Queenstown Wedding Photographers - Complete Guide
— By Gabrielle Maloy

Photography isn't just a snap in time; it's the capturing of the love experienced together by family, friends, and all those between. It is your day made immortal, for the decades and generations to come. Because of this, choosing your Queenstown wedding photographer can be a major decision leading up to the big day. 

There's a lot to think about when choosing your photographer, starting with their style. Begin to add in your vision, venue, the time of year, and what all this means for your photos, and it becomes easy to feel like a deer in headlights. Plus, there's no doubting that Queenstown's beautiful landscapes are a big part of your vision for your photography, so, no pressure.

Fortunately, the deep South offers some incredible photographers to choose from to complement your Queenstown wedding. Read through our comprehensive guide to help steer your decision in the right direction.

 

Dan Childs

Image by Dan Childs

Dan Childs of 222 Photographic Studios brings over 15 years of professional photography experience to the table. This has meant that Dan has photographed Queenstown weddings and corporate events in pretty much every venue the area has to offer. This bodes well for your wedding photography, as he has mastered the different lighting and spatial challenges of venues. Not to mention, he knows all those one-of-a-kind locations. In Dan's words, "there aren't many places around here that he hasn't helicoptered or hiked".

Known for being easy-going, it takes a lot to ruffle Dan's feathers. Dan can connect with couples, bringing out natural moments of love and laughter - his photographs prove it. These very moments make for the standout images that will burn into your memories. Simply put, Dan is passionate about photographing the day's handmade memories and experiences.

 

Andy Brown

Image by Andy Brown

Photographing weddings since 2008, Andy Brown loves what he does. His enthusiasm for wedding photography translates into a unique mix of fine art and landscape-driven images, with real story-driven moments. Andy is all about authentic and beautiful documentation, perfect for your Queenstown wedding photographs. He captures newlyweds and their love while still incorporating his moody style. Combine this with the support of a small team behind him, and you're blessed with a bountiful album of wedding photographs.

Andy ensures to seamlessly join in with your day to create images with soul and purpose. He believes it helps you relive your wedding day for years to come. A dedication to capturing the feeling of your day is what creates his stunning photography. The atmosphere, the energy, the connection - they're all able to be beautifully harnessed by Andy.

 

Pollard We Are

Image by Pollard We Are

Pollard We Are is a wedding photographer based in Queenstown. With over 8 years of experience in the industry, 279 weddings captured (both large and small), 12 countries they’ve travelled to for romantics and 23 international awards for their wedding photography, you can guess that they know what they’re doing. Pollard We Are is a wedding photography duo, a fun-loving husband and wife that bring passion, energy and authenticity to their work.

Using their cumulative knowledge of light, weather and landscapes, they bring you wedding photography that is as stunning as it is genuine. They know that wedding photography can be the most selective and vital part of the process, which is why they endeavour to bring you only the best with their straightforward and creative attitudes, creating unique experiences for their couples.

 

James Hirata Wedding Photo + Video

Image by James Hirata Wedding Photo + Video

James Hirata Wedding Photo + Video brings incredible wedding photography and videography to Queenstown and beyond. Featuring elopement packages, wedding photography packages, videography packages and pre-wedding shoots, you can be sure that he covers it all. He’s been in the business since 2013.

In that short time, he’s already grown to be an award-winning wedding photographer, named as one of the Best In The World by Lookslikefilm in 2019 and  One Of The Top Wedding Photographers In Australia And New Zealand Combined by SLR Lounge in 2020. James Hirata Wedding Photo + Video has been featured in multiple publications in Japan and is a growing name in Queenstown wedding photography, delivering dynamic, organic work that will touch your heart. Inventive, authentic and artistic are just some of his mainstays, leaving you with imagery that you’ll treasure forever.

 

Aiste Photography

Image by ​​Aiste Photography

A Queenstown wedding photographer originally from Lithuania, Aiste Photography fell in love with its picturesque countryside and hasn't left since. She has a varied background in tourism, business and creativity, using her travel to further her self-built photography knowledge. Her love for photography comes from how it slows a moment down, allowing us to bask in its beauty. This is truer than ever for wedding photography, which we all want to embrace for as long as we can.

Capturing moments with her soul, Aiste Photography utilises her passion for travel and natural beauty as fuel for her work. This Queenstown wedding photographer has a natural, authentic style that will preserve your day as wholly as possible. She believes in connections and the evanescence of emotions, making them all the more meaningful in wedding photography.

 

Rich Bayley Photography

Image by Rich Bayley Photography

Rich Bayley Photography balances his love for wedding photography and the great outdoors in equal amounts. Drawn to Queenstown thanks to its postcard-perfect surroundings, he believes in relaxed shots and honest moments. His main goal is to make sure that you feel at ease as he captures your special day, snapping fleeting giggles and warm smiles. He's a Queenstown wedding photographer that wants to let your celebration and love do all the talking, creating magic on its own.

His work runs the whole gamut of Queenstown wedding photography, including traditional weddings, elopements and engagements. Rich Bayley Photography has a variety of packages for every event, happy to travel with you and capture those sparkling memories you're making.

 

Heli Weddings

Image by Heli Weddings

Created in 2007, Heli Weddings is an interesting approach to Queenstown wedding photography. This company is personalised and proactive, focusing on every couples' individuality and needs. It began as a wedding planning company that has steadily branched out into luxurious, intimate packages that include wedding photography. As the only Qualmarked Wedding planners in the region, you can rest assured that they have all their ducks in a row.

Their Queenstown wedding photographers are Fredrik Larsson and Meagan Wilken. These two specialists are active, fun and engaging. Fredrik himself has won over a hundred awards for his photography and was recently recognised as in the World's Top 10 Wedding Photographers. You'll find that Heli Weddings is decked out with cars, studios, all the gear you could ask for and more.

 

Kate-Craig Brown Photography

Image by Kate-Craig Brown Photography

It's time to take a stroll on the wild side with Kate-Craig Brown Photography, a Queenstown wedding photographer that adores adventure. With intimate knowledge of the rugged backdrop of Queenstown, she is here to make your wedding photography a visual journey. You'll find yourself in hidden gems of spots, flooded with natural light or playing with shadows. She takes on couples of every kind, whether you're after a getaway wedding or something more traditional.

Kate-Craig Brown Photography is all about being friends with her clients. She wants the most genuine connection possible, devoting her time and creative energy to ensuring your Queenstown wedding photography is unparalleled. She'll be your tour, your pal, your Queenstown wedding photographer and more. All you have to do is enjoy the ride.

 

Kellie Francis Photography

Image by Kellie Francis Photography

Let the moment go on and on, thanks to Kellie Francis Photography. Your big day matters, your love matters and you matter. She is a Queenstown wedding photographer with a stunning style, aspiring to capture your story in its undiluted grace. She specialises in wedding, elopement and couple photography, based amongst the mountains of Queenstown but happy to travel. Her work is centred on the all-important gravity of love, knowing that this is the reason for it all.

Kellie Francis Photography enjoys incredible love stories and travel. Her approach to your Queenstown wedding photography is organic and easy, with a documentary-style edge and minimal direction. Your day will unfold as it's meant to, with her behind the lens and helping it to last forever.

 

Still Vision

Image by Still Vision

Award-winning wedding photography brought to you by Still Vision. This Queenstown-based venture is run by talented photographer and casting director, Jackie Gay. Their studio is decked out with all the latest gear and more, catering to your needs. When it comes to wedding photography, they specialise in clear, stylistic shots, utilising natural light, scouted locations and shadows.

Still Vision offers a host of bespoke wedding packages for your big day. They're all about laidback wedding imagery with professionalism intact, focusing on your emotions and needs throughout the day. This Queenstown wedding photographer is beloved for its personalised approach. 

 

Nostalgic Photography

Image by Nostalgic Photography

Based in Wanaka, right beside Queenstown, Nostalgic Photography is run by an enthusiastic wedding photographer that is thrilled to be a part of your big day. She has worked in every type of photography across the board, from commercial to real estate, settling on her favourite kind: everything to do with people. Her penchant for wedding photography is as transparent as her style, bringing her couples stunning imagery that reflects them.

Reach out to Nostalgic Photography to find out what this Queenstown wedding photographer has to offer. Due to her sizeable and diverse portfolio, she is up for just about anything, camera at the ready. You can count on her to tag along for elopements or destination weddings. If you're after a more traditional wedding photographer, there is so much she can offer you through her incandescent lens.

 

Kate Roberge

Image by Kate Roberge

Queenstown wedding and elopement photographer extraordinaire, Kate Roberge. She wants to give you wedding imagery that doesn't simply showcase what your day looked like, but what it felt like. With that magical note in mind, it's no wonder Kate is one of Queenstown's favourite wedding photographers. She pours her heart and soul into helping you have the time of your life. Your day is going to be as unique as you, so why shouldn't your wedding photography mirror that?

Kate Roberge wants to be more than just your Queenstown wedding photographer. She delves into giving you direction when needed, wedding advice, hype buddy and a shoulder to lean on. This warm connection is what makes her work so memorable; she is doing what she loves, and you're as much a part of that as she is of your big day. What could be lovelier than that? Through this dedication to weddings, her work has been featured in New Zealand publications such as Hello May, Wild Hearts, NZ Weddings & Honeymoons and Dancing With Her.

 

Dawn Thomson

Image by Dawn Thomson

Intimate and extraordinary, Dawn Thomson has a knack for the beautifully raw. This is a Queenstown wedding photographer that goes on treks with you to get that perfect shot. She makes use of her surroundings, sunlight, shadows and more to unearth magnificence. Her work is a glimpse into couples' hidden sanctuaries, helping them show what they're comfortable with and coax out shimmering moments.

Dawn Thomson's background is extensive. It includes fine art, portraiture and fashion editorial. As a result, her photography is natural, stylish, wild and romantic. She views wedding photography as visual poetry, threading together everything in an exceptional manner to bring you the very best. If you're looking for an elopement or micro wedding in Queenstown, she also happens to be part of The Lovers Elopement Co, specialists in curating and executing these special days.

 

FelixImage

Image by FelixImage

Gracing Queenstown and Wanaka is FelixImage. Loving life as a Queenstown wedding photographer since 2015, he has a wealth of experience in photography, celebrations and more. With work featured in multiple publications, he's also award-winning, including a Merit Award in Master Photographers Association UK; and Silver and Bronze Awards in New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (Iris Professional Photography Awards). Yes, you're in safe hands with this professional.

FelixImage treats wedding photography as an heirloom. It's important, emotional and forges a bond that lasts lifetimes. He believes they are a time machine, allowing you to travel back and forth through your memories. As a Queenstown wedding photographer, he does his utmost to make sure that that heirloom and that time machine is in peak condition. You'll have crystal clear memories to share forever.

 

Dale Wowk

Image by Dale Wowk

Creative, innovative and relaxed, Dale Wowk is a Queenstown wedding photographer that has been cheerily behind his lens since high school. Snapping everything under the sun has been his passion for years, perfecting different styles and learning as much as he can from as many as he can. He began working full time as a wedding photographer in the last decade, with a unique brand of hybrid coverage. This includes shooting photography and video simultaneously.

His love for landscape photography shines through in his wedding work. He loves to create imagery he describes as "environmental portraits" as opposed to formal wedding images. This is the kind of unique angle you can expect from a Queenstown wedding photographer like this. Dale Wowk is easygoing and experienced, here to make your big day a breeze.

 

Kelly Newland

Image by Kelly Newland

Kelly Newland is a multi-award-winning, NZIPP master, Queenstown duo of wedding photographers. Those credentials have come after over a decade of work, striving to be one of the best in their region. With a simple and straightforward approach to wedding packages and needs, they condense everything into three options and lets things flow from that point. Most of their couples come through personal recommendations, speaking to their character.

Their style mixes candid and dramatic images, allowing you to celebrate your day as freely as you wish. These Queenstown wedding photographers respect the moments as they happen, wanting you to feel as comfortable as possible. As a husband and wife team, Kelly Newland is committed, thorough and detail-orientated.

 

Fallon Photography

Image by Photography

Letting wedding photography be what it should be - easy and fun - is Fallon Photography. He is here to make the entire process simple, from query to booking. In recent times, he's diluted his packages and condensed it all to make it easy for you to understand what he offers and how it aligns with your big day. He is entirely flexible, has an affordable base rate and deposit, and is also totally refundable. Most importantly of all, he believes in the human connection - you can reach out anytime.

Fallon Photography is quite diverse when it comes to his portfolio. It includes action sports, commercials, couples, families, elopements, pre-wedding, proposals and, of course, weddings. Resultantly, his style is as adaptable as it gets. You're granted wedding photography with clarity, matching the tone of your big day from start to finish.

 

Susan Miller Photography

Image by Susan Miller Photography

In love with photography since her teenage years, Susan Miller Photography is here to share her passion. Queenstown has been her home since 1995, and she has made its stunning backdrop the foundation of much of her gallery. Flexible and timeless, she works not only in weddings and celebrations but also in business and corporate photography. You'll find that she is a seasoned professional when it comes to catering to your needs and understanding precisely what you want on your big day.

Her go-to style is natural wedding photography. Valuing it above all else, primarily because it brings out your individuality in the best way, Susan Miller Photography takes more candid and informal shots. As an enthusiastic Queenstown wedding photographer, she's invested in state-of-the-art gear, ensuring that each and every photo is as sublime as you are.

 

Emily Adamson

Image by Emily Adamson

A Queenstown and Wanaka wedding photographer with a passion for genuine laughter, tiny details and old film portraits, Emily Adamson is as effervescent as they come. She’s a wedding photographer that loves both elopements and traditional weddings - anywhere there’s a good time that’s full of love, pretty much. Believing that the best things about wedding days are the unscripted, organic moments, Emily Adamson wants your photography to be an experience that you savour, with real feelings of uninhibited joy and romance.

Award-winning with good reason, this Queenstown wedding photographer centres her work on human connection and honest emotions. Over the years, she has won the NZIPP (New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography) Silver and Bronze awards 2012, AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) Silver with distinction and Silver Awards 2000, Gold Award NZIPP Wedding in Camera Artistry 2019 and more.

 

Alpine Image Company

Image by Alpine Image Company

Alpine Image Company is a boutique photography studio based in Wanaka. They may be small, but they're mighty. Alpine Image Company has held its position as the most awarded wedding and portrait studio in Wanaka and Queenstown for the last ten years. A talented team of six combine decades of experience across many photography and wedding disciplines, so no vision for your Queenstown wedding photography is out of the question.

The team shoots beautiful, contemporary wedding images across the region, and have experience at dozens of venues. Their ethos is all about capturing natural, timeless photographs in stunning Otago landscapes. They're masters of this style. Alpine heavily encourages meeting with couples, proving their dedication to their craft. Hearing your unique love story inspires their work and ensures they tailor their services to capture your day perfectly.

 

Carla Mitchell Photography

Image by Carla Mitchell Photography

Carla's photographs steal hearts, so much so, her work has featured in magazines from Together Journal to New Zealand Weddings. Carla has a widely praised ability for capturing every single moment with endless passion. Inspired by the backdrop of surrounding landscapes, she creates breathtaking and ethereal photographs to document the Queenstown wedding story of any couple.

Carla sets herself apart from the crowd by striving to be as non-intrusive as possible. She hunts to capture genuinely candid images, born out of the in-between moments of your wedding day. Not only does Carla produce beautiful work, but she also enjoys helping with wedding day timelines, photo locations, and local suggestions. A guided tour of the area along the way is one small part of what makes her shoots so unique. People like Carla are the ones to make sure you have on your wedding team. Get in touch with Carla to discuss a personal photography package suited to you and your Queenstown wedding day.

 

Holly Wallace

Image by Holly Wallace

A unique background in journalism means Holly Wallace is all about capturing the beating heart of a moment, and what moment is more precious than your own Queenstown wedding? Seeing herself as more of a "guest with a camera, rather than the official photographer", Holly approaches each wedding with a fresh perspective. The result? Your story is told as a close friend would tell it, and you've got a beautiful set of photographs to show for it.

A true lover of stories, Holly loves getting to know her clients before capturing their big day. With her career scoping many avenues of story-telling, and her camera always at the ready, your Queenstown wedding photographs are set to be captured in a new and dynamic way. Holly offers both photography and filmmaking services, prepared for anything you have in mind.

 

Charlotte Kiri Photography

Image by Charlotte Kiri Photography

Charlotte Kiri captures fleeting moments which may otherwise go unnoticed, all beneath the mountains of Wanaka and Queenstown. Dedicated to "moment-inspired" photography and highlight films for lovers of adventure, Charlotte's work is a fitting choice for couples with an upcoming Queenstown wedding. Her loving, contagious spirit allows anyone to open up to the lens of the camera on their wedding day.

As seen in many magazines and wedding photography awards, Charlotte is all about capturing fun, epic couples. Her background in journalism and photography, plus her well-trained eye, means she's ready to capture things as they happen. Authentic emotion is her main muse for her day's worth of photographs. Although it may seem like an understatement, Charlotte creates, by eye and hand, genuinely unique photographs. Her editorial, pastel-toned style is a cut above. For those wanting a highlight film of their wedding day, Charlotte's husband Bruno is on hand to document the details and emotions of the day. Charlotte Kiri Photography manages to tick every box you may have for your very own Queenstown wedding photographer.

 

Larsson Weddings

Image by Larsson Weddings

Fredrik of Larsson Weddings is a no-nonsense wedding photographer dedicated to the task of capturing your Queenstown wedding day. He strives for perfection in every shot and believes in combining candid moments and creative shots. Named #2 in the World's Top 10 Wedding Photographers by One Eye Land, and having shot over 1000 weddings, you are in safe hands. He creates classic and timeless images that will stand the test of time, both on walls and in hearts.

From the small natural moments as they happen to the signature sweeping landscape shots, Fredrik captures it all. Couple this with his attention to detail, and his ability to adapt to anything on your wedding day... and you've got yourself an excellent Queenstown wedding photographer in Fredrik.

 

Mickey Ross

Image by Mickey Ross

Based in Wanaka, Mickey is passionate about creating photos that capture the day's mood and backdrop in a relaxed style. He takes couples to breathtaking locations, and seeks out unnoticed moments, capturing more than you'd think possible. Mickey brings varied experience and training to his craft, resulting in a unique body of work.

It's not hard to notice his distinct style; Mickey achieves bold composition through his attraction to symmetry and white space. Combine this detail with his love of human moments, whether small or spectacular, and you've got a recipe for beautiful Queenstown wedding photographs. Not to mention, Mickey uses clean editing to make your investment even more timeless. He truly leaves no stone unturned. Mickey is available to travel further afield and to cater to you with the perfect package for your needs.