A letter from Fiji...

The Beautiful Dress

I have to admit I had never seen a truly amazing dress up close. There are so many beautiful dresses around, and Fiji weddings tend to be more casual anyway, I think; and I guess back when I was wedding dress shopping all those years ago it was in a small town where dresses were made to order rather than there being a lot you could see up close. I read bridal magazines of course, but you know I expect those to look amazing, after all they're being worn by models... 

No one had seen Rebecca's dress, and when I asked if I could take some photos of it it was still hanging in its big bag. Everyone gathered around in Bec's room as it was unzipped, family and close girl friends and as it slid out I thought it was possibly one of the most amazing things I had ever seen. It was soft, silky and the most beautiful subtle colour, with sparkling crystals picking up the form... but the best was yet to come.... 

But I get ahead of myself. Nathan and Rebecca, an extremely likeable self assured young couple, were getting married at the Shangri-La Fijian, a resort I really like, and not just because of its beautiful location surrounded by lagoon and beach on the Coral Coast south of Nadi (this is the view from the bride's room, stunning huh? and the lagoon side is different again).

 

The wedding was attended by a large group of close and obviously loving family and friends, and was an amazing day. Rebecca owns a hairdressing business and I'll state here that I'd like to shoot hairdresser's weddings from now on! The hair and makeup were just beautiful to shoot, and the details were stunning....

 

While the Bride and her best girls worked flat out doing the gorgeous hair and makeup, over where the groom and his party were getting ready there was lots going on too. Apart from the quiet moments both parties were sharing as they prepared, there were also celebrations of Greek tradition over at Nathan's room that were fascinating (to a girl from Dunedin) and a very worthy photo subject on their own. But I won't share those in detail here.... this post is sort of about the whole wedding, but mostly about the dress....

 

So to the best part: the dress. The reason this dress is extra amazing is because it is the sort of the dress that doesn't look its best on a hanger or even on a model, even though it still looks pretty incredible on either of those.... it.... needs.... a body! Almost no one could wear this dress like Rebecca did and I hope she proudly shows it to her daughters and/or grand daughters one day; to really come alive this dress needs perfect arms and upper body, and curves: a combination that almost nobody and certainly no models can provide. It looked amazing.... and so the magic began...

As we walked down the stairs the dress lit the muted surrounds...

 

It shimmered in the middle of the Shangri-La chapel...

 

Amongst all the friends and family it was the centre of attention...(can't help it, love the movement in this image)...

 

It caught the late afternoon and evening light...

 

 
 

at times it looked nostalgic like a scene from a classic movie...

  

and it moved, swirled and flowed as they danced... 

  

So that Nathan only had eyes for his wife....

 

I have many other favourites from this fantastic day, and I'll probably put up another post of other quirky faves. But in the meantime there's more with the "sneak peek" for everyone on facebook: so I'll end with saying thanks Rebecca, Nathan, friends and family for including me in your fantastic day! Oh and of course where was the dress from? Arushi Bridal of course; if you're thinking of indulging in the dress of your dreams for your big day I now have a definite opinion: go for it!! 
 

She comes out of the sun in a silk dress...

...running like a watercolour in the rain... Al Stewart, The Year of the Cat)

I just marvel sometimes at the lyrics waiting to be discovered in a song. Yes, many are simple and banal, but some songs have the most exquisite poetry hidden within them. I'm one of the many people who have started to really enjoy music again thanks to i-tunes, and we downloaded "the year of the cat" a while back when AJ was studying woodwind instrumentsat school, and needed examples of tracks with the saxophone. 

When it was nearly time to shoot Danielle and John's wedding the weather forecast was for rain. Note that I didn't say the weather forecast was "bad", because over here it's not bad to have rain on your wedding day, indeed it's considered good luck or a blessing. And I wasn't too concerned about photographing in the rain, not because of my gear, that IS a worry in the rain, but because of the couple themselves; I knew they wouldn't cower in a corner looking miserable, indeed I had a picture in my minds eye of Danielle in the rain laughing, and I was quite inspired thinking of the images that might lead to. During that week before their wedding I also came across the aforementioned track on i-tunes. Actually it's the only track I have in the "folk" classification! and I listened and listened to it, especially the lyric "she comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a watercolour in the rain". My Libran brain mused the various ways you could interpret it, but I had a picture in my minds eye of Danielle (who I had met over a coffee at the time of booking) running in a sun shower in the rain with the sun behind her, laughing, and in a silk dress... and just that thought was making my heart sing with excitement.  

Sure enough the day dawned sort of fine, but as we waited for Danielle's arrival on the "Raikivi" the clouds rolled up and then the rain started....

John kept waiting and playing the guitar as long as he could...

But as the rain increased and increased we were driven indoors where John was heard to say "Oh my Lord, why are you blessing us so?" (!!)

Finally there was a slight lull in the downpour and Danielle and her Dad, family and other guests came running in off the boat to where a relieved John was waiting. She was wearing a hand painted silk dress, and was running in the rain laughing, with the sun shining through the rain behind her...

After drinks and yummy looking food it was off on the "Raikivi" heading for Treasure, with a new take on the classic Titanic poses...

It's still raining actually, but spirits are high and jubilant... love that... especially as they transferred to Treasure Island (well who could blame them there?!)...

More sun, more rain, more happiness, more photos. Eerily I noticed another similarity to the "year of the cat" lyrics as I edited them.

"By the blue tiled walls near the market stalls

There's a hidden door she leads you to"

Well the door IS painted blue (if not tiled)... 

Look closely in all of these photos and you can see it's still raining... and why would you want it any other way I wonder?! Besides swimming in the rain with family and friends looking on is fun.

Lots more pictures of this fabulous day over at our page on facebook... but not the more risque shots heh heh... and for those of you who are too young to know what the heck I am ranting on about with the Al Stewart song... here it is. They made songs for the radio longer in those days, so it's just over 6 minutes.... 

Awesome huh? what other tunes do you reckon have great lyrics or sax solos that I should maybe add to the i-tunes? Because music is art. and art is inspiration. and John and Danielle's wedding reminded me how exhilarating inspiration (and love and fun) can be, and well sometimes we all need more of that...

where the wild things are...

{Is this my best side?}

Those who have been to the island where we live know it is a nature reserve and full of wild endangered animals. Lately the two parrots have been down by our place eating the tavola nuts, and we've been taking photos. It's not like they're playing hard to get, they yell when they arrive "rarrrrrk! rarrrrrk!' then strike many varied poses showing us their various profiles. 

  

{or is this my best side?}

{would you stop posing and eat your dinner?}

These are of course the Fijian Kaka parrot, but we also have the endangered bird known as the "Bici" which is a banded rail bird, and threatened on the mainland by the introduced mongoose. AK and I went out to take photos as she had an art assignment. It was a good thing I didn't have to hand mine in as I used the 85mm f/1.4 wiiiiiiiiiide open.... and you didn't get to see a lot of bird...

Some of the other wildlife here on the island include the endangered Hawkesbill turtles which nest here (so cool!) and the iguanas. John and Danielle and their guests wanted to have a look at them on their wedding day, especially Danielle's mum who loves wild creatures (Danielle is thinking I'm going to put a photo of her Dad here ...but I restrained myself): isn't this just the nicest mother and daughter and  iguana photo ever?

and here's one of the turtles...

Those last pics were pretty much straight out of camera (and it's on the laptop, hope the light is sort of ok), and of course there's lots more from the wedding to come, some amazing beautiful sun and rain shots (I really really like them), but we'll finish with one more sighting of wild things... not on the island luckily...

I think maybe Debra needs this sign for the boat...

Yes, I think I might email it to her...

Finally I know you are all now wondering how AK's bici photos turned out... well they were great! She used the D70 on sports mode with the 70-300mm lens and sat quietly and waited for the birds to get curious and walk up to her. Here's one she then tried out the topaz filter on to taste. Her taste. It's wild and I like it! Goodnight!

...and some more

So as you can guess I'm sitting at the computer with photoshop open and having the usual crisis of confidence. Zack Arias described it beautifully in a clip I am going to embed in the next post, but in the meantime I'll just say (again) how hard it is to look hard and objectively at your own work as I've had to do lately (in the process of building a new website)... What am I getting around to? Well I thought it might be nice to take a break and post some photos I really love. No, not because of any great skill on my part, simply because it was the most stylish and lovely wedding (the sort where frankly it's pretty hard for a photographer to fail) of two really nice people. Did I mention that Lisa sent me pineapple lumps and beautiful organic coffee? Really I should have paid them... here's some more...

{leaving the chapel}

yes, everyone was crying, actually Chad was crying too. But I won't post those... beautiful emotion...ok, I was crying too, I'm terrible like that. A wedding should be as good as a blockbuster movie no? I think it's a real privilege when people allow me to be their wedding photographer...

OK I'll stop now... no, one more, just to show the beautiful reception set up between the pool and the sea, influenced by Lisa's design skills...

Congratulations again Chad and Lisa, what a beautiful day...

(PS a note on the last photo... I took along my 8 year old to act as a voice operated light stand while I did some shots of the reception set up. It didn't work as well as it should have. In this photo I had to crop/clone him out. He has walked into the frame with the sb800 and pointed it at his own face which really ISN"T big enough or white enough to act as a reflector! the terrible thing was I didn't notice this until I downloaded these shots...but there's enough and they're fine)

  

an outside observer...

I really enjoy shooting the getting ready phase of a wedding. While it's not easy be unobtrusive and meld into the background of a small hotel room with a large camera, it's amazing the depth of emotion and character you can observe in these moments of preparation, and it's cheering to see such wonderful sides of humans, and be reminded of all the intelligence, beauty, faith and love out there.

Lisa and her bridesmaid claim to have been best friends since one week old and guess what? Clearly it's true. For a start look at these two... they often unconsciously mirror each other's actions...

and they even do it when they can't see each other...

Lisa's family are also on hand to help and you can just see the connections they have... they help with the details...

{checking everything is in place... it was an unusually beautiful wedding}

{choosing the shoes}

{and settling on these ones}

{putting the vows somewhere safe}

It's lucky I didn't take the dress to far to try and take a photo of it...

because just around the corner....

they who must not be allowed to see it! So with best friends side by side...

and Dad ready to escort... it's time to go...

...and the first shot? I read recently about the photographic fairies... ie when you just get lucky. As I was walking back from the guy's room to the girls I happened upon the other important family member getting ready for the ceremony...playing with his cousins...  

Now this post is the result of getting distracted while processing more photos of this beautiful boy and his parents, so I've got to get back to it! But as you can guess, there will be more images to come from this wedding....

Monsoon Season '09

(Photo by Dot Delatour)

How heavy is the rain? Well.... it's sort of like being inside a carwash, with no car... looking out the window looks like looking into a front loading washing machine in operation. It started last wednesday, with howling winds that led us to cancel what would've been our first trip into town for the year, and just continued with winds and torrential rain. Nadi is wrecked, and a disaster zone, with the river flowing though. The above photo from Dot is of a two story building north of town which has tall palms infront of it. And the rain is not forecast to stop this week either. It's pretty tough...

But out here? The weather has been awful, but we're all good. The buildings are secure, the water comes up to our front steps but hasn't caused problems, the boats have been cancelled or disrupted in the huge seas, but we've still played in the pool. We watch movies in the bar (Quantum of Solace and Seven Pounds, Mamma Mia and Get Smart), dance at night, and celebrate Dom and Maria's 25th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows including wooden rings carved here on the island. We are very lucky... And when it does clear briefly we get the most spectacular sunsets!! So we'll wait and see what the rest of the week brings...

Funniest sight? The maintenance men out in the pouring rain working on the pipeline while guests were leaving on the (essential travel only) south seas boat. Suddenly they realised that we had guests coming off the boat (?!). They run down the beach in their coats and large red rubber gloves to clap and sing an impromptu welcome song... too funny! here's some images...

Uncle Bob and the 17th Shooter

We've got a very busy week and weekend coming up, and heaven knows I blog pretty erratically as it is, so I thought I'd better put in a bit of effort and post today... We had the most fabulous trip to NZ and I haven't even started to show any of it yet, so here we go...

Late September/October I read two books with similar names, the 13th tale, and the 19th Wife... The 19th Wife was a very intriguing story about polygamy, modern day and in early Mormon times. I have no idea what was true and what was fiction in parts of it, but it was very interesting.  The 13th Tale was a romping good historical fiction. I don't usually read that genre, but this was great! So many twists and turns... 

So now possibly you're wondering about the 17th shooter? Is it an account of a bizarre assassination plot? Nope, it's a different kind of shooting... While we were on holiday we were lucky enough to be invited to a wonderful wedding. The Bride and Groom are both NZ Professional Photographers of the year (NZIPP), one current, and one past. There were 16 photographers amongst the guests (no name dropping) and with no official photographer they were all invited to take shots. I guessed that unlike some weddings where there is a main photographer and a "second shooter" given the number of photographers at this wedding I was the "17th shooter"! I promised the Bride and Groom I would provide 5 photos (oh the pressure, entirely self inflicted I might add)...

Wedding photographers talk of a phenomenon known as the "Uncle Bob". Uncle Bob is that guy that turns up to a wedding with all the gear and almost seems to be competing with the official photographer for every shot. We didn't have an Uncle Bob at out wedding I might add. Before and after the studio/official shots our (official) photographer was Uncle Peter (Mum's brother) and he did a wonderful job. They are truly lovely shots.

Becker talks about the "Uncle Bobs" in one of his [b] school podcasts (I get these on i-tunes, they're a free download and well worth a look); I really like his attitude. As he preaches asking forgiveness (rather than permission?) I am about to shamelessly use his image without permission to illustrate an Uncle Bob. Then I'll ask if all 8 of my readers could please follow the links and check out his blog etc etc and make sure if you're in SoCal you consider him for your next few weddings...! That's Becker on the left/back...

But enough about Becker... just imagine the potential for Uncle Bob's at Mike and Jackie's wedding!

There was no doubt it was a really really beautiful wedding, one of those ones where everyone is so happy to see two people together. I've put some of my five pics into a quick storyboard (not my finest composition, but as said I did think I should stop pfaffing around and get a post in today); incase you're wondering it was at the gorgeous Hermitage, Mt Cook, NZ...  it's a good thing I was the 17th shooter as I don't seemed to have any of Mike!! 

...and here's some others... Like the one of the shoes (Mike and Jackie are usually seen in hiking boots and jeans) this shot below was a suggestion from some of the guests we were sitting with down the back -watching Jackie and her paparazzi... I was playing with some effects (as you do) when it struck me. Maybe Jackie wasn't showing off her fantastic toned body (yes yes I know this isn't doing her arms justice...)? Maybe she was calling for help and trying to get out the window?!! 

My camera and flash were away being fixed for three weeks and I was using a Nikon D2xs kindly lent to me by Photo and Video. That was pretty lucky, but I like my camera better and I can definitely see how much better Nik's have got in the last year. The photo below is screaming for a caption (leave all suggestions in comments!), but myself, I think it's Nikon envy...

more shooters on the grassy knoll chairs...

Anyway it was a fabulous 3 days of wedding, thanks Mike and Jackie. As GB doesn't like stopping for scenery I have an interesting series of NZ shots I will post sometime all taken from the speeding car:-even one of the Bride and Groom having photos taken the next day! Bet you can't wait...

Romantic

Since I am still sifting around using computers in internet cafes it occured to me maybe I should try and make use of some pictures I actually have hosted online. Whether or not that will work is another story. But if it doesn't I will just delete this post, and the only reminder of my ineptitude will be the post hanging about on your google readers (for those of you that have google reader)... So here we go...

Well not very big, but it seems to work!

...I always used to wonder about those weddings where only the couple attended. Why I pondered,  would you do that? But since moving here I've seen more than a few of these sort of weddings done this way for many many very good reasons which I won't go into as the thing I want to say is... these weddings are SO romantic! There seems to be a special thing that happens when couples  pledge their love, their commitment, share their deep feelings  without distraction, just in the moment with each other and a handful of witnesses... It is not uncommon for the view finder on my camera to steam up as I try to control my own emotions... Mike and Sheree's wedding was a particularly wonderful example of one of these weddings and I felt honoured to be trusted to be there...

 

...yes we all went in the water...

As I said I'm working on a cafe computer, and the skin tones look a bit odd. Don't worry, we always get them right in the end! Hopefully it's just this screen and they look fine everywhere else. And if not please don't let them distract you from this lovely couple, and their absolutely beautiful relationship. To M&S: thanks for sharing your special day with a few of our island residents...

More for Mylie...

Dot and I were looking at these photos the other day and sighing at little L. With a Fijian Dad and French Canadian Mum she really is so attractive compared to the maybe less exotic looks we are used to! We pondered whether or not this adds to the body of proof that people should (while hanging on to their own culture and language of course) breed out more:- as every agricultural science student knows that first cross has hybrid vigour! But enough of sharing the sort of nonsense that bunking gym class for bagels and coffees generates, on with the pictures...

Dance like nobody's watching...

Sorry for the gap and yep it's the usual reason...when I haven't blogged in a while it's usually because we've been down in the cold country... NZ of course. Oddly enough even though Fiji is a third world country it's a third world country that has tourists. So there's lots of decent internet around to access, including wireless high speed internet in each of the three main cafe's I frequent when over on the mainland. The South Island of NZ however has very little. I guess it's there if you stay in a posh hotel, but we didn't stay at any of those...

So I'll blog a bit about the cold country soon, but first back to the wonderful wedding of Mylene and Jim. One of the great things about this wedding was the singing and dancing. And it would break out when you least expected it, which is tough as a photographer! Here they are, right after the ceremony, we're snapping the register signing... they're dancing!

After the ceremony and some more photos we headed back to our room to back up cards, change to fresh batteries etc all prepared to come out at the time we had been told to report back for the evening...

I look out the window of our room and what the! they're dancing! I grabbed the camera and sprinted back down to the beach side area... It reminded me of the quote:-

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." ... Mark Twain

Fijians are the best at singing and dancing, you can even see this on the following clip. Many of you will already have seen the journeys of Matt as he dances his way around the world, but check out the Fijian kids. They're the ones just shrieking with laughter...

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

On with the wedding... nearly time for the reception to start... and here's three generations... dancing... (that's Grandmere in the background)

We move on to the bar after the reception and you guessed it...

Look the cake is here.... 

Dance with the staff!

SO..... Dance like nobody's watching, Love like you've never been hurt, Sing like nobody's listening, Live like it's heaven on earth...

Hold on... "sing"?

Ah thanks Sai... that's better...