In Conversation With Sydney Based moments Film And Photography

Moments Film and Photography, based in Sydney, are a duo specialising in capturing the essence of weddings through their exceptional film and photography skills. Their approach is to effortlessly capture every aspect of a couple’s wedding day in a natural and relaxed way. We had the privilege of sitting down with the admirable duo to gain valuable insight into their world of wedding photography and film.

“We like to observe, anticipate and document the day as it unfolds, allowing for as many natural and candid moments as possible to take place.”

Firstly, tell us a little about your photography journey, and how you came to being the exceptional wedding photographer that you are?

Years of hard work and dedication - Simon started shooting weddings as a photographer 15 years ago and Shyani started 8 years ago. Not a day goes by without either of us learning something new about our craft. Photography and videography is our creative outlet and we take enormous pride in our work. We are lifelong learners - Simon is constantly watching tutorials to become the best he possibly can at his craft of wedding videography. The passion he has for the craft shines through in his final product. Shyani is forever researching new posing ideas and photography techniques to bring something unique to every wedding or portrait shoot. We love being a photography/videography duo (as well as a real-life couple) because we learn from each other, don’t step on each other’s toes, and we understand (without even saying a word) what the other needs. It’s like having two sets of eyes always looking out for the best shot!

What sparked your interest in wedding photography?

We have each tried a lot of different avenues of photography, Shyani started with babies and newborns, and Simon started with fashion and events. Eventually, we both discovered that we wanted to capture the meaningful moments when two families come together. We enjoy every part of the wedding day from the getting ready (the nervous excitement) to the sparkler exit at the end of the night (the relief and joy that they did it!) and every special and emotional moment in between.

Can you tell me about your approach to wedding photography?

We love natural light and will use it as much as possible to achieve a soft, bright and airy look; shooting a mix of journalistic and cinematic documentary style images. We like to observe, anticipate and document the day as it unfolds, allowing for as many natural and candid moments as possible to take place. We strive for consistency in our editing and shooting style, giving each photograph a clean and timeless look. We achieve this by matching our digital images to the timeless look of medium format film. We are known for our positive (seemingly endless) energy and relaxed and fun approach to posing our clients so that they feel at ease in front of the camera and focus on being themselves. In other words, we let the moments naturally unfold while also instructing them exactly what to do with their hands (any awkwardness melts away!)

We understand that you receive a lot of booking requests. What qualities do you typically look for in a couple that make them stand out to you? Which enquiries make you excited to shoot their wedding?

We don’t take on every wedding because, for us, it’s very important that not only are we the right fit for our couples, but that they are also the right fit for us. The weddings that excite us the most are the ones that are smaller and more intimate and unique to the couple. We are also drawn to the enquiries where we can tell they have looked at our work and are excited to work with us. Our favourite part of the day is the portrait session, this allows our creativity to shine so couples who have allowed a lot of portrait time are a bonus for us! We will never take on a large 300+ guest wedding because those weddings require a whole team of photographers and videographers to capture.

We know couples can be a little nervous when it comes to their wedding photography, what are some tips you offer couples to stay relaxed and enjoy the moment?

Funnily enough, if you put either of us in front of the camera, we tend to freeze and be all kinds of awkward (what do I do with my redundant arm?!) - but we DO know how to pose! We have even taken actual courses on it (four of them). Our style throughout the day is journalistic, we capture what is happening in front of us and remain as unobtrusive as possible. We work hard to capture the spontaneous laughter, intimate moments and all the good stuff that happens naturally throughout the day. We are people-centred photographers which means that during a portrait session, we will casually guide our couples into poses that are the most flattering for their bodies (these are only tiny adjustments and they won’t even feel the difference and sometimes can be hilarious!). A lot of our couples opt to have a pre-wedding shoot for this very reason! They learn our posing methodology and style and it becomes one less thing to be nervous about on the actual wedding day - trust us, it works!

Share with us some wedding moments that you’ve experienced that stand out for you?

Our favourite moments are those that unfold naturally and effortlessly – the look of pride as a father sees his little girl in a wedding dress for the first time, the nervous anticipation of waiting for a partner to walk down the aisle and say “I do” and the excitement (and relief) on the faces of our couples as they walk back down the aisle hand in hand as a married couple – these moments are everything to us!

What are some ways you work with couples to really ensure that their wedding photos are a true reflection of them?

We have a tried and tested posing method where we guide each of our couples into positions that are the most flattering for them on camera and then allow them to create the magic themselves - it’s fun and often hilarious but once the nerves disappear, their true selves come out and it’s wonderful!

What is your top wedding planning tip? 

Always allow extra time in the morning when getting ready because time gets away from you so quickly and this can really set the tone for the rest of the day. We don’t want you to ever feel stressed!

And finally, where can couples find you? Do you travel all over Australia?

We are based in Sydney, Australia, but we travel all over the world for weddings!

You can find Moments Film and Photography on THEODORE Magazine by CLICKING HERE, at momentsphotography.com.au or over at Instagram @momentsphotographyau

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