Bevan & Zarchi are close friends. When they asked me to do something I’d promised myself I’d never do (wedding photography), I said no…. But they’re nothing but persistent. I soon agreed to take some ‘pre-wedding’ photos. These are typical of Asian clients (Zarchi is from Myanmar), who have their wedding photos done before the actual event. I actually ended up shooting the wedding also….
This was shot out at Muriwai beach. There’s a not a great deal of technical difficulty in the shot. It's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Of course that’s easier when you know the area well. Muriwai has an abundance of photographic opportunities. For astro, nature and portrait work, I find myself there quite often.
Iron-rich black sand dominates the west coast of New Zealand. The sand's deep colour enhances the reflective qualities of the water that covers it during low tide. Lining up a shot like this is just a matter of waiting for the waves to roll out, then telling your clients to run! I used a 12mm lens to make the sea look as distant as possible.
Bevan & Zarchi ‘pre-wedding shoot’ on Muriwai Beach
Panasonic Lumix GH5
Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm 1.4
ISO 200 f/7.1 1/250
We played around with a few different poses styles as the light changed. Some worked:
Bevan & Zarchi ‘pre-wedding shoot’ on Muriwai Beach
Panasonic Lumix GH5
Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm 1.4
ISO 200 f/7.1 1/5000
Some were less successful!:
Bevan & Zarchi pre-wedding shoot, out-takes!
Panasonic Lumix GH5
Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm 1.4
ISO 200 f/7.1 1/2000
This was one of the first shoots for which Lumix sponsored me equipment. I was shooting on their Lumix GH5 which is a stunning small camera, paired with a Leica Summilux 12mm f/1.4. The speed of this lens meant I could really push the shutter speed to avoid any motion blur, without pushing up the ISO.