About Us

Hemi + Michelle

Auckland

We are Patina Photo

We are wedding photographers who travel New Zealand, capturing all the feels from the greatest party you've ever thrown.

What makes us different

10 things you should know before booking us.

01. It's all about being present with the people you love.

There is no other time in your life when all your favourite people will travel from anywhere on earth to celebrate with you. We can tell you from experience that nothing beats the feeling of walking into the room, looking around and realising that every person you see is someone you love and who loves you back.

We don’t want you to miss a beat; everything we do is help you be present for the best party you’ve ever thrown, and have tonnes of great photos that bring you right back to your day for years to come.

02. We will help you feel comfortable in front of the camera (in case you feel nervous).

Feeling nervous or camera shy is totally normal and something many couples feel. This is why we work really hard to make the whole experience as fun and un-awkward as possible, by getting to know you in the lead up to the day, keeping a relaxed and casual vibe during the shoot, while giving helpful prompts so you look and feel like your best selves.

After more than 10 years in the wedding game, we’ve got lots of tips and tricks to make you look and feel comfortable and confident on the day.

03. We'll get the shot, no matter the weather!

Rain, wind or shine —we have created epic photos in every situation. Over a decade of all-weather wedding photography has made us masters of seeing and shaping light to either flatter or play up the mood on the day.

We may not be able to control the weather, but you can trust us to have a plan no matter the forecast. Check out some of our favourite rainy-day weddings here.

04. We won't steal you away from the party.

It's a request we've heard a thousand times; 'Please don't drag us away from our guests for a 2-hour photoshoot’ and our answer is - ‘we won’t!’ We always want you to be present as much as possible and have a strict ‘no-FOMO’ policy for our couples on their wedding day. We’ll be there (often in the background) to capture candid magic as you make memories with your loved ones.

05. We believe in great experiences over beautiful things.

These photos will become some of your favourite memories ever. And as much as we love things that look good, we always encourage investing your time and moolah into creating the kind of experiences that leave you crying-laughing.

One thing all couples tell us after their wedding is how fast the day went. While you’re busy having the time of your life we’re there to capture all the moments you might just miss, from the look on your sister's face as you walk down the aisle to your nana’s reactions to *that* naughty speech. If you’d rather have real moments captured over a carefully crafted image of perfume bottles, we’re the photographers for you.

06. We help you plan your day, and make time for the things that matter.

Ensuring you have those precious moments with your friends and family AND get that epic couple shot takes a little experience and planning, which is why we offer a FREE planning consultation to all of our couples.

Take advantage of our experience to help craft a timeline that has space for the people and moments that are most important to you, so you don’t miss a thing. We’ll help you work through the timing of key moments as well as share all our best tips and tricks for making your day go off without a hitch.

07. Yes, we still get excited!

Seriously! After almost 10 years of shooting weddings, we're still just as obsessed and excited to be photographing your wedding. Your day isn't just another wedding to us. We understand that it's a day that's often months in the making and we're honoured each and every time we get to be a part of it.

08. We love less staged line-ups and more candid moments.

We know you want wedding photos that are unique to you, so you won’t find any cheesy, super staged shots here! We love capturing the day as it actually happens, so we'll encourage only a handful of posed group shots so you can join the party

We've found the moments 'in-between' is where the magic happens.

View Our Portfolio

09. With Patina it's personal.

Your guests will probably ask you how long we have known each other. Why? Because with us it’s personal! We learn your bridal party’s names, how to say ‘smile!’ in your language and we’ll jump on the dance floor to get those hilarious party shots. We pride ourselves on bringing a personal touch to everything we do.

10. We'll be your biggest cheerleaders and strongest advocates.

For us, this is not just a job —we really want you to the greatest day, and are not afraid to advocate for you or help out behind the scenes to ensure the day runs smoothly.

And if things don't go 100% to plan (as they occasionally can), we’ve got the experience to roll with the punches while keeping you out of the fray.

Meet the team

Michelle and Hemi meet in the Summer of 2009, got married in 2012 and have been working together ever since. Michelle is a self-confessed animal lover who is not too-cool to squeal out loud whenever she sees a cute dog in a raincoat. Hemi is a planning and creative wizard, whose only weakness is cake.

When we founded Patina, all we knew was that the key to a good life was surrounding yourself with a community that embraced the idea that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, who valued experiences over things, and who knew what it meant to live in the moment and be fully present. Also tacos, tacos are key.

We've won some pretty cool awards, both nationally, and internationally. While we feel incredibly honoured, we don't see awards as an end point; instead, we love how they have opened doors and opportunities to meet some incredibly talented people, and how they've inspired trust from our couples to make work we believe in.

Awards + features

Best of the Best Wedding Photographers

Best of the Best Destination Photographers

New Zealand Wedding Photographer of the Year

Top 100 Wedding Photographers in Australia and New Zealand

Fujifilm Official X-Photographers and Ambassadors

Also featured in:

Fearless Photographers

Bride & Groom Magazine

New Zealand Weddings Magazine

Mr & Mrs Magazine

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Say hello

If the way we see the world is something that resonates with you, then we’d love to catch up and chat more about your plans. Reach out so we can arrange a time to meet and send you our pricing guide.

Get In Touch