About

The business:

Focusing on providing a very personal and intimate relationship with each client, Daniel K Cheung is a boutique wedding photography business, currently based in Sydney, Australia. My goal is to tell as many stories as possible, to all those who will hear. Although the business is named after myself, I usually work within a team consisting of an associate photographer and an assistant.

Daniel K Cheung specialises in wedding and wedding related photography. This includes portrait sessions and on-location pre-weddings. Although I am currently based in Sydney, Australia, I am happy to travel outside of Sydney and even Australia.

The person:

My first (paid) wedding assignment was in October 2010. And since that very first wedding, I haven’t looked back. I believe one’s photography style is a reflection of one’s personal life experiences. Mine include success, many failures, all sorts of emotions, and (most importantly) learning. I draw heavily upon my own relationship with my partner of now eight+ years. She encourages me. Challenges me. Pushes me. And sometimes, infuriates the bonkers out of me. But you see, that is what a relationship is about. She brings out the best and worst in me. And this is where my inspiration comes from.

I believe in marriage. I believe in love. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies because sometimes, the underlying message of true love surprisingly comes through even the most silliest of Hollywood productions. My belief in love and marriage is what fuels me to produce the best work possible for my clients. A wedding is only one day, but it represents the beginning of a new chapter in two peoples’ lives. There is no greater swooning trigger than seeing see a man, tear up, as he sees his bride walk down the aisle towards him.

I don’t have a specific style per se. Not one that I can articulate into an elegant word anyway. My background in speech pathology left me with a client-based approach. I like things to be informal, relaxed, fun, and totally random – because this is who I am. I use ambient light. I use external lighting. At times, I provide direction to the couple. And a lot of my work is of a photojournalistic nature. Yet, I am none of these specific labels. I am the sum of all these.

The photos:

I am not a very structured person. I don’t like playing by the rules. I wouldn’t even consider myself as being the creative type. I just shoot how I feel. Since young, I’ve always enjoyed stories, whether it be the one telling them, or being told them – stories have been an integral part of my life.

As such, the photos I produce don’t conform to traditional wedding photography. I don’t shoot for my own portfolio. I certainly do not shoot so that I may submit them to wedding blogs. Instead, I focus on the two people getting married, as that is what matters most to me. I weave a story around them. Everything else, is a bonus.

The couples:

Most, if not all my clients, shares similarities with my personality. They share the same feeling that the wedding day is not about the photographs. They all like to have fun in their own ways,and like myself, they all tend to love good food. My clients trust me to tell a story that is reflective of who they are. Above all else, they value the memories photography brings.

The process:

  1. We meet over brunch/lunch/afternoon-tea/dinner/dessert. If we don’t get along, that’s a good thing, at least we know. Should you think that we are comparable, proceed to next step.
  2. Read the contract. Sign the contract. Pay $2,500 non-refundable retainer. Your booking is then effectively confirmed.
  3. Prior to the wedding/pre-wedding, we meet again to go through the finer details of the day (eg, schedule, timings, locations, expectations etc).
  4. We make awesome photographs and have epic fun together on the day(s) itself.
  5. Within 8-10 weeks, I will send a link with all the edited images in an online private gallery. Accompanying this gallery, is the first mock-up of your wedding album pre-design.
  6. Once you are happy with the album design, it will be sent off to the printers. Your album will be ready and delivered within 6 weeks.
  7. We meet again, because we’re friends. This typically involves eating … #winning!

And … the stories:

It could be a buzzword, but I am a believer of wedding storytelling. A wedding day is not about taking photos, or spending hours doing bridal portraits! A wedding day is about the bride and groom, their parents, their family, and their friends. Please take some time to look at my portfolio and see what I mean by storytelling. And if you like what you see, I’d love to hear from you!