (catering), Audrey Davies (cake), Madi Lane Bridal (gown) and Joondalup Marquees (marquee).

And of course, a big thankyou to Scott and Bec for inviting me to cover your special day for you - it was such a delight to be there with you all!

A Snapshot of 2018 | Avon Valley, Wheatbelt & Perth Wedding, Family, Event & Commercial Photographer}

As 2018 draws to a close, it's time to reflect on what an amazing year its been for me, with a random selection of some of my favourite images from the past 12 months.

A big year for my business, 2018 saw me awarded Owner/Operator of The Year at the annual Wheatbelt Business Excellence Awards, and a Finalist in the Best Home Based Business category at the Avon Valley Business Excellence Awards. I also managed to squeeze more than 50 weddings, family, event and commercial gigs in, plus a number of incredibly satisfying personal projects. And The Wheatbelt Collective grew from a simple light bulb moment to a successful collaboration with a bunch of great local suppliers and creatives.

So here they are, thirty memorable moments from 2018, in no particular order.  An eclectic mix of images from the incredible work I've been privileged to shoot throughout the year, plus a few from my own collection too, including a couple of self portraits.  Because its important for photographers to make time to document our own lives too (and because they took me forever to get right, so I’m pretty darn proud of them!).

So a huge thank you to all of you who have made 2018 so rewarding for me.  Because without you, my amazing clients, friends and family, I wouldn't have been witness to these moments, or had the opportunity to create these beautiful images.

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and I'll see you all again in 2019!

17 From '17 | A Snapshot of 2017 {Avon Valley & Perth Wedding, Family, Event & Commercial Photographer}

As 2017 draws to a close, it's time to reflect on what an amazing year its been for me, with a random selection of some of my favourite images from the past 12 months.

So here they are, seventeen memorable moments from 2017, in no particular order.  An eclectic mix of images from the incredible weddings, families, events and commercial work I've been privileged to shoot throughout the year.  And a few from my own collection too, including a self portrait of me towards the end (yep, in my car, of course!).  Because its important for photographers to make time to document our own lives too.

So a huge thankyou to all of you who have made 2017 so rewarding for me.  Because without you, my amazing clients, friends and family, I wouldn't have been witness to these moments, or had the opportunity to create these images.

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and I'll see you all again in 2018!

Why I Chose Pentax as My Weapon of Choice | Polka Dot Wisdom | Polka Dot Bride {Perth, Avon Valley & Wheatbelt Wedding Photographer}

A little article I wrote for the lovely ladies at Polka Dot Bride has just been published, and it goes something like this...

Hey, guess what?  I shoot Pentax!  Weird, I know?!  I don't think twice about it, of course, but every now and then I get asked why I chose Pentax as my camera system, usually by an observant wedding guest with an interest in photography, and almost always when I'm darting around grabbing shots, with no time to spare for explanations.  Well, it's mid winter now, and I'm buried in my office, with time to finally answer that question for you!

So why did I choose Pentax, when so many photographers have gone down the Canon or Nikon path?

Well, technically, Pentax chose me, when I joined my high school photography club and was handed one of the dozens of Pentax K1000's that the school loaned out to students on weekends, with a roll of film and a few vague instructions on how to use it.  My fate was then sealed in Year 11, when my parents returned from Bali with a K1000 they'd purchased for me Duty Free (thanks Mum and Dad!).

A couple of decades down the track, and I'm still shooting with that K1000, as well as Pentax's latest full-frame DSLR, the Pentax K1 (both pictured below).  And the reason I've stayed with this system is because Pentax make superb cameras and lenses.  They've been around forever, and have stood the test of time.  Their optics are incredible - they even make a medium format camera, the Pentax 645 Z, which just goes to show the level of build quality they are capable of.

They also boast a huge range of lenses, with many of the old manual film lenses being compatible with current digital cameras.  Which is a huge plus for me, because after so many years shooting Pentax, I now have a fabulous set of fast primes I can still use to create beautiful, dreamy images on your wedding day! 

And lastly, Pentax renders the final image with a lovely film-like quality, which goes hand in hand with my style, allowing me to produce images that hark back to the days of film, even when they're shot on the latest digital cameras.  So really, what more could I ask for in a camera system?!  Definately Pentax and proud!

Three Amigos Art Exhibition | Zig Zag Gallery | 10 June 2017 {Perth Event Photographer}

It was a full house for the opening of the Three Amigos art exhibition at the beautiful Zig Zag Cultural Centre in Kalamunda yesterday, with family, friends and art fans alike, gathering to view the work of three of our talented local Perth artists.  

The Three Amigos, otherwise known as Norman Roe (alias my clever Dad!), David Cameron and Alan Pickering, are three compadres who paint together in retirement (Norman and David in watercolour, and Alan in oils).  And for the past couple of years, they have collaborated with the curator of the Zig Zag Gallery, Marilyn Keys, to bring this fabulous exhibition of their work to fruition. 

And what better location than the Perth Hills for such an event, with its inspiring bushland vistas and historic buildings, providing the perfect backdrop to the delicate landscape paintings of these three artists.

The exhibition runs until the 25th June 2017, and I can seriously recommend it, so make a day of it people, and head out to the Perth Hills to see what's on offer!

Wayne + Rachel | Darlington Estate Winery | 10 February 2017 {Perth Wedding Photographer}

It was a dark and rainy day for Wayne and Rachel's gorgeous rustic wedding at Darlington Estate Winery in the Perth Hills recently - and in the middle of February too - who would have thought?!  But that didn't deter these two, or their family and friends, from celebrating the love that they so obviously share, with a beautiful and unforgettable ceremony and reception, as the rain came down around them.  

But even though the weather misbehaved, it was actually a blessing for me, because the light was soft, even, and really quite beautiful, resulting in wonderfully moody images shot at high ISO's and wide open apertures.    

Wayne and Rachel first contacted me on a recommendation from Rachel's Dad, who I worked with in the agricultural industry for many years.  It's always just that little bit extra special to be asked to shoot such an important event for someone I have a connection with, and I felt blessed to be given the opportunity to both capture and share their day with them, and many others I know through the industry.

And so many beautiful details too!  All credit to the amazing vendors they chose to work with, including Darlington Estate Winery (venue), David Cohen (celebrant), Beans & Bunches (florist), Lailee Taj (HMUA), Desiree (cake), Delish Ice (icecreams), Luv Bridal (bridal gown) and Taro Cash (suits and menswear), who came together to create this couples dream day.

Congratulations to you both, and thankyou, I feel privileged to have been a part of it with you...

Petallica Flower Co | Commercial & Product | 13 February 2016 {Avon Valley Commercial Photographer}

I recently spent a delightful evening with florist Sarah, from Petallica Flower Co here in the Avon Valley, shooting her beautiful blooms as she assembled them for Valentines Day.

Working from a Pop Up Shop at her dads steel fabrication business in the industrial end of town, these little bunches of prettiness proved to be very popular, selling out quickly to scores of loved up locals on Sunday morning!  But before they were snatched up and taken to their new homes, I got to spend time photographing them with our beautiful model, and friend of Sarah's, Jenna.

All images were shot on my Pentax camera system, and processed to create a lovely moody look and feel for the end product.  And all were shot within walking distance of the shop, literally just across the road, on the grounds of the old town bakery, and the vacant block next door, and in front of one very cute little white picket fence! Yep, we are indeed spoilt for shoot locations and backdrops out here!