Hi, I am Belinda Fettke.
I am a wife and mother of 3 grown children.
I was a registered nurse in a past life.
After 13 years as a stay at home Mum, I ventured back into the workforce as the PR Marketing photographer for Scotch Oakburn College for 8½ years. This involved covering every aspect of school life, in which I immersed myself and loved that I could capture kids being kids in a state of the art educational facility. I could celebrate their achievements, their friendships and their growth to mature young adults. It was a very precious time and I learned so much about photography and ventured into Social Media.
I began my own photography business BPhotography over 7 years now.
I consider myself a storyteller and am drawn to passionate, creative people … hence my bi-line “the Art of Storytelling”. I want to capture memories and share stories through the visual medium of photography. I especially love photographing people and consider myself lucky to do something I love as ‘work’.
I find inspiration in the simple things around me, in love, in family and in amazing literature. To convey an emotion and feel something real from an image or written words is incredible to me.
I look for light to see where it falls and the shadows it creates. I find textures intriguing.
I love to laugh and I sing whenever I feel like singing. I sing to my steering wheel regularly on long drives – it makes me happy!
I am humbled by the wonderful people I have met through my work, my photography, my association with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and allied resources. Humbled that I have permission to capture the deep essence of true emotions and precious moments in time. Often these moments can’t be repeated. I am honoured to capture people’s stories and thankful that I can share them.
While I specialize in wedding photography, family and children’s portraiture I also photograph pregnancies, newborns and pets. I am happy to go to special places for my client portraiture, somewhere that has true meaning for them.
I take time to perfect my craft, to know what I love and to be inspired and inspire others.
I am proud of the work I produce.
I am an Artisan.
Dog on a balcony in Venice
Madeleine and Toby Postmus Wedding at Clover Hill Vineyard, Tasmania on Saturday 10th November 2012 with their reception celebration on Sunday at the Leaning Church Vineyard.
The Wedding of Madeleine and Toby Postmus 2012
After beginning my capture of ‘the story of their celebration’ at Clover Hill Vineyard with Toby setting up the wedding venue, I joined the girls at Mint Relax Revive, Launceston. Hair and makeup was attended to with lots of care by the staff at Mint Relax Revive and the girls felt beautifully pampered and relaxed. Lots of excited chatter and laughter filled the store. I then rejoined the girls at Peppers Seaport Hotel Launceston later that morning to capture detail shots of Madeleine’s crystal embroidered bodice and gorgeous flowing gown from Timeless Elegance, her flower bouquets from #FleursFlorist and the beautiful friendship between she and her bridesmaids as they got ready.
My wonderful sister Bron Matthews, who has been photographing Weddings with me for over 12 years now as my 2nd shooter, ably captured the guys tweaking the final touches to their appearance looking very handsome in their suits from Routleys, before taking them to a great rustic location for some guys photos.
The Wedding was held in the most beautiful setting at Clover Hill Vineyard overlooking lush vines, with views of the entire estate and glimpses of the ocean in the distance.
A small dinner was held at Mud Restaurant, Seaport on Saturday night because the main reception was to be held on Sunday at the Leaning Church Vineyard when all the extended family and friends could share in a banquet luncheon of plates adorned with premium fresh produce prepared by Caroline Dowling from Tasmanian Gourmet Kitchen Catering. The marquee at Leaning Church Vineyard was bathed in sunlight and filled with music by Madeleine’s talented friends. It overlooks three lakes, endless rows of grape vines and is nestled in a spectacular natural amphitheatre with backdrop of green pastures and mountains.
Madeleine had the opportunity to wear a second dress on the Sunday and chose a Grecian styled Anna Campbell wedding dress from Little White Boutique. The sun shone and the day was a huge success.
I hope you enjoy the presentation I have made for Madeleine and Toby to capture the essence of their weekend and share in the happiness and celebration of love and their new life together.
Madeleine & Toby’s engagement photoshoot at Clover Hill Vineyard, Tasmania 2012
The clouds gathered quickly, darkening the sky as I drove out to Clover Hill Vineyard for Madeleine and Toby’s Engagement Photoshoot earlier this year. I was greeted with a relieved smile as I finally drove up to meet them, having gotten myself slightly lost on the way.
The sky cleared and the late afternoon sunshine bathed the landscape in a golden hue.
The photoshoot was so much fun with Bessie, their Border Collie and Banjo, a Pointer x joining in the excitement of exploring the Clover Hill Vineyard looking for backdrops and beautiful lighting to compliment the shoot.
Clover Hill Vineyard is situated near Tasmania’s Pipers River, an area becoming known for being ideally suited for growing the “holy trinity”of sparkling chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Vines are close-spaced and planted in deep, red volcanic soil in a frost-free amphitheatre, orientated north/south to maximise sunlight exposure which was perfect for the images I had in mind.
As Toby and Madeleine relaxed in front of the camera they became less and less aware of me there and the photoshoot really did become about them and their love for each other. They are a fun, playful couple who consider their dogs part of their family and this is reflected in the images.There were so many amazing backdrops and unique settings to discover as we wandered around the property where Madeleine had spent her childhood. I learned about how they met and their thoughts on life and love.
I am very much looking forward to photographing their Wedding at Clover Hill later this month and also somehow incorporating their love of basketball at the Launceston Indoor Sports Arena into the location shoot afterwards … Watch this space!
The Engagement Shoot
For lots of people, preserving the memories of their wedding day is a very close second to actually creating them. And real, meaningful memories come about from having a photographer who truly understands and cares about you. On your wedding day, you don’t want the pressure of not knowing what to expect from your photographer or the worry of not knowing how you have to ‘act’ in front of the camera. You need someone who has made the time to get to know you as a couple and that is where I think an engagement photoshoot comes into its own. I believe that this session should reflect your personality and be relaxed. It should have special meaning to both of you as a couple.
To me the purpose of the session is twofold. Firstly, you get to know your photographer and how they work. Secondly, and I think most importantly, the photographer gets the opportunity to help you relax in front of the camera and allow you to just be yourselves. I love to place people in settings with good lighting and then step back and let them show their true personalities and the love that they share. Sometimes I offer direction initially and quite often I include some props at the beginning of the photoshoot. Again, just to add a relaxed atmosphere but then it is up to the couple to be themselves. Gone are the days of traditional, structured posing for these sessions.
Sometimes my couples use this session to have a practice run with the bride’s hair and makeup stylists and then they can look back at the images and see if it is the look they were after. It is a perfect opportunity to see if the hairstyle will still be in place 2 hours later and for the bride to make sure that the makeup is as she wanted it to be.
Other times the session is used purely for the couple to enjoy a favourite place. This may be somewhere that holds special memories for them. It may be at the beach at sunset, in a park full of Spring growth, in the city with the hustle and bustle of crowds and cafes or simply just at home. Some couples may decide to include children, pets or other family members who maybe can’t make the wedding because of frailty or illness. But even then I always make sure the couple have some time just for them.
Recently there has been a growing trend toward fun, semi-photojournalistic and also ‘set designed’ engagement photoshoots. The important thing to remember is that while a quirky fun element has emerged, it is the photographers’ use of lighting, composition and post production techniques that take these images to a professional level where they truly become something to treasure forever.
As a photographer I like to take the opportunity with my couples during the engagement session to pass on things I have learnt over the years. I tell them tips and hints on posing, kissing and walking that flatter and are simple to remember on the day. No complicated explanations, just quick easy directions that come naturally when you know how.
It is important to know the most flattering way to stand as a bride. I tell them about easy relaxed poses for both the bride and groom to achieve which ultimately makes the wedding day far less complicated. A big thing for me is to give some tips on ‘kissing for the camera’ so the couple don’t end up with squashed noses and I encourage them to practice which I am regularly told later was ‘fun homework’. It always makes for some laughs as we practice the concepts I share and it creates a connection between us where my couples know that I care about them and truly want them to feel comfortable with me.
I personally believe that an Engagement Shoot is very important and more important than you probably realise during your wedding planning. Going through the process will help you end up with pictures on your wedding day that best reflect both of you as a couple and your love for one another. If you have enjoyed yourselves and are relaxed from the engagement shoot, if you have been given permission to be yourselves in front of the camera already, I can assure you, you will have all the skills necessary to completely enjoy your wedding day and end up with the best memories.
Photography by Belinda Fettke Photography
Ms Gingham says: Kind of like trying out a new recipe for the first time … you may do OK but the second effort will be so much better because you know where you went wrong the first time. Since for most, your wedding day is once in a lifetime, it pays to practice!
About Belinda Fettke: I love photographing people and have developed my business ‘BPhotography’ over the last 11 years involving my passion. To me it is not just about a captured moment in time. I think of my work as a woven thread that intricately ties people, emotions, time and place together into a colourful, textured fabric that people want to look at and touch and be a part of … hence my bi-line ‘The Art of Storytelling’.
Decisions, Decisions …
When you start planning your wedding there are so many things to think about. Firstly when and where to get married, decisions about who to have in your bridal party … you need a photographer, dresses, suits, hair/makeup, flowers, reception venue, and where to go on your Honeymoon?
Some of these deliberations can be simplified by using ‘preferred suppliers’. You may get a recommendation from a friend and that is great, but I have found that after years of photographing weddings certain suppliers stand out to me as I am sure they do to others in the wedding industry. These are people that I have worked alongside or businesses that have provided either goods or services to my clients and as a result I have been impressed with their product and with them.
I give a preferred supplier list to all my clients, even potential ones that I can’t photograph because I am unavailable. If I can’t photograph a wedding then my preferred supplier list also includes the names of other photographers and their email addresses – photographers that I recommend because I know their work and their work ethics.
A great way to get to know other suppliers is to have a day like Emily Titmus from Apple Blossom Weddings organised here in Launceston earlier this year. She got a group of us together including 7 models, hair and makeup artists, 1 videographer and 2 other photographers. There were 30 wedding dresses, 2 Mercedes, lots of still life setups, stunning flowers and behind the scenes opportunities on a 10 acre property with hedges, paddocks and horses. It was so much fun!!
I photographed the ‘mega shoot’ and it was awesome! I started at 8.30am and finished at 6pm. It was interesting to see the different styles of photography and how different everyone’s work was despite being given the same opportunities. Our brief was to provide all vendors with images to be used with no restrictions (except acknowledgement to the photographer) and at no cost. Everyone would benefit from all working together with no outlays except time.
It turned out to be a wonderful record of not just the final product for everyone, but also a wonderful look at the ‘behind the scenes’. A glimpse into the amount of work that goes on in preparation/post production by all the people involved in your wedding day. I went out of my way to photograph little details, the dresses on stands and the stylists with their storyboards to show how much work had actually gone into their preparation of making up the models, etc.
I would like to extend a very special thankyou to Emily Titmus, Apple Blossom Weddings without whom none of it would or could have come together. Thank you also to the following people who contributed to these images. Claire Barcza for ‘set designing’, Shifting Sands Arabians for the cars, horse and the beautiful venue for us all to work in. I’d like to thank Studio White for the stunning dresses, Brianna Schipper for her artistic and meticulous makeup on the models, Kirby Manion for her amazing skills with the hair styles, Models – Tanisha Van Winden, Megan Fettke and Brooke Flaherty.
I was amazed by the dedication of everyone involved, the understanding of time and consideration of all that made the day a huge success and which produced a wonderful portfolio for all involved …
So don’t forget to ask someone who they would recommend on their Preferred Supplier list, whether it be a friend, the manager at the reception venue, your photographer or anyone else involved in your wedding day. They just may put you onto someone you would never have thought of and it could turn out to be a perfect suggestion.
Photography by Belinda Fettke Photography
Ms Gingham says: Thanks go to Belinda for sharing this behind the scenes look at professionals working together. It seems logical but in the confusion people can forget to do the obvious … ask!
About Belinda Fettke: I love photographing people and have developed my business ‘BPhotography’ over the last 11 years involving my passion. To me it is not just about a captured moment in time. I think of my work as a woven thread that intricately ties people, emotions, time and place together into a colourful, textured fabric that people want to look at and touch and be a part of … hence my bi-line ‘The Art of Storytelling’.
The Story Behind The Image
“I Love Him”
I love people’s stories and I find that exploring them through my photography gives me so much pleasure. It doesn’t matter whether it is their engagement photoshoot, their wedding, pregnancy session, the birth of their new child or celebrating their family’s growth and development, I always try to make it a personal experience. The wonderful people I have met over the last 12 years have inspired me and captivated me. I try to convey their personalities and lives through my imagery. I love becoming part of the day with my clients and will do whatever it takes to tell their story.
Venetia knew she wanted to start her day with a relaxing bath and when we saw where the bath was situated I had to come and photograph her. Of course, the beautiful images where she is lying back surrounded by scatterings of rose petals are just for her and Christian, but Venetia was happy for me to share this one showing the incredible setting she was in.
Natasha is a dance teacher in Launceston and when she and Ben told me they had 8 attendants in their wedding party, I couldn’t imagine any better way to show their connection to the couple than by encircling them and creating a dance feel. By using a high vantage point, a slow shutter speed and strong corner ‘anchors’ to draw the viewer into the image I photographed the ‘Circle of Trust’ which won me a Gold Medal in the Trierenberg Super Circuit in Austria.
Jess and Jason were unsure where to have bridal party photos, initially. We chatted about the fact that they were having their wedding ceremony in a beautiful park and we could take some photos there. Also, the reception venue was light and airy for lots of others but we still wanted a location that was ‘special’ to them. After gentle questioning, I discovered that their favourite place was a local café. I approached the manager a couple of weeks beforehand and booked the two tables close to the window. When we arrived it was so exciting to see that the café staff had gone to lots of trouble in setting the table for them, writing messages on chalkboards and welcoming them despite the fact we were only stopping for photos and a drink to celebrate on our way to the reception.
Emily and Matthew were so much fun to photograph requesting something a little funky and unique. I used cross processing and vintage filters for some of the images. Emily was happy for me to do a few of my trademark images of ‘headless brides’ which allowed me to concentrate instead on details such as the family heirloom car, her shoes, the back of her dress and her tattooed wrist with the words – “I Love Him”.
Anna and Damon specifically asked me to record their day as a very young couple in love! I was happy to give them some ideas and they ran with them … organizing the signs, the crocs and the stunning setting of Tasmania’s East Coast. I also took some classic images of the two of them with Freycinet Hazards as the backdrop so they would look back on their day as fun, but with very special meaning.
At a recent wedding I photographed Kristy and Brendan who had eloped from Cairns. From our correspondence, I discovered that they especially wanted to be photographed with a Tasmanian sunset and the Great Western Tiers as the backdrop. I drove around to find the perfect spot to achieve this and ended up approaching a local farmhouse about 2 km off the road for permission to use their property. It is truly amazing how obliging people are when you ask nicely. When we came back at the appointed time for the photoshoot, the farmer told us he knew the best vantage point and met us to open gates and guide us to the paddock. Amazingly there was no wind for that time of year, a large moon rising and a sunset. Just perfect!
I have had a few clients over the years who love their pets as part of the family and they have been included in the ceremony. Usually they are the beautifully trained and loving companions and are no trouble to photograph at all.
I would suggest to anyone looking for a wedding photographer to ask lots of questions before booking one. Some photographers have very strong styles and others are more flexible and make the style depending on the client’s needs. Every photographer is different and every client is looking for different strengths. Make sure you have a good rapport with the person you are going to spend one of the most important days of photography with and that they understand you. Then you can relax and have fun!
All photography by Belinda Fettke Photography
Ms Gingham says: Your photographer is the one person who is responsible for capturing the essence of your day … so make sure you’re on the same page! Thanks so much to Belinda for sharing such beautiful examples of her unique couples.
Belinda says: “I love photographing people and have developed my business ‘BPhotography’ over the last 11 years involving my passion. To me it is not just about a captured moment in time. I think of my work as a woven thread that intricately ties people, emotions, time and place together into a colourful, textured fabric that people want to look at and touch and be a part of … hence my bi-line ‘The Art of Storytelling’.
When Two Paths Merge As One
I moved to Barooga from Melbourne in January 2010 for work. Michael moved to Barooga in January 2010 from South Australia for football.
I had seen Michael around the football club, but we had never bumped into each other. After our first encounter and a month of dating the rest is history as they say. I got transferred for work two months later. Michael had to stay up at Barooga for football but once that was finished, he moved down. All my friends where surprised how fast it was going but from the first time our eyes met I knew he was the one … he gave me that warm fuzzy feeling! They ask how do you know he’s the one. I can’t explain the feeling he gives me when he smiles at me, or gives me a hug or even knowing that he will always be there for me! I believe in fate and that things happen for a reason and this definitely has come true with both of us moving interstate for different reasons only to find each other and fall head over heels in love.
Michael got down on one knee after a fabulous day spent in Daylesford. I was so happy and excited. I wanted to scream it from our balcony!
Our Engagement shoot was held back in my home state of Tasmania, at Josef Chromy Wines. The settings were fantastic, with the autumn garden feel and then more shots in the vineyard.
Apple Blossom Weddings provided the props and styling for the shoot, using a colour scheme that would really pop in the autumn garden setting. Styling was kept simple with red, pink and white. This included heart bunting, red velvet cupcakes and streamers wrapped between silver birch trees as a backdrop.
As soon as I got engaged I knew I wanted Belinda Fettke as our photographer! We worked our date around her! She is a fantastic person to be around and takes inspiring shots …. I can’t wait for the wedding pictures!
Photography by Belinda Fettke
Abby says: “I’m a newly engaged happy girl! I am trying to organise a vintage garden wedding in Tasmania whilst I live in Victoria. In the meantime, I will also be moving at least twice and be very, very busy with work”.
Ms Gingham says: A gorgeous start to what’s sure to be a wonderful wedding. Thanks so much to Abby and Michael for sharing their story with us! Also,many thanks to photographer Belinda Fettke for providing such beautiful photos.
