High Tea for the Creative Director (5)

September 6, 2021 Emily McDonald

Our much-loved Creative Director turned 5 recently. Chloe takes after her dad in a lot of ways, including loving some of the finer things in life - like high teas. So, we planned a birthday high tea together. The piece de resistance was an Ekka-inspired cruffin from King Street Bakery. Chloe chose the flowers, mostly bought and some foraged from a local community garden that our little one has spent a fair bit of her childhood in so far. It was the perfect afternoon. Best of all, we really plugged into each other and enjoyed each other’s company. It will be a memory we will treasure for a while to come. <3

Wedding: J+S <3 (Brookfield)

August 23, 2021 Emily McDonald

Lovely Suzie & John <3

We met up with S&J at South Bank Pirate Park (not sure of the official name for the park but this is how we refer to it; it is currently the Creative Director’s favourite place to hone new gymnastic skills). :)

We locked in the date and they had dreams of going to Italy for their honeymoon.

Covid happened.

S&J decided to postpone till the next year. So we did. No problem.

It was a perfect day. S&J were surrounded by friends and family and packed a lot into a few hours. They had the best attitude about the change of plans and really embraced the season in life.

A family member owns the stunning Hamptons style home and it was the best location for S&J’s intimate nuptials. A lot of collective work had gone into renovating the home during the year of postponement.

In every gallery we send out, we provide more colour images than black & white ones. Suzie & John’s wedding gallery was no different. As I (Em) was putting together the blog post, I found myself more drawn to the b&w images. For me, the b&w allow the details and emotions from the day to shine through with little to no distraction. The day was classic (black and white the theme of the wedding party) and that seems to really shine through with the grayscale set.

Here is the lovely feedback we received from S&J:

"We've been through the photos and we're so incredibly happy. There are so many amazing shots so we'll enjoy looking through them again and again and deciding which we'll have printed to see on our walls every day. Thank you again so much; we're so happy we had the two of you there and how perfectly you captured everything."

Enjoy!

Grounding Advice for Tough Times

August 9, 2021 Emily McDonald

Hello!

Hope this finds everyone well.

It has continued to be tough times for everyone in any industry. We are still in the throes of COVID-19 - including the collateral damage in the form of lockdowns, postponements, & cancellations. It is a really tough time.

Sometimes the simple things are the best. We recently read a very grounding thread on Facebook: "Best advice you can give in 4 words...". Here are some grounding gems to remind everyone of the important things in life:

❣be kinder than necessary
❣sing in the rain
❣always tell the truth
❣patience is a virtue
❣worrying won't change anything
❣forgiveness brings you peace
❣turn up the music
❣don't water down scotch
❣live in the present
❣you only live once
❣be good to everyone
❣stay in your lane
❣kindness is a choice
❣this too shall pass
❣think before you speak
❣dance like nobody's watching
❣trust your gut instincts
❣be grateful for everything
❣don't drink and drive
❣live and let live
❣save for rainy days
❣live outside your bubble
❣keep an open mind
❣love's worth the mess
❣life is a rollercoaster
❣take a deep breath
❣listen more than advise
❣don't hold a grudge
❣eat the chocolate cake
❣it's okay to cry
❣always wash your hands
❣growth happens through discomfort
❣turn off the phone
❣learn from your mistakes
❣it's never too late
❣taste before you salt
❣bloom where you're planted
❣measure twice, cut once
❣take the high road
❣don't sweat small stuff
❣tomorrow is another day
❣perception often isn't reality
❣put it in writing
❣set your own limits
❣celebrate the small victories
❣eat well, sleep well

💕

What Pete Sees Vs What Em Sees :: (Alt Title) Why We Shoot Together

July 26, 2021 Emily McDonald

Good morning!

We recently realised that we share our work on a shared platform and we do not typically separate our work. We feel that our work is quite complementary; that is, not just two versions of the one frame. We use different lenses and different settings. We work from different heights. Perhaps most importantly, we have different eyes: the way we both “see” and capture the day is different. However, although we bring many differences to the table, we work together really well (much like our personality types - INFJ & ESTP; proof that opposites really can attract).

It is one thing for us to tell our story. As photographers, it is another to show you. Here are 25 examples of Pete’s work from lovely Jane & Aidan’s wedding and 25 examples of Em’s work.

Enjoy!

Wedding: A+J <3 (Gabbinbar Homestead)

July 12, 2021 Emily McDonald

Lovely Jane & Aidan 💕

We always recommend meeting up with us one way or another before any transfer of $ or paperwork (in person, WhatsApp... we will make a way). We met Jane & Aidan at our favorite cafe and clicked. We liked them from the start. I (Em) shot their engagement shoot on a stormy day; we made the most of the break we got and this pair could not have been more relaxed about it all. On their wedding day, Jane & Aidan embraced every single thing about their day. They trudged through dirt, smiled for 11+ hours, shivered through night photography - not one complaint. From the stories shared, it all seemed on brand for J&A; they have a refreshing, pragmatic approach to life in general.

Review from J&A:

“We are so glad we booked Poppy & Sage for our wedding photography. We are so in love with the images - they are better than we could have imagined! Emily and Peter captured the day in a natural way, while still giving us some more traditional portrait-style shots. The pictures are completely and utterly 'us', and show how much joy and love the day was filled with, which was so important to us.”

It was a beautiful day and one that we will remember for a long time to come. We have shared 185 of our favourites from across the day.

Enjoy! <3