An eye for weddings

By Emma Sun
MARK Teague just can’t get enough of weddings.
The 41-year-old shutterbug’s love for photography has been described as an obsession and an addiction to say the least and it is especially so for weddings.
Although he does portrait photography at his Pakenham-based studio as well as some random photography for competitions, he takes special pride in his wedding photos.
“I just love wedding days,” Mark said.
“Being given the responsibility from a couple to capture their once-in-a-lifetime experience is awesome.”
Mark’s love for photography has been with him since childhood, ever since his parents bought him his first plastic camera at the age of 10.
“I fell in love with it from there,” he said.
“I never started to take it seriously until the last few years. What got me to take it more seriously was being a member of the Pakenham Camera Club.”
While involved with the Pakenham Camera Club, Mark covered a wedding as a second shooter to a fellow club member, and with that he fell in love with wedding photography.
Since then, he has attended his fair share of weddings and always tries his best to give them something novel.
“I love the reaction that I get when a couple see their images for the first time,” Mark said.
“To give them something that they never thought they were going to get, something unexpected, is a great feeling.”
He has recently started trying a new concept in his wedding photography, called ‘Trash the Dress’.
The concept, which involves the couple wearing their wedding attire and getting them dirty in the name of good photos, is very popular in America and Mark was keen to give it a go with couples here.
“We went down to Rye beach in the late afternoon and did a photoshoot that went into sunset,” Mark explained.
“It started on the beach, with the couple lying on the sand, then in water and even to the point where we got the bride’s hair in the water flicking her hair back. It was a lot of fun.”
Mark has taken part in a number of competitions and taken out a many prizes to boot, and his works have also been accepted into the Pakenham National Competition.
His favourite photo of all time is a picture he took of his little daughter and her friend, which has also won him prizes.
“It was a hot day and they were sitting in an esky full of water,” he said.
“The photo is black and white, sepia toned and the two of them were covered in water, leaning towards each other and having a little kiss.
“It’s just such a hallmark type photo that everyone says ‘awww’ when they see it. It’s close to my heart because it’s a really cute and natural photo.”
Mark is always the designated photographer for family gatherings and outings, not that he minds at all.
“If we go on a holiday, my wife has to force me to get in front of the camera to prove that I was there,” he laughed.
He knows photography will always be a part of him, whether it is as a hobby or as an after-hours profession.
“It’s where love, passion and photography come together,” he said.
“I know it sounds corny, but that’s how I really feel about it. I think it’ll be with me until the day I die.”
Check out Mark’s photography at www.markteaguephotography.com.