Gold Coast Wedding: Rach & James.

In May, my friends Racheal (not a typo!) & James got married by the sea. Despite it already being May, Queensland was determined not to give us autumn, and it was a perfectly warm day for a beach wedding.

Racheal & James met at their best friends' wedding in England, where they promptly fell in love four years ago. After the wedding, Racheal returned to Australia, and James immediately bought a ticket to visit her here. They talked every day for 6 months until his visit, during which they spent Christmas with each other. He went back to England, and they did the long distance thing until Racheal followed, moving to England for 2 years to be with him. James asked Racheal to marry him at the top of the Eiffel Tower (the video of which I've watched at least 6 times, each time no less sweet than the last), and after a lot of “what? Oh my God, what?” from Rach, she said yes. Fast forward 9 long, painful months and plenty of paperwork later, his visa to live in Australia was approved, and here we are today.

James & Racheal are both really goofy, kind and sincere. I knew their wedding was going to be silly and fun and all the things that they are. Racheal has always made me laugh, always wears the truest smile on her face, and even when the unfortunate happens (like both of their cars breaking down in the same week before the wedding), that same smile and positive attitude still hangs around.

To see someone I've been friends with since 2008 on the happiest day of her life, marry the love of her life, and be given the opportunity to capture it? There is no greater joy or honour. I struggled to choose my favourite photos to share in this post. The selection below is extremely conservative; just a tiny grain in all that happened that day (I have decided not to include photos from the reception).

Many thanks to my good friend Jason de Plater for second shooting this wedding with me. I'm so grateful to have had your keen eye, experience and passion for photography by my side on the day. It wouldn't have been the same without you!

Fingal Head in May.

A couple of weekends ago Jason flew up from Sydney. He helped me second shoot James & Rach's wedding, and I took him around my favourite spots around Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Byron Bay (which we Queenslanders mostly claim as our own, despite it being past the New South Wales border).

Fingal Head is another such place we'd happily stamp as ours. Just 15 minutes south of Queensland's Coolangatta, sporting a small lighthouse at the top of the hill, Fingal Head is a quieter—but no less beautiful—spot than others around the Gold Coast & Byron Bay. My favourite part about Fingal Head is the Giant's Causeway—the mass of hexagonal columns formed by ancient lava that flowed down from the now extinct Tweed Volcano—but despite visiting the same spot a few times I still find it notoriously difficult to photograph. The waves are fairly treacherous here, so it's far less tempting to clamber down the rocks just to get a good photo for the blog or the 'gram (#nofilter #liveoutdoors etc.).

I'm glad I made the decision to swing by Fingal Head in the end, because if we didn't, we never would have witnessed the massive school of dolphins playing in the waves so close to the headland.

More photos to come from a weekend that marked a pretty spectacular start to May, but in the meantime, here are my favourites from Fingal Head.

Gold Coast Engagement Shoot: Rach & James.

My friends Rach & James are getting married exactly 6 weeks from today. I'm so excited to be behind the lens for them on their special day! They are so playful and kind, and Rach is one of the most talented illustrators and designers I know—so I know their wedding is going to be so much fun, filled with all the things that make them who they are. I love a couple that don't take themselves too seriously—when you have fun at your wedding, it shows in the photos.

I have been friends with Rach since our university days, and I couldn't have been happier for her when she moved to the U.K. to be with this handsome blue-eyed Englishman, for him to propose to her at none other than the Eiffel Tower, and for them to come back here to start their lives together.

Here are some photos from our recent Gold Coast engagement shoot. If you're a couple in love and you'd like to do a portrait or engagement shoot with me, please get in touch.

A day at: Nobby Beach & Springbrook.

On Sunday, M & I left home early to meet my family at Nobby Beach for my father's birthday. It's been a little while since we've had a family day out (or in my case, a day out at all)—with my sister living interstate and me having moved out of home since 2012, opportunities to have a day like this are so rare. It was one of Dad's requests that we have brunch and go on a “road trip” (can you really call it that when your destination is only an hour or so away?), so I suggested brunch at the coast and a trip to Springbrook and he was instantly on board.

We got there a little earlier than my family so we spent some time by the beach. I spent 3 years going to uni on the Gold Coast so I have a special affinity for this place, which I think sometimes gets a bad rap. Little do most Brisbane folk know that the Gold Coast is brimming with the same kinds of hip cafés, small fashion boutiques and handmade markets that we do—and luckier still, most folk live within walking distance to one of the best beaches in the world.

My parents, siblings and Martin haven't been to the Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park before and the last time I went was years ago, so it was great to be able to do something new together. Long weekends are made for this: exploring, playing tourist in your own city, and then having the next day off to relax and make like it's Sunday all over again. We won't have another long weekend until October, and I'm already dreaming of what I can do to make the most of it.

Café photos below taken at Sparrow Eating House.

Behind the scenes: filming for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

Two weeks ago I filmed four of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary's koalas as they flew to their new home in Chimelong Safari Park, China. I was thrilled to be part of such a unique experience—it was the first, and may very well be the last time I get to film koalas, let alone film them on the tarmac.

Aurelie Maron: Chalk Lettering for Design Montage

Related: Aurelie Maron for Design Montage | Sneak Peek.

I was pretty very excited when Aurelie contacted me to produce a video of her working on her latest chalk lettering piece for Design Montage. Upon seeing her work at the QCA graduate exhibition last year and being in absolute awe of her serious type skills, I knew she'd be one to watch. Currently working as a designer for Tusk Agency in the Gold Coast, chalk lettering is still something Aurelie does frequently outside of her typical work day. When she produced her first chalk-lettering piece as part of a typography assignment at uni, she had no idea it would very quickly turn into something everybody would clamour to have—she still gets many requests to create pieces like this (for very good reason).

Check out Aurelie's Design Montage type project on Behance

After watching the film of Aurelie doing what she does best, I hope you'll walk away with a newfound appreciation for just how much attention to detail and hard work is required to produce such a gorgeous end product—it definitely doesn't just happen overnight.

Aurelie designed the logo for the Typism Inspiration Conference (which I will also be photographing!) and will also be a speaker on the day. If you haven't already gotten your ticket, be quick! Head over to the website for details.

Check out Aurelie's Typism Logotype project on Behance

Analogue/Digital Creative Conferences 2013

I have attended at least one creative conference every year since my second year of uni in 2009. When Analogue/Digital came around in 2011, I walked away pleased that it was different from the other conferences I had been to, in the sense that most of the speakers were local, down-to-Earth creatives who had interesting and real stories to tell instead of showcasing people who were already "global" and a "big deal" and had spoken at a dozen other events already.

This year Matthew Haynes went above and beyond, bringing us a phenomenal two day line-up of brilliant speakers, a lot of whom were from Brisbane and the Gold Coast which was incredibly great to see. The conference sold out and many came from interstate to attend—most were pleasantly surprised to discover that south-east Queensland has such a strong creative culture compared to what those coming from Sydney or Melbourne might have assumed. Analogue/Digital 2013 was better than that of 2012 and 2011, and better yet, steadily kicking the arse of most of the other creative conferences I've been to. Well done to Matt and the Analogue/Digital team for making this happen!

I have a renewed sense of purpose, energy and drive after hearing so many of the speakers talk about things I so strongly believe in or things I have already experienced for myself. Knowing that I'm doing a lot of the same things that they are can only mean that one day, in good time, all the hard work definitely will pay off, and that sometimes what you think is quitting and failing can end up being the start of better opportunities in disguise.

More photos after the jump.

Dominique Falla: Tactile Typographer.

Related: Dominique Falla: Tactile Typographer | Sneak Peek.

Many of you were so very keen to see the finished project behind many of my teaser Instagram images (like this, this, this and this) whilst working on this piece with Dominique. 15 hours of filming, over 1,300 videos, many hours of editing and probably a little bit a lot of RSI later, I bring you the final video that will give you an insight into just how much goes into making one of Dominique's fantastic string art typographic pieces that she is now so well-known for. I mean, the amount of times she's been reblogged around the Tumblrsphere is intense.

Just in case you couldn't get enough of it, Dominique has founded a creative conference for all typography nerds called Typism, that will be held in the Gold Coast in September. The line-up is looking fantastic already (and Dominique herself is speaking), so I'd urge you all to like the Typism Facebook page and keep in the loop with the event's news, including the launch of the website and speaker announcements. It's going to be great!

Reunions and summer's last weekend.

There wasn't a weekend more suitable to farewell summer and the year's first quarter than our Easter long weekend. The last days of March epitomised the chaotic month that was; March brought with it birthday after birthday, event after event, and the standard ins and outs of the every day.

But it was far from an ordinary weekend, because for the first time in 13 years, I was reunited with my childhood best friend Adeile, who I grew up with during my days in Auckland, New Zealand. From our parents growing up in the same province in the Philippines, to them moving to Auckland and us following three years later, to them moving yet again to Sydney and us to Brisbane, it felt like our paths were almost always destined to cross. After she moved to Maryland, United States in February 2002, I knew it would be a long time (if ever) before we saw each other again.

For our paths to have crossed over and over again since we were young is amazing in itself—but even more so, the fact that even after so much time has passed and despite there being little communication between us over the years, we are just as we were then.

We showed her and Andrea (her best friend from primary school in Sydney), as much of our beautiful South-East Queensland as we could, with a day trip to Moreton Island and an early morning breakfast at the Gold Coast. We soaked up summer in all its sunshine and storms and left little time for rest: we hurried to make up for lost time, catching up on everything, getting to know each other's lives in the past decade.

Crammed between all this, 5:30am starts, a day out with my mother and the usual Easter celebrations was also my reunion with Alanna, after she spent half a year in Europe. I couldn't have spent summer's a better way: in the presence of friends who were as much family to me as my own, surrounded by sea, sun and sand, reminding me that there are always happy days ahead.

*P.S: Apologies for some of the shaky parts in the video. It's hard to film handheld on a windy day!

Ella Johnston.

Late last year I got to photograph the work of one of my fellow Queensland College of Art graduates, graphic designer Ella Johnston. Ella has been doing some fantastic branding work for several lovely cafes and businesses down at the Gold Coast, and asked me to photograph not only her work but also their interiors, to better capture the ambience and communicate simply past the designed collateral.

We Heart Music.

Wine, women and song: your Friday night is sorted. The We Heart Collective's first exhibition of the year, We Heart Music, opens at 6pm this Friday the 15th February, at the infinitely cool creative hub for musicians, photographers, designers and more: Crown Studios in West Burleigh, Gold Coast. So come along and bring your Valentine, because what's more romantic than a night of art about hearting things, live music, drinks and nibblies? Despite not being overly into Valentine's Day myself, there's no better way to seal off the annual week of love, I'd say. We hope to see you there, and tell your friends!

If you can't make the opening night, the exhibition will run until the 24th of February and you can check it out between 1pm - 4pm. To stay informed of our upcoming works and exhibitions, like the We Heart Collective on Facebook.

Gold Coast Wedding: Stacey & Klint.

The sun could not have been brighter on the day of Stacey & Klint's wedding at Kanbeki House, Currumbin Valley, quite loudly declaring that the Queensland summer is already here. Luke and I were looking forward to shooting at a venue set amongst the lush hinterland of Currumbin Valley on such a beautiful day, despite knowing it would be a very humid & sticky 14 hours to come.

We had no true idea what else this wedding had in store for us (then again, who really does?). We did not know we would run into three other bridal parties and an actual wedding ceremony at the beach. We did not know how many laughs we would have and how comfortable we would feel amongst people most of which we had not met twice. We did not know just how much fun this family could have, all in the same room. I didn't know I would have so many stories to tell from this day, each equally as joyful and funny as the next. Throughout it all, they never lost sight of what this day was really about: the lives and love of two people who have been together for 7 years, had two beautiful daughters together and everyone having a jolly good time celebrating all that and more. And they really, really know how to celebrate.

There are a handful of photos thrown into my post below that were taken by Luke, who will be posting his photos on his own website in a few days (I literally couldn't wait to post mine). Keep an eye out for his version of their beautiful wedding day at Kanbeki House over at lukechapman.com.au.

Goodbye Helvetica: The Exhibition, by Dominique Falla.

Tactile typographer and graphic designer Dominique Falla slaved away for five weeks to bring art to a very urban scene: Surfer's Paradise. Myself and many other alumni, graduates and students of the Queensland College of Art, Gold Coast count ourselves pretty damn lucky and proud to have been taught by such a multi-talented, passionate and devoted person.