Danielle Thomas
Featured Photographer
This blog features the photography of Danielle Thomas and her business, One Day Collective. She is a prominent wedding photographer in the Greater Hamilton region. You can find her work on Facebook and Instagram @onedaycollective
Local photographer, Danielle Thomas, captures the honest, candid magic of a couple’s big day, often against the unmatched scenery of the Greater Hamilton region.
In our ongoing photography series, we sat down with Danielle to find out more about One Day Collective and what she loves about her work in our special part of Victoria.
What is your favourite wedding destination in the Greater Hamilton region?
Oh goodness there are so many… Anywhere outdoors!.. HaHa!
One of my favourite locations for a wedding celebration would have to be the Dunkeld Arboretum, The Gardens in Hamilton or on the riverbank at Cavendish. For me you simply cannot beat an outdoor location. There are more elopements happening of recent and we are spoilt for locations.
I am also a huge fan of any couples that get married in their backyard or family property. allowing their guests to truly experience their marriage, all in one spot, no to and from venues. To just be together and celebrate together, it’s THE BEST!
What part of the wedding is usually the most gratifying to shoot?
That really depends on the day and the couple. There are a few moments in the day that I love.
The Bride stepping into her dress, oh it is all laughs and champagne until the minute that dress is carefully stepped into. Right then, that is the moment, getting married becomes very real.
The walk back down the aisle once a couple is married can capture those very first seconds of sheer joy, laughter, love and usually faces full of confetti or photo bombing Aunts.
That said, my absolute fav would be the moment where I steal the couple away from the bridal party for a few minutes and let them chat to each other for the first time that day. It is just about them, being them, together.
What makes this region such a spectacular spot for weddings?
Aside from having so many different landscapes within a stones throw where you can celebrate your marriage, we are also fortunate to have so many amazing wedding vendors at our fingertips.
Many of the local vendors that I work along side are so, so brilliant at what they do. Yes they are passionate and talented, but weddings take so much more than that. They take heart, intuition, endurance, experience, humour, love and sometimes a little champagne….
A lot of hard work goes in to putting a wedding together, with so many opportunities to tailor the day to your style. Talk us through your process.
As a couple’s wedding photographer, I am the one vendor that is with them all day. At the end of the wedding the collection of images I give them is one of the few things they will have that represents that whole experience. When they look at them, I want them to feel how they were feeling on the day.
So part of my process when chatting to them is to ask what they want their day to feel like. What they like and don’t like. How they see their day unfolding. Most importantly, how they want to remember the day when it is all over. Planning a wedding can be stressful but I think many couples recently are changing how they approach at it.
Recently I have noticed a shift, less focus on the traditions and things that really have no sentimental significance for the couple and more focus on the time they will be spending with their family and friends.
It’s during this time I get to share vendors who I know will compliment the plan for their day. Like minded vendors that will work together to bring a brilliant wedding celebration together… and make my job really easy and the couples forever memories just epic.
Apart from Wedding photography, you’ve been busy helping businesses get online during this time too. Is this something you have done to adapt your business during COVID?
I feel that great, sharp images are the one thing businesses must have to showcase what they do really well. I wanted to capture small businesses that I loved, but take it a little further by showing almost a behind the scenes glimpse through a story telling approach.
My digital business sessions give businesses a feel as much as a look. Showcasing your business gives followers and potential customers an insight into you and your business. The tools, the people, the intricate details, the product, the service, the spaces, what they can eat, smell, touch and how you roll day to day enriches your profile.
Having a gallery of images that give your business a face and some of your personality is vital for connection, especially when it comes to social media. More and more, we want to connect with the face behind the business. It feels great to be able to help with that.
Discover more about One Day Collective and Danielle’s work.
