Gemma Clarke Photography Blog » international wedding photographer http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke Telling your story. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:45:56 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Leza and Graham’s Destination Wedding – Angsana Resort and Spa, Palm Cove, Queensland http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/06/16/leza-and-grahams-destination-wedding-angsana-resort-and-spa-palm-cove-queensland/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/06/16/leza-and-grahams-destination-wedding-angsana-resort-and-spa-palm-cove-queensland/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:50:52 +0000 gemma http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=6234 A wedding in paradise. Leza and Graham put on the best party and entertained us all with their unique and comedic vows! Leza and I worked together for many years at the RSPCA. Leza actually helped to look after Russia (my furry customer service manager) when she was little and needed some friends to socialise with. So all thanks is to Leza if you have enjoyed the snuggles and attention from Russia. The weather was mild but best of all the wind was quiet and the rain stayed away. All the wedding vendors Leza had chosen were superb and we were very impressed with the service and quality at Angsana Resort and Pacific Bridal. A big thanks goes to my wonderful assistant Renee who always knows what to do and where to be at the right times. Please feel free to be jealous as you look through the photos of this gorgeous wedding ;)

Ceremony Venue – South Pacific Bridal Cairns (at Angsana Resort) /   Reception (and getting ready and location photos) at Angsana Resort and Spa /   Wedding Dress – InWeddingDress.com /    Flowers – Bouquet and Reception – Pink Moss /    Hair and Makeup Artist – Kristy from Blush, Cairns   /    Celebrant: Wayne Rees /  Bridesmaid dresses:  Peri Dress /   Cake – Passion for Cakes

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/06/16/leza-and-grahams-destination-wedding-angsana-resort-and-spa-palm-cove-queensland/feed/ 2 Naomi and Nick’s Mini Sweetheart Session – My Backyard! http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/04/02/naomi-and-nicks-mini-sweetheart-session-my-backyard/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/04/02/naomi-and-nicks-mini-sweetheart-session-my-backyard/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:08:20 +0000 admin http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=5751 ]]> Naomi and Nick’s Wedding is not far away so we decided instead of a big portrait session that I could take a few pics at my home which is also where I have my showroom. It worked in perfectly with their love of vintage 1970s style and my crumbling old backyard ;) . We did this all in less than 5 minutes and it was almost dark. Considering they had never met me before I think we did pretty well for bringing out some lovely and natural moments!

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/04/02/naomi-and-nicks-mini-sweetheart-session-my-backyard/feed/ 1 Free Wedding Photography – Entries close Tuesday April 5, 2011 http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/03/15/free-wedding-photography-entries-close-tuesday-april-5-2011/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/03/15/free-wedding-photography-entries-close-tuesday-april-5-2011/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:46:50 +0000 admin http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=5705 ]]> When I graduated with a Bachelor of Business degree at UTS in 2000 I never thought I would be running my own business in Wedding Photography 7 years later. I knew I would always be doing something people-related. It was firstly human resources and then public relations/marketing. I worked many years in not-for-profit marketing/PR at the RSPCA, MS Society and Girl Guides. As they could not afford professional photographers, I was doing a lot of the photography for media campaigns from 2003. I love helping others and making them happy.

In 2007 my sister asked me to photograph her wedding and there was no turning back – I was hooked. Providing people with memories of the happiest day of their lives – what a rewarding experience! As I got more and more experience in wedding photography I realised that my personalised style was what people were recognising and demanding – my ability to connect, to understand, to make people feel comfortable and also to be cheeky to get the laughs!

I call myself an ‘emotional photographer’ (as opposed to a technical photographer) – I love capturing and anticipating moments – it is these types of photos that I find my clients cherish the most. I spend time getting to know my couples and how they have planned their big day so I can look out for unique details and moments that represent what is important to them.

This year I will be photographing my 100th wedding (including my 10th Internationally) and I would like to celebrate by offering free wedding photography worth $3500 for one lucky couple.

Each wedding is different; it is personal and unique to who you and your fiancé are and what you want on your day. This competition is about finding the couples who want to show how their wedding is unique. Please refer to the rules below for how to enter.

Examples of some personalised weddings I have photographed recently:
Jane and Aaron’s Wedding on a property in the Blue Mountains
Hannah and Cam’s Vintage Road trip/1950s Country Fair Wedding
Erin and Nathan’s VW, Parramatta Eels, Etsy Vintage inspired Vineyard Wedding

What you WIN:
1. Eight hours of coverage on your wedding day.
2. Edited full-sized high resolution wedding images on disk.
3. Portrait session before the wedding day so you can be comfortable in front of the camera and also so we can get to know each other.
4. Online gallery for you and your guests to view and enjoy.
5. A meet-up before the wedding day so we can get to know each other and discuss details.

The RULES:
1. Couples must be getting married in 2011* and have not already booked Gemma Clarke to photograph their wedding in 2011. You can be anywhere in the world to enter – please read the other conditions.
2. Weddings must be within a 2 hour drive of Sydney however weddings outside of this area will be considered if you are willing to pay travel costs including weddings in other states and overseas.
3. How to Enter: Please send details about you and your wedding including the following – how you got together, the proposal and 3 quirky/unique/unusual things you love about your fiancé (please include answers from both bride and groom). Details about your planned wedding locations, how is your wedding personalised e.g ceremony, invitations, your theme, special guests, music items, clothing etc. You can include pictures of your inspiration if you like. Please include a recent photo of you and your fiancé. All these items must be addressed to be eligible to enter. There is no word limit. Selection of the finalists will be based on the information you provide.
4. Email the above information and photo to info@gemma-clarke.com. This must arrive by 11:59pm Sydney NSW time on Tuesday April 5, 2011 to be eligible.
5. Finalists will be selected by Gemma Clarke and then featured (your photo and some details) on Gemma Clarke Photography’s Facebook page by Tuesday April 12, 2011 (http://www.facebook.com/sydney.wedding.photographer ) People who are fans/likers of the GCP FB page will be able to vote for their favourite couple. The couple with the most votes at 9:30pm Sydney NSW time on Monday April 18, 2011 will be the winner. An additional Gemma Clarke Photography blog post will direct people to the Facebook page to vote.
6. Finalists (those that do not win) and other entrants may be offered discounts and special deals by Gemma for their wedding photography.
7. Please note that by entering this competition you are allowing Gemma Clarke Photography to use your photo and some information about your wedding for purposes of the competition including uploading to Facebook and use on the GCP blog.

*Subject to Gemma Clarke’s availability. In addition to weddings, renewal of vows and special anniversary celebrations are included.

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/03/15/free-wedding-photography-entries-close-tuesday-april-5-2011/feed/ 2 Leza and Graham’s Poker Casino-Themed Engagement Session – Star City Casino and the Maritime Museum Wharf http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/01/08/leza-and-grahams-poker-casino-themed-engagement-session-star-city-casino-and-the-maritime-museum-wharf/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/01/08/leza-and-grahams-poker-casino-themed-engagement-session-star-city-casino-and-the-maritime-museum-wharf/#comments Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:25:05 +0000 admin http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=5139 ]]> Graham loves playing Poker and both Leza and Graham love the movie Casino so when I suggested they make the session more personal they suggested the Poker/Casino/Gangster theme. Leza asked for permission from Star City and to our surprise the Poker Room manager allowed us to take some shots on a table with a dealer as well! We were very grateful for her being so generous with her time to allow us to do this. And thank you to the dealer, Peter for being such a great sport!

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2011/01/08/leza-and-grahams-poker-casino-themed-engagement-session-star-city-casino-and-the-maritime-museum-wharf/feed/ 2 International Weddings and Portrait Favourites – 2010 http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/28/international-weddings-and-portrait-favourites-2010/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/28/international-weddings-and-portrait-favourites-2010/#comments Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:51:05 +0000 admin http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=4935 ]]> 2010 was a huge year for me as I solidly promoted my love of photographing weddings internationally. My goal is to shoot weddings in places around the world where I would like to visit and/or where I have friends. This makes it more affordable for my clients to hire me if they choose locations that are on my ‘To Go’ list. So if you have a wedding planned in Antarctica or Iceland then I definitely want to be there. There are many places I would like to see and experience in my lifetime and not just limited to the two I just mentioned. I love to feel a part of wedding day so I try to find accomodation with the family or friends of the bride or groom – this also helps me to get to know them better before the wedding and can therefore produce more meaningful photos.

I am very grateful to my fellow photographers, Anna Jarske and Derek Latham and Emilie Gerard of AmyPunky Photography who invited me to shoot alongside with them at weddings in France and Finland. And a big thanks to Charlie and Jenni for recommending me to their Finnish friends Nina and Timo for their gorgeous wedding in Hameenlinna. In total I photographed 6 brides (3 in Finland and 3 in France) and 3 portrait sessions. What I am most excited about is that my clients, Emilie and Ville have since gotten engaged and have asked me to come back in July 2011 to photograph their vintage carnival inspired wedding in countryside Finland.

I will also be photographing another wedding in Helsinki and a wedding, a bridal session and a few family portrait sessions in Northern Norway on the Lofoten Islands. Very exciting times!

Charlotte and Thomas’ Wedding in Normandy. See more images here.

I second-shot this wedding with Emilie Gerard. We asked the groom to take the shot on the right – not bad!

My friends, Emilie and Ville in Helsinki – Pasila Train Yard – Vintage theme – see more of their photos here.

I photographed this gorgeous wedding with Emilie Gerard near Angers, France. One of my absolute favourite weddings of the year for the attention to detail. You can see more images here and here.

Laetitia and Cedric couldn’t book Emilie for their wedding day as she was already booked but they decided to get dressed up again a few days later and I was lucky enough to be here with Emilie to take some shots. This was taken just outside of Paris at a gorgeous chalet! You can see more images here.

After a portrait session on a Finnish Island I noticed this gorgeous couple on the boat back and they were being so smoochy. Deniz was visiting from Turkey and Maiju lives in Helsinki. We have stayed in contact after I snapped a few sneaky shots and hope to catch up again in Helsinki next year.

We were lucky to get these family photos as there were lots and lots of big mosquitoes around as it had rained overnight.The family is related to my very good friend Anna and I spent 5 days with them all and enjoyed fishing, picking strawberries, shopping for Marimekko bags and also at the thrift shops!

Charlie and Jenni recommended me to their friends in Tampere Finland after they visited Australia for a wedding I photographed in November 2009. As a thank you I suggested to take pics of their new addition to their family, Eliel. You can see more pics here.


I love getting a photo with the bride and groom and this was a surprise shot when I heard something whispered behind my back in Finnish and suddenly Nina and Timo gave me a smooch! Loved it :) And thanks to John Shiels of Ireland who captured this moment! Please enjoy more of the pics from the wedding here.

Päivi and Jukka’s Portrait Session was on the island of Pihlajasaari Island just a short boat ride from Helsinki. More shots here.

A spectacular wedding at the Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki. Päivi and Jukka are truly one of the most romantic couples I have ever photographed. Totally fell in love with them myself ;) More of their gorgeousness here.

Satu and Tero were married near Kouvola in south east Finland where there are many yellow fields. It was so beautiful seeing the colours. Satu ‘carried’ her dad down in the aisle with her bouquet. You can see more pictures from their wedding here.


]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/28/international-weddings-and-portrait-favourites-2010/feed/ 1 Lorinda and Chaka’s Wedding – Beecroft Presbyterian Church and Banjo Paterson’s Restaurant, Gladesville http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/15/lorinda-and-chakas-wedding-beecroft-presbyterian-church-and-banjo-patersons-restaurant-gladesville/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/15/lorinda-and-chakas-wedding-beecroft-presbyterian-church-and-banjo-patersons-restaurant-gladesville/#comments Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:15:34 +0000 admin http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=4753 ]]> Lorinda and Chaka currently live in Adelaide but grew up in Sydney and organised their wedding to be in Sydney. Everything went like clockwork and it was such a gorgeous wedding – especially the overwhelming smiles and looks Lorinda and Chaka gave each other during the ceremony! We enjoyed an absolutely magic sunset as the guests were served their canapes and I loved the idea that a donation was made in lieu of a gift to the guests from the bride and groom. Banjo Paterson’s Restaurant has to be one of my favourite venues! Lorinda and Chaka will be celebrating their marriage in Hong Kong as well over the new year.

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/15/lorinda-and-chakas-wedding-beecroft-presbyterian-church-and-banjo-patersons-restaurant-gladesville/feed/ 0 Erin and Jake’s Vintage Inspired Wedding – The Block Vaucluse, Martin Place and the Queen Victoria Building and QVB Tearooms http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/13/erin-and-jakes-vintage-inspired-wedding-the-block-vaucluse-martin-place-and-the-queen-victoria-building-and-qvb-tearooms/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/13/erin-and-jakes-vintage-inspired-wedding-the-block-vaucluse-martin-place-and-the-queen-victoria-building-and-qvb-tearooms/#comments Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:01:18 +0000 gemma http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=4661 ]]> For those who know Erin they know she is well organised and is a woman who knows what she wants :) Her wedding was no exception! I was booked more than 14 months ahead of the wedding date and we were discussing wedding details and ideas almost every week in the lead up. Then there was a break in communications 3 months before the wedding and I just thought that Erin didn’t have anything more to discuss but it was because her and Jake were involved in the reality renovation show the Block on Channel 9! I got a call in June from Erin asking if she could use the engagement photos I shot of them in the countryside for the walls in the rooms they were renovating – I said sure! So if you have seen the rooms – the photos are showcased in the guest room and the main bedroom :)

If you are interested in the renovation project they completed in 8 weeks check out The Block website. I personally am in love with Erin and Jake’s style and would love to copy everything they did if I had my own home ;) I especially love the feature wall in the main bathroom!

If you want to see what the apartment looked like on September 4, wedding day then I have some shots here!! My assistant and I were privileged enough to see the finished project before the show even went to air! It was an absolute delight to photograph the details and girl’s portraits in such a stylish environment. The only ‘downer’ of the day was the constant rain. The ceremony planned for Centennial Park was postponed to 6pm that night at the reception venue, the QVB Tearooms. But this did not phase Erin and Jake at all – they were happy to meet up before the ceremony and get some photos at Martin Place and the QVB.

Erin specifically wanted vintage styling and asked me to focus on vintage styling for the photos too. This was not hard when all the details and the locations went so perfectly together to create an old world feel. Erin wore her mum’s wedding dress and added a black velvet sash. The bridesmaids dresses are all by Alannah Hill.

Please enjoy the fun and romance of Erin and Jake’s Wedding!

And of course, I had to have a photo taken with Erin and Jake :)

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/12/13/erin-and-jakes-vintage-inspired-wedding-the-block-vaucluse-martin-place-and-the-queen-victoria-building-and-qvb-tearooms/feed/ 3 Janelle and Mark’s Wedding – Jenolan Caves, NSW, Australia http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/11/18/janelle-and-marks-wedding-jenolan-caves-nsw-australia/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/11/18/janelle-and-marks-wedding-jenolan-caves-nsw-australia/#comments Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:33:33 +0000 gemma http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=4481 ]]> This was the second attempt of getting married for Janelle and Mark as the Icelandic Volcano eruption prevented their travel (and their guests) from the UK in April. It was a very stressful experience but Mark told me that going though this meant that they were even more sure that they wanted to be married and married at the Jenolan Caves (past the Blue Mountains). It is a tricky thing to climb up very narrow stairs with lots of equipment – lucky my husband was there to help :) . The day went perfectly and there were many tears of joy (and relief that this day had actually happened!). Mark and Janelle decided to have photos together before the ceremony in a ‘first look’ session. It was so emotional and I was bawling my eyes out – I am a sucker for the groom’s response when he first sees the bride :) Thanks to Domino at Caves House for all her assistance before and on the day.

Venue and Reception – Caves House

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/11/18/janelle-and-marks-wedding-jenolan-caves-nsw-australia/feed/ 1 F + G’s Wedding – France – Before the Ceremony – Part 1 http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/10/15/f-gs-wedding-france-before-the-ceremony-part-1/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/10/15/f-gs-wedding-france-before-the-ceremony-part-1/#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:18:52 +0000 gemma http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=3315 ]]> F + G have worked tirelessly to organise a wedding with a lot of style and details that represent their personalities. This wedding was everything I could have imagined for a French countryside wedding with the ceremony being held in an old village near Angers in Central France. In Australia we are so used to seeing everything that is new and old to us might be something from the 1950s and if we see something from the 1800s, we are like “WOW!” So when I travelled to France and I was “WOWing” all the time and this wedding was no exception.  The bride loves fashion and her dress is by famous french designer Delphine Manivet. Thank you to the gorgeous Emilie Gerard of AmyPunky Photography for asking me to shoot this wedding with her. Emilie is an incredibly talented storyteller and she is the in-demand photographer in France and abroad! I felt very privilieged to be by her side on this huge wedding which not only had lovely details but also two crazy kids in love :) Please note that the bride prefers that I did not show her face in any of the online photos.

The town where the ceremony was held – how gorgeous!!

]]> http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/10/15/f-gs-wedding-france-before-the-ceremony-part-1/feed/ 0 F + G’s Wedding – France – The Ceremony – Part 2 http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/10/15/f-gs-wedding-france-the-ceremony-part-2/ http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/2010/10/15/f-gs-wedding-france-the-ceremony-part-2/#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:16:50 +0000 gemma http://www.kreativeeye.net/gemmaclarke/?p=3354 ]]> Quaint little church in the middle of a little village in Central France near Angers. Touching ceremony with lots of looks of love from the bride, groom and family and friends. Congrats F + G. Please note that the bride has asked I do not post any photos showing her face.

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