About

Overview & Vibe

Ben Newnam is a wedding photographer based at Berowra in Sydney’s Hornsby Shire, shooting weddings since he was nineteen. His son Jesse now works alongside him, second shooting and taking his own bookings, so a couple can hire either of them or both. Their pricing is unusually plain: three collections, a published per-hour rate to move between them, and a stated fee for anything extra.

Style & Approach

He describes his work as predominantly candid and documentary — the laughs, tears and quiet glances — and says the edit should suit the image rather than treating every frame the same. After the day he spends two to three days hand-editing for a natural, true-to-life look, and adds what he calls Art Files, a set of more heavily worked images ranging from earthy tones to monochrome.

Ideal For

Couples who want the money conversation settled up front. There is a separate, cheaper collection for those who want an almost purely observational record of the day, shot on compact cameras so the photographer goes unnoticed, and a combined photo and film option run with a videography partner.

The Need-to-Knows

Standard wedding coverage runs from $2,300 for five hours to $3,300 for ten, moving by $200 an hour either way. The observational collection is $500 below that, and Jesse’s own coverage starts at $1,295. A $1,000 retainer holds a date and can be paid in monthly instalments, with the balance due two weeks before. Galleries arrive in two to five weeks.

Standout Feature

Travel is free for two hours’ drive from Berowra, and he spells out what that reaches — the Southern Highlands, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley all at no extra cost. Beyond that it is $50 per fifteen minutes, stated rather than quoted on request.

Albums & Prints

Photo Album. Price: Included in the Deluxe photo and film collection. Description: An eleven by fourteen inch or twelve by twelve inch album of forty sides.

Appointment Policy

Enquire through the online form, by email or by phone; replies are promised within about an hour
A date can be held on request, with first option to secure it
Ask for the Purely Candid collection at the initial enquiry so the right cameras are brought

Areas Serviced

Sydney and the Hornsby Shire, from a base at Berowra
The Southern Highlands, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, all with no travel fee
Anywhere in Australia by arrangement

Booking & Deposit

A $1,000 retainer secures the date.
The retainer can be paid in instalments of $250 a month.
The balance is due two weeks before the wedding.
The retainer is non-refundable only if another booking for that date was declined.

Hours of Coverage

3 to 12 hours of coverage, with additional hours available.

Nearby Landmarks

Sydney Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge

Photography Packages

Five Hours Coverage. Price: $2,300. Description: Consultation, high-resolution images, a private online gallery, 1500 or more edited images and 70 or more Art Files.
Eight Hours Coverage. Price: $2,900. Description: Consultation, high-resolution images, a private online gallery, 2000 or more edited images and 90 or more Art Files.
Ten Hours Coverage. Price: $3,300. Description: Consultation, high-resolution images, a private online gallery, 2500 or more edited images and 110 or more Art Files.
Purely Candid, Three Hours. Price: $1,400. Description: An almost entirely observational coverage shot on compact cameras, with 1000 or more edited images and 40 or more Art Files.
Purely Candid, Five Hours. Price: $1,800. Description: The observational coverage with 1500 or more edited images and 60 or more Art Files.
Purely Candid, Eight Hours. Price: $2,400. Description: The observational coverage with 2000 or more edited images and 80 or more Art Files.
Jesse Newnam, Four Hours. Price: $1,295. Description: Coverage by the second photographer working as the lead, with editing and a personal gallery included.
Jesse Newnam, Seven Hours. Price: $1,595. Description: The same coverage over a longer day.
Jesse Newnam, Nine Hours. Price: $1,795. Description: The longest of his published coverages.
Second Photographer. Price: $85 per hour. Description: Jesse second shooting alongside Ben, with a four hour minimum.
Photo and Film Synergy. Price: $6,900. Description: Up to eight hours of photography and eight hours of videography with one videographer, a three camera shoot, a seven to ten minute highlight film, drone coverage and all raw footage.
Photo and Film Synergy Deluxe. Price: $11,995. Description: Up to twelve hours with two photographers and two videographers, 4000 or more images, a full length edited film, an edited film of the speeches, drone coverage, a photo album and a short engagement session.

Photography Style

documentary
candid
natural
relaxed

Price Notes

Hours can be added or removed from any collection at $200 each.
The observational collection is priced $500 below the standard collections.
A natural edit without the enhanced Art Files reduces the cost by $200.
Monday to Thursday weddings save $100 on six hours or $200 on seven hours and above.
June and July weddings save a further $100 on coverages of four hours and above.
Sneak peeks are an optional add-on at $250 rather than being built into every price.

Services Offered

Wedding photography
Observational wedding coverage
Second photographer coverage
Combined wedding photography and videography
Proposal and engagement photography

Starting Price

From $1,295

Travel & Destination

There is no travel fee within two hours' drive of Berowra.
The Southern Highlands, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley all fall inside that range at no extra cost.
Beyond two hours the fee is $50 for every fifteen minutes, covering fuel, time and the return trip.

Turnaround Time

Galleries are typically delivered in two to five weeks, fully edited.
An expedited service delivers in two weeks or less for $500.
Optional sneak peeks arrive two to five days after the wedding.