What an epic week it has been!

3 more weddings booked and a few enquiries that sound like great weddings.  This year is shaping up to be even busier than last and it’s only mid January!

I keep harping on it but if you are thinking of enquiring or booking, get onto it fast!  Dates are getting snapped up quick and as I am the only photographer, once i’m booked i’m booked.

There are still lots of dates available but at this rate they could be gone fast!!!!

Oh, and don’t forget the January special on the half price Hi Res DVD upgrade!

Regards,

Allan Cummins

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Mornington Peninsula Wedding Photographer

Hi everyone,

If anyone knows anyone in the wedding related business that offers a great service, please let me know.   They may be interested in cross linking with www.acprophoto.com 

Please ask them to email me at allan@acprophoto.com

Thanks a million!

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Mornington Peninsula Wedding Photographer

JANUARY SPECIAL!!!

Up until the end of January, any wedding that books their wedding photography with Allan Cummins Photography will qualify for a 50% discount on the high resolution DVD upgrade. 

For those that aren’t technically savvy, having the high res DVD is like having the negatives.  Basically, high res enables you to print enlargements etc from the disc.  They are huge files!  It is a real bonus to have your images in high resolution.

To qualify for the discount, your deposit must be received before midnight on January 31st, 2010.

If you have any questions please call me on 0402 275 713 or email me at allan@acprophoto.com

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Mornington Peninsula Wedding Photographer

Sarah and Dave got married at the Cloisters in Toorak College on the Mornington Peninsula on what can only be described as a “damp” day.

The rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the adventurous pair with both keen to make use of the conditions in their photography.  “Go anywhere” bride Sarah showed true grit and armed with umbrella, her and Dave pushed on when many others would say it was just too wet.  Their determination paid off as we got some great shots both at Toorak College and also at Snapper Point in Mornington.  We had Snapper Point to ourselves! 

Poor weather conditions can provide unique and amazing wedding photos and should be looked at as an opportunity rather than a hinderance.  It’s like these two lived by this mantra! 

Attitude is so important when the weather turns sour and Sarah and Dave along with the whole bridal party were excellent.  We had a lot of fun trying to keep everyone dry and as usual, I ended up saturated!

To you Sarah and Dave, thanks for being so keen and easy to work with.  Your attitudes were fantastic and it was a pleasure being there to photograph your day.   Together we worked though the weather and the end result was worth it.  Thank you to you both.

Here are some pics from the day…

Wedding Photography on the Mornington Peninsula by Allan Cummins

The Cloisters, Toorak College

Toorak College

We had Snapper Point to ourselves!

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Mornington Peninsula Wedding Photographer

Phew!  If that was 2009 it’s done.

What a year!  From a wedding point of view, it was the busiest to date under my name.  A lot of 2009 weddings came from word of mouth which is the best form of advertising.  People are seeing the fun we have on the day and the great photos that follow and telling their friends and family about it.  A lot of enquiries have come via the internet too which has been great.  I have really enjoyed the past year.

Thanks to everyone that used my photography services in 2009.  The type of people that have been booking have been after a relaxed style of photos and have been keen to have loads of fun.  Is this the best type of clientelle to have?  A resounding yes from me!  You all rocked! 

If 2010 is anything like 2009, bring it on!  I’m really looking forward to the rest of this wedding season and into the next.

Thank you all again.

And please don’t forget to tell your friends about Allan Cummins Photography!

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Mornington Peninsula Wedding Photographer

On a previous post I told you all about Ange and Ben’s wedding at the Vines in Red Hill and reception at the Rocks in Mornington.  Here are some pics…

Wedding Photography on the Mornington Peninsula by Allan Cummins

If you are getting married on the Mornington Peninsula and want amazing photos, please call me or email me to discuss your photography needs.  Having grown up on the Peninsula I know the area well.  I love photographing on the Peninsula!

Regards,

Allan Cummins

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Mornington Peninsula Wedding Photographer

Just a quick note… 

Happy couple Ange and Ben collected their DVD of images last night and were over the moon.

They were married 2 weeks back at the Vines in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula in front of around 80-90 guests.  We photographed around the grounds of the Vines and then went to a quiet back road in Red Hill.  The photos are fantastic!  Before arriving at the reception at The Rocks (in Mornington) we visited Mills Beach for half an hour and also Snapper Point.  A busy schedule but worth it.

The two of them along with the bridal party were up for anything and subsequently ended up with close to 600 photos to choose from!  Good luck doing that!   

Ange and Ben, you were a great couple to work with and a whole lot of fun to boot.  The whole gang was great value.  I am glad I was there to capture your day.

Thanks.

Allan Cummins

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Photos to come…

I thought I’d start posting some randon photographs i’ve taken that may be of interest to some people.  Subjects will vary,  some of them have been taken with my work camera, some with only a point-and-shoot, some may be of no interest and some may remind you of something once upon a time.

This one relates directly to one of my favourite past times…  kayak fishing.  This has been taken at the base of the cliffs at Black Rock in Victoria (more specifically, Half Moon Bay).  This is also a great wedding location.

Half Moon Bay, Black Rock

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer   

Child portraits by Allan Cummins Photography.

Here are some examples of some recent work…

Child Portraits by Allan Cummins Photography

Child Portraits by Allan Cummins Photography

Child Portraits by Allan Cummins Photography

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding & Portrait Photographer

Christmas is only two months away and it’s time you got thinking about what you gifts you are going to give the special people in your life.

Here is one suggestion you cannot go wrong with…

A Portrait!

To coin a phrase, it really is the gift that keeps on giving.  Everyone loves a photo of a loved one so why not get a professionally produced portrait for them.  If the recipient is anything like my mum, it’ll bring a tear to their eye.

So, when you next ask… “What can I buy them for Christmas?”, you know the answer…

Child Portraits by Allan Cummins Photography

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding and Portrait Photographer

With summer approaching fast, this is an opportune time to remind all brides and grooms to keep your fluids up on your wedding day!

It is easy to overlook the simple task of having a glass of water when there is so much happening around you.  It is very important though.

Traditional wedding dresses and dark suits are not suited to our high temperatures and it is easy to become dehydrated.  I have seen brides collapse from dehydration and it’s not pretty.  Don’t let it happen to you!

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!

The benefits are two fold… not only will you rehydrate, but drinking water is proven to aid in the relief of stress.  It’s true!

So, wedding tip number 7 is keep a bottle of water close by and drink it regularly on the big day.  You’ll be better for it.

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Great photographs of kids are one of those things that parents treasure forever.  Many parents get them taken every year to document the growth of their children from a young age up to early adulthood and it’s a great idea! With Christmas coming up they also make a great gift idea!

They are only young once so why not capture those stages in great professional photographs?

Everyone takes loads of pics with the family digital camera but for something really special it pays to get some professional portraits taken.  I can do this for you.

Allan Cummins can come to your home (or site of your choice) and photograph your child in his or her natural environment.  A child portrait shoot only takes around 45 minutes and captures those looks you always wished you had a camera for!

So, for the best child portraits at a very reasonable cost, call Allan Cummins Photography today.

Stay tuned for the most recent child portrait shoot by Allan. Pictures coming soon… you’ll love these!

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

For those that haven’t been there… DO IT!

We stayed a night in the Freycinet Lodge in the amazing Freycinet National Park. A beautiful place with great views everywhere we looked.

I took this picture while on a short walk to Shady Bay.

A landscape photographers dream… Tasmania

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

I have been getting a lot of enquiries recently (which is great!), but there are a few that have very limited information for me to help them.

This post is aimed at those looking to enquire with me for wedding photography.

When enquiring, can you please include the following information with your email so I can give you an idea of what I can do for you? This information will allow me to give you an idea of cost etc.

1. What is your name?
2. What date are you getting married?
3. Where are you getting married?
4. Where is the reception venue?
5. Rough time plan for the day (if you know. Not essential)
6. What you would like in your wedding photography package

It is very hard for me to provide an idea on price for wedding photography without the above information. With enquiries from all over Australia, it helps me to know where the wedding is and also when. If I am booked on that day I will let you know straight away.

I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about my photography services but I need this small amount of information first.  I promise i’m not prying!

Hopefully I’ll hear from you soon. Ask away!

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Family photographs are one of the “must get” parts of the wedding day and can take up considerable time if not organised correctly.

Depending on the size of the gathering and obviously the size of the family, this can range from a small job right through to a major undertaking…   Mums, Dads, Aunties, Uncles, Cousins, Grandmas, Grandpas… the list goes on.  Multiply that by two  (take into account both sides of the family) and the task begins to appear daunting!

There are a number of ways you can tackle the organisation of family photos.  Here are some tips…

• Keep a list of who you want in the photos.  Compiling a list prior to the day will make the job of organising family photos much easier.  Don’t hand this list to the photographer as they will not know who the members of your family are.  Give it to a brother/sister or even one of your bridal party and let them gather the crowd.  This takes the stress off you a little.  Make sure the people you want in the photos know they are required.
• Get your family photos taken immediately after the ceremony.  This is not always possible but if it can be done it will save a lot of time later.  Once people begin to drift away it can be very hard to get them back.  Likewise, if you organise the family photos at another location you run the risk of people running late getting there/getting lost etc.  This can bite deeply into your photography time for the day.
• Have everyone ready.  Have everyone who will be in the photos on “stand-by”.  This means people can be quickly included in shots if needed.
• Get the photos you want.  Remember it’s your day.  You decide the combinations and who is in the photos etc.  Don’t be afraid to ask for photos you want as you don’t often get everyone together in the one place. 

Hopefully these tips help a little when planning your family photos.  I’m happy to help with this on the day.

Regards,

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer 

Everyone loves personalised service.  Your wedding photography is one area where personalised service is paramount.

Many wedding photography companies have a stable of photographers.  While this does not present a problem in itself, you should make sure you know exactly who is going to be photographing your wedding… Don’t presume your photographer will be the name on the door or the person selling the service to you (Unless you book me!).  In many cases, studios will charge you more to have the principle photographer photographing your wedding. 

Your photographer will be spending a large part of your day with you so it makes sense to know who they are.  Do you get along with them?  Do they listen to what you have to say?  Do you feel comfortable with them? Are you getting a photographer of the same quality as what you are signing up for?  These are just some questions worth asking about your photographer.

It is important you have a good relationship with your photographer… after all, you are trusting them with capturing the biggest day of your life!

Regards,
Allan
Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Very possibly my favourite travel destination ever, Scotland just keeps dishing up amazing scenery.

I took this photo early one morning while I was driving across the Isle of Skye.  This photo sums up that morning.  It was bitterly cold and wet and the rain stopped for long enough to risk the weather and grab a quick shot.

It was raining before I got back in the car…

Regards,

Allan.

Melbourne Wedding Photographer

It may be cold, wet and windy but winter is still a great time to get married.

On the weekend I photographed a beautiful wedding at Woodman Estate on the Mornington Peninsula.  Sure the weather may have been cool but we were lucky enough to get one of those wonderful sunny days that Melbourne is famous for.  The bride and groom had fantastic attitudes and it was a pleasure being there.  The photos were amazing.

Anyway, this is a great opportunity to promote a few reasons why winter weddings are a great idea.

Save Money: Winter is traditionally the quietest time of the year for wedding suppliers.  By having your wedding in winter you are avoiding the crowds and put yourself in the position to negotiate better rates than you would if in the warmer months.

Get the suppliers you want: Photographers, Reception venues, Celebrants, Wedding Cars etc.. are often booked out far in advance for the busier months.  Getting married in winter means you are much more likely to get the supplier you want as the demand isn’t as high.  You might not have to settle for any less than you dreamed!

Great Photography:  Winter has a real charm about it.  Photographically, winter provides beautiful backdrops.  Dramatic skies, empty beaches, bare trees.  It may not be to everyones taste but I think it’s a great time of year to capture some really different and amazing wedding photographs.

Be different: A winter wedding is different.  The vast majority of weddings are held in the warmer months,  A winter wedding brings everyone out for that one big occasion.  Your guests will love the opportunity to frock up and have a party in the middle of winter!  Just make sure you pick a warm, indoor venue!

Rug up! If you do get married in winter make sure you keep warm.  Brides, a shawl around your shoulders is a great idea as it can be quickly and easily removed and also looks very stylish.  Guys, keep your suit jacket on and remember how lucky you are you are not having to wear it in 40 degree heat!

So there are a few reasons why winter weddings are a great idea.  As mentioned earlier, they are not for everyone but are worth some consideration if your dream wedding is otherwise out of reach.

Good luck and stay warm!

Allan

Melbourne Wedding Photographer