So, the very first wedding that I ever photographed was the third hottest day on record in Adelaide at 45.3C. Nothing like a literal baptism of fire to see if I was cut out for this or not…..

You see, I never wanted to be a wedding photographer. When I was studying my Diploma in Commercial Photography, I wanted to be a travel photographer. However, at that time, it was the transition from film photography into digital photography. Digital photography and cameras were the disrupter to the photography industry and especially the travel photography industry. Soon, everyone with their digital cameras and mobile phones would be ‘travel photographers’, so it was really hard to make a living.

So, I kind of fell into being a wedding photographer. One of my sister’s friend’s sister, Greta, was getting married and asked if I would photograph their wedding. Not having done this before, I said that I would but I would give them a massive discount. We met a few months before, so that I could photograph their Engagement Session at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and Greta and Michael were lovely.

Fast forward to the wedding day and it was HOT. Damn hot. Within minutes, all my makeup had come off with the perspiration dripping into my eyes. I was burnt and the colour of beetroot and roped my husband in to holding an umbrella over me, so that I wasn’t standing in the sun. I still ended up with sun stroke and I was a whisker away from having to go to the hospital. Greta and Michael were in the shade and I made sure that they stayed there, even using parasols for some of the photography. I don’t think that I saw a bead of sweat from Greta and Michael. They just glowed and beamed and looked so radiant and happy that day.

Anyway, I managed to get through that day and said to myself afterwards, “if I can get through the third hottest day on record and still enjoy myself, maybe I will give this wedding photography thing a crack”. And so, I did.

Until next time,

Much love and gratitude.