TESTIMONIALS
"Two things about Dane - he is stealthy as heck and he has a heart of gold. He will befriend all your buddies and charm your mum."
“There are a lot of options out there for a photographer, but one of the best decisions we made as part of our wedding planning was choosing Dane (AKA The Salty Shutter) to capture ours.
Not only were the photographs excellent, but the capturing of specific people, moments, and emotions came from Dane's secret - his understanding of the humans he is photographing. We spent a lot of time with Dane prior as he asked us about ourselves, our stories, motivations, etc... and it was through those conversations that he knew what was important to us, what he needed to capture, and who where the significant people in our lives (and why). Dane really spent the time to get to know us, and it shows - the most important set of photos we have in our lives to date are unmistakably ours.
Anyone can just ask a bunch of questions and say that they have all the info they need to take some photos, but Dane takes it to another level. Our conversations were open and honest with free-flow of ideas, and it allowed for the best possible experience on the day as he blended in seamlessly amongst the celebrations. When we did spend time with him off from the crowd for some more intimate pics, my wife and I were so comfortable and free to be ourselves, without a sense that we were being "posed". Dane had no instructions to pose like a statue, instead, to achieve a specific frame or subject, he asked us questions to answer to each other that he knew would be thoughtful and emotionally provoking based on our relationship and who we are. All of our photos became captures of dialogue and reaction. This is one of the reasons that we loved our wedding so much - we had it expertly documented and captured, while able to be comfortable and free the entire time.
Dane has some of the most rare and sought-after virtues of being both technically excellent and emotionally gifted. He would be an amazing addition to any event worth photographing.”
- Des and Ilana
Dane was the photographer at my wedding in June 2018. If you're considering him for your wedding photographer you should absolutely go for it! The photos will be beautiful, and you'll find yourself with a lovely new wedding guest.
Two things about Dane - he is stealthy as heck and he has a heart of gold. He will befriend all your buddies and charm your mum.
My husband and I are two very awkward people, especially when put in front of a camera, but Dane turned what is usually a chore into a joy. The results were spellbinding - every time we look at the photos we notice some gorgeous new detail.
If you're hoping for an album full of perfectly posed photos then Dane may not be your guy - but if you're looking for someone to candidly and beautifully capture the essence of your wedding day without you even noticing (stealthy!) then look no further.
- Bec & Todd
“We honestly feel privileged to have had Dane capture our day. We don’t have a standard love story - it is deep, complicated, resilient yet delicate, and I knew we needed the right person to document the light at the end of our tunnel. I fell in love with Dane’s work instantly - it got me straight in the soul. He is a documentary-style photographer that felt like a best mate by the end of the wedding day. Dane works with pure passion, care and curiosity and with that, he did so much justice to our love story. The only way I can describe the photos he created: Sacred.”
- Kate and Anthony
"Hire this man now. He is nothing short of a miracle maker, taking two incredibly awkward, unphotogenic weirdos and somehow producing the most gorgeous wedding photos.
From the very beginning we knew we were going to love Dane, but the photos he took still completely blew us away - far beyond what we hoped for. They're perfect. They capture the night exactly as it was - so full of love and with so many laughs.
It literally felt like we were hanging out with a friend all day, which helped put us at ease and I think that definitely translated in the photos. Our friends and family loved him as well, he fit in so seamlessly and this meant he was able to capture all those amazing candid moments.
I can't stress enough how much we love the photos and how much Dane being at our wedding actually made our day better. He is a complete professional, full of enthusiasm and buckets of talent, all while being one of the loveliest people you could meet. So do yourself a favour and have Dane shoot your wedding - I promise you won't regret it."
- Emma & Owen
"Book Dane right now before he gets snapped up - that's my one piece of advice to anyone reading this. We both believe he was the absolute best decision we made when planning our wedding. Four things made Dane amazing for us
(1) he didn't construct fake moments, he captured real ones - which means every time we look at the photos we get emotional, because we can remember exactly what was happening in that moment
(2) He made us feel so so comfortable, and had so many magic tricks up his sleeve to enable us to just relax and be ourselves, and enjoy our day together
(3) he is a generally awesome person- which is pretty important if you are going to have him around you on your wedding day
(4) we barely noticed him, yet he seemed to capture every moment - this sounds odd, but it meant we could just enjoy ourselves and not feel awkward about someone photographing us (because half the time we didn't even notice). Dane thank you for being so amazing - you surpassed every expectation we had!"
- Tahnee & Oscar
"Dane was nothing short of amazing. The photos of our wedding have captured every step, smile, tear, kiss, emotion, hug, feeling, speech and dance move! We couldn't be happier. Dane has a natural and effortless approach to photography and each picture feels real and genuine. I also loved that you can leave Dane up to his own devices - he doesn't need to be asked to do anything, and some of the pictures we didn't even know he had taken are among our favourites. He ninja-d around the whole day moving with deft and grace to not ever be in the way, but to catch all the tiny details we would want to remember. We're so lucky to have such stunning photos." Lala
"Dane was the photographer at my wedding, and the lasting impression I have is that the guy is a ninja. A friendly, professional and courteous ninja. Looking at the photos all I thought was 'how the hell did he get that shot?!' His photos told the story of the day from our perspective, from our friends and family, and beautifully wrapped them up. He also excelled at making us feel comfortable, knowing when to give us space and when to direct while listening to exactly what we wanted from the photos. The results are spectacular, and I can't recommend him enough - he's given us another way to celebrate the memories of a lifetime." Paul
- Lala & Paul
"It was truly a pleasure to have Dane shoot our wedding. Not only are his photos incredible, but he was such a professional and worked tirelessly throughout the day. Neither Ben nor I are particularly comfortable in front of a camera, but Dane made us feel quickly at ease - it was like having a mate take our photos. Many of our family and friends also made a point in telling us how friendly Dane was and how he worked quietly and unobtrusively throughout the day.
Dane’s passion for photography is definitely translated through the photos and the extra special touches. After our reception he printed us a selection of polaroids. It was amazing to have a sneak peek at our photos and it really made our day. When we received our USB of images a short 4 weeks later, it came presented in a beautiful timber box complete with a selection of high quality fine art prints. It’s these little details that make a big difference.
Needless to say the images themselves blew us away. He captured the story of our day so perfectly. We loved having Dane at our wedding and we know you will too."
- Ben & Sam
"We couldn't have asked for a more talented photographer or more stunning photos of our wedding day. Dane was exceptional at making us feel comfortable and relaxed and I was amazed when we got the photos back at the moments he managed to capture when no one was noticing. We only booked him for a short period of time and he worked so, so hard to capture the pure joy, love and happiness of the day. The only thing we regret is not asking him to stay for longer. Thank you so much Dane, you're an absolute legend!"
- Alia & James
"Dear Dane,
We would like to express our thanks for all you did for us on our wedding day. Not only were your photos beautiful, but you made the day that extra bit special, fun and provided a sense of reassurance that settled our nerves.
You captured every part of our wedding day brilliantly and we feel that the photos taken represent the day exactly as we remember it. As we look through the photos we are continually reminded of certain special parts that we had forgotten, however you were there to capture the moment. The day goes so fast, and without you those would have been lost memories!
When first getting engaged we weren’t sure we wanted a photographer but when we met you, you provided an immediate sense of professionalism & understood how we wanted the day remembered. We are so thankful of this! We were so lucky to snag such a brilliant photographer and all of our family and friends agree! We have no qualms in recommending you to anybody/everybody…
We loved that you were so easy going and met all our requests, and we love that you enjoyed the day also.
A massive thankyou from both of us.
Tom & Clare"
- Tom & Clare
Dane - WOW. What more to say than what an absolutely fabulous job he did with capturing every moment of our wedding day. We met Dane in a pub almost a year before our wedding, organising our photographer was the most important thing, so thought we'd look early. He is such a humble and genuine person, like someone you've known for years, and this is important when you're going to have someone walking through your house when you're in your pjs getting ready for the most important day of your life! We loved Dane that much we booked him in before we'd even booked our venue. We were not disappointed!
He breezed in the door and helped make us feel very at ease so quickly around the camera, constantly snapping away to ensure he captured every little detail of the day. Getting swept along in the adrenaline of the day, we were able to completely be ourselves and he blended into the day perfectly. He is full of ideas which have really made for some spectacular photos. Everyone has complimented us on how great the shots are - natural and beautiful. The box with photos and the USB are a lovely sentimental ending to the experience, we were able to relive the day over and over again and could not be happier. We have no hesitations in recommending Dane - you could not be disappointed with this guy!!"
- Lucy & Michael
"Dane, I’m sorry this has taken so long. Every time I begin to write a review I can’t put into words my gratitude for all you did for us on our wedding day. From the start of our wedding planning, my partner and I hunted for different vendors that we felt would bring an awesome energy into our day - that wouldn't make us feel anxious or tense; and that we could just be ourselves around. When we found you, we knew that you were guy. I couldn't recommend The Salty Shutter any higher, he is honestly the calming presence you need on your wedding day - not only did the photos turn out amazing but Dane is such a genuinely nice guy that made being around him so natural and easy. Thank you again Dane."
- Marnie & Steve
"I discovered Dane through a friend’s wedding. After seeing her photos, I immediately contacted him and booked him for our upcoming wedding.
What we expected was simply a great photographer.
What we got was so much more. Dane is such a talented photographer, and you can see he loves what he does. He manages to capture these beautiful emotional shots that turn into incredible photos and memories.
He has this wonderful personality, instantly making you feel comfortable aroundhim, like old friends. He’s just fantastic and we cannot recommend him enough!
Dane, prepare yourself for our future baby showers, maternity photo shots, and family photo shots - we only want you!
We are enternally grateful, thank you for capturing our big day so perfectly.
- Mr and Mrs Mulligan"
- Madeleine & Michael
"Dane is an extremely personable person. He goes above and beyond to provide you with exactly what you want. He shot our elepement and every single thing was perfect. He catered to our needs and took breathtaking photos. He made us feel very comfortable and relaxed during the shoot and we literally felt like lifelong friends afterwards and are extremely happy with our amazing photos. Would highly recommend!"
- Olga & Chris
