Today we’ve got Van Middleton on the show. Van is known for his creative photography style, mixing a balance between photojournalism and portraiture. We chat about how he’s found his style and how he sees the wedding industry pivoting after COVID. Get to know Van Middleton (Website Copy) Where do I begin? First and foremost, I’m a father, husband, brother & son. My world revolves around my little girls and my wife. I’m a curious and restless person. When I was younger I wanted to be a writer; I wrote a lot, including a few books, one that I finished just out of high school. My interest in writing has never faded, but it’s become dormant – I’ll revisit it one day. Now that I run my own business and play father and husband, I dont have time to read much, let alone write. And it takes so much time. Instead I take photos. In many ways it’s a similar thing. I tell stories. I try to create beautiful things. I use my imagination, I explore, I try to capture moments, and manufacture things that will move people. I studied Journalism at university, because I wanted to write and to tell stories, and see things. After graduating I learnt pretty quickly that journalists don’t do much of this at all. So I went travelling. I was a little bit lost. I travelled for years, and during my travels I found two of the most important things in my life: my wife, and photography. I decided to keep both of them close for the rest of my life. When I returned to Australia, I studied photography and film. I had no idea I wanted to shoot weddings, but I did understand what I had always known: I wanted to use my imagination, my creativity, and I wanted to work for myself. After graduating, work didn’t come easy, and I did more study, this time to become a teacher. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t sure I had much choice. While I studied, I shot a few weddings. I did them for next to nothing, for experience. My clients were happy. I looked around and realized that I could do a better job than my competitors. I didn’t raise my prices, but instead I shot dozens more weddings. I wanted to improve, and to learn. I studied the best wedding photographers in the world, I bought the best equipment. I got better. I’ve now shot more than 400 weddings. I’m still learning, and hopefully always will be. Along the way I’ve also shot wedding videos. They’re difficult and stressful, and if you want one you’ll need to twist my arm. But I do a few here and there, just to keep myself on my toes, to test myself and discover new things. I was asked once, by a prospective client, what my philosophy is. I found it an oddly disconcerting notion, that I should be able to distill my photographic approach into a few words – actually, into any words at all. Officially I call myself a Documentary Photographer. Or, probably because it borrows from my education, a Wedding Photojournalist. Neither of these titles are particularly accurate. In truth, I do whatever it takes at a wedding to get photos that I find most beautiful. Sometimes these photos involve me being an observer, hovering discreetly so I can snap the most unguarded moments. Sometimes they involve me rearranging furniture, manufacturing light, posing my muse, doing whatever it takes to get the shot I have in my head. Text REMOVE Links mentioned in the show Van’s Website: https://www.vanmiddleton.com/ Van’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanmiddletonphotography/?hl=en