meow. what is the most important factor in each shoot?
Lighting? Moments? Equipment? Locations? All these are important but maybe not the most I concern. Now many people can take a masterpiece with their phone plus 2 mins of post shooting work.
Relationships? getting close. You can always find the cutest face of your cat, wife, baby, properties or yourself. I know I can not beat you anyway. But I can learn from you.
So what is the most important factor? I say it is timing.
Timing is lighting, mood, situation... all together. So we always spend at least 30% in our pre shoot meeting to understand how the run down.
What time people start to come in? Do we have enough time in-between to do a bit more clicks before walking into the venue?
What time you are signing your life away? I must have enough moment to prepare all equipment/angle to be ready
What time is the cake smash? everyone getting drunk? meal time? ....
Be prepared to be really tired after the pre shoot. I ask many questions.
Let’s be honest — Perth is stunning. With golden beaches, wild bushland, heritage buildings, vineyards, and sunsets that light up the sky in fire… it’s no surprise that we’ve become a magnet for dreamy wedding photos. But with so many weddings happening across this sun-soaked city, it’s also easy to fall into the trap of repetition — the same poses, same places, same Pinterest boards.
So, how do you avoid cliché and create timeless, personal wedding images that truly reflect your couple’s story?
1. Don’t Just Rely on “The Spot”
Yes, we all love that Cottesloe jetty kiss, the Kings Park lookouts, and the vines at Sandalford. But if we all shoot there the same way every weekend, it becomes less about the couple and more about ticking a box.
Instead:
Find a fresh angle even in familiar locations. Shoot through leaves, use reflections, focus on textures. Better yet, discover pockets of Perth that feel meaningful to the couple — a street they walk together, their first-date cafe, or the exact beach where they got engaged.
2. Forget “Pinterest Pose #3”
The classic “bride looking back with bouquet”, or “groom lifting bride like a feather”… they’ve had their moment. These setups often make couples feel like they’re playing roles instead of being themselves.
Instead:
Prompt, don’t pose. Ask them to whisper their first impression of each other. Get them to walk like they’re sneaking out of their own wedding. Laughter, stillness, real connection — those moments are anything but cliché.
3. Let the Light Lead You
We get spoiled in Perth with insane natural light, but golden hour isn’t a free pass to shoot autopilot. Same angle, same filters, same glow — and suddenly everyone’s gallery feels like a stock photo ad.
Instead:
Train your eye to chase what feels right, not just what looks pretty. A patch of harsh shadow might tell a more dramatic story. A stormy sky can bring depth. Don’t be afraid to experiment — trust that the couple hired you, not a Lightroom preset.
4. Read the Room, Not the Timeline
Weddings can be hectic. Sometimes the schedule says “couple portraits” but what’s actually needed is a quiet moment, or some time to dance in the kitchen with nan.
Instead:
Be the photographer who feels the pulse of the day. Capture raw and in-between moments: the groom fixing a nephew’s bowtie, a quiet teary breath before the aisle, or the wild chaos just before the speeches begin.
5. Make It Personal — Not Perfect
Cliché often happens when we aim for perfection. But your couple’s story isn’t perfect — it’s real, chaotic, romantic, and uniquely theirs.
Instead:
Get to know your couples beyond the spreadsheet. What song do they scream-sing together in the car? What weird inside joke cracks them up? Then, photograph that. Make it so their wedding album makes them feel — not just say “wow that’s pretty”.
Final Thought:
Being a wedding photographer in Perth is such a privilege — we get to freeze love in one of the most photogenic cities on earth. But when we choose presence over performance, story over sameness, we create art that outlives trends.
So here’s to ditching the cookie-cutter, leaning into the messy magic, and capturing weddings that are as real and rare as the couples themselves.
