Let's Meet - Kate Roberge

Friends, meet Kate Roberge, a local (but travelling) Queenstown Photographer, deep lover of the feline kind and proud-standing LGBTQIA+ Allie. We spoke to Kate about the evolution of her photography work, causes she is passionate about, who inspires her and what she adores both within and outside the realm of weddings.

Tell us about your life, and how photography came to be your job?

For as long as I can remember, I would steal my parent’s camera and take photos of everything from my pets, toys, our house and everything in between then when it was time to start high school, my parents put me into an art school and I really got to practise with lighting, actual willing subjects and even build my own camera and develop the film. After that my passions took me to Vancouver where I fell in love with fashion and natural light, cementing in the idea that photography was really the only career path for me going forward. 

After Hamish and I moved to New Zealand, I very quickly realised that fashion was not a big market in Queenstown and I would have to transition my love for creating into something else. I explored a few different options until I landed on weddings, elopements and editorial and once I did it was a perfect fit for me. 

There is nothing that fills my heart with joy more than showing up to a wedding day and knowing that they’ve been supported through their wedding planning journey and can’t wait for me to be there as a friend for their wedding day. 


What are the moments you most look forward to capturing at a wedding?

I cherish the small details that have been searched for and picked with intention, so detail shots are definitely some of my favourites but gosh, I always get butterflies when my couples get to see one another for the first time. It’s such a magical moment and it’s one I’m so lucky to witness. My other favourite moment is when my couples get to be alone for the first time and get to talk and share with one another all the funny things that have happened so far in their day. It almost feels like an invisible breath is let out and they are both so much more relaxed. Those are the photos that I feel show couples’ comfortable and inanimate love the most. 


Talk to us about your favourite photographers, and where you draw inspiration from?

There are three, and for various reasons. 

First, Simon and Sophia of Bayly and Moore were our wedding photographers and the way they interact with the people in front of their lens and create art as a collaborative process is something I’ve really brought into the way I work and am consistently inspired by. The way their minds work will forever be a goal and a fascination and I can’t wait to work towards getting to that level of observation and artistry in my own work. 

Second, I will forever and always have a very platonic professional crush on Ben Wheeler. He is an amazingly talented creator in the UK and his images are effortless, editorial and just have a certain feeling to each and every one of them that you can feel in your chest. 

And third, Oli Sansom of Briars Atlas. He has a pet lizard, two pet pigs and is a damn maestro of light, composition and hot takes on seemingly mundane (and not so mundane) topics. 


What else do you like to capture aside from weddings?

I still love the opportunity to stick back to my roots of editorial and fashion work, so whenever I get to be involved in a fashion or product based project my heart sings. Being able to capture something that someone has put their full soul into is such a privilege and one I would love to continue capturing in between the weddings I’m invited to attend. 


What's the best photography advice you've been given to date?

Take your time, breathe and look at the light


To buy, or not to buy the album? Or, what should one buy as extras in your packages?

Always buy the album. Hamish and I received our album recently and my love for them has just deepened since. It’s amazing how many stories come up and conversations you can have about the day, the people and the things you chose to do all while looking through your wedding album. I’d never quite understood how impactful they can be until Hamish and I looked through ours with friends and it kicked off a full 3-hour conversation that took us all the way through the book. It was so special and the same kind of quality time has happened every time we look through it with friends or whānau, I can’t even begin to imagine how much more special it will get as the years go on. 



What would the first encounter with you shape up to look like for a couple-to-be?

When I meet couples it’s usually over Zoom or at a bar to talk all their wedding details over wine! I love being there to not just talk about photography but get to know them as people and also learn about what parts of their wedding day they still might be uncertain about or need help thinking about in a different way! 


Where is your favourite spot in the South?

I am IN LOVE with Tunnel Beach in Dunedin, it’s beautiful, never busy and the sound of the ocean is so overpowering, meaning you can’t really think too far from the present. I would die to do an elopement there and think it would make for the most beautiful photos! 


You’re based in Queenstown, what’s your favourite thing about the place?

Hands down the community and the other vendors I get to work with. Everyone is at the top of their game but is also extremely humble and passionate about what they do. These past two years have been difficult for everyone and I think it’s made us all appreciate one another and the couples we get to work with so much, it’s truly a gift to be able to have such amazing people to build a wedding day with! .. Also the mountains are pretty nice too!

What advice can you lend to couples who are nervous about getting in front of the camera on their wedding day?

Find a photographer you connect with and the rest will be history. If you can for a genuine relationship with the photographer who you invite to your wedding day, then it’ll feel like you’re just hanging out with a friend on your day. Also, I think going into your photo session with the excitement to make something cool will do a lot for you too, personally, I always tell the couples I work with that we’re stepping into a collaborative moment where my job is to take their mind off of the camera, show them some cool views and epic composition, their job is to be open, willing and be in love! 


Aside from photography, what is something else you are passionate about/your hobbies?

Outside of my photography work I love cats, listening to a good record and skincare. Combine all of those and you have my perfect evening. Doing my skincare routine then sitting down on the couch cuddling my two kitties (Hudson and Remi), listening to Holly Arrowsmith and The Kooks on vinyl, and reading a good book… absolute perfection! 


What does your dream wedding look like?

Now, you have to understand that I’m originally a coastal city girl, and I get to see mountains every day... so my answer is definitely not what you would expect when you think “Queenstown Photographer”. 

My perfect wedding would be a rooftop ceremony with all baby’s breath, orchid and pops of tulip styling, photos on the beach, cruising in a convertible through the city streets then a reception back on the rooftop. All elegant, all modern and with a bit of a twist! 


What has your own wedding planning taught you?

When we planned our wedding, we gave ourselves 3 weeks from the decision being made that we should do it, to the vows. That experience taught me to be intentional about what you want, to make sure you pick your top three things to focus on and then not sweat the rest and to not cheap out on photography or video, because at the end of the day that and your marriage are all you have to show for the beautiful day you created. 


What do you wish more couples would think about or incorporate into their day?

I wish couples would stop trying to please everyone and do exactly what they see on Pinterest or Instagram and just be themselves and be creative with what they can do for their wedding day. There are so many ways you can make your day uniquely yours and true to you, I think it just takes setting your intentions at the beginning of your wedding planning journey and making sure you’re working with a wedding team that can help you create your vision! 

What is a cause important to you?

The understanding, equality and representation of the LGBTQIA+ community is one of the things that I work really hard to be an Allie for. In Aotearoa, I think there is a lot of equality and good policy to protect the rainbow community but I always believe we can do more. I strive to make sure all of my processes, paperwork, language and actions are inclusive and make everyone, no matter who they love, know that they are welcome.  


What is something that people might be surprised to hear you can do?

Alongside wedding photography, I also do editorial and business photography and equally love it. I think if I hadn’t fallen head over wheels for wedding and elopement photography, I would have fully pursued editorial and branding.  

Our VendorsLucy MagillKate Roberge