Here at Polka Dot Bride, we love telling stories. This goes beyond writing pretty words. We actually jump up and down with excitement when images tell a couple’s wedding day story, with all the beautiful details intertwined. We also relish in the small, quiet, often unnoticed moments. A look. A touch. The tears. The laughter. Lindy Yewen of Lindy Yewen Photography is all about these elements of storytelling too. Her images are so moving because of their simplicity and honesty. Her work is so touching that clients often have trouble deciding what images to print! As one couple put it, “they [the images] are so beautiful and have captured our day as it was, relaxed and casual.”

Today, we hear from Lindy what it’s like to be a wedding photographer for 18 incredible years, how weddings have changed during that time and how she makes that oh-so important connection with her bridal couples.

You’re based in Noosa. What do you love about the area?
My parents moved to Noosa when I was six years old. It’s grown so much over the years but it still has a pretty laid-back vibe. I also love that we are surrounded by some of the best beaches on the east and have gorgeous green rolling hills to the west.

What are the best photo spots around Noosa?
We are spoilt for choice as far as beaches go but Sunshine Beach is a fave! It offers a variety of different backdrops including the greenery of the National Park headlands, the ocean and the rocks. I also love to shoot at less popular spots like the old post office in Tewantin and throughout the state forest walking tracks that cross all over the Noosa Shire.

Do you work closely with any other Noosa based vendors?
I’m on the board of the Noosa Wedding Organisation. It’s a group of Noosa wedding suppliers that was formed 10 years ago to promote Noosa as one of Australia’s best wedding destinations. I work with a bunch of fantastic vendors from celebrants to reception venues.

How long have you been a wedding photographer?
I photographed my very first wedding in May 2001, in a gorgeous church in the hills of Berry NSW. So 18 years this month!

How would you describe your photography style?
Timeless, honest and fun with a film like edit. I love to capture the small moments and take photos that will tell a story that couples and their families can look back on in years to come.

How has you style and approach to weddings changed since you first started out?
My images are more candid, capturing moments as they happen rather than stiff, posed images. Wedding albums were the in-thing so shooting lots of the small details was important to be used as fill in, background images. These days it more about the couple and their families and friends… with people being spread apart with great distance it can be the only opportunity to capture images with everyone together.

How have weddings changed since then?
When I first started the whole focus was on the couple only and their schedule. This often meant that after the wedding ceremony guests would have to just wait around for a couple of hours before the reception began. These days couples are more considerate of their guests and this often sees them going off aboard a boat cruise along the Noosa river while the couple are off doing their main photos. The whole day has more of a party feel than the traditional seriousness of years gone by.

Tell us about your studio…
My studio has evolved from an entire room with dedicated lighting and backdrops for portraits. This then downsized to an office with two Mac monitors setup for editing and now I’m moving to a laptop so that I can edit/work anywhere, anytime. My entire setup is automated online and it’s rare that I actually meet with a couple before their big day (although I still love to). I think that is because the majority of my couples come to Noosa for a destination wedding and live elsewhere. Most of our communication is via email, text messages, Facebook messenger and Instagram messenger.

How early should a couple book you in?
2020 is going to be a massive year for weddings so couples really need to start booking in now. Having said that I shoot a lot of little elopements where the couples are happy to go with any midweek dates that I have available and these tend to be booked last minute. Generally, most couples book six to 12 months ahead of the wedding.

How do you make a connection with your couples? Why is it so important?
Most of my couples are from interstate or overseas and head to Noosa as a destination wedding. We mostly communicate online and I usually only meet them on the day of the wedding for the first time. It shows what a great deal of trust my couples place in my work as we don’t meet beforehand and that feels pretty amazing.

Do you do engagement sessions?
Yes and I love them! It’s a great opportunity to not only get some stunning couple photos but it gives an idea of what to expect on the day. I would love it if more couples would include them.

What are your favourite weddings to shoot?
Adventurous couples! The ones who think outside the square and choose to marry on the side of a hill, on a sand bar at low tide, in the woods with their nearest and dearest. Elopements and small intimate weddings are my favourite.

Are there parts of the wedding day that stand out – that you particularly enjoy photographing?
Definitely the couple on their own after the wedding vows are done and before the reception starts. It’s a quiet moment out of a crazy day that is entirely just about the two of you.

Are you available for destination weddings?
Hell yes!!!

Where in the world have you travelled as a wedding photographer?
You will often find me travelling between Brisbane, Byron Bay, Sydney and Melbourne to shoot weddings but I also went to Florida in the USA in 2014 and it was incredible!

Best wedding venue you’ve visited lately?
In Noosa we have some absolutely stunning wedding venues that overlook the ocean and rivers, but the ones I’m really loving are the non-traditional wedding venues. A tipi set up in the hinterland, a long reception table under the starts, a party in an old barn. Mobile caterers and bars in vintage vans are so in and will take your reception to the next level!

When you’re not working, where would we find you?
With my family – hiking the Noosa trails with a camera in hand, sitting beside an open fire while camping, fishing along the Noosa river or taking my border collies for a run at the beach.

Thank you Lindy for sharing your story and your gorgeous work with us today, and a huge congratulations on 18 amazing years as a wedding photographer! Your couples are so lucky to have your knowledge and talent available to them. To find out more about Lindy and her photography packages, head on over to the Lindy Yewen Photography website.

Images and headshot courtesy of Lindy Yewen Photography