Rachel and Calvin's wedding

Wedding photography scares the bejeebus out of me.  I helped Philip out with a wedding once, but it's not really my thing to be honest.  That said, I've always been a little curious about shooting a wedding solo, and when Rachel (not my Rachel) asked if I'd take a few photos on their wedding day, I decided to have a crack at it (and was rewarded with some rather brilliant dessert wine and a dinner containing some of the best sweet and sour pork I have ever tasted). It was certainly a scary experience (shooting the wedding, not eating the sweet and sour pork).  If you miss a moment, that's it really. Gonnnnne.  But in the end I had a great time, and this was certainly helped by how chilled out Rachel and Calvin were about the whole thing. Their family and friends were extremely helpful and accommodating, and I have to admit that when asked by a few guests how long I'd been a wedding photographer for, I took much pleasure in saying "Since around 2:30 this afternoon."

The two big things I learned from the day (from a photographic point of view) were that I should probably learn to use flashes properly, and that the floodlights from a tennis court make for really, really, really crappy lighting.

Technical difficulties and my own shortcomings aside, I had a great time, and I hope Rachel and Calvin did too.  Special thanks not only to Rachel and Calvin - who were utterly fantastic to me all day - but also to Matt (an usher), who herded families and friends into position for formal photos, making my job a million times easier.

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Sorry Calvin - this is the exact moment that Chopsy mentioned Mence Beauty...

New toy

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...courtesy of this lovely lady and her mummy:

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Highlight of the weekend was when 2.5 year old C managed to lock 9 month old E in a bedroom about twenty minutes before they were due to head to the airport.  We all laughed about it afterwards (sort of).

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Lunch in Kennedy Town

Had a very enjoyable trip to Kennedy Town for lunch with my ex-office-neighbour Philip today.  Philip and I worked next door to each other for over 5 years (through two office moves and three office locations) until Philip left the law to pursue a career in photography in April. Anyway, we had a(nother) great curry lunch - a rare treat for me, given that I work way out in the middle of nowhere.

It's great to see that Philip's business is coming along really well, although it's hardly a surprise - he has talent to burn. You can find his work on Facebook or at his business website (if you look at the photos from Alice and David's wedding, you should find me in there - and if you look reeeeally closely, you'll see Rachel).

.Philip at lunch - he doesn't always have this look on his face.  Just when the food is particularly delicious.

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An afternoon with Milo and Ruby

I went to do some IT support on Brendon and Leah's computer yesterday afternoon, and it turned into a playdate for the kids and a bit of dinner for George the Food Moocher. .

George and Milo on the chair usually occupied by Trotsky the Retriever

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Ruby (who insisted on eating chicken in this photo)

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George, after Leah brushed his hair...

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Of course today is Fathers' Day in New Zealand, so: