Alexander Weddings

Libby & Bjorn's Wedding photos.

2011-08-28T22:07:00.000-07:00

Libby & Bjorn scored the perfect day: hot and sunny with a cool breeze. If only you could get that weather to order at every wedding. The ceremony was held at a church in Auckland city, before heading out to Bethells beach where the wedding party relaxed for a picnic under a huge macrocarpa tree. An hour later it was back in the wagons and off to Kumeu Valley Estate for the evening reception. My 2nd photographer for the day was Christian Espinoza and if you look carefully you will notice him hanging off the back of the ute in one shot - now that's dedication to the art! I always hope that my documentary style wedding photos reveal the true character of my subjects, and that being said, you will see that there were some larger than life personalities on this day!

Going Bollywood in Fiji

2011-07-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

Its pretty cold here in Auckland as I write this and hard to imagine quite how hot it was in Fiji when these wedding photos were taken! 33c as I recall, and what a fantastic wedding to shoot! Ben and Shehana had chosen a bollywood theme and this meant all the guests dressing in Indian clothing. There was Indian decor and even a couple of bollywood dance numbers thrown in for good measure. As the guests had traveled from all over the NZ, Australia and the pacific to be there, they hadn't had a chance to rehearse as a group, so it was touch and go wether every would fall into sync on the big day. Fortunately they did and the choreography was seamless. I had a great time and it was a joy to photograph such a unique event.

A very happy client.

2011-06-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

While most of my weddings are photographed in Auckland, New Zealand, I do several overseas trips each year. Fiona and Gray's wedding was held in Brisbane and I really don't need to tell you much more about it as Fiona summed everything up herself when she wrote to thank me afterwards:

"I LOVE the photos! Gary and I sat together last night with a glass of wine, and we laughed and cried the whole way through! They tell such a lovely story of the day, and are so grateful for the photos.

Thank you, Fiona and Gary"

Luke & Melissa.

2011-03-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to shoot a wedding at Mantells in Auckland for a long time and finally I got the chance when Melissa & Luke asked me to photograph their wedding day recently.

To attain the best wedding photos there is a definite recipe for success; choose photogenic venues and a bridal party and guests that are there to enjoy themselves, throw good food and drink into the mix - and you can't go wrong! Thats the exact recipe Melissa & Luke followed and it seemed to work a treat - see for yourself:

Anna & Kurt.

2011-03-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Its been a busy few weeks shooting in the height of wedding season, so I thought it about time I put a few wedding shots up on the blog. So without further ado, here are some images from Anna & Kurt's Wedding day.
They were married at St Margaret's Church in Auckland before we stopped off at One Tree Hill with the Bridal party for a picnic on the grass. The sun shone and the photographs came out just great ( if I do say so myself!). Then it was on down to Romfords for their evening wedding reception. I managed to sneak them outside for a few quick photographs just on sunset with Rangitoto on the horizon behind them.

Married at Mudbrick.

2011-02-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

I love weddings at Mudbrick Vineyard for this is the venue with everything: tucked away on Waiheke Island it is far enough away from Auckland to feel like a destination, yet close enough to reach within an hours' ferry ride. The location is stunning with amazing views, the building is beautifully designed and the food and wine are top class. Throw a vibrant wedding party into the mix and you can't fail to get some great shots!

These photos are from my most recent Mudbrick wedding - that of Tracy & Toby. I was pleased to capture some truly special moments on camera. My particular favorites are shown here:

Jennifer & Jack. 15th Jan. 2011

2011-01-31T13:50:00.000-08:00

Jen & Jack were blessed with one of those perfect Kiwi summer days - vast blue skies and baking hot sun. Their reception was held on the roof terrace of the Auckland District Law Society. A perfect spot for their intimate ceremony. Afterwards we headed to nearby Albert Park for a relaxed stroll through the grounds ( while I delivered the long lens paparazzi treatment ) before heading down to Wine Chambers restaurant for their evening reception.

They are now in Switzerland on honeymoon where Jack tells me it's -3c. What a contrast!

The zip incident.

2010-12-26T19:46:00.000-08:00

Following on from my previous blog, there was one stand-out incident during Anusha and Nirshaads wedding that deserved its own blog entry. Following their Indian wedding ceremony we headed back to their hotel for what was supposed to be a quick change. That's not quite how things worked out. While it was pretty tense at the time, I hope everyone is looking back at the incident with a smile, as everything worked out perfectly in the end . . . . . though I am not sure how on earth Anusha got the dress off again at the end of their day.

The dress goes on.

But the zip gets stuck!

Really stuck!

Everyone pitches in to lend a hand.

But it just wont budge.

Disaster . . . . the zip breaks!

The girls inspect the damage.

Anusha is not relishing the prospect of getting married in her petticoat.

Nirshaad arrives to console his bride.

And a seamstress who fortuitously is at the hotel, arrives to save the day!

Anusha is literally sewn into her dress.

2 hrs after it all began, she emerges unscathed and looking beautiful.

Then we all dash to Albert park for a rapid photo-shoot in the brief time we have left.

Alexander Weddings. wedding photographer, Auckland, New Zealand.

An Indian/Western Wedding Fusion

2010-12-26T16:11:00.000-08:00

2 weeks ago I photographed a quite unique wedding - that of Nirshaad and Anusha at the the Stamford Plaza in Auckland. They had decided upon a Hindu ceremony followed by a traditional western ceremony - which was a photographers dream! The day threw up so many fantastic photo opportunities that I have had to be very selective in those I've put forward here.

Alexander Weddings. Wedding photographer, Auckland New Zealand.

Sonny & Kirin

2010-11-26T18:49:00.000-08:00

Last year I photographed my first Indian wedding, Aman & Jyoti, ( see post Nov 2009 ). The colours, jewelry and costumes are so different to the western weddings I usually shoot and it was an amazing experience that led to some great images. So I was really pleased when Aman's brother Sonny asked me to shoot his wedding to Kirin. The wedding was held over 4 days, of which I attended 3. There are so many photographic opportunities that I would love to shoot more - so if you are having an Indian Wedding ceremony in Auckland (or anywhere in New Zealand . . . . or the world!) then please consider me as your photographer.

Day 1. Wedding photographs in Auckland

Day 2. Wedding photographs in Pukekohe

Day 3. Wedding photographs in Hamilton.

Alexander Weddings. Documentary wedding photographer, Auckland, New Zealand.

5 Famous Faces

2010-10-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Besides shooting wedding photographs in and around Auckland, I work on commercial photographic commissions for various clients. One of these is TV3 and I recently shot the cover of their 21st anniversary TV Guide.

Alexander Weddings in Wellington

2010-09-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Alexander Weddings don't just shoot in Auckland - in fact we'll shoot pretty much anywhere. 2 weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the 'windy city' of Wellington, which, true to form, was blowing a force 8 Gale . . . but luckily the sun shone throughout. Sarah and Anwar were married at Erskine, a spectacular chapel and banquet hall in Island Bay. I spent the day with the bride and her family before the evening ceremony and we certainly got some great shots. To be honest I could have shown double the amount chosen here, but hopefully this gives you a feel for their day.

A Sarnia Wedding.

2010-09-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

While Alexander Weddings are based in Auckland we shoot weddings all over New Zealand. Jessie and Wesley's wedding was held at the magnificent Sarnia Park Estate, just outside Cambridge. Co-incidentally, 'sarnia' is the roman name for my home island of Guernsey (way off on the other side of the world) and the estate was named by the previous owners who also emigrated from there - so I felt strangely at home!

2010-08-07T19:25:00.000-07:00

I recently shot an image for Moana Pacific Fisheries of the deepwater crab species, the Red Rock Crab. They live off New Zealand at imense depths of 900meters and are amazing looking creatures. I thought they would make for great subjects against a pure white background, so set about shooting a couple for images as a personal project. I Went back the following week and did a similar thing with this huge crayfish. He was a fantastic 7lb specimen flown in from the Chathams.

Steve Swart.

2010-08-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

This shot was seen by over 2 million people when it appeared in the Wall Street Journal on July 27th! The chap in the frame is Steve Swart - former professionl cyclist and team mate of multiple Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong. He claims Armstrong is a drug cheat and the newspaper ran a story on him that has caused quite a stir. The paper contacted me and were desperate for a new photograph of Steve - I had literally 5 minutes to take this shot. Thank god it came out well!

Tahlia

2010-07-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

Spent a day out in Onewhero at the old school house, shooting images of Tahlia. We got a whole team together - make-up artist, hairdresser, photographer and used a haze machine to smoke up the atmosphere a little. Gave a great atmosphere and I was really pleased with the results.

Karekare

2010-07-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

Headed out to Karakare a couple of weeks ago and the dusty dry walking track I've used in the summer, that cuts through the pohutakawas and down to the beach - is a knee deep swamp in the winter! And quite beautiful!

The Fog

2010-05-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

Last week saw some fantastically foggy mornings here in Auckland - which also meant some early starts for me. The time to start shooting is well before sunrise while the mist is thick and before it starts to burn off in the heat of the day. These 2 images were taken on subsequent mornings - the first from Mt Hobson and the second from Mt Eden. I particularly like the Sky Tower image - which looks for all the world like a spaceship hovering in the clouds.

What have I been up to recently?

2010-05-04T21:42:00.001-07:00

Now the idea of a blog is that you update is regularly and keep people up to date with whatever it is you've been doing . . . . . so its about time I made another post. The problem when you are busy is that your blog never seems to get to the top of the 'to do list'. But today it finally made it! So here are a few jobs I have shot recently and a small showcase of my day to day work in the commercial photographic arena . . . . . .

The All Blacks

2010-03-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

While wedding photography is an important part of my business, the majority of my work is commercial photography and a world away from the spontaneous wedding images I create. The shot below was commissioned last month by Sky tv for The Rugby Channel and featured three of the All Blacks - Jimmy Cown, Adam Thomson and Ma'a Nonu. To see more of my commercial photography visit my website: www.alexwallace.co.nz

Competiton Success.

2010-03-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

This image has been chosen as one of the top shots in the latest round of the Wedding Photojournalist Association photography competition. The category was "reflections" and I'm dead chuffed to have made the placings!

Assistant Wanted!

2010-02-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

I'm currently looking for a new assistant to help me shoot my bigger weddings. Do you have a passion for photography and think you can shoot in a style that complements mine? If so then please get in touch.

email: info@alexanderwallace.co.nz

Image below from Kelvin & Alexas wedding. Mudbrick Vineyard. Oct 2009.

Views of Rangitoto

2010-02-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

Its been a busy few weeks with numerous bookings coming in for the winter of 2010 which is great news. Winter weddings are a challenge as the weather is often against you - however if you plan with that in mind then it isn't really an issue. I also enjoy the fact that sun is lower to the horizon, meaning you have longer periods of the day when the light is flattering and the skies more dramatic.

Rather than wedding images I thought I would post a couple of shots of Rangitoto. This volcanic cone East of Auckland makes for a great subject. Its shape is iconic to any Aucklander and is visible from most parts of the city. I am sure I will be photographing it for many years to come.

I chose these 2 views as although they are taken in similar locations they are totally different and reveal how light and weather can utterly transform a subject.

I have just fitted out Cafe Melba in Vulcan Lane, Auckland CBD with several large 60x20 inch panoramic canvases of my landscapes. If you are passing, duck in for a coffee - they do a fantastic roast and are frequently reviewed as one of the best in the city.

A Wedding at the Zoo.

2010-01-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite shots from Dave & Rohan's wedding at Auckland Zoo. What a great venue!

A Waiheke Wedding

2009-12-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite shots from Kelvin & Alexa's wedding on 21st Nov. 2009. The ceremony took place in St Patricks Church, Remuera, before we choppered over to Mudbrick Vineyard on Waiheke. Could this be the perfect wedding? - fantastic venues, a great looking couple who couldn't keep their eyes off each other, a reception where all the guests were intent on enjoying themselves . . . . .oh yeah, and helicopter flight to boot!

To view more images from this wedding take a look at the whole gallery on my website here;

http://www.alexanderwallace.co.nz/index-slides.html?gallery=Kelvin%20%26%20Alexa

Aman & Jyoti

2009-11-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Above are a few shots from Aman & Jyoti's wedding on Saturday 7th Nov'09. It was a fantastic event - the colour, the costume and the emotion all combined to create some wonderful shots.

Competition Award Winner

2009-10-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

Today I found out that I have won the New Zealand Geographic Magazines, landscape photographer of the year award! This image of the fig tree is the one that took the honors - and needless to say I am dead chuffed!

Meet me at the Show.

2009-07-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Where - Aotea Centre, Auckland
When - Sunday 13th September 2009

Once again, its almost time to dust off the banner stands gather together the brochures and head out to a wedding show. In mid September I will be attending the Wedding Show at the Aotea Centre in Auckland. It looks like it's going to be a great event with every area of the wedding industry represented. Shows are a great chance for me to get out there and introduce myself to 100s of potential clients. Its an ideal occasion for me to showcase my work and demonstrate how I do things a little different to the competition. If you are in the city then please stop by and say hello. It's so important to meet your photographer in person and make sure you "click".

I've had a lot of conversations lately where friends and clients have been amazed that wedding photography can be laid back, relaxed and unobtrusive. Everyone has horror stories of photographers taking the bride, groom & wedding party away from the reception for 2 1/2 hours while the rest of the guests idle away the time, feeling quite left out & waiting to be fed. The norm in New Zealand is still for this traditional approach - but I'm sure you guys will slowly come round to the idea, that there is a better way!

Landscape Prints

2009-07-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Landscape photography is a great passion of mine. I particularly love it as its a real escape from the pressures of commercial and wedding work. You are totally reliant upon what mother nature the weather throw at you and if the light and conditions aren't great, you can't change things - you just have to sit and wait till it comes good.

I now have several galleries selling my prints here in Auckland. I have long been a fan of the panoramic format - my 180 degree views offer something approaching what we see with the naked eye and while they are tricky to execute, the shots can be extremely dramatic - especially when they are printed up as huge 40 inch wide prints as I prefer. You can view them first hand at The Poi Room, Newmarket. Art Port at Auckland International Airport, Art of this World, in Devonport or K.S.Thompson, Great South Rd, Remeura. I am selling them as signed, limited edition prints and if you'd like to know what they cost them email me a request. I'd be happy to do you a favorable price.

Queensberry Albums

2009-05-17T17:59:00.001-07:00

I thought it about time I added a few photos to show the quality and finish of Queensberry albums. As far as handmade, top-end albums go - they are without equal. With many different printing finishes, mounting options and materials to choose from, they have an album to suit just about every taste. Queensberry are a New Zealand firm that are a global exporter of wedding albums, with a well deserved reputation for their superior craftsmanship. With the world market now accounting for 80% of their sales - they are a genuine Kiwi success story.

Seen here are the large 12"x 15" album together with the mini 5" parents album. The mini album is an exact replica of the larger one.

$795 off your wedding Photography!

2009-05-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

As I wrote in my last post, it seems everybody is booking their photographer early. We arrived in New Zealand just 4 months ago and that means that most couples have their wedding needs finalised for 2009 . . . . . . We've gotten here too late and our weekend calendar could do with a boost. What we are offering is that any wedding we shoot for the remainder of this year - will receive 10% off the listed price - or $795 in real terms!

Following feedback from the wedding shows I have added a new page on the website featuring a selection of comments from previous customers. My "Happy Clients" page offers testimonials from 3 of last years couples. When I arrived in New Zealand I couldn't bring my reputation with me - It's back to square one and time to start building it once again. Hopefully the comments will reassure anyone thinking of choosing me, that i am amicable, capable, trustworthy - and I take great shots!

Wedding Shows

2009-05-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

We have just finished "wedding show season" and finally I have a chance to catch up on the blog. It was a successful few weeks and a great chance to get out there and meet people. My beautiful assistant (and wife!) Tracy, is seen here adding a touch of glamour to our stand. The days were long and exhausting but the outcome was worthwhile. It seems couples are booking their preferred wedding professionals earlier and earlier - we have already taken a booking for the end of 2010 and had numerous enquiries for 2011.

I have also been looking into an alternative to the Queensberry albums - fantastic though they are, I want to offer my clients a little more choice in how their final albums are presented. As such I will be supplying a choice of Queensberry or Momento albums from now on. Momento produce stunning hand-finished coffee table books and I am astounded at their print quality. They offer a heavy deluxe book for pro-customers and are an ideal alternative to the Queenberry brand.

South Island wonders.

2009-03-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from a fantastic four days in Nelson, where I was working on a commercial for Warka beer. Never heard of it? Well neither had I till last week. However its one of the 3 biggest beers in Poland, and a Polish production crew travelled all the way from Europe to film their ad in the hop fields of the Abel Tasmen region. Fortunately I found time outside of the shoot to get some lanscape photography in and these are my favorites. I wish I had had more time to explore, but one things for sure - I'll definitely be going back!

Auckland Wedding Fair News

I have confirmed stands at Aucklands 2 biggest wedding fairs in April. They are the Premire Wedding Expo at the ASB show grounds on Sun 19th April and then the following week, the NZ Bride & Groom Magazine's show on Sun 26th April at the Ellelie Convention Centre. I'll be there all day, both weekends, so please come along and introduce yourselves.

Fireworks!

2009-03-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

I attended a wedding last Saturday where for once I wasn't the main photographer. I was there to capture the evening's firework display for Richard Mangos who was co-ordinating it and it made a change to be working under less pressure. The whole firework display was kept secret from the couple and the first they new about it was when cut into their cake - and the whole sky exploded with light!

The wedding was held at a fantastic venue - The Kelliher Estate on Puketutu Island, Auckland. I couldn't believe such a lush, tranquil place existed within the confines of the city. The house is a beautiful colonial style estate surrounded by mature forest. Its the perfect setting for wedding and I'd love the opportunity to shoot one here. The estate is run by Graham Dawson and his event management team. Looks like they are doing a fantastic job.

You can find out more about Mangos firewroks here - http://www.mangos.co.nz

You can find out about the Kelliher Estate here - http://www.dawsons.co.nz/

Wedding Photojournalist Association membership

2009-02-11T20:53:00.000-08:00

I found out the fantastic news this week that I have been awarded membership of the Wedding Photojournalist Association -and I'm over the moon! the W.P.J.A. is a professional organisation that promotes the best in documentary wedding photography. Their standards are second to none and I will find myself in the company of some of the best photographers in the world! It is a great boon for business as their reach and influence on the world wide web is huge. Hopefully it will draw a lot of people through to my site - who knows, it could be why you are reading this now?

On a side note, I have attached a photo taken during a recent trip to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Its a beautiful little island - clear waters, pristine beaches and lush green mountains. It would make the perfect setting for wedding photographs. The potential for great shots is astonishng - so if you are getting married there - then please get in touch!

My first Wedding of 2009

2009-01-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

I'd barely landed in New Zealand (My bags weren't yet unpacked!) before I had my first wedding assignment. It came about quite by chance; Sheryl & Dave were getting married and contacted me about shooting their big day. It was mere co-incidence I would arrive just days earlier - but it was the perfect way to start my life down under, and hit the ground running.

Unfortunately the weather was far from kind and there was torrential rain for most of the day - but thankfully it eased by mid afternoon. With the start delayed by 30 minutes as the last few drops fell, the ceremony could go ahead outside as planned. The day carried on without a hitch and I caught some wonderful moments on camera - including the instant Sheryl's veil lifted in a gust of wind and flew off her head!

Later on as the clouds slowly cleared from the horizon the most spectacular sunset I have ever seen filled the entire sky with the most glorious colours. I was left gobsmacked! Below are the pick of the shots from the day.