With over a decade in the industry, Carmen Hickey’s unwavering passion for wedding photography continues to shine through her work. Far from your average wedding photographer, Carmen not only captures special moments from behind the lens, but also lends a hand whenever she can.
“I’m really hands on, they always call me the fifth bridesmaid. I get in there and offer help when it’s needed. I’m not just a photographer, I like being involved. A lot of people tell me I’m a calming influence.”
A member of the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) since 2009, Carmen’s hard work and talent have been rewarded with the Australian Small Business Champion for Photography award in 2016 and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Murray Riverina Region in 2015.
Carmen’s passion for capturing the perfect image is evident throughout her work and style. Without relying heavily on photoshop, Carmen lets her camera – and the chemistry of her subjects – shine through.
“I’m moving more into fine art work. I don’t shoot the obvious, I look at things differently. I want to produce that artwork for my clients. I don’t let a computer do the work for me. I tell the bride, ‘I will give you your best angle and I will make you look amazing,’ and that’s all done through camera.”
Constantly honing her craft, Carmen regularly attends WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) in Las Vegas, and describes being mentored by Ryan Schembri as “life changing.”
Other than her passion for weddings, Carmen also lends her spare time to volunteering with Heartfelt, a charity service that preserves memories of stillborn babies for families through photographs.
With over 300 weddings in her portfolio, it’s hard for Carmen to choose only one memorable moment, but a career highlight was when she had the opportunity to shoot a wedding against the stunning backdrop of the Valley of Fire in Nevada, USA.
As for the perfect time of year to capture your special moment, Carmen suggests her favourite time.
“That magic hour, late afternoon. For time of year, I love autumn. The air seems to be crisper because winter is coming and the colours are beautiful.”
While her calming nature has helped to ease the minds of many couples, Carmen’s advice for camera-shy brides and grooms is to just relax.
“I try to remove myself from what’s happening. When they look back on their photos, I don’t want them to have my voice in their heads. I want them to remember the moment that they were together and he looked in her eyes.”
“You can trust that I’m going to produce magic for you.”
Carmen Hickey is dedicated to creating masterpieces through her photographs. Servicing Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Australia-wide, Carmen is excited to meet and photograph lovely brides and grooms for Spring 2018.
Find out more at https://www.carmenhickey.com/
