My advice is have your cake and enjoy eating it too. Be it the beach or an air conditioned chapel that appeals, do it all I say. The biggest challenge is the weather and the heat that Fiji can dish out. People probably have a blue day embeded on their wedding thoughts, generally in Fiji this does happen, but even without Blue Blue, overcast is the most relaxed conditions for a wedding. The only down side of this is no blue skies in the photos, the upside is no squinting, cooler and the lush greens and colours pop out in images in this weather. Photography is adapting to the conditions, depending what is dished up to me I do all I can to emphasize what is there. In overcast days I look for tropical jungle, the colours just beam out in ferns and without the shadows of bright sun, I can choose my frames from almost any angle as the light is perfect. Shoot downward to axe out the grey sky, however I can still have amazing blues of the ocean as a backdrop to my couple. Black & White photos also come into their own, clouds are moody and as the important couple in the middle, your day will not be as tiring without the direct heat and sun.

Getting back to the heat. The mid afternoon is pretty hot here, even in winter you are in the high 20’s degrees Celsius, or 82 Fahrenheit. With this in mind I try to dance in between shady spots and the open landscape in this time zone, this makes the temperature bearable & saves your armpits from leaking all over your photos. The last 1.5 hours of the day is the magic zone for me. As we get closer to sunset the light gets warmer and the lovely orange colour creeps in to make your flesh tones look all tanned and nice. Sunset is normally greeted with a cooling sea breeze, a perfect end to the daylight, the temperature drops as your emotions and high of the day rise towards the reception or private dinner setting.

Depending on where the wedding location is, I map out an attack for the shoot. Listening to what you like and dis like in e mails, I go about finding locations for you. Each wedding is pre-scoped & I know where the great spots are. This searching also includes the near bye area and I am always keen to chuck you in my 4 wheel drive(or boat) and have a photographic adventure to get unique images.

My last brief is on you, the ones in the firing line of the camera’s. Many people have shared advice they have heard from far and wide on how they can look skinnier, seem taller, or be seen with perfect skin. My number 1 rule is chuck all that advice out the window. Sticking your chin out (one piece of advice a bride shared to look skinnier) will only make you look funny like you are sticking your neck out all day. The key is to just enjoy. Look at your partner and think of all the cool things you know about them, smell Fiji, look at Fiji and soak up where you are at ALL day. Leave the rest to me, if you do this, I assure you of lasting images! All I do is follow you around, share some of my amazing locations & enjoy our journey. I know it is an important time, so I make sure it is not a chore and ensure we have fun.

Below is the must have law requirements to get married in Fiji:

Overseas visitors intending to get married in Fiji are required by law to obtain and sign a marriage license from the nearest marriage registry prior to the marriage ceremony with an average of 36 hours in advance. Special arrangements can also be organized. The couple must provide the following personal documents to the Registrar for verification purposes at least two weeks before the wedding:

• Original birth certificates for the bride and groom
• Valid passport
• If applicable, divorce papers
• If previous spouse is deceased, a death certificate
• Certificate of Single Status or Certificate of No Legal Impediment must be produced if:
  • Marriage between a Fiji citizen and a foreign citizen
  • Marriage by former citizens of Fiji
  • Marriage between foreign citizens residing in Fiji
• Marriage applicants with visitors’ visas or bona fide tourists to Fiji from Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, and EEC countries are exempted from the above requirement. Different rules apply for some other countries.
• Marriage applicants from Japan must produce the Koseki-Shouhon to certify their personal details.
• Written parental consent is required if either party is under 21 years of age.

• Two witnesses who are 21years of age and over must be present.

(Information courtesy of Fiji Visitors Bureau)

For the connection I have to firstly thank my ancestors, in particular a man called Jacob Storck (my great great grandfather), this guy came to Fiji at the age of 23 to explore the plant life. Since that day in 1860 our family has had ties in Fiji. Jacob sailed the wild seas, then he navigated the jungle, found and documented plants across Fiji. They were interesting times back then, cannibalism was in full swing and the raw aspects of Fiji appealed to him as he stayed for his entire life.

Running down the family tree a bit my wonderful mother met a Kiwi guy and had me and my brother in New Zealand, where I was raised. Schooled in NZ we always came to Fiji for the Christmas holidays, those 3 month blocks still fill my life with joy and etched the path that I am on now. Firstly my lovely Grandmother made dresses and sold them for our trips back, when I got here it was so warm and the thought of a night swim as a kid was my treat of treats. The next most compelling aspect of Fiji was the way people live, they are in the moment and love to have fun. All through my school day visits there was no TV and we had to spark our creativity in other ways.

Family

My uncles are my next big Fiji influence, they are all very successful people, but they also know when it is time to have a break and embrace life and family.  My Uncle Bruce would take us on the boat, exploring new Islands and snorkeling away in our youth, even if we arrived on a Wednesday he was there to get us and adventure time was on. Making time, having time, or what ever you want to call it is a natural way here, the successful ones are still very driven and  professional, but they also know how to LIVE. I am thankful for their influence, big time.

In a nut shell Fiji has a way, people here are very creative and industrious. They love to laugh, love to hassle each other and love to eat. Some things run on Fijitime, a tad slower than the western world, but once you know the code of life here you can fast track things way more than you could in another country.

Loloma

Loloma is the word for love in Fijian. My mother and family are full of this stuff, galaxies worth of it. Fiji too is a place that loloma is shared, the people here will give you anything, if you say oh man that shirt is cool, off it comes and they hand it over. Money is secondary to Fijian’s and their natural way is to smile & to say Bula- hello.

These photos are a cross spectrum of mine, the first is what the native people looked like when my blood set foot in Fiji. The home is a beautiful spot on the coast from Nadi, this family will be poor in wealth, but rich in life. They have beaten flat 44 gallon barrel drums to create the base of this home, the top is a traditional Fijian style. The last photo is from my first ever commercial job in Fiji- at Toberua Island. This Bure is also where I stayed the night and cemented the knowledge that the dream can happen if you believe in it.

If you want to get cast back in time, a visit to Levuka the old capital of Fiji is the best bet. This little township has you walking about and thinking cowboys were here not too long ago, and you would be right. In a typical original port of a new nation, Levuka had it all. Thousands of ships bringing their goodies, and dropping off a lot of baddies along the way.

What is left today is a mind trip to visit and this little place is at peace. The buildings and Colonial Architecture greet your eyes with colour and variety, even the most established businesses in Fiji have a retro style building in Levuka.

The locals are all friendly, the pace of life is slow and this adds to the holiday feel. The roads and alleys offer a lot for a random stroll, you need not worry about getting lost, there is a steep hill on one side, the ocean on the other and town in the middle.

Roaming in Levuka your mind is in a time machine, things do seem ancient and very far removed from the modern, busy world, this thought is constant and with it you appreciate a slice of life that is trapped in a great way.

For accommodation there are a few options, my preferred is at the Levuka Homestay, John and Marilyn have a beautiful boutique Bed & Breakfast, it is a perfect shelter after all the walking and eating. Perched high on their deck is the best sunset view and chats Levuka can offer, the same location is where you have a wonderful home cooked brekie the next morning. 

John and Marilyn are all about the locals, they connect you with the taxi drivers for your tours and pickups, and their table is graced with the finest village fruits, chutneys and jams.

The whole Island is easy to circular navigate in anywhere from 3- 6 hours, depending on the amount of walks, swims and picnics you opt for. My suggestion would be to save it to the last day when you leave for the airport, it is a good tour to leave the island thinking of.

Back in the Levuka town, for the more adventurous there are cool walks up into the high mountain ranges behind. The views are fantastic and the locals are always happy to share stories, point out the local creatures and generally share their ancestors history, all good stuff. Diving is also a marvelous option. For more in-depth options with this talk with the Levuka Homestay for the best people, as well as checking for availability.

levukahomestay@connect.com.fj

Being lucky enough to live and work in Fiji, I get to travel a lot throughout the Islands taking photographs. From 5 star, to no star, to under the stars this nation has a lot to soak up. Yes Fiji has some insanely good beaches, diving and touristic spots, it also has some relatively untouched spots to savour. In time I will share some inside info on people and spots that elude most guidebooks, for now though it is time for a basic crash course on Fiji.

For English speaking people the Fijian language is pretty easy to pick up, words sound like they seem, and people here love it when you give it a crack to speak their way. Even little aspects like hello, thanks & good morning are received very well, once you master a few basics the locals will light up around your effort. You will also soon learn people of Fiji love talking with your eyes as well, the eyebrows wiggle up and down for a yes, or I agree and trust me it won’t be too long until you too are talking with the eye region.  Try a little bit of the list below and you will soon be on track to being at one with Fiji.

Bula – hello in Fijian. 
Vinaka – thankyou
Yadra – is good morning
Moce – is good bye
Kaivalagi – is a person from afar, or another land
Kaiviti – is a person from Fiji
Kana vinaka – thank you for the food

These few words will take you very far, the only tricky one is Moce (say these 2 words quickly and u have it right- more there.) In Fijiian the C is sounded th.

This pioneer blog will end with some images of Fiji, this is a mere entrée of what is on offer and over the coming months more and more will be shared of my Fiji.

Suva is a sprawling melting pot of a city, in this pot in a blend of different nationalities and a vast range of poverty and wealth. Situated on a harbour, the city has fantastic ocean views and the locals have fishing and diving on their doorstep. It is not the cleanest city in the world, but if you look past that factor, there are a lot of rewards to be had. If your time in Fiji is short, I would stick to the Islands and more outer options, but if you have time then Suva is worth a visit to experience.

Multi cultural

Fijian people are the population majority, followed by Indian, Chinese and Europeans, then you have a the mixes, or fruit salads as they are known here. All these people bring their cooking, arts and ways to give Suva a unique flavour. Eating out offers great curries, old authentic Chinese, Japanese and modern international cuisine (fiji style). There are also small local food options and the evening BBQ’s that pop up around the city, however these are only a real option after a night out on the town.

City Scenes

From 4 story shopping mauls, to tiny shops as wide as a an oven, Suva is a colourful & sometimes overly noisy shopping maze. Getting lost in dingy stores, ducking into modern clean ones with air conditioning and navigating the windy streets makes for an interesting venture into town. There are also loads of coffee shops, rest points. One of my favourites is an ice cream from the Hare Krishna Shop, home made and delicious. So throw caution to the wind, embark on a roller coaster of variety and give Suva a visit. With backpackers & flash hotels make it an overnight stay at least, then you get to sample the nightlife Island Style and in the morning you can check out the Museum.

Striking distance from Suva

If time is not against you, there are a few options in the wider Suva area. Colo I Suva is a National Park 15 minutes ride from the CBD, walking into the bush you can see a bit of the Fijian nature and cool off in a natural water hole at the base of the walk. The locals will most likely be there and showing their aerial abilities with dives and bombs from scary heights, as they say on TV please don’t try this yourself! Nausouri is a 30 minute taxi ride away and offers a mellow look into an outer town of the capital, to be honest there is not much to see, but for a change of scene and the chance to find some retro collectibles in some stares it is an option.