Ben Howland Family on Holiday

WIFE.

I grew up in Gloucester. It’s where I met Liv – we even went to the same pre-school. At 16, we decided to spend the rest of our lives together. We moved out at 17, traveled the world, built careers, bought a home, and are raising two kids who are the most perfect mix of us both. Our marriage is my greatest pride in life.

We got married on my parents’ verandah. It rained, but we didn't care. A few years later we did it again, kind of (in Vegas, with Elvis, much less official but just as much fun). Liv understands me like no one else.

LIFE.

We moved to Newcastle the moment school ended. It’s the perfect mix of big & small, busy yet quiet. I love coming down Scenic Drive and seeing the beaches appear. I love walking the edge of the lake, or along the breakwall. Parts of the city have become part of our relationship – the spot where I proposed, smoothies from 3 Monks, whale watching from Strzelecki,  Merewether pizzas, Sundays at Shoal Bay, gelato from Popolo, zucchini flowers from Rustica...we live to eat. We’ve settled in Cardiff and love it here.

WORK.

I started weddings in 2010, after bailing on a Visual Communications degree. While I shot weddings, I studied business to hedge my bets. By graduation, my wedding count was nearing 100 and I'd found what I was meant to be doing. My degree now sits patiently in a cupboard.

100% of my photos are of real couples, from real weddings - no models or workshops. After well over a decade in business, I know that my reputation is my most valuable asset. This job is a privilege I owe to my couples, and I never forget it. Shooting weddings still feels fresh and exciting. The day I get a 4-star Google Review is the day I close shop and find something else to do.

I love the mix of working in the field and honing the craft - the editing, the prints, the process. I’m a gear nut and believe it's my obligation to provide couples with nothing but the best.