Instagram is a bad place to find a wedding photographer - a word on style

Unfortunately Instagram is really a terrible place to look for a photographer for your wedding.

We recently posted a series of images to our Instagram that weren’t the normal kind you would see from us. We, like many other photographers, get sucked into playing the likes game - that is, only showing images that we know will perform well. That normally means spectacular people in spectacular places. This is what gets attention and that’s what gets likes. And it’s a game that everyone has learnt to play. There are so many photographers with a few great photos, splashed all over their instagram. But dig a little deeper past Instagram and you might be surprised at what that photographers portfolio is really like. How can you tell how good a photographer really is if you just see a few of their hero images on Instagram?

So get onto the full website - look through some full weddings. What is their style? What is their vibe? How do they use light? Do they edit consistently? What kind of images do they make when they aren’t in an amazing location? These are important questions to ask when finding a photographer to shoot your wedding.

At Chasewild we know we have so much more to offer than just epic photos in epic places - we do this well we know and we show it off on the gram - but we shoot with a consistent style and aesthetic in all kinds of light and all kinds of locations. We’ve been at it a while.

We love to use light and shadow in interesting ways. In New Zealand we often find ourselves shooting in direct sunlight and harsh lighting conditions - we’ve learnt and adapted over the years to use this to form part of our style and aesthetic. Some call it moody or dramatic - but it’s just how we see the light and the world around us. We bring that A game when we shoot your wedding.

We made a portfolio section to our site so we can show a bit more of what we do. You can view that here

We also have a large number of full weddings you can look through!

To view the instagram post click here

These images below may be a little different to what you see from us on Instagram - but it’s the kind of stuff we also like - and it’s unique! You’ll see that these images don’t rely on a great location but rely on how we see the light!

Wild Hearts Feature - Karen and Bao - Wanaka Wedding

Karen and Bao’s stunning Wanaka wedding is featured with the lovely crew at Wild Hearts!

Karen + Bao travelled from Sydney for their elegant lakeside destination wedding at Rippon Hall in Wanaka, New Zealand. After falling in love with the South Island, the couple wanted to share this favourite getaway destination with their nearest and dearest. 

See the full feature on Wild Hearts here

Photography:  Chasewild | Videography: The Film Crew | Event Planner/Stylist/Florist: One Fine Day | Venue: Rippon Hall | Cake: White Rabbit Cakes| Bridal Gown: Luv and Bridal | Hair: Ann Ferrero Hair | Signage: Belleboard Designs | Celebrant: Gwen Hendry

Best Locations for Intimate Weddings and Elopements - New Zealand

Things are certainly still crazy when it comes to wedding planning during this time. We are still chatting to lots of couples who are thinking of changing some of their plans and holding a more intimate celebration - and perhaps a bigger one later on. We know that this can be a hard decision, so we want to be here to support your wedding planning as much as we can.

Smaller, more intimate weddings are amazing. They are romantic, emotive and special. No one else’s wedding will be quite like yours. They allow for special moments with special people. They allow for special moments between you and your partner. They are also flexible - we can hold the wedding anywhere. And that means we can choose a spectacular place to do it. The photography can be next level and something special to hold onto forever!

We wrote a bigger guid to intimate weddings that you can read here: Our Guide to Intimate Weddings in New Zealand

For now, we wanted to talk about locations.

As Chasewild, we are known for going the extra mile to find amazing locations to shoot in. So we would love to do this for you.

So get in contact and let’s start chatting.

Below are some epic locations and areas that we would love to chat to you about - they have many more options in this area so no two weddings are exactly the same. Let’s chat about your intimate wedding or elopement photography soon. We can also make it easy with contacts with some of the best make up artists, celebrants and florists around the country.

Moke Lake - Queenstown - Daniel and Tyson - South Island

Jemma and Harley - Mt Ruapehu - Tongariro National Park - North Island

Courtney and Jackson - Near Te Anau - South Island

Ange and Jimmy - Karekare Beach West Auckland - North Island

Somewhere new

We are always exploring NZ and finding new amazing places that are perfect for an intimate wedding. If you would like to chat through any ideas - or get married at one of the places above - we can help you make it happen and of course, we have the photography sorted as well.

Get in touch!

Much love.

Featured on Polkadot Bride | Jess and Spencer Matakana Wedding

Jess and Spencer’s stunning Matakana wedding is featured on Polkadot Bride.

View the full feature here.

Planning their romantic rural New Zealand wedding from the Cayman Islands proved no hurdle for Jess and Spencer, with a sublime day crafted so beautifully, we can barely take our eyes away! Chasewild  captured the day.

The bride and groom met at work, with Spencer welcoming Jess to the office. Their friendship turned to romance, which led to a knock out proposal. The bride shares, ”We got engaged on Spencer’s birthday. I wanted to organise the date but he said he had already booked us in for a comedy show. Before the show we had dinner and we were seated straight away at the same seats we sat at on our first date (Spencer had arranged this secretly ahead of time). Following dinner, Spencer told me that we had to get an Uber over the Shore for the comedy show. The “Uber” was already waiting for us as we left the restaurant. Not only that, but it was a brand new luxury car and the driver was wearing a suit. When we arrived at the comedy show, I was concerned we were in the wrong place, it was deserted. As Spencer and I walked towards the dock at Torpedo Bay, which looked across the water to the city lights of downtown Auckland, Spencer insisted they were in the right place and asked if I recognized my surroundings. As I looked out to the dock I remembered. This was the place where we had our first ‘serious’ discussion about being a couple and the risks of a failed romance working in the same office. So, having realised where we were, I turned around to tell Spencer and found him down on one knee (struggling to get a ring out of his pocket) and asking me to marry him. I could only scream “What are you doing?!” but it was quickly followed by “Yes! Yes! Of course! Please get up!”bride

Feature on Together Journal | Auckland Wedding

So lovely to see Brya and Rupert’s wedding featured not only on our own Chasewild blog, but also in print and only for Together Journal.

See the online feature here.

From Brya and Rupert

“For us, marriage is about making a commitment to honestly, vulnerably and courageously learn to love. It’s about coming together and becoming something you couldn’t be on your own. It’s about the people around you backing you and believing in you, giving to others as a unit, creating spaces together and loving community together. It’s so much bigger than just the two of us. Family and love is what unites us and we want our family to be open to everyone. The ‘Taylors’ is a weird and wonderful place to be and our goal is to invest time into that.”

Photography: Cameron Thorp of Chasewild | Bride’s dress: Rue De Seine | Bride’s jacket: Mode & Affaire | Groom’s suit: Noose & Monkey | Celebrant: Fran Francis | Videography: Simon Gilchrist | Venue: Central Vineyard Community Hall | Bride’s earrings: Adornmonde | Shoes: Mi Piaci | Bridesmaids’ dresses: Blak | Fragrance: Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio | Flora: My Father’s Florist | Makeup: Olivia Pilbrow | Styling: The bride | Hire: Arkade Hire | Catering & beverages: Lower & Slower | Cake: Cakes By Jan | Cheeseboard: Amanda Pilbrow | Entertainment: Fransen Brothers