Melbourne Wedding Photographer working in Mornington Peninsula, Dandenongs, Yarra Valley, Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Rosanna, Eltham, Warrandyte, King Lake, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast, Phillip Island, Daylesford, Ballarat, Botanical gardens, Como House, Ripponlea Estate, Burnley gardens, Albert Park Lake, St. Kilda, Elwood, Fitzroy Gardens.
HOME PACKAGES ALBUMS 3D FANTASY FAQ ABOUT US TESTIMONIALS CONTACT
faq
frequently pondered questions:
Who is Singing Bird?
At Singing Bird, I believe the single greatest element for brilliant wedding images is having fun. (Oh of course being a brilliant and creative photographer has a little to do with it also!) I also strongly believe that photography should be art. And art takes great skill and years of practice. As the client you don't need to know what the shutter speed needs to be or the correct ISO setting, nor should the 'depth of field' be of much interest to you on your wedding day. That's the photographer's job, and only skilled photographers can do this on their feet whilst throwing their hat in the air trying to make the kids smile and making art out of it all at the same time!
General info
With all packages, all images are individually assessed, digitally enhanced, cropped, hand coloured etc. to ensure the highest quality and artistic craftsmanship. Nothing is 'Batch Processed' meaning I don't take 50 images and apply the same automated computer corrections at once, as I believe each image is a separate work of art.
Prints are then also colour corrected at a professional printer to doubly ensure a high standard of image. All packages include meeting up in person for pre-wedding planning of your day. Packages are a guide only, as each wedding is individual and has unique requirements. Feel free to arrange your own package. All packages include a DVD of all finished images at high resolution, ready for print. These images are then sorted into the different categories of your day like 'ceremony' and 'boys getting ready' to make it easier to organize your album choices.
What are we paying for?
Talent, brilliance, genius! :) Apart from years of professional artistic and photographic experience, there is much more to photography than the demanding and skilled task of taking the pictures at the wedding. After the wedding, the huge task begins of going through literally thousands of photographs on the computer, analysing each one, adjusting, cropping, hand colouring, adding artistic effects, removing unwanted items etc. At a full day wedding I may take up to 5000 images, to ensure getting those great shots that are a cut above the ordinary. As said above, unlike some photographers I don't 'batch process', meaning I spend longer on your memories making them into art.
Depending on the package you choose, the price also includes printing and album costs. Printing is done at a professional printer and is done at a higher quality than the average photo processing places. Colours are richer and details are sharper. The printer also does their own colour and tonal balancing in addition to my own. This process is more expensive but greatly adds to the final quality of your wedding photos.
Unlike many wedding photographers, I use a lighting assistant who holds sunlight reflectors and flashes which help light the subjects indoors and outside. This creates much more interesting and professional lighting than just having a photographer alone. My assistant is also able to help with organization on the day.
The Director is an artist as well?
I've had over 25 years of experience in the visual arts as a realist painter and photographer. The knowledge gained in areas like perspective, lighting, composition, and general creativity has contributed to my photographic and digital editing skills greatly. Therefore at Singing Bird the philosophy is that photography should be ART, produced with great skill and care.
What kind of photos do you take?
I'll take many kinds of images at a wedding, from formal and posed, to casual and unplanned, to fun and creative, with the emphasis on fun. I'll also take a lot of images of the guests and dancing at the reception if your package includes this time. Basically I never stop taking photos, so you can be assured of a very comprehensive coverage of your day! But right from the start I make sure to plan with you exactly what YOU want, it's your day after all. I can create romantic traditional images, or contemporary and fun images. If you dont know exactly what you want I will do a mix of various styles, there'll be plenty to choose from.
Who is our photographer?
At the moment I am the main photographer for Singing Bird and all the work on this website is by me, but I am not always available as the business grows. At Singing Bird there are a number of photographers and digital artists depending on where you live and my availability. You are welcome to choose the photographer you want if they are not already booked and you can request to see the work of a particular photographer before you decide. If I am not available for your wedding I will let you know and show you the work of some photographers that work for me. You can book these photographers through singing bird if you choose.
What if we don't like a photo?
I'll present you with many styles of photography with various effects like sepia or black and white, and some artistic effects also. Most of these are done using post-processing on the computer. I keep a back up of all the original files as they came out of the camera, (RAW files) so if you don't like any effect I have created with an image, no problem, you'll also have the original image. Usually if I present an image in any changed style you will also receive the original version of it anyway.
Will you travel?
Yes, I am happy to travel anywhere! Within one hour of Adelaide or Melbourne at no extra charge, or larger distances can be negotiated. I am also more than happy to travel interstate or overseas, often for no extra charge as I see it as a 'free' holiday, so please feel free to arrange your wedding on a tropical island, there will be no complaints from me!
Can we meet before the wedding to discuss our ideas?
Yes, it's always a good idea to meet for a coffee and really nice chocolate cake, plan the day and get to know each other.

Who owns the copyright to my wedding photographs?
You do. As you are my employer, you automatically own the copyright to all images.

How can we help?
The best photography is created when everyone is having fun, relaxing as much as possible, and posing as little as possible! :) So I try to put everyone at ease in front of the camera and just have a great time. The more fun we all have, the better the photos will be.

Tips:
The single greatest thing you can do for great wedding shots is to smile! :) Smile greatly and often, your face will light up, and if you don't think you are a good smiler, practice! And if you really don't think you can, we have ways of making you ;) But don't worry, I will work with you to try and make sure whatever we do is fun and relaxed, and is you, not a fake version of you.

Attention guys: I probably only have one 'rule' for the entire day, and that is NO GUM at weddings! Chewing gum at your wedding will ensure your mouth is in very strange positions in almost every photo. A great alternative are mints that you can keep in your mouth without moving it. Of course if you really want gum it's up to you, but be prepared to look like Jim Carey in 'The Mask', is all I'm saying...

It's a great idea to write down all the shots you feel are important to you, and include lists of all the family shots. It is notoriously difficult to round up families for their photographs and very time consuming which cuts into the time for taking photos of you. It really helps to have a list. Make two copies, one for the photographer and give one to someone you know with a loud voice who knows most of the people there. The crowds will respond far more quickly to someone they know than to a stranger.

Try to make as much time between your ceremony and the reception as possible for photographs unless you are happy to have photos before the ceremony. Time goes very quickly and ideally I recommend two hours, though this is not always possible.

Girls: Take it sloooow getting out of the car before the ceremony. Take a little time to pose for the photographer before getting out and once out, even though it's the last thing on your mind at that moment! :) Look up, and keep smiling no matter how hot it is, how much your shoes are killing you and how nervous you are. :)

Surprisingly, pretending you are a super model actually works! You may feel a little stupid, but acting like a celebrity or super model actually makes you look like one in the photos. (money back guarantee) It's also great for a laugh. Even if you want more natural looking and unposed shots, smiling is still a real plus. (Goth weddings excluded)

The best light for a photographer is usually in the 2-3 hours just before sunset. If it was possible to plan for your photo session to happen around that time, perfect! Generally the least favourable light is at midday, but every day and every location is unique, and I will find the best in every location and weather and bring it out. Some of the best wedding photos have been on days when it poured, or 42 degree heat waves, dust storms etc. The trick is to use what is there and enhance it.

Albums and Photo Books
A quality boxed dry mount album is provided with each package, with the option to upgrade to a beautiful Albums Australia album that is designed on the computer by me in conjunction with you. See the album choices here or email me or phone me on 0421908203 and I can discuss your different options.

Printed Photos
With all example packages, prints in an album are included. You may exclude prints and/or album for a reduction in price if you wish. Please note that prints must be ordered within three months of receiving your images on disc or the offer will expire.

Archiving
I keep copies of all wedding photos indefinitely as back-ups but please note: After wedding photos are received the sole responsibility for back-ups and archiving is of the client. I suggest making multiple copies of your digital files and storing them in different locations and formats, like on DVD and also on hard-drive.
   Want to see an entire wedding? Email us for a DVD
   showing an entire day's shoot.

More questions?
Of course! Here's the email. admin@singingbird.com.au

HOME PACKAGES ALBUMS 3D FANTASY FAQ ABOUT US TESTIMONIALS CONTACT









Melbourne Wedding Photographer, Mornington Peninsula, Dandenongs, Yarra Valley, Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Rosanna, Eltham, Warrandyte, King Lake, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast, Phillip Island, Daylesford, Ballarat, Botanical gardens, Como House, Ripponlea Estate, Burnley gardens, Albert Park Lake, St. Kilda, Elwood, Fitzroy Gardens.