NZIPP PRO Report December 2016 by NZIPP NZ Institute of Professional Photography

Report BE INSPIRED, BE SUCCESSFUL, BELONG

NZIPP MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

NOT A MEMBER OF THE NZIPP YET? As an accredited member of the NZIPP you have the support, networking opportunities and camaraderie of your peers within your industry. It also adds credibility for your clients that you are a professional photographer. Belonging to an institute that represents all areas of professional photography in New Zealand, and through our focus on education, advice, and a wide range of membership benefits we will help you improve the success and vitality of your business. Your accredited member benefits will include: · · · · · · ·

Epson NZIPP Iris Awards (member rates) Infocus Conference (member rates) Meeting and Networking opportunities Professional Development Membership Discounts PRO Report eMagazine Scholarships

Come along to your next regional meeting to check out what becoming a member is all about! Contact info@nzipp.org.nz

MISSION STATEMENT To champion, embrace and communicate excellence and professionalism in photography.

CONTACT NZ Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP) P O Box 133158, Eastridge, Auckland 1146 New Zealand W: www.nzipp.org.nz E: info@nzipp.org.nz

We welcome your feedback and thoughts. If you have something to say, send it through to:

Cover Image:

info@nzipp.org.nz

Image © Anna Munro

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

CONTENTS Executive Updates 04 Presidents Report 05

Directors Report

Honours Council Report

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s In My Bag...? 30 Amy Schulz Events & useful links 38

NZIPP News 09 Infocus 2017 10

Accreditation Programme

Get Clicking

Regional and National Sponsors 39

Thanks to our Regional and National Sponsors

Regional Updates 12

Wellington Region

Waikato / BOP Region

Canterbury / Westland Region

Otago/Southland Region

Member Profile 20

Anna Munro

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

EXECUTIVE UPDATE

Presidents Report Katherine Williams FNZIPP IV – and AAIPP

Amongst the busyness and chaos December seems to bring in both business and our personal life there is often much reflection on the year that has just passed. Have we succeeded? Have we achieved goals? Have we grown? Can we survive in business? Can we thrive and prosper in business? Are we more skilled than we were the year before? Is our creative expression where we want it to be, or do we feel a little like a fraud? Is it time to reinvent ourselves? More often than not the expectations we have placed on ourselves are such that our celebrations for where we have done well are mixed with feelings of disappointment for where we feel we miss our potential. But in truth to have a resounding belief that your greatest potential is yet to be reached is a wonderful mindset to have. I’m very proud of what we have achieved over the past year within NZIPP as I know the wheels are in motion for a very positive future. Yet, there is so much more we can do to reach the potential we have to best represent and help photographers in New Zealand. Through the greater and more proactive contribution of many people that we have been gifted our path is becoming clearer with each passing week. I believe now, as I did when I joined the team on the board 3 and ½ years ago that we still can do better. When we continually strive to do better we create a foundation for photographers in New Zealand to do better too. This year has seen us team up with the AIPA to work towards updated Terms and Conditions and a suite of documentation for photographers. These updates have been a long time coming, and I’m thrilled that we are doing this as a collaborative partnership, creating more robust legal documentation as a result. These documents have been a very long time coming, so having learnt the hard way when working with volunteers I can’t promise a date, but it is coming. Internally we have made excellent progress towards reviewing our I.T systems and moving towards more current solutions, this will be a critical tool for marketing photographers going forward. Alongside marketing pans our social media numbers have grown significantly, through a more proactive strategy. We have made important constitutional changes affecting the way in which the board and regions can function and grow. Through reaching out and asking for more help, we have been able to implement an accreditation team to focus on forming better processes, creating and managing a more positive pathway to becoming an accredited NZIPP member.

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With only 4 months to pull it off we organized what was arguably the most successful InFocus we have ever created, along with the addition of Exposure which brought a diversity of photographers and curious individuals all to experience a snippet of our world of professional photography. Going forward to 2017 we have ample time up our sleeve and are very advanced in our organization of the 2017 events, where we will be delivering an outstanding lineup of speakers. Through a 7 day pre-sale at very affordable prices we have already achieved record registration numbers for the InFocus conference which now looks very likely to reach sell out. This progress in the event organization provides much needed space for the board to focus on other areas of our strategies needing our attention to keep the momentum for a positive future going strong. Amongst all of this I believe strongly that our greatest success is the cultural shift happening that I believe will be at the core of NZIPP moving towards an organization that respects todays society and the fundamental need of inclusion and being valued. I am deeply thankful for our sponsors, they are part of our photography family. Supporting us and encouraging us to grow in our professions, but it goes beyond this. More than once I have shed tears with these friends as we celebrate together in the successes and the visions of what we can do for photography and photographers when we work together as a team. The true enlightenment in understanding what it means to be part of a team has impacted me professionally and personally, and I can be sure that my life will never be the same from what I have learnt from the team I have the pleasure to be part of. To all those who call or message me with the offer of your time, who simply share Facebook posts, who promote the value of being an NZIPP member and using an accredited photographer, who sit up until the small hours to help, who take a position on the board or a committee and take it on in a committed and positive way, thank you. I can do nothing without you, being part of the NZIPP is not about an ‘organisation’ it IS the people, it IS the team. And I’m most grateful to be here and be connected to you. Merry Christmas, and wishing you all an incredible 2017!

EXECUTIVE UPDATE

Directors Report Gino Deemer, Accredited Professional Commercial and Wedding

It’s been a little while since my last contribution, and now it seems the end of the year is fast approaching. Unfortunately it’s still a little busy for me to reflect back on the year that was, however from an NZIPP perspective there’s been some wonderful events both nationally and regionally. This year has seen the regional retreats come into their own, for those of you that have never been to one (including yours truly) I encourage you to go on one of these. Another stand out for me this year is the re-structure of the Accreditation programme (formerly Q’s) an unbelievable amount of work has gone into developing the systems needed to make this a success. This is especially important as new photographers and members come into the market that professional standards are seen in an equally professional manner. Pre accreditation checks and accreditation advisors will make this a more informed and less intimidating process to embark on. So thank you to Sarah and Mel for all your efforts in making this programme a success.

There have also been plenty of other things happening behind the scenes including a re-write of the terms and conditions, updated constitution, regional accounting structure updates, new and improved website and much more. As well as that Tony Stewart is continuing to work hard behind the scenes on the Veterans project. These are just a few of the things that have happened this year, one thing is for sure I think we’re all looking forward to a few days off over Xmas. On that note the board would like to thank all the volunteers and members as well as our sponsors for being part of the family that is NZIPP. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the families of the volunteers, without your support these events would simply not be possible. Seasons greetings to you all

For those of you that where lucky enough to attend InFocus this year in Wellington no doubt you will have left with long-lasting memories and boat loads of inspiration. Wellington has proven an ideal venue so much so that we will be back there next year. An incredible amount of work has gone into organising this event, not only that the goal has always been to try and make it a sustainable event for our members and industry colleagues. And having been a sceptic in the past (I’m a numbers man) and now working behind the scenes I’m certainly sold. The conference and awards have continued to grow over the last few years. And as some you have already seen the calibre of speakers for next years event are a reflection of the success of this years event. Finally for all those sceptics out there “no members subs were use in the making of this event”

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

THE NZIPP HONOURS TEAM WISHES YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!! image designed by freepik.com

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

EXECUTIVE UPDATE

Honours Council Report

Kaye Davis, Honours Representative GMNZIPP, MAIPP II, MCGD, Accredited Professional Portrait Blair Quax, FNZIPP I, Accredited Professional Wedding Paul Daly, FNZIPP, Accredited Professional Commercial Shar Devine, MNZIPP, Accredited Professional Wedding Harry Janssen, FNZIPP IV, Accredited Professional Commercial

I have always felt it is an incredible Honour to be part of the NZIPP Honours Council (and the NZIPP Board), and having formally been involved within the organisation for quite a number of years now, I am acutely aware of the number of volunteer hours it takes to keep the NZIPP functioning, let alone moving forward. With the intention of spreading the workload, through broadening the expertise and experience and working towards a succession plan, we can now announce that the Honours Team have two new members. So please join us in welcoming Harry Janssen and Shar Devine who each bring their own diverse skill set to the group.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d also like to acknowledge and thank all those who put their names forward, it is warming to think there will be others keen to get involved as opportunities arise in the future. Last week we had our first meeting together and while it may have seemed a bit daunting for Harry and Shar, they are already showing themselves as very capable. This in turn is going to mean some exciting things for 2017. Until the New Year, the Honours Team would like to wish everyone a joyous and safe Xmas break.

From left: Kaye Davis, Blair Quax, Shar Devine, Harry Janssen, Paul Daly PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

Â© Lisa Saad

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

? ? ? ? INFOCUS 2017 SPEAKER LINE UP JUNE 18TH AND 19TH, SHED 6, QUEENS WHARF, WELLINGTON

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

NZIPP ACCREDITATION

Accreditation Programme Sarah Beaufoy MNZIPP and Mel Waite FNZIPP Accreditation Coordinators

ACCREDITATION

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;?

We are very passionate about NZIPP and adhering to the professional standards of the organisation and industry as a whole. It is important for you to become Accredited, which is a recognisable professional business standard and is valuable for your ongoing growth as a professional photographer and NZIPP member.

While Accreditation is a certification process, a large part of becoming accredited is around continued education and support networks within your local photography community, as well as the wider photography network. Where possible we encourage you to attend and network at regional meetings and coffee catchups.

PRE-ACCREDITATION CHECK

If you are a new or provisional member you need make yourselves known to your Regional Chairperson who will put you in touch with an Accreditation Advisor. This enables them to view your work and guide as to when you should be submitting to be assessed. ACCREDITATION DATES February, May, August and November 2017.

For any questions please email nzipp.accreditation@ gmail.com

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The strongest path to assured success, is together

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

REGIONAL UPDATES

Wellington Region

Words by Catherine Cattanach FNZIPP II

Our October meeting was an eye-opener for a lot of us I think! The new Health and Safety at Work Act came into force during April 2016, and the emphasis on who is responsible for health and safety has completely changed. Under the HSWA, everyone is now responsible for health and safety. This includes us as photographers.

Continuing with the safety and business practices theme, Jason Naylor then gave us a run-down on his hard drive safety and backup systems, which have clearly had a lot of thought put into them! Jason was the perfect person for this: he’s got an IT background, a systematic mind, and as anyone who’s heard him speak will know, excellent presentation skills.

David Abricossow from Johnston Lawrence lawyers came along to give us a customised presentation on how the law changes affect us, and what steps we need to take. We had a excellent turnout and it was great to get the chance to discuss individual scenarios and concerns. Some were very individual - Esther Bunning realised that a spiky sculpture in the gallery where she’s based could easily take out a child’s eye if they tripped and fell! I now give clients visiting my studio a briefing about exits, tripping hazards, cables and the hot fireplace - something I’d never thought to do before. Duh.

Throughout the meeting we had sample books and albums on the table from a range of different companies. A couple of people who were thinking of switching providers had been asking on Facebook if others had samples they could look at, so we had the idea of making it a group thing, and all bringing along examples of what we offer our clients. So we had albums from Queensberry, VisionArt, Artifact Uprising and Asuka Books, which gave the opportunity to assess paper stocks and printing first-hand.

David’s talk also covered a lot of useful points about working alongside other vendors at weddings and functions, and what we could reasonably be expected to take care over. He also kindly offered participants a free half-hour chat about their own situation if they wanted to get in touch with him later.

In other Wellington news, we played host to the 2015 Epson/NZIPP Touring Print Exhibition in October. We were lucky enough to secure a brilliant space in the Asteron Centre in Featherston St and the exhibition attracted a lot of public interest. The space is right across from the central railway station, has internal walkways on two sides and windows to the street on the other two sides fantastic exposure for the NZIPP!

Some of the law changes are a bit intimidating, but most are common sense, and let’s face it, nobody wants to be responsible for causing someone harm.

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

REGIONAL UPDATES

Waikato / BOP Region Words by Craig Robertson, FNZIPP

“It was a bit of a change to our usual programme for November. We held the meeting in Tauranga again so members could have their sensor’s cleaned and camera’s checked for free by Canon at their special event. A big thanks to Tracy Stamatakos for providing her studio for the day for this. We followed this with a happy hour of drinks, nibbles, (again supplied by Canon) a bit of chit chat, and then a short sharp November meeting. Making the most of a gorgeous day and long daylight hours we all headed off to Omanu beach for a friendly family photo shoot. CRK helped out buy bringing along Profoto cordless lighting. Sarah Beaufoy had organised some friends of her’s who were incredibly accomodating for a bunch of crazy photographers asking them to do all sorts of “poses” and action shots. Three teams mixed it up with the challenge of creative collaboration. One group shot the entire family, the second group shot the three kids and finally the third group shooting just “Mum and Dad”. It was great to mix up older member’s traditional techniques with more interesting approaches from some of our newer and younger members.

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In true Kiwiana style we finished off with fish and chips for everyone shouted very kindly by our ever supportive and Canon local rep, Jono - thanks mate!”

REGIONAL UPDATES

Canterbury / Westland Region Words by Juliette Capaldi FNZIPP

The Christmas celebration. We were all about having fun and spending time with each other and families. After the briefing at the Dragons Den (sounds a little scary already, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it), the awesome team of organisers (Clinton, Ann and Suzie) sent us away in teams with a box. We raced around Christchurch, solving clues and trying to be the first team back. My team started a bit slow, we did not think we were the competitive types really, and wandered leisurely through the mall to the car park. Seat belts on....perfect. First stop was the gardens....that sounds easy enough. But suddenly we see people (fellow photographers!!) running. Should we be hurrying too? Sure, we can run. (But my shoes were so unpractical, running was not good). We ended up covering a good distance across the Christchurch Gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (from the hospital to the lake if you know Christchurch). And nice to meet your husband for the first time Suzie! So by the time we waded in water up Riccarton Road, entered a beautiful old church and made it to the university library, we decided we were pretty near the lead, and maybe we should hurry some more. Bounty Street in Papanui had heaps of clues for the other teams still there....were we perhaps in 1st or 2nd place? We really have a chance of winning this....lets go, faster and faster. From our teams perspective, we then should have retired. Passing Photo and Video in Merivale went well, they gave us our clue fast (and we got a great park), but

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

then it all went wrong in town when we thought 2/2 was the number of a street, rather then clue 2 of 2. Clinton.... help us....we are lost. So Clinton did, sent us onto the next spot....and we got a very warm welcome back at The Dragons Den by all the other teams. Yes...that means we came last. But that was fine, we were not really a competitive team. Canon (thank you Ole and Canon) sponsored the gorgeous food back at The Dragons Den, where we ate well, and talked about everything under the sun. A great ending to the year for Canterbury/Westland. I cannot thank the team for organising it enough, and the effort and time that must have gone into preparing and setting up such an amazing and well thought out and well placed set of clues must have been huge. Thank you!

REGIONAL UPDATES

Otago / Southland Region Words and images by Nicola Wilhelmson FNZIPP

“We were lucky enough to have Katherine Williams come and present her talk ‘Collision of the heart and head’ to some of our members in Queenstown last month. A big thank you to Jennifer Marriott, Nova Photography for letting us use your beautiful studio space. Katherine talked about opening yourself up, being vulnerable and learning about yourself as a way to make yourself grow as a creative. To look at your strengths and weaknesses and also to really believe in what you do. We had a good look through many of Katherine’s amazing award winning photographs and how she pre conceptualised some of these on the wedding day. She also mentioned it important to shoot for yourself too “One for you, one for me”.

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When talking about critiquing your work Katherine talked about “trying to see what others see and gain appreciation for opinion diversity.” Being able to take in constructive criticism can help you learn and grow as a photographer. As we moved on to more nitty gritty details of sales and learning about how what we do is so valuable. I took note of one of her sales tips “put what you want your clients to buy on the left”I put this into practice the moment I got into work. What do you know it worked! Boom big framed print sold at my next ordering session! Thank you Katherine!! It was so inspiring to have you come and talk to us about your passion, thank you so much for taking time out from your super busy schedule to come and talk to us.”

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Â© Anna Munro

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

MEMBER PROFILE

Anna Munro

FNZIPP

www.wellingtonphotographer.net

How long have you been a photographer? And what genre of photography got you hooked from the start?

The hardest part of your job?….and the easiest part of your job?

Before working in my own photography business (Anna Munro Photography) I studied photography at Massey University and worked part time for other companies. I took the plunge six years ago to work for myself! I have always loved portraiture: my university work was based around self-portraiture and photographing my friends and family and from that starting point I developed to photographing strangers and children. Although I never expected to end up as a wedding and portrait photographer, I found a sincere passion for capturing love and relationships, particularly couples and new families.

I don’t think of photography as a “job”: I think I’m the luckiest person I know to be doing something I enjoy in return for money. Recently I have found myself being equally, if not more, passionate about business, marketing and strategy. I actually even quite enjoy accounting! Creating something out of nothing, relying just on a creative idea, really motivates me at the moment. I guess if I was to think of something tricky about this job, then it would be a sassy two year old on a bad day but even then I love the challenge of cajoling them into becoming my little buddy. The pressure of getting the ‘perfect’ photos on a rainy windy Wellington wedding day is always there, but the passion of acing something that is difficult really motivates me.

How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it? This is a hard question! I am too involved with my inner process and all the inner workings of my mind to give a concise answer, so I asked a friend who said: “You focus on the human element - so snipering the small emotions on hidden faces that are often missed during big celebrations. You’re about the emotion of the day – whatever that day might be - the details and the happiness. You’re about the cheeky smiles of the children, the emotion and hand holding of the couple while no one is looking. You do the formal stuff too but it’s the hidden moments that set you apart and make people fall in love with your photos.”

Of all the images you’ve made so far in your career, do you have any clear favourites and why? Oh gosh, I have so many favourites! My favourites change over time and I also pick new favourites every time I shoot. I usually get excited about photos where I’ve pulled off a new technique, lighting or angle (or something) that I’ve been trying to ace for a little while. Or when I’ve captured an ultra-sneaky-spy moment and managed to secure that one perfect moment where my clients have completely dropped their guard and are showing their love without any self-consciousness. Those photos that warm your heart when you see them time and time again: those are my favourite.

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“ ”

I want my clients to know that their satisfaction is my main priority, and that I will not leave them disappointed. - Anna Munro

What has been your most memorable assignment and why?

What’s the main way you market Anna Munro Photography?

I once photographed a family with a newborn who had sadly lost their first baby. It was emotional: the mixed emotions of elation, sadness and fear were so palpable, it was as though their angel baby was still present in a strange way. I really felt such value in the images I was able to capture for this family at such a poignant moment in their family history. Celebrating the new while not forgetting the history behind the shoot.

I rely heavily on word of mouth. I believe the best form of marketing is making my clients so happy they want to tell their friends about me and my service. Social media helps in this day and age too!

Where do you get the inspiration for your work?

Image © Michelle Phillips

I try my best to avoid following the work of other photographers too closely. I tend to draw my inspiration from the people standing in front of me; each family or wedding couple is unique and brings a new vibe to the shoot. My modus operandi is to ‘capture’, rather than being too heavy handed with ‘creating’. That allows me to follow the ebb and flow of my interactions with my client and the location and creative moments that are special for that time and place. What’s the most important thing you want potential clients to know about you?

I want my clients to know that they can trust me to turn out great portraits for them. It’s quite a scary thing to commit funds to a photography session, without fully knowing how the portraits will turn out. I want my potential clients to know that their satisfaction is my main priority, and that I will not leave them disappointed.

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What type of cameras do you shoot with? I shoot with two Nikon d700s - they are getting very long in the tooth! I recently brought a d750 but I haven’t quite adjusted to the change yet!! If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why? I’m going to say something that may be controversial in the photography world but I am not too fussed about gear so long as it works! If pressed I would choose my 2470 because it is the best all-rounder so I know I can get pretty much everything I want without having to think too much about which bloody lens to choose!

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Â© Anna Munro

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

“ ”

Leap before you look. If you are passionate about something, do it passionately. - Anna Munro

How important is Photoshop in your final images?

If not a photographer you would have been?

Good lightroom processing is really important for my images, but I will rarely venture into photoshop unless for occasional skin retouching for newborn shoots. My imagery is about authenticity and honesty, so if there’s something awkward in the shot, I’ll just take another photo rather than trying to ‘fix’ it up later. I’d rather spend time setting up the perfect shot ‘as shot’ on the back of the camera than time in front of my computer later.

I feel my entrepreneurial spirit would have emerged in some other way that would allow me to both create and sell. I have a knack of coming up with crazy business ideas pretty much every day. I’m thinking about developing a range of dog products at the moment! My Mum always said the world was my oyster and it turns out she was right: if not photography, I would probably be farming oysters.

If you could shoot a wedding with another photographer who would it be and why?

I would love to shoot a wedding with a photographer who had never been to a wedding. After photographing over a hundred weddings, fresh eyes and a fresh perspective would be the most amazing asset. What would be one piece of advice you would offer up to others finding their way in the world of photography? Leap before you look. If you are passionate about something, do it passionately. Educate yourself and throw yourself into it completely and wholly. Most new photographers I talk to are constantly throwing up their own barriers around money, skills or self-worth. I say go for it: leap in, do it before you’re ready. Worst case scenario is you fail, and that doesn’t matter anywhere near as much as you think.

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What projects are you working on now? Do you have any upcoming, exciting plans that you would like to share with us? I’ve recently expanded a special product that I developed in my studio called Pop-in Portraits. This is a quick and easy mass portrait session that parents bring their children along to every month to capture their baby growing over time. To take this idea nationwide, I’ve developed a new company called ‘Little Annie’ that contracts fellow photographers to implement this system in their own studios to reap the fantastic word-ofmouth returns my system encourages while centralising administration. The logistics, development and marketing avenues of this new venture keep me up all night in fits of excitement! To my NZIPP colleagues who are reading this and may be interested in learning more about hosting their own Pop-in, I’d love to hear from you email: support@littleannie.co.nz to find out more.

Â© Anna Munro

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Â© Anna Munro

PRO Report / Magazine of the NZIPP

WHAT’S IN MY BAG

Amy Schulz

ANZIPP

www.amyschulzphotography.queensberryworkspace.com

I work from home in Wellington shooting weddings and family portraits on location. I love everything about a wedding shoot, it’s the happiest day of the couples lives and as the photographer you’re welcomed into the family to capture that emotion, it’s such a privilege. I like to be prepared for anything thrown my way on a wedding day so I seem to pack everything I own. It’s better to be over prepared and you’ll never regret not having something with you.

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I usually pack the majority of my gear in a pelican case, I’m pretty rough with things and am out in the elements most of the day so I like to know if I leave things tucked away in there they’re as safe as can be through rain and safe from wandering children’s hands and guests wine spillage. I also use a lowpro shoulder bag which is portable and far more convenient to grab a memory card or battery when I need it.

I have three camera bodies which I take with me, a Nikon D3 & D7000 which are my two main bodies. I also take my Nikon D2x which albeit a little old has come in handy to set up the occasional time lapse during the ceremony or reception which can add a nice touch to the couples slideshow. My main lens of choice is my 24-70mm f2.8G, I absolutely hate shooting up peoples noses and always avoid a tight crop. I love lots of space around my couples to fit in that landscape and add context to the photo to help tell the story. This is what I shoot 80% of my day with. I pull out my micro for detail shots during getting ready and the reception. I also have a tilt shift, 45mm f2.8D which I try to use at least once on the portrait shoot, it’s a lovely lens and one of my favourites to play around with at a wedding. I’m a big fan of using natural light where possible as you can get such a beautiful result when you know how to manipulate it properly. This isn’t always possible on a wedding day, especially at the reception, but if I do use lighting my job is to make it look as natural as possible, unless I’m doing a feature shot at night of course. I have two speedlights, SB-900 speedlight flash and my older SB-800 which I keep on hand as a backup. Video light, YN600 LED pro. A great light which is powerful enough to light couples at night but also can be used if it’s a particularly grey day and you need a tiny bit of extra light outside. I love this light and get so much use out of it.

Jinbei HD600 II, I love this light because the battery and head are integrated so it’s really portable. Quite often I’m standing in the middle of nowhere in pitch black conditions setting up night shots so the less equipment I have to haul around the better. Normally I use to back light my subjects for my petal throwing shots or if there’s a bit of rain or some trees around we can use those. I usually come up with the ideas for these shots on my location scouting although sometimes things change on the day and something else catches my eye. I use YN-622N i-TTL flash triggers. I use really reasonably priced equipment for my night work, it’s the equipment I push the hardest and quite often I’m outside in the rain so if it’s drenched in a downpour it’s not going to be the end of the world if it doesn’t work again. I always have two light stands on hand as well. I carry a bag of fake flower petals with me, just in case the couple haven’t had time to organise real petals. I also have a bag of confetti with me, heart shaped confetti and coloured dots. I have a little obsession with the bridal party throwing things at the bride and groom at the moment. Sometimes I head to Pete’s Emporium and pick up a giant confetti bomb, these things are so much fun to use, especially at night. Just be warned that you will be spending a lot of time picking up the tiny remnants afterwards.

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I have a picnic rug in the car, just in case I want to do a lying down shot with the couple and the ground is a little dirty. I also have a couple of towels for the same reason, if we’re somewhere muddy we can pop a towel down under the dress to save it from getting muddy and wet. I always have a boot filled with umbrellas but funnily enough hardly ever have to use them. 7 white and 7 black, just depending on the rain and lighting it’s great to have a choice. I always carry a wooden coat hanger to hang the dress on, they normally come on a white hanger and it’s just nice to be prepared if there’s no other options available. My ladder is pretty handy during the day, for the obvious reasons to get a long shot during the ceremony, group shot after but also to get a different perspective on the portrait shoot. I love doing down shots of the couple which can be hard to achieve if you’re in the middle of a field somewhere with nothing to stand on.

A Giga T Pro II which is a fantastic little wireless timer remote, great for setting up a time lapse or if you need to do a long exposure at night, normally I’ll use it for a location shot of the venue at night. My laptop comes to every wedding with me and I upload a slideshow for the bride and groom to enjoy over dinner. A big thick plastic bag with the end cut off and a rubber band, yes this does sound a little odd but it really comes in handy as a make shift jacket for my camera if I’m stuck in the rain without an umbrella! Finally, my tripod, various reflectors, sunblock, sticking plasters, hairclips, duct tape, my family shot list (I always carry two of these because there’s always someone who steals mine!) my run sheet, panadol and around 2L of water as you’re running around in such high temperatures you can get dehydrated really quickly!

Polaroid 600. This is my Mum’s old camera from the 90’s, which I seem to have stolen from her. I carry this around with me and usually take two or three shots during the portrait shoot with it. It’s quite a nice touch to add them into the couple’s packaging when I drop everything off.

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Â© Amy Schulz

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