Wedding Photographers · Wollongong / Illawarra, New South Wales · By appointment

Tale Thief Photography

About

Overview & Vibe

An Illawarra wedding photographer working from Wollongong and the lake country south of it, photographing weddings across the South Coast and Sydney. The work is built around connection rather than choreography: couples are given room to be present while the day is documented as it is actually lived. Coverage runs from quiet elopements to full days surrounded by family and friends.

Style & Approach

The approach is described as calm and intuitive, letting moments unfold naturally while paying close attention to light, composition and atmosphere. Guidance is offered where it helps and withheld where it would intrude, and the photographer works alongside planners, celebrants and other suppliers so the day keeps its own rhythm. Timelines are respected without being allowed to dictate how the day feels.

Ideal For

Couples who care as much about how their day feels as how it looks, and who would rather be photographed than posed. It suits intimate weddings and elopements as readily as a full day with a large guest list, and it suits couples marrying around Wollongong, the Illawarra lakes and the South Coast who want a photographer who already knows the light there.

The Need-to-Knows

No package prices are published on the site; couples are invited to get in touch so coverage can be built around the day they are planning. A thirty per cent non-refundable retainer and a signed contract secure a date, the balance can be paid in smaller monthly instalments, and it falls due no later than four weeks before the wedding. Images arrive in roughly twelve to sixteen weeks, with sneak peeks within days.

Standout Feature

A published guide to three Illawarra locations the photographer returns to again and again — Bombo Headlands, Windang Beach and Lake Illawarra — written from six years of shooting the same stretch of coast and lake edge in every season. It is a working knowledge of where the light falls locally, offered before a couple has booked anything.

Albums & Prints

No details available.

Appointment Policy

Enquiries begin with a conversation about the day being planned.
The photographer offers to meet couples informally before the wedding to hear how they met and what they are planning.

Areas Serviced

Illawarra and Wollongong - the photographer's own stated base, and the region she has photographed for six years.
South Coast - weddings are photographed across the region from the Illawarra base.
Sydney - weddings are photographed in the city and its surrounds from the Illawarra base.
Further afield - destination weddings are welcomed on enquiry, with no surcharge published.

Booking & Deposit

A 30% non-refundable retainer secures the date, alongside a signed contract.

Hours of Coverage

No details available.

Nearby Landmarks

Bombo Headlands - known for its sunsets, dramatic cliff faces and quiet rock pools, with a great deal of variety in one location.
Windang Beach - reached by a quiet, tucked-away pathway to where the sea meets the lake, combining open sand with a sunset over the water.
Lake Illawarra - tall grass, dramatic trees and walkable pockets, described by the photographer as her favourite place to shoot.

Photography Packages

Bespoke wedding coverage. Price: On request. Description: Coverage is customised to the day rather than sold as fixed tiers, and the photographer invites couples to make contact so a package can be built around what they are planning.

Photography Style

documentary
natural

Price Notes

A 30% non-refundable retainer and a signed contract are required to secure a date.
The remaining balance may be paid in smaller monthly instalments.
The balance falls due no later than four weeks before the wedding date.
Coverage is quoted bespoke rather than sold as fixed packages, so a figure is given on enquiry.

Services Offered

Wedding Photography
Elopement Photography
Engagement And Pre-Wedding Sessions
Family And Lifestyle Photography
Maternity Photography
Portrait Photography
Boudoir Photography
Personal And Business Branding Photography
Event Photography

Starting Price

No details available.

Turnaround Time

Images are delivered approximately 12-16 weeks after the wedding, or earlier.
Sneak peeks appear within the next few days following the wedding, and a highlight gallery is sent before the full delivery.