Perspectives Photo & Cinema

Based in Auckland, Perspectives Photo + Cinema is a small, close knit team of wedding photographers and cinematographers. Through photo and cinema they capture stories in the most epic way they possibly can. The result of this is what they like to call "Epic Storytelling".

Where is your studio based?
Our studio is in Kumeu, but we shoot weddings all over NZ. About 50% of our work is in Auckland, and the rest of the time we travel to weddings.
 
Please introduce your team and their positions?
Isaac & Amber de Reus are photographers, and Jared Brandon is a cinematographer. The three of us are the directors of the company. We also have Mat Nimmo who is a photographer / editor, and Pete Petero, a cinematographer / editor.

 
What are some of the positives & negatives about working in a team environment?
The positives are huge - we get to share gear, overheads, and expenses. We bounce ideas creatively - both on wedding days while we're shooting, and also behind the scenes for marketing, business growth, etc. Plus - it alleviates the monotony of working all by yourself every day. Negatives - there really aren't any I can think of… maybe having to talk about ideas / directions before just plunging ahead and actioning things… but even that can be just as easily interpreted as a positive!

 
 
How big a part does Video play in your business?
It's 50% of our business, and completely interwoven with what we do. While people can book just photo, or just cinema, there are many parts of a wedding where one medium really shines as the best way to tell that certain story. So while we produce work that visually & thematically compliments; we also acknowledge that photo & cinema are very different mediums, and there is huge value to having both.
 
Tell us a little about your style of photography or the way you photograph.
We call our style "epic storytelling"… we've always loved creating dramatic, striking images using strong compositions and lighting. But that's not enough to be a good wedding photographer - we recognize that if the images aren't telling a story, they're just pretty pictures. So we strive to do both - storytelling, in an epic way.

 
What gear do you use?
We all shoot Canon. Between us, I think we have 10 bodies, and about 30 lenses. It's great being able to easily swap gear between the photo & cinema teams when we need to, and having enough kit to shoot 3 separate weddings on any given day.
 
If you had to choose only one lens, what would it be? why?
35mm Sigma 1.4. I am loving this lens at the moment, my Canon 35mm 1.4L is sitting very unloved in the lens bag lately. The Sigma is punchy, creamy, and sharp. I love the focal length of a 35mm - it lets you right into the action with the subject.
 

 
What is/has been your greatest challenge as a photographer?
Balancing the 'art' side of photography with the 'business' side. Coming to terms with the fact that to really succeed as a professional photographer, you have to spend at least as much time developing your business skills / strategies, as you do honing your craft.
 
What do you feel has been your greatest photographic achievement to date?
Keeping the stoke alive. It's easy to burn out when you're shooting 40+ weddings per year… so our biggest achievement would be still loving what we do & finding new ways to improve, every week.

 
What would be your dream job or assignment to shoot?
Kate Moss. Enough said.
 
Can you briefly take us through your average day?
If it's a weekend, get up at 7am, grab gear & start shooting by around 9am. Finish around 11pm / midnight, head home, backup cards & charge gear.. repeat the next day! If it's a weekday, head into the studio bright & early, get emails & admin done, and sit down to some editing work. Around lunchtime, head home, go to the beach for the rest of the afternoon… and then later in the evening head back into work to get some more editing done once there's no more sun to play in.

 
In your opinion, what makes a good photograph?
A mixture of great lighting, composition, and the subject being captured at the 'decisive moment'.
 
 
If you weren't a photographer, what would you be?
Probably running my own business in some other field. Definitely working for ourselves - can't beat being your own boss.

 
What do enjoy doing to take a break from photography, what recharges you?
I surf, as regularly as I can.
 

What tips or advice do you have for budding photographers?
Find out what your passion is within photography, and run with it! I think it's better to be a specialist in one area, rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
 
Also, don't kill an amazing hobby by trying to force it into a career. I definitely don't go out and shoot "for fun" much these days - and I miss that. On the flip side, I totally love my job… so it works both ways.
 

 
We see you run workshops, what made you decide to do them?
We were asked by many photographers to run some lighting workshops… so we did. Both Amber & I come from a teaching background, so it's nice to put those skills back into practice from time to time.

 
Who/what motivates or inspires you to keep doing what you do?
Seeing our client's faces & their feedback when we deliver their wedding images. It really makes it all worthwhile! Also, the lifestyle. It's true, we work really long hours… but we make sure we play hard, as well as work hard
 
Check out more of Perspectives work by visiting their Facebook page or website