Uncategorized – Chris Loufte – The wedding photographer Auckland

Engagement rings – Uniquely designed or jewellery store range?

Mon, 06 Jul 2015 03:04:31 +0000

Nothing says,” Will you marry?” me quite like an engagement ring. The sparkling glow of a solitaire diamond or the glorious sheen of a coloured gemstone set in precious metal. You’re a guy so generally, not always though, it’s going to be you that will pop the question. It’s a bit nerve-wracking and exhilarating all at the same time and you want it to be perfect and special, after all, here’s your chance to sweep her off her feet and ask to join your lives for ever.

A marriage proposal is a once-in-a-lifetime event steeped in years of tradition. Tradition is great. For ever the boys having been asking the girls.

Generally it follows a time honoured course that comprises of three parts. The all important ring to symbolise your public declaration, a favourite and treasured location where you will ask her and what you will say to persuade her to say yes.

Where to ask her? After all this is the girl you’re going to spend the rest of your life with so you want you proposal to be unique, personal and special something a little bit different to everyone else. You choose a favourite place, a romantic or even a crazy fun location. This can be anywhere as long it’s important to you as a couple.

So you know where you are going to pop the question but have to decided what you will say. Well that should be easy after all you love her she loves you but give it some thought because it’s a wonderful opportunity to voice something that really defines the two of you as a couple. Keep it simple, just tell her how you feel. Make it good because you’ll be telling everyone just what you said for years to come.

So we have a location that is unique and special and you are ready to pour out your soul to you beloved as you ask her to marry you. What about the engagement ring? The ring is the physical representation of your intention to spend the rest of your lives together. She will have it forever so choosing the right one is pretty important. The right engagement ring shows a great deal about how much thought you have put into it. After all, you have gone to some considerable effort to ensure a unique and wonderful location, the words you use to ask her are carefully crafted and represent you as an uniquely individual couple, so the engagement ring you choose should reflect all of that.

There is little doubt that high shopping mall jewellers are crammed full of a sparkling array of choices when it comes to engagement rings.. A bewildering choice of shapes, styles, stones and settings. As you go from jewellery store to jewellery store you might notice how a lot of the styles seem kind of similar. Having said that, you may well find the perfect ring at any one of these stores but if you can’t find something that really says unique or individual then there is always the option or having a ring custom made.

I know that as a wedding photographer here in Auckland, I am always trying to push the boundaries to find new, creative and imaginative ways to photograph my weddings. The more unique each couple’s planning decisions are the more special everything about their wedding day is and that translates through to the wedding photographs.

Having an engagement ring made especially for your fiancée means that you can get exactly (and I mean exactly) what you want, making it truly unique to you as a couple. Something you just can’t achieve when buying from a jewellery store. Investing your own design ideas as a couple can really pay off if you are after a ring that reflects you as a couple.

A bespoke engagement ring will be designed just for you. You voice your preferences and a talented jeweller will start by drawing out your ring design. You will get expert gemstone advice and certification and the best setting options for your chosen gem(s).

“Yeah, I hear you but it will cost heaps more right?” Well actually no. Not necessarily. Take a look at Auckland based Jewellery Designer Julian Bartrom. A craftsman who specialises in designing and making jewellery from scratch for his clients at his studio in Ellerslie.

” We’re usually more affordable than a standard jeweller. Where our clients really benefit is the uniqueness and value that goes on year after year because they have a piece of jewellery that they have put a little of their heart and soul into and that really is something special”. says JB.

So there it is, when you are popping the question if you want to do it in your own special way then think of those three simple steps. A special place, those special words and whether it’s a jewellery store dazzler or an item of uniquely designed jewellery that reflects your own togetherness as a couple, that very special ring!

If you want to find out more about unique engagement rings from a craftsman not a salesman drop Julian a line [email protected] or visit his website www.julianbartrom.com.

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Josh & Jayne

Fri, 29 May 2015 02:55:59 +0000

Is there anything more romantic that train travel? Not for Josh & Jayne who chose the old railway line in Kumeu, just outside Auckland, as a totally brilliant location to kick off their creative wedding photography. Not sure if it is still a working railway or not but it was certainly a very quite and uniquely pretty location for Jayne to reveal her beautifully finished self to Josh prior to their ceremony. The Boys, all from the mighty RNZAF made their preparations at Whenuapai air base( very cool place if you like helicopters which I confess I do) . No best men for Josh but two Wing Men to see him into married life…..

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Gal & Geoff at Bracu Olive groves

Wed, 01 Apr 2015 23:07:43 +0000

WOW!!! We love the photos, they are absolutely amazing and take us right back to the great day.

we can’t wait to show these to our family and friends.

What a stunning setting the beautiful olive groves made for Gal & Geoff’s wedding day. And what a wonderful crowd. So much fun and joy and love in the air all day long. You can’t beat that if your a wedding photographer. I have had a tough time editing your photos as there are so many I just love but here is a sneak peak for you……..

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Diane & Vaughan

Wed, 01 Apr 2015 07:15:02 +0000

Wedding photographs in the heart of Auckland and then the crystal blue waters of the Hauraki Gulf. Auckland CBD provided some terrific backdrops with the edgy industrial look Vaughan was looking for in his wedding photographs and then it was ‘ahoy me hearties’! as we set sail from Auckland’s Viaduct harbour and hit the high seas for the wedding ceremony on board the Hauraki Blue cruises yacht. The bright sunny top deck was a terrific location for the wedding ceremony and a launch to ferry us over to Motutapu Island as the sun softened co continue with our creative wedding photography. What a glorious day!

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Tiffany & Travis – Gardens, Waiheke Beeches and Sunshine

Tue, 03 Mar 2015 00:54:52 +0000

As the Auckland summer continues shine gloriously another perfect morning in Orewa to meet Travis’s Canadian family and friends as they made their preparations for the wedding day ahead. Though more at home at 26 below than 26 above they didn’t let the soaring Auckland temperatures stop them from hitting the beech all suited and ready to go for photos. Then to photograph Tiffany and the girls getting their pretty on before speeding away to the garden ceremony. (If you’re ever following a brace of Bentleys don’t be fooled by their size, they are surprisingly hard to keep up with). A completely beautiful ceremony accompanied by the lazy rumbling hum of bumble bees and the symphonious chants of cicadas in the fabulous garden setting.
A private beech on Waiheke to draw breath and relax and continue with the creative photography before returning to the buzz and hum of the evening festivities at Okahu.

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A portrait for Annabel Langbein’s wonderful new book

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 10:05:24 +0000

Okay, so I’m showing off a bit here but I am feeling immensely proud that my portrait of Annabel has made it into her wonderful new book – Free Range Cook Through The Seasons. She sent me a copy too. I’ve been rattling the old pots and pans all week. Did I mention it was signed?…..Thank you Annabel.

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Alaina & Michael’s windswept wedding

Wed, 22 Oct 2014 07:38:56 +0000

“Love them love them love them! You are truly amazing. Thank you”
…Alaina

An icy cold wind greeted me as I got underway to photographing Alaina and the bridesmaids’ wedding preparations at home at Buckland’s Beach. A windswept and blustery Auckland continued to be the order of the day with the sun putting in an all too brief appearance after a wonderful wedding ceremony at St Columba Church in Grey Lynn giving us just enough time to take the family group photos outside. For the guests it was off to the Royal Yacht Squadron down at Auckland Mariner- Good idea. For the bridal party? Well we girded out loins and headed for Point Erin and the full force of the now gale force winds to get into out creative wedding photography shoot……. Bad idea( well maybe) we lasted all of about 5 minutes before pulling stumps and following the rest of the guests down to the reception venue. But in that 5 minutes – wow, did Alaina & Michael go for it giving us a handful of wonderful photographs. Watch out for one of my favourite shots of the day as Alaina makes her entrance into the Royal Yacht Squadron( taken from above).

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Mary & Jeffery’s Engagement Photography

Sat, 04 Oct 2014 20:24:56 +0000

I knew I was in for some fun when Mary let slip that she had three outfits for us to include in our shoot. Auckland’s North Head was our first location and some glorious light making a photographers dream. We got rolling with Mary in her beautiful white wedding dress and Jeffery in a tailored English blazer. In and out of the gun emplacements that give North Head such a brilliant and edgy industrial look. Then a change for them both with Mary looking the very picture of graceful elegance in her traditional Chinese Qi Pao. The third change, into a glamorous evening party dress and change of location to twinkling lights Auckland CBD. Fantastic. Oh and thanks for the yummy cakes guys the kids went crazy for them.
Head to their gallery to see more….

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Great photography – A PR Must

Mon, 29 Sep 2014 08:44:45 +0000

I’m Chris Loufte and I have been working as a photographer with the media, PR and marketing companies for the last 20 years in the UK and now here in Auckland and it has lead me to an undeniable truth. Great photography works brilliantly in PR and marketing to deliver a crisp and concise message in a split second better than anything else you care to mention. And that’s why it should be at he top of your list when you are managing a client campaign.

Photography is probably the most powerful, simple and direct way to communicate pretty much any information you care to name. whether it’s, an idea, a story or showing off an event, product or service. In the blink of an eye even the most complicated message can be made understood, then often shared with others making for a very powerful recommendation.

Take an event for example. Days of preparation quite often large expense to ensure every thing looks and runs perfectly. The event is a terrific success everyone there enjoyed themselves and was very impressed. But what about the people who couldn’t be there? Chances are they will outnumber those who were there by 10 to 1. Again great photography will pass this event on and provide you with 10 times the exposure.

The PR industry is very good at producing text lead documents. Press releases and copy. They contain the client’s relevant information on a product, service, promotion or event and for online , the search terms for Google so that the content can be found . The problem comes when the viewer arrives at the content.

We know from the exhaustive research that we look at roughly 80% of images and read of scan up to just 20% of any text. And that’s he same whether on line or in print. If faced by a page of text generally one of two things happens.

The text is briefly scanned, but not read. Result, your message may be confused or even missed.

The reader bounces straight off the web page or flicks through the publication

in search of something more eye catching.

That phrase ‘something more eye-catching’ really is key.

So when you are planning a PR strategy with your client here are a few ways that photography can help.

Quite often the photograph is the story. Sometimes what a client would like to promote or the story you working on is not very strong. A really great photograph might see it get snapped up by a publication or just generate more on line interest and you will get coverage you might well otherwise not have done.

Make your clients look more interesting than perhaps they are. Link something more interesting with your client to make a really great photograph. For example, let’s say your client manufactures structural components, springs for example and it turns out that one of the applications for those springs is race car suspension. What not put those two business together for a photo down on the race track. Much better photo and maybe even a lead into a new client. Plus the added advantage of opening up the number publications interested in your story of two different businesses with a common crossover.

Work with your photographer to help build your photo shoot brief. Once your client has told you what they would like talk to your photographer. They should be able to give you some simple effective ideas to make the photography work and explain the thinking behind them. They will be able to help you visualise the end product. This will give you the information you need to give to your client when you discuss the photography brief. t will give you a better understanding of the process and a high level of professionalism when talking about photography.

Client wants a big shoot let’s get round the table- Perhaps client want to make over their website from staff profiles to products and services or plan a marketing campaign to work across multiple points of sale? Get your photographer in to sit with you and your client to help them turn their ideas in to ‘photography’.

Build a relationship with your photographer they will be a great asset to your business. – When you find a photographer that you are happy with. There work and service are of a consistently high standard your PR business will enjoy the added benefit of being the team dose “really cool photography”. A terrific value add to your business.

Worried that the client might spend on photography without results. If you are aiming a story at a publication on or off line and you think a photo would improve your chances of getting the story in but you are not quite sure. Call the picture desk or the editor and run it past them. Publications are under pressure to work on ever tightening budgets and if your story comes with the sort of photograph that will make their publication ‘look good’ then the chances are it will get published.

Pay for a pro of have a go? Working with a professional photographer will give you very high end professional results that will make you and your client look fantastic. it’s probably fare to say the opposite is true of having a go. Most of us have a camera, cameras don’t take photographs photographers do. Gordon Ramsey’s saucepans don’t have any Michelin Stars but he dose. ( I have one of his saucepans and I burn toast!).

Do the photographs need a press release? Not necessarily. If the picture is leading the story just a good tight caption with contact info can be enough. Ask your photographer to imbed this information using Photoshop. This info is seen with the photograph at the publication so all of the information an editor needs to make there decision is with your photo. They won’t go looking for it when they are in a hurry they will use someone else’s

Shoot for your target media. A good photographer will shoot for your target media. For example let’s say you have a client what wants exposure in a high end wedding photography magazine. The images will need to fit with the style of that publication. You don’t necessarily need a wedding photographer although there are many very good ones here in Auckland but you don’t want to send them a set of photographs that would sit better in the Woman’s Weekly. It’s horses for courses and a good photographer will know this and help you advise your client. Try to shoot different photographs for different publications on the same shoot. It’s cost effective and simple if planned with your photographer in advance.

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Aimee & Aaron’s Auckland Engagement photos

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 05:01:27 +0000

I sent Aimee her engagement photos today and guess what she said. ” We love them Chris, thank you so much”.. I have to say I thought that they made a wonderful portfolio and they are planning to use a selection of the photos for their wedding invitations.Yep, invitations plural because in addition to the big Auckland wedding there’s going to be an event in Aimee’s old homeland, Ireland.

When they told me that Aaron had popped the question on Mission Bay beach no less it had to feature in the final selection of their engagement photos. The cool and cloudy start to the Auckland day didn’t put a damper things for us as we started into taking photos on the cliff top above Ladies Bay giving us a view of the distant Auckland CBD skyline. After a few short minutes a playful Aimee & Aaron simply forgot about me, loosing themselves in each other making wonderful pictures. Hear are a few of my favourites from the shoot.

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