Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Once again – 5th year in a row – Jason was honoured to be a finalist in the 2016 NZIPP Iris Awards Wedding Creative category.
Oh, he was also a finalist in the Wedding Classic category, just to be thorough.
Stoked.
Here’s his top 6 scoring images.
In addition to the Wedding – Classic category, Jason also took home the trophy for Wedding Album of the Year.
The judges called it “great photography meets great design“, and that’s something we pride ourselves in. It’s even in our name! We’re not just photographers, we’re an all-round creative team, and every aspect of our presentation is carefully considered.
As with previous years (2012, 2013) we’re always aiming to create something different, something unique, something not seen before.
Rachel & Sam’s theatrical wedding was an obvious choice, even before we’d started on the design, and during brain-storming and concepts, we started creating the idea of a movie/theatre “storyboard”.
The following design was born. Rachel & Sam, in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream“.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, when I’d won the Wedding – Classic category and the Wedding Album category at the recent Iris awards, this happened:
For the 2nd year in a row, I was named Wellington NZIPP Photographer of the Year.
Speechless.
Every year it’s the same – a frantic last minute rush, looking through an entire wedding season for the most creative, eye-catching, unique images that show something a little different.
We create these images for our clients – we’re working for you, using our vision and creativity, to create something unique and special to represent your wedding day – but it’s nice to have these recognised by our photographic peers within the NZIPP (New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography) as being award winning and some of the best in New Zealand.
This year was something special.
Jason’s images (below) won him 2 x overall titles (Wedding – Classic category – no use of Photoshop, Wedding Album category) and placed him runner-up in another (Wedding – Creative category – Photoshop allowed).
It was an honour to stand on stage amongst our peers and receive these awards, knowing that our clients also loved the memories we capture and the artwork we create for them.
“And the winner of the Wedding Album Category is… Jason Naylor.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I rushed to the stage to take my award and mumble some sort of acceptance speech. I’ve had my eye on the Wedding Album award for a few years now – when we usually spend 12hrs capturing a wedding day, a wedding album seems the most appropriate way to present that. It was an honour for the judges to recognise our creative album, and thanks to Rachel & Sam for the most amazing theatrical wedding.
I’d barely sat in my chair, when then came the 2nd announcement:
“Wedding Classic… Jason Naylor!”
This was unexpected. This left me speechless. I didn’t know what to say. Winning 2 NZIPP categories – Wedding Album and Wedding Classic – in the same year has me absolutely floored. Again, thanks to our clients for letting us try a few things and create something different.
‘Humbled’ is one word to describe it. ‘Flabbergasted’ is another. I’m also genuinely stoked, happy and excited.
My good buddy Jake Thomas Photography took out the Wedding Creative award. Top job!
Kudos to the other finalists: Jenny Siaosi Photographer; Katherine Williams @ Tandem Photography; and Clinton Lloyd @ Lovelight Wedding Cinema & Photography. Your work was creative, innovative and beautiful, and had me genuinely not expecting these awards. I’m honoured.
Wow. What an honour.
My recent haul at the NZIPP Iris Awards scored me enough points to be awarded the title of NZIPP Wellington Photographer of the Year!
Giddy Up!
We’re big believers in the NZIPP – the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography.
Not only is Jason a fully Qualified and Accredited member, but he’s also the Chairman of the Wellington region. We believe in the aims of the NZIPP: providing a benchmark to our clients; promoting friendship and a network of photographers; and most importantly, raising our standard of photography.
This is where the annual NZIPP Iris print awards come in. Our clients are awesome enough to let us try a few things and create some amazing artwork for them, and every year we select our favourite ~8 images for selection into the Iris Awards.
It’s nerve-wracking and exhilarating at the same time.
This year was no different, and Jason had his best result ever, walking away as a Finalist in the Wedding Creative category, and receiving 4 Bronzes, 1 Silver and 2 GOLDS!
Not only were there 2 Golds, but one of the images – from our other business, Studio Hospcotch – was the highest scoring colour print of the entire awards.
It’s something to have your clients love and respect your work, but another thing altogether to have your photography peers – the best in the country – rate your work so highly.
Enough words, onto the images. Enjoy!
(Please click the images to link through to a higher resolution version on Facebook.)
Thanks to our clients for letting us push our creativity on your special day. Here’s to 2014!
Boof! POW! Wham.
At the 2012 NZIPP Iris Awards I was looking to enter something a little different. A little unique. A little more rock ‘n roll than a traditional wedding album.
The idea of a comic book came to me, and using Amanda & Geoff’s Wellington wedding I managed to craft a pop-art, stylised comic book artbook. It received a Bronze medal, and placed me as a finalist in the Wedding Album category!
Hope you enjoy the story of Amanda & Geoff’s wedding, as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Thanks Amanda & Geoff!
Hey all,
We’re currently learning and upskilling and being inspired at the annual NZIPP Infocus conference, this year in Christchurch. We’ve also got quite a stash of prints entered into the Iris awards, so our fingers and toes are crossed for them!
Back next week – appreciate your patience in dealing with emails and enquiries until then!
Thanks,
Jason & Aneta
As a big advocate of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography, and of course a recently qualified member, it was important to my personal growth and development that I entered a few prints in the recent Iris Awards.
Well, imagine my excitement when I sat through 6+ hours of print judging during the awards to see my prints receive awards. And not just any awards, but a Silver and a couple of Bronzes.
Of course, it didn’t really sink in until hours later after been congratulated by plenty of other photographers. Apparently Silver is quite a big deal. Who knew? 
The full gallery of winning images can be found here, with the Wedding category (where all 4 of my images were entered) here.
What was really important to me when selecting and processing images for the awards was that the image were true to me. Past winners of these awards have often been criticised for being overly photoshopped, and whilst I’m sure some tone mapping and heavy use of textures could have added some emphasis and drama to my images, I wanted to enter these awards with my photos being processed the same way that me – and our clients – like seeing them. Other than some sepia toning (which, I’ll be honest, isn’t entirely normal for us) these are almost as I delivered them.
The following were the medal winners. 3 out of 4 prints isn’t a bad ratio – next year, I’m going for the album category. Aiming high.
Silver (Kahiwa & Grant):
Bronze (Matt & Kel):
Bronze (Leigh & Giles):
A big thank you must go out to Jenny & Larissa at FineLine Photography for their assistance in helping me choose suitable images, advice on processing & cropping my images, and finally working with me for the final printing & matting. I couldn’t have entered – let alone won these awards – without their help. Thank you!
