My name is Dan and I’ve been photographing weddings all over this beautiful world since 2007. Although I love what weddings are, what they stand for, and I love how incredible it is to be surrounded by all of the people you love all at once – in all these years of shooting other people’s matrimonial bliss, I never knew if I would have one of these epic parties, myself.

We meet four years ago in San Francisco when we had a drink and a chat based on the pretense of us working together in the business. I’d liked Andrea’s photography a lot, but what I didn’t know is how much I would also like her heart (…and her face – let’s be real). We spent five days wandering around the city of San Fransisco together and by the fourth day, we were pretty sure we were in love. Six months of Skype dating through international time zones later, she jumped across hemispheres to come build a life with me, and we’ve been putting the pieces together ever since.

In June of 2016 I got down on one knee in front of the girl I love and our Staffy daughter (Jessica Margaret O’Day), and through a face full of tears and emotion snot I asked her to be my wife. It was perfect in a way that neither of us would have imagined, with less flash mobs and grand gestures, and more Paul Simon on vinyl in our living room, half a bottle of Pinot Noir in. It was very ‘us’.

We had our wedding just over a year ago on 17 August 2017. It was incredible.

I now consider myself a marriage expert so I’m officially qualified to answer all of the questions (mostly lead up and on the day related)…. the rest of eternity stuff will take me a while.

Excited to be sharing this crazy journey with you. This is our story. We would love to hear yours.

Love Dan (and Andrea)

PS. Please don’t be put off by the varied collection of couture plaid shirts I am sporting in the sequence of photo booth images, here. I promise I won’t wear plaid to your wedding, In fact, I’ll likely be dressed sharply (pocket square inclusive)! (Unless you’re into plaid, in which case…) 

{Ok, below is the super serious part where I speak about myself in the third person with the intention of coming across a little more professional}

Dan O’Day is an AIPP Master Photographer with three gold bars and is the current AIPP Australian Wedding Photographer of the Year.

He is an Australian based Photographer, specializing in wedding and Fine Art photography. Influenced by his former life as a contemporary artist, Dan’s wedding images reflect the commitment to his art practice, refining techniques and constantly developing & refining his practice.

Since going full time with his wedding business in 2009, Dan has managed to run a highly successful wedding business – Dan is a highly sought after keynote speaker being regularly commissioned for weddings, speaking engagements and judging commitments all over the world.

Dan’s Fine Art photography has been exhibited extensively Australia-wide and also held in collections in London, Paris, and Germany. in 2015, Dan was published as “one of the top 10 contemporary wedding photographers in the world” by Bill Hurter (Author, Former Editor in Chief at Rangefinder and After Capture Magazines).

In 2010 Capture Magazine recognised Dan as one of the Top 5 Emerging Wedding Photographers in Australia. The same year Dan was the recipient of the highly sought after Ilford Trophy for the Highest Scoring Print at the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA). Dan has been awarded the titles of ACT AIPP Wedding Photographer of the Year, Illustrative Photographer of the Year, Portrait Photographer of the year and overall Professional Photographer of the Year.

Dan has also won the AIPP Australian Creative Photographer of the Year and with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and is the current AIPP Australian Wedding Photographer of the Year (A title Dan also won in 2016).

Dan’s wedding work has been published in VOGUE Australia, Frankie Magazine, Harpers BAZAAR, Hello May, Together Journal, Australian Art Collector Rangefinder, CAPTURE MAG and Better Photography to name a few.

As seen in…

Previous Workshops and Speaking Events

2017 The Album Atelier Workshop, Sydney Australia – Speaker

2017 Iris Awards, NZIPP, Auckland New Zealand – Print Judge

2017 Iris Awards, NZIPP, Auckland New Zealand – workshop

2017 Bodaf – Barcelona, Spain – Keynote Speaker

2017 Bodaf – Barcelona, Spain – Workshop

2017 WPPI – Las Vegas, Nevada – Keynote Speaker

2017 WPPI – Las Vegas, Nevada – Print Judge

2016 Way Up North – Stockholm, Sweden – Keynote Speaker

2016 Camp Common Folk, Western Australia

2016 Capture LIVE Event (for Capture Magazine) – Keynote Speaker

2016 WRKSHP, Brooklyn New York – Speaker

2016 Photo Field Trip, California USA – Teacher

2016 Hair of the Dog, Brisbane Australia – Keynote Speaker

2016 Hair of the Dog, Brisbane Australia – Workshop

2015 Phase One touring show – Singapore – Keynote Speaker and workshop

2015 Phase One touring show – Indonesia – Keynote Speaker and workshop

2015 Photo Field Trip, California USA – Teacher

2015 Canada Photo Convention, Vancouver Canada – Keynote Speaker

2015 Iris Awards, NZIPP, Auckland New Zealand – Keynote Speaker

2015 Iris Awards, NZIPP, Auckland New Zealand – Print Judge

2015 Iris Awards, NZIPP, Auckland New Zealand – workshop

2015 A Bit More Soul, New Zealand – Speaker

2015 The Event (Australian Institute of photography) Sunshine Coast Australia – Keynote Speaker

2015 The Event (Australian Institute of photography), Sunshine Coast Australia – Workshop

2014 The Event (Australian Institute of photography) Hobart, Tasmania – Speaker

2014 Mystic Seminars, Portland OR, USA – Keynote Speaker

2014 Photo Field Trip, California USA – Teacher

2013 Art & The Heart – Byron Bay, Australia

2012 Art & The Heart – Southern Highlands, Australia

2012 Art & The Heart – London, United Kingdom

2012 Art & The Heart – Cork, Ireland

2012 Art & The Heart – New York, USA

2012 Art & The Heart – Melbourne, Australia

2012 What If Conference. Portland, USA – Speaker

2012 The Digital Show. Melbourne, Australia. Ambassador for FujiFilm Australia.

2012 WPPI Trade Show. Las Vegas, USA – Speaker at VSCO

2012 WPPI Trade Show. Las Vegas, USA – Speaker at Squarespace

2011 Jonas Peterson + Sean Flanigan Workshop. Brisbane, Australia – Guest Speaker

2011 Professional Photography Seminar. Melbourne, Australia – Speaker

2011 Hair of the Dog, Brisbane Australia – Keynote Speaker

2011 Whatif Conference, Cabo, Mexico – Keynote Speaker

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2016/17 AIPP Australian Wedding Photographer of the Year

2015 Published as one of the Top Ten Contemporary Wedding Photographers in the World – Bill Hurter (Author, Former Editor in Chief at Rangefinder and After Capture Magazines)

2016 Best of the Best Wedding Photographs in the world – Junebug

2016 Best of the Best Engagement Photographs in the world – Junebug

2014 AIPP ACT Wedding Photographer of the Year

2013 Head On – Australian Documentary Book of the Year

2013 AIPP ACT Album of the Year

2013 AIPP ACT Portrait Photographer of the Year

2012 AIPP ACT Illustrative Photographer of the Year

2011 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize – Finalist

2011 AIPP Australian Creative Photographer of the Year

2011 AIPP ACT Wedding Photographer of the Year

2010 AIPP ACT Wedding Photographer of the Year

2010 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize – Highly Commended

2010 Recipient of the Ilford Trophy for the Highest Scoring Print at the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA)

2010 ACT Professional Photographer of the Year

2010 Highest Scoring Print, 2010 NSW/ACT AIPP Print Awards

2009 Named Top 5 Emerging Wedding Photographers in Australia – Capture Magazine