Welcome to the Less Stuff family, Katherine and your crew! We’re so pleased you’ve joined us and we’re super proud to be able to rave about the work Something Blue Photography and Videography does, both for wedding couples and your social giving. Katherine is one of our Photographers With Purpose, which you can read more about HERE. You might remember one of the images in that post from the National Portrait Prize a few years back!
Please tell us a little about the team at Something Blue:
We are a small but awesome team. It took a long time for us all to find one another but now we are a dream team of experts. We’re all mates and when we’re together, we have a lot of fun. We all have the same attitude and approach, and we share a deep trust you can only find through shared experiences. You need that when setting out to capture a wedding; it’s a once in a life-time thing, and the people around you are everything.
What is the philosophy that drives your business?
We all have a background in visual storytelling, and a passion for telling the honest, human story of a wedding day. It’s a day charged with powerful emotion, and deeply vulnerable moments that are beautiful and filled with joy, but that also creates pressure. We don’t want to add to that. So, we are always relaxed and fun whilst being empathetic, and embrace the emotion of the day because that is where the story gets told. We keep it real, and make sure we get to know couples and their needs before their wedding day. You don’t want a stranger around when things are so raw, and on such an important day. That way we are also much more emotionally involved – the only way to get emotionally honest photos is to be emotional, even if it sometimes means shooting through a blur of tears.
How do you see photography and video as being an eco-ethical wedding offering?
Photography and videography is not wasteful. Both are a true investment, the value of which is immediately clear, but becomes more evident as time passes. The next day, the next week, month, year or years later, they immerse a couple and their loved ones in that emotion, and that amazing time. That’s why nobody throws their wedding photos away after the big day, like they do much of the “stuff” often associated with weddings. Instead, they’re treated as precious items, talismans and memories to be passed down to children and grandchildren. And they can be stored in a digital form on solid state drives, rather than sitting on servers burning electricity, and when printing you can also be ethical; we use selected suppliers only, people who really care, and ensure the result is an enduring one.
What would you like to see more of in the wedding industry?
Social awareness, charity and good-will – and there are a bunch of great ways we have seen couples do that. For example, they will donate to a charity on behalf of guests instead of spending money on table gifts. Or, ask guests to donate to a charity instead of giving them a gift. Other things couples can do is plan food, flowers and decorations wisely to minimise waste, and consider donating flowers to a hospital, or unused food to a homeless shelter after the wedding. Don’t let your parents, friends or traditions make you feel like you should be doing things that you don’t agree with.
After the many years of photographing weddings what advise would you give to couples?
Allow for some time to relax. Ask your photographer to give you a few minutes alone before charging into the location photos, you just married the love of your life after all! Make sure you leave enough time to hang out with your guests. Wear comfortable shoes.
What questions should a couple ask when choosing their photographer/videographer?
Of course, it’s important to make sure that your photographer is a true professional, their website should make this clear. Things like whether or not they have shot at a certain venue before are not important for a professional photographer. Important is whether you get along with one another. You will spend more time with your photographer than with anyone else. Ask them what they love about weddings, what their approach is and just try to have a nice chat with them. Both sides want to make sure they click with one another.
What are some of the best eco-ethical (or meaningful) things you’ve seen at a wedding?
We have captured a few weddings where social giving was a big part of the occasion. The most ethical and meaningful wedding we’ve ever been to was at The Wayside Chapel in Sydney. The couple, Laura and Simon, both worked there and decided to have their ceremony in the chapel, and invited all the day-to-day visitors, friends and colleagues to attend. All were made welcome: the homeless and those with mental health issues, to high profile celebrities and friends. All gathered together to witness the wedding, about 200 people, no space to move, and instead of gifts they requested donations for their campaign: “a smile for a smile”. Why? To get new teeth for a Wayside cleaner who does an incredible job and has fought valiantly to turn his life around after years of battling mental health and drug use. Their open invitation to the community that surrounds the Wayside Chapel reflects the socially inclusive nature of that organisation, so well known for its grunt and authenticity in providing relief to those suffering from homelessness, addiction and social isolation. CEO, Rev. Graham Long married them in front of over 200 people including many people who were sleeping rough, but who had managed to rustle up a shower and nice outfit for the occasion. One man in his fifties told Laura that he had never been to a wedding – only funerals. He said their wedding was one of the best moments of his life. That’s meaning. (You can read all about this wedding HERE).
And we’ll leave you with a very meaningful giggle 😉
