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Sun & Tides Co.

Congratulations, and welcome.

This page explains how we plan a pre-wedding shoot and how the day itself runs. Your own dates, timings and location live on your custom Sharing page, which we send separately.

Your shoot date is locked and off our calendar.

Now

So what do we need from you?

Three things, and the first takes ten seconds.

A pre-wedding shoot is the one thing we plan together, so there are real decisions in here.

  1. 01

    Save our number

    Save +65 8815 4301 as Sun & Tides, so our messages never arrive as an unknown number.

  2. 02

    Pick a mood

    Read the vibes in the next section, and let us know which vibe speaks to you the most.

  3. 03

    Have a think about where

    Somewhere that means something to you, or somewhere you have always wanted to see. Rough ideas are fine. We can help guide you guys.

What happens next Once we have your mood, we can get started with a location shortlist and a time slot built around the light. Everything after that is a conversation.

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Your mood

Pick a direction, then tell us the name.

This is the decision everything else follows from. Locations, outfits and props all come out of it, so it is worth five minutes.

Treat this as a guide and not a rule book. If there are multiple that fits what you had in mind, let us know.

  • Golden 1Golden 2Golden 3

    Golden

    Golden sun, long shadows, everything warm. Slow and cinematic, shot in the last hour before the sun goes.

  • Nature 1Nature 2Nature 3

    Nature

    Green, open and grounded. Room to breathe, soft dappled light. Open fields or lush forests.

  • Coast 1Coast 2Coast 3

    Coast

    Bright, wide and windy. High sky, salt in the air, and movement in everything.

  • Street 1Street 2Street 3

    Street

    Busy, textured and alive. Old walls, people passing, and moments nobody could have planned.

  • Play 1Play 2Play 3

    Play

    Bright, loud and fully committed. Whacky ideas, high energy, and the one mood where laughing at yourselves is the whole point.

  • Close 1Close 2Close 3

    Close

    Quiet and indoors. Intimate moments. Slow pace, and closer in than the rest.

  • Editorial 1Editorial 2Editorial 3

    Editorial

    Composed and deliberate. Clean even light, strong lines, held poses.

  • None of these?

    Send us three photographs you love, from anywhere. We will work backwards from them and tell you what we see.

None of these quite fit? Send us three photographs you love, from anywhere at all, and we can work from them.

Planning

Three decisions, and we handle the rest.

Where, what to wear, what to bring. Answer these and the shoot is planned.

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  1. 01Where

    Two locations, two different feelings.

    Pick spots that do not look alike. One green and open, one built and textured, and the set has range. Two versions of the same park does not.

    Three is not a shoot, it is a commute. Send us a rough shortlist and we will pick the pair.

    • Open greenOpen greenParks and fields
    • CoastlineCoastlineSand, sea, big sky
    • Shophouse streetShophouse streetTexture and colour
    • IndoorsIndoorsSoft window light

    Worth knowing

    Some places need approval. Enquire early.

    Schools need written approval and are weekends and public holidays only. A few parks, gardens and private venues have their own rules.

    We check every place on your list before you settle on one, so nothing falls over two days out.

    Weekdays are quieter, and it shows in the photographs.

    The popular spots are busy at sunset on a weekend. That means waiting for strangers to clear the frame, or working around them, and both cost you light.

    A weekday evening at the same place is a fraction of the crowd. If your schedules allow it, take the weekday.

    2. ​

  2. 02Wear

    Casual or formal. Pick one, together.

    Casual is linen, denim, a dress you would actually wear on a Sunday. Formal is a gown and a suit.

    Both work. Pick whichever suits the mood you chose, and make sure you are both picking the same one.

    Linen, denimLinen, denimCasual Gown and suitGown and suitFormal

    Worth knowing

    The mismatch we see most often.

    One of you in a gown, the other in a tee. It photographs as two people at different events, and there is no fixing it on the day.

    Agree the level before either of you buys anything, then send us three or four reference photographs. We will tell you honestly if the two sides are not sitting together.

    What colour actually does to a photograph.

    Coordinate rather than match: one of you patterned, one plain, tones taken from the mood.

    Beige, white and soft neutrals read airy and light, and they sit well with Golden, Nature, Coast and Close. Black is heavier and edgier. It suits Street and Editorial, and it will pull the whole set that way.

    A change costs more than you think. Worth knowing before you plan three.

    Finding somewhere to change, changing, and getting back to the light takes about twenty minutes, and it comes out of the best part of the shoot rather than out of spare time at the end.

    Changing usually happens in a public toilet, a nearby cafe or a car. Tell us if you would rather not use a public one and we will pick spots with something better close by.

    Want veil photographs? Check the length first.

    A veil needs to be at least three metres to catch the wind and fill a frame. Anything shorter reads as fabric sitting on a shoulder, and no amount of wind will save it.

    They are easy to rent. Decide early, because it is the one thing you cannot improvise on the day.

    Wearing a short skirt or dress?

    Bring seamless safety shorts in a shade close to your skin. It means you can sit on grass, climb a step or be lifted without thinking about it, and we can direct you properly instead of working around it.

    Two pairs of shoes, always.

    One pair for the photographs, one pair for the walking between spots. Heels sink into grass and sand, and an hour of walking in them shows on your face by the second location.

    3. ​

  3. 03Bring

    Personal beats bought.

    One or two per look, and it has to fit in a bag you are willing to carry.

    Tell us in advance, so we can build a moment around it.

    • Flowers held lowFlowers held lowFlowers
    • Dog on a leadDog on a leadYour dog
    • Polaroid in handPolaroid in handPolaroid camera
    • Letter being readLetter being readLetters to each other
    • Blanket, basketBlanket, basketA picnic set
    • Bike, walkedBike, walkedSunglasses
    • Racket, board, bootsRacket, board, bootsEar buds
    • Full costumeFull costumeFull costume, for Play

    Worth knowing

    The comfort kit: what should be in the bag.

    Water, your own touch up kit, a hand fan, plasters, pins, walking shoes, and insect repellent. We do not carry makeup or hair products, so bring the shades and brands you actually use.

    Powder wipes are the one most couples forget. It gets hot, and they keep the shine down and your hair off your neck between looks.

    Pack clear umbrellas, just in case.

    Two transparent ones. Clear plastic lets the light through, so your faces stay lit instead of falling into shadow under a canopy.

    They also photograph beautifully in the rain, which is why we would rather you had them than not.

    Bring somebody to help, if you can.

    A friend or a family member is worth their weight. They carry the bag, hold the props between looks, and keep an eye on your hair while we work.

    Bringing your dog?

    Bring high value treats, and bring somebody to hold the lead for the frames they are not in. Check the location allows dogs before we lock it in.

On the day

Turn up, and leave the rest to us.

Feeling odd is normal.

There is nothing to decide once the shoot starts. Everything below is ours to manage.

Everyone is stiff for the first stretch, and everyone thinks they are the only ones. It passes, and the frames you keep come after it does.

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Couple mid-laugh, late light, unposed and unawareCouple mid-laugh, late light, unposed and unaware
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  • Feeling odd is normal

    Everyone is stiff for the first stretch, and everyone thinks they are the only ones. It passes, and the best frames come after it does.

  • We direct you

    Most couples are more natural on camera than they think. Want more direction? We'll be happy to guide you guys more!

  • Eat, drink, smile

    Have something before you come and keep water nearby. Beyond that, just enjoy each other. It shows in the photographs.

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If it rains We are always happy to shoot in the rain; it makes some of our favourite frames. Pack a pair of clear umbrellas and we will work with the weather rather than around it.

One of our favourite sets was meant to be a sunset shoot and rained instead; the couple had brought umbrellas, and it is one of our most popular galleries.

After

90

days of editing behind your gallery

Every photograph is finished by hand.

  1. 01

    Backing up, thrice

    Before anything else, every card is copied to three separate drives in two places. Nothing is formatted until all the copies are verified.

  2. 02

    Choosing the set

    We go through the whole shoot frame by frame and keep the ones that tell it. This is slow on purpose. It is where a set becomes a story instead of an archive.

  3. 03

    Colour, image by image

    The light changes across the hour, and it changes a lot at sunset. Each photograph is balanced by hand so the set holds together. We do not copy and paste edits.

  4. 04

    Finishing by hand

    Straightening, clearing a distraction at the edge of a frame, a little care on skin and fabric where it is needed. This is the part that cannot be batched.

  5. 05

    A last look, together

    Both of us review the whole set end to end before it goes out.

We do not run a shoot through a preset, every frame is edited on its own, by us. Pre-wedding sits ahead of wedding day work in our queue, because these are often the photographs printed or displayed at the wedding itself. If your gallery is ready early, you hear from us early.

Delivery

The end of the wait

Everything we caught, all at once.

Your finished photographs arrive in a private online gallery. One link, shareable with whoever you like.

Gallery open on a laptop, warm roomGallery open on a laptop, warm room
  • What arrives

    The finished set, at full size, ready to print or post. The number of images is the one in your package, which is written into your contract.

  • When

    About ninety days after the shoot. If we finish early, you hear from us early.

  • How long you have

    The gallery link stays live for ninety days from delivery. Download everything to your own drive early rather than treating the gallery as storage.

If you want more than the set

  • Decide after you see the gallery

    Advanced retouching

    Advanced Photoshop work on the handful of images you love most: stray hairs cleaned up, skin tone evened out, and gentle slimming or reshaping where you ask for it. Everything we deliver is already finished, so this is for favourites.

    How this differs

    Every photograph we deliver is already retouched: minor blemishes healed, skin tone corrected, colour and light finished.

    Advanced retouching is heavier work on top of that, on the few frames you choose: teeth whitened, under-eye shadows softened, stray hair cleaned up, glare taken off glasses, a double chin softened, gentle slimming overall or on an area you point out, creases pulled out of clothing, straps and labels tidied, strap marks and tan lines evened out, and more. Anything you have in mind, just ask.

  • Arrange before the shoot

    Rush edit

    Your whole gallery in fourteen days instead of ninety. For couples who need the photographs before the wedding, for a save-the-date, a slideshow, or a print. Tell us early so we can hold the time.

Both are priced on the rate card. If you would like prints, check in with us on WhatsApp. Most couples only decide once they have seen the photographs.

Questions

The ones we get asked most.

Sixteen answers, grouped by when the question tends to come up. Pick a group.

How do we choose a location?

Start with the mood, not with a place. Once we know whether you want Golden or Street or Close, the shortlist writes itself and we can reccomend the locations.

If somewhere already means something to you, say so first. That beats anything we would pick.

Can we do more than one location?

Totally depends on your package. If you're considering multiple locations, it'll be good to opt for a package with longer coverage. Our longest package includes 5 hours of shooting, which can fit about 3 locations.

Do we need a permit?

Sometimes. Schools require written approval and are weekends and school holidays only. Some restuarants, gardens and private venues have their own rules, and a few charge a fee.

Most venues are free to use, and many private ones are open to ideas. Do check in with the specific venues to see what is their policy. 

When should we shoot, relative to the wedding?

Four to six months before is comfortable. That leaves room for the ninety day edit and still gives you time to print, frame or build anything you want on display at the wedding.

Can we bring our dog?

Yes, and they are usually the best thing in the set. Bring somebody who can hold and walk them while we shoot the frames they are not in, and check if the location allows dogs.

How many outfit changes can we do?

One per location is recommended. Two max. Each change costs about ten to twenty minutes.

Where do we change?

Public toilets, a nearby cafe, or a car if you have one. We factor it into the schedule, so tell us at planning if you would rather not use a public one, and we will pick locations with something better nearby.

What should we wear?

Coordinate with each other. One patterned, one plain, in tones taken from the mood you picked. Golden and Coast take warm neutrals well. Street takes stronger colour. Close and Editorial want simple shapes and very little pattern.

Two pairs of shoes: one for the photographs, one for the walking.

What props actually work?

Things you already own. Letters to each other, a camera you actually use, your dog, a memento you guys have of each other. One or two per look, and it should fit in a bag you are willing to carry all evening.

Tell us in advance so we can build a moment around it.

What if it rains?

We are always happy to shoot in the rain; it makes some of our favourite frames. Pack a pair of clear umbrellas and we will work with the weather rather than around it.

Overcast light is soft and flattering, and wet pavement reflects beautifully. Rain is not automatically a lost shoot. Our reschedule terms are still being finalised, so if the forecast looks severe, message us and we will tell you where it stands for your date.

What if we overrun?

We plan the day out with you beforehand so it rarely comes up: the locations, the order, and how long each one really takes. That is what the planning is for.

Practically, the light decides more than the clock does. Once the sun is down, or too high overhead in the middle of the day, extra time buys very little.

What if we are bad at this?

Almost everyone tells us this, and almost everyone is more natural in front of a camera than they expect to be. The first twenty minutes feel stiff for most couples, including the ones who look like they were born to it.

We direct you the whole way through.

What time of day is best?

The last two hours of daylight, almost always. It is the softest, warmest light of the day and it is short, which is why we start on time and plan the slot backwards from sunset.

Close and Editorial can work indoors at other times, and we will recommend accordingly if your mood points that way.

When do we get them?

About ninety days after the shoot. Pre-wedding sits ahead of wedding day work in our queue, because these photographs often have a job to do at the wedding.

How many will we get?

The number in your package. You will receive a curated set.

Can we get some sooner?

They are available upon request. A few early frames are usually possible, though it depends on where your shoot sits in our editing schedule that month, so we are not able to guarantee them always.

If you know you need the photographs early, a rush edit is the certain way to get them: the whole gallery in fourteen days instead of ninety.

Can we get the unedited or raw files?

No. Raw files are unfinished and uncorrected, and they are not representative of our work.

The editing isn't a finishing pass, it is where the warmth and the colour come from. An unedited file isn't another version of your photograph, it is half of one.

Can we choose which photographs get edited?

Selecting and editing is one job, not two: we go through everything, keep the frames that hold up, and finish all of them before you see anything.

What arrives is the set, already made. If there are favourites you want taken further after that, advanced retouching is there for exactly that.