Interview with Danelle Bohane

Categories: Inspiration-Interview with Danelle Bohane

Danelle Bohane, a New Zealand based wedding photographer, is recognised as one of the best in the world. She was named as a Range Finder Rising Star in 2015. Junebug, one of the world’s most popular online wedding planning sites, recognised her as one of the best wedding photographers in the world in 2015 and 2016. And she is one of our most regular contributors, a key creative force in the development of Together Journal, even winning best photographer at the recent Magazine Publishers awards for her work with us. So we thought it was about time we introduced Danelle properly…. Danelle’s portrait taken by Dirk Fourie.

Categories: Inspiration-Interview with Danelle Bohane

Tell us a little about your background and how you got into photography? I have always been interested in photography. My grandfather used to send me film and a $10 note to get it developed for my birthday, so he really fueled my passion from a young age. I also studied photography through high school and university.

How would you describe your aesthetic? Heartfelt, full of emotion and, quite simply, about connections and the human relationship.

What is your creative process like? I always think about light and colour and how that can complement the candid nature of my work. Trust is vital to my creative process. It is what brings the emotional element to my photographs. Then editing is like shining the silver cutlery — it doesn’t make the image, it just enhances what is already there.

Categories: Weddings-Real Wedding: Robin & Joe - Photography by Danelle Bohane

What’s your average day like? Generally quite varied because of travel and wedding days, but basically three days a week are dedicated to editing and preparing clients’ collections to be sent. In the wedding season, I am up four days a week at 6am to start early and work at the studio until 2pm. I then go home for lunch with my husband. After that, we head to the beach to walk our dog and dip our feet in the ocean. Then, if time allows, we have an afternoon nap and I work again from 5pm until about 9pm, with a dinner break.

Where do you get your inspiration from and who do you admire? My greatest inspiration comes from the people I shoot. It’s just as much about the relationship you have with your couples as it is about making imagery. Visually, I’m inspired by painting, particularly a lot of Dutch still life. One painter who has been a particular inspiration to me is New Zealand landscape painter Grahame Sydney. His use of light and colour has a real effect on the way I edit and use tones in my work.

Categories: Inspiration-Interview with Danelle Bohane Categories: Inspiration-Interview with Danelle Bohane

What have been some career highlights to date? I think my greatest career achievement, apart from producing meaningful work, is that I am creating a record for other people and their family. Another is being able to work with my husband and see many beautiful parts of the world together.

You have taken some amazing photographs in your career. Do you have a favourite image? I have two. The camel photograph which was on the cover of Together Journal’s fourth issue. And the other is of my friend Olivia, with her terminally ill father walking her down the aisle. A very treasured photo, by them and by me. This is when I realised how powerful image- making can be.

What advice can you give to aspiring photographers? Don’t be afraid of hard work and don’t worry about failing. So many times, things don’t go according to plan, but if you just push through and learn from failures, that is often when you learn of new ways to do something that end up being greater. Also something I battled with a lot was comparing myself to others. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time worrying about my work not being as good as others.

Categories: Inspiration-Interview with Danelle BohaneCategories: Inspiration-Interview with Danelle BohaneDanelle Bohane