In Conversation With Wedding Photographer Jen From Liminal Wonderland

Scottish-born wedding photographer Jen from Liminal Wonderland shares her journey from a childhood steeped in storytelling to the revelation that led her to focus on capturing the magic of weddings. Describing her style as “storytelling for wild hearts and fearless lovers,” Jen discusses her approach to making couples feel at ease, the art of capturing candid moments, and her favourite shoot locations. With a keen eye for collaboration and a commitment to authenticity, Jen’s photography encapsulates the essence of each unique love story.

“I call it storytelling for wild hearts and fearless lovers. I love to get up close and in the middle of it all. It’s fun, colourful, raw, documentary with a twist, emotional, sometimes grainy and out of focus, but that captures the beauty of the day of life really.”

Tell us a little about your journey into the world of wedding photography?

So let me rewind a bit, I am from Scotland, where storytelling is a big part of our life. I grew up surrounded by photographs, art, fashion and memories. Every photo album in my Nana’s house had a story, she’d take them out and start telling me about these amazing adventures, people, life events, plus she always had a story or a memory to share. It fascinated me as a child, I grew up in that kitchen almost every day with a cup of tea and shortbread biscuits listening to Nana telling me stories and memories. I never for one second thought this would somehow connect into wedding photography. I went on to study photography for 5 years in Scotland, I excelled with documentary photography, I worked In the theatre industry for years learning movement and watching directors. I worked for so many studios never quite fitting…..but fast forward to 2018 where a friend asked me to shoot their wedding, I was so nervous, but I’m standing on the beach in Lorne, the ceremony just ended and this massive storm rolls in onto the beach out of nowhere, dark clouds, crazy rain, wind (insane wind!), everyone starts running, and I start yelling ‘no no stop get some pictures this will make a great story!’ And that was it (boom lightbulb moment) everything fit together. Sure enough those images are some of the couples favourite images. The dress, the scarves flowing in the wind, the flower girls are cuddling into the bride so close and everyone is laughing and huddling together, and that’s when I realised, I want to just photograph weddings.

How would you describe your style of wedding photography?

I call it storytelling for wild hearts and fearless lovers. I love to get up close and in the middle of it all. It’s fun, colourful, raw, documentary with a twist, emotional, sometimes grainy and out of focus haha but that captures the beauty of the day of life really. If it’s raining, or windy, or crazy bright sun, we’re in it. If my couples love dancing I’ll get them dancing. I love creating images around what my couples love. I love movement in images, favourite thing to do is get people moving, it also removes any nervous energy.

How do you approach getting to know the couples you work with, and how does this personal connection impact the quality of your wedding photography?

So we have a blind awkward first date haha! I meet them in a bar or a coffee shop normally, I got one particular bar I’m sure the staff by now must wander what I’m doing there, meeting couples every other week for drinks! And over the course of an hour or more we just chat, and get to know each other. I find out how they met, what they do, what they like about each other. There’s no chat of numbers and packages etc… I’m always in touch, checking in, reassuring them I’m there for them. I’m an extra support on the day. A few of my couples I’ve become really good friends with and we still catch up. 

What steps do you take to make couples feel comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera, especially when they may not be used to being photographed professionally?

I always turn up half an hour early to the getting ready shots, someones Mum or aunty will offer me a cup of tea and I’ll wander around drinking my tea, having a chat with anyone and everyone so that I blend in seamlessly to the day. Trust me as soon as you replace a camera with a cup of tea people chill haha. But this time before I start shooting is the time that everyone gets used to me being there. I’ll have my camera harness on, they get used to the cameras, I start doing some ‘test shots’. Then by the time it comes to couples photos everyone is happy relaxed and chill. It’s little things like this that people don’t notice, it's all thought out to make my couples feel relaxed. My body language, the way I speak, give direction, the one thing I always get in reviews is how much fun and relaxed they felt. And when couples are relaxed that’s when the magic happens.

How do you capture candid and emotional moments between the couple and their guests, and what do you believe makes these moments so important in wedding photography?

With digital photography comes the added bonus of being able to capture everything! Candid moments are when couples are mingling, normally I put on a long lens hover around in the bushes and capture everyone relaxing. But when it’s just them by themselves, I love to tell a story, it’s almost like directing a movie, during all our meetings I get my couples to tell me stories. Then on the wedding day when we’re alone I tell them these stories back to them, how they met, a favourite thing about each other, then I leave them, I just walk away and watch. Something magical always happens, I’ve removed them suddenly from their wedding day and placed them in a moment in time. It’s like photographing a daydream, the way they start to look at each other is different. It’s quiet and still, just them and it’s beautiful.

Do you have any favourite locations or settings that you recommend to couples for their engagement or pre-wedding photoshoots?

I love Carin beach on the Mornington Peninsula! Oh my goodness this spot is so incredible. For one no shoot has ever looked the same there, weather always changes. There are so many spots there! It’s special because It’s a combination of land and sea, it’s raw, untouched, gives you the feeling of wilderness without being too far away. For the city I love being In the heart of Melbourne, surrounded by the buildings, architecture, you can go for a coffee, icecream, share a bowl of pasta, make it cute. I also have some favourite spots down by the Merri creek that are beautiful and secluded.

Some couples may have specific requests or creative ideas. How do you incorporate their input and preferences into your photography while maintaining your artistic style?

Art is a collaboration of ideas I believe, if I was just to shoot to the things I like all the time it would get boring. I love it when couples suggest places, or want to do something silly, or show me a cool image. I always say great and I put my spin on it. It helps keeps things fresh.

After the wedding day, what is your process for delivering the final images to the couple, and how do you ensure that they are satisfied with the results?

So the first thing I do is upload and backup everything, then I freak out at how many images I’ve shot, I’m so bad I always overshoot! I get excited I’m sorry. It can take 4-6 weeks to get images back, when it’s busy in summer it’s hard to find time to sit down and edit. I also have a toddler so life can get unpredictable sometimes! My couples get a gallery link to access all the images. I always go above expectations, what they expect and what they get always blows their mind. I also give more images than I say haha. Everything is edited with my own unique style, but I barely retouch anything and that’s what my couples love, they always say ‘it looks like me and makes me happy’. They love that I haven’t altered them or retouched, or smoothed things out. It’s just them. I hope that makes sense it’s so hard to put that into words!

Where are you based and what areas are you available to shoot weddings?

 I’m based in Melbourne and Scotland. I’ll travel anywhere really. I’m also based in Scotland I go home to Scotland June, July, August every year to see family. I know the West Coast and central highlands really well, but mostly based in Aberdeen those months. My dream goal is to shoot a wedding in Iceland or Norway. I went on my honeymoon in Iceland and it was incredible! The contrast of Ice and Fire just makes for insane wedding photos!

And finally, your number one piece of wedding planning advice?

This is a hard question, every wedding is different, traditions are different globally and Melbourne is a multi-cultural hub. But as someone who’s planned a wedding and attended many weddings as a guest or photographer, I would say pick your battles. Listen to advice from family and friends (smile and nod politely say thank you), but you don’t have to do it. People love weddings, they love to be involved, find little ways to include them. It could be a simple thing like being in charge of the wishing well, or the guest book, or if your mother in law has a favourite flower have it on the table or something. If other people are helping to pay for things it can be so tricky to navigate where that money is spent. For example, take them with you, listen to wedding bands/dj or to try some wine at the winery. Guide them towards the things that you love. When it comes to multi-cultural weddings with different religions and traditions this can be hard. I did go to a wedding where they were Catholic and Church of England, they had a priest and a vicar perform different parts of the ceremony it worked seamlessly and was really clever! Combine your traditions or make new ones. Hopefully this will help to create harmony and peace.

Liminal Wonderland can be found online at liminalwonderland.com or on Instagram at @liminalwonderland

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