Sydney Wedding Photographer

04.23.19

Reflections on Marriage

I recently approached a few couples whose weddings I photographed recently. I was curious to know how they felt about their marriage, a few months in, and whether they felt marriage was still relevant in this day and age.

Why was it important for you to get married?

“Because it signified an even deeper, stronger and everlasting commitment than just being partners. Marriage means in my eyes that we are together forever and will work through things because we have made that commitment.”

“It was a personal way to express my love for my wife and say to friends and family I will make her a priority in my life. And at the same time, I wanted my friends to keep me accountable, to help make sure I maintain this promise. Life can be hard and things get rough and that’s when you want your friends in your corner to help you fulfil your vows.”

“Because we were just so absolutely perfect for one another. Soul mates, best friends, dancing partners, love of my life!! Also being a same-sex couple it felt nice having that same right as every Hetero couple have always had!”

What is one thing you have learned since being married?

“Clothes go in the basket, not near it… hahahah really though: That happiness in a marriage isn’t when you get your way or what you want but when you champion or encourage your partner for greater or for better and they succeed! And you help them get what they need and want!!”

“I used to avoid eating vegetarian because I thought it had no flavour. Turns out I just never learnt to cook with spices! Learning that skill (from my wife) changed my appreciation for vegetarian meals. That’s just one example of how you are constantly sharing and growing with your spouse.”

“That things feel different to just being partners. It feels better, and we feel stronger just for knowing that we are married.”

“That we can get through anything together. That it’s just like being committed to the best person and constantly waking up and saying… holy shit we are married! I get to love you forever!”

What is your favourite thing about being married?

“Planning for the future with no hesitations, and knowing that life is going to get a whole lot more exciting, difficult and busy with a little baby on the way but that we will get through it.”

“Lower rent? :P”

“My favourite thing about being married so far is having access to an entirely different set of life knowledge and experience at my fingertips. I have become a more rounded person because I have someone to bounce off ideas and challenge the way I perceive the world. We grew up differently; cooked differently, washed clothes differently and we have different opinions on big world issues. I am learning from all of these different experiences.”

“Being able to introduce each other – “this is my wife”. It’s just so amazing!!!”

Is the institution of marriage still relevant in the 21st Century, and if so, why?

“The values of commitment, strength and persistence are still of the essence. Marriage in the 21st century is now more than ever a choice of commitment for love’s sake and an act of equality. It is a way of learning to be a better version of yourself through the qualities you admire in your partner.”

“I think for me, marriage was more than just a commitment. It is binding. It’s something you put effort into, you have to cherish it in order for it to grow. I feel like I would be ready to fight for my marriage: that is stronger than just “having a partner”. I stood in front of friends and family and made that commitment.”

“Marriage is still relevant. In the 21st Century we are so good at just running away from our problems. Being married makes it harder to just exit, discard, walk away from that person. I think that’s more than half of the reason it’s important. If you mean what you say in your wedding vows then it should be hard to turn your back on it.”

I am grateful for my job as a wedding photographer in Sydney. It is never lost on me the significance of getting married.

Having read some of the responses I received, I felt particularly moved by the underlying themes of commitment and discovery. Acknowledging you don’t know everything about the person you are about the marry seems to be a sensible approach, with the anticipation that you have the rest of your lives to learn about each other’s quirks and uniqueness.

04.09.19

Keepsakes

Go on, touch me. You know you want to.

Yes, a little tongue in cheek, but that doesn’t change the fact that the above statement is true. My mission statement is to remind people of the intimacy of being human. As humans, we experience the world through touch, so it would be neglectful of me to ignore the tangible aspect of humanness.

I began this year with a new vision of how I could amplify someone’s emotional response to physical products. It started when I was in a Photo Booth on New Year’s Eve with someone I love dearly and was handed a printed photo strip from the operator. This photo strip, which encompassed my affection for another human being, became my bookmark and I now look at it on a near-daily basis.

In the last 3 months, I have invested vast amounts of time and resource into experimenting and refining the tactile experience for all clients of Henry Paul Photography. I have tested print labs, met album suppliers, surveyed clients and friends and purchased a plethora of sample products in order to gain an understanding of what couples want, and more specifically, what they value.

This process will be ongoing and I hope I never “arrive” at the perfect solution, but the journey to finding the best possible tangible experience has been rewarding and impactful. Through a series of inclusions and extras, my clients will walk away from their wedding day not only with stunning images but also with something to literally get their hands on and to hold as a keepsake for years to come.

To discuss what physical products are included in my wedding packages, and which ones are available for purchase, please go to the contact form and tell me about your wedding.

And some prototype stationery, currently being developed with The Distillery in Darlinghurst:

04.05.19

Rebekah & Jeremy – Beekeepers Inn Wedding

My my, what a spectacular day celebrating Rebekah & Jeremy’s wedding at Beekeepers Inn, near Orange. Of course, with every wedding, there’s oodles of time spent in building and nurturing a relationship to get to the pivotal moment where they’re ready to make a lifelong commitment.

While studying at uni, Bek moved into a share house with Jeremy’s sister. Through this connection, Bek was invited over to a Crome family dinner and was introduced to Jeremy who, I quote, “played it super cool”. Shortly after, Jeremy received a “poke” from Bek on Facebook.

One of my greatest joys is seeing all of the ways our modern technology can be used in romances. This mere “poke” on Facebook is what launched a budding romance that grew into something so strong and bold it will remain lifelong. Never before has humanity had so many ways of connecting and communicating with people we love, and Bek & Jeremy might have taken an awful lot longer to connect with the technology available to them.

Needless to say, their wedding at Beekeepers Inn was momentous. It’s not a culmination of the aforementioned love story, but simply a significant step that was taken in what will be a very long adventure. Bek & Jeremy, here’s to many more years filled with photo booth antics, 2-minute noodles and perfectly weighted cutlery.

04.02.19

Renny & Matt – Cockatoo Island Engagement

I met Renny & Matt a year ago. I was on the road for work, Skyping them from a musky motel room in the middle of nowhere. Literally. I was in a tiny town in the centre of New South Wales.

What struck me about this couple is the readiness to be open and vulnerable with me, not feeling embarrassed or shy about their relationship. Matt is soft-spoken, Renny is not. Yet their continual giggling and affection for each other was unmissable.

We finally met in person after a year of emails and texts, and I honestly felt like I was seeing old friends after a long time apart. We took a ferry to Cockatoo Island, in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Cockatoo Island is legitimately one of my all-time favourite places in Sydney, and I was eager to show them some of my favourite spots. I have never photographed an engagement shoot here, but it was the most perfect setting for these two love birds.

With just over a month until their wedding, I find myself counting down the days until I get to see them again! No doubt they’re counting down too, but perhaps for a different reason 😉

02.14.19

Sam & Kelsey – Yarra Valley Estate Wedding

Sam & Kelsey are two of the wildest, most romantic people I have ever had the privilege of encountering. Kelsey is exuberant and carefree. Sam is passionate and selfless.

Having previously met over Skype, I had breakfast with Sam and Kelsey a few days before the wedding. Over the course of 90 minutes, I discovered two things: Firstly, there was a fierce love driving this relationship, and it is not easily broken. The second thing I knew was that I desperately wanted to call them my friends. I left that breakfast feeling energised, uplifted and ready to take on the world.

The wedding was held at Yarra Valley Estate, outside of Melbourne. I couldn’t help but appreciate how the marvellous attributes of this venue reflected the beauty and creativity within the two people who chose to declare their lifelong commitment here. Very apt.

The further I go down this path of being a wedding photographer, the more I appreciate the complexity of human relationships. When I witness a bond as deep and as loving as this one, there’s no denying that (despite all of our flaws) humans are built for companionship.