I’ve been a professional photographer since 2020, but honestly, I’ve barely put my camera down since I was sixteen. My mum bought me my first DSLR in high school, and from that moment on it came with me everywhere. It never really left my hands - and it still hasn’t.
I specialise in the real, the candid, and the beautifully chaotic. Whether it’s a Viking wedding, a live concert, a circus show, or a family session where the kids are climbing trees and being delightfully silly, I’m all in. My style is documentary, authentic, and focused on capturing people exactly as they are.
Clients often tell me they feel incredibly comfortable around me and that’s my biggest goal. I mirror the energy in front of me: calm and steady for nervous folks, a little wild for the chaotic ones, and endlessly patient for little ones or special-needs kids who need time, space, or flexibility. Some of my favourite moments are when someone is struggling but we still create a photo that feels so them.
Originally from Ballina on the NSW coast, I’ve lived everywhere from Orange to a sheep and grain station out near Trangie, where I spent three years learning to Jillaroo. I love rural communities — the different landscapes, the light, the character, and the people who make each place unique. And yes, I’ll happily travel anywhere for a good story and a great photo.
When I’m not behind the camera, I’m hanging out with my two cats, Nova and Pancake or finding excuses to explore somewhere new. I also hold a Diploma of Photography and Digital Imaging.
If you’re after photos that feel natural, unscripted, and unapologetically you — I’d love to work with you.
Sam was fantastic! She was so easy to work with and was spectacular at turning our vision into a reality! I especially loved receiving our photos back and seeing all of the little moments captured that I missed on the day. Sam’s attention to detail, big and small, is definitely worth every cent.
We had an absolute ball doing our family Canola shoot! Sam captured every moment including the spontaneous playing and laughter of the kids just being themselves. We will cherish those memories forever.
Sam is so incredibly talented with high quality work! Her caring nature and passion for photography makes shoots so easy and comfortable for the whole family. Thank you for capturing our special moments Sam!
Sam is just absolutely talented! And so professional.. I am overwhelmed with how amazing my photos turned out.. Thankyou for for patience and getting them back to me so promptly.. I highly recommend Sam to anyone and look forward to the next time
Our first experience of a professional photo shoot and it was so incredibly comfortable and fun. Sam joined us the the Hunter Valley for a couples shoot and engagement party photography. The quality and speed of the delivered photos was out of this world. We cannot thank you enough! Many of our guests had new profile pics the next day, including myself and my fiance.
Zach has been working with me since 2021 (but has been dragged along on photography adventures for forever), and whether he’s second shooting or assisting, he’s the calm, steady presence every wedding day needs. He loves being part of the fast-paced, emotional, beautifully chaotic environment that comes with weddings and live events, and he’s always looking for new ways to learn, grow, and contribute.
Zach’s specialty is perspectives most people wouldn’t even think of. If there’s a grandstand, a hill, a balcony, or a sneaky side path, you can bet he’ll find it. One wedding in Lismore, I realised he’d gone suspiciously MIA mid-ceremony… only to discover he’d climbed the sports-field grandstand next door to capture the entire ceremony from an epic wide angle. That’s just who he is: always hunting for the shot no one else sees.
He typically covers candids, groom prep, wide shots, and anything that benefits from a fresh or unexpected viewpoint. He’s calm, collected, and incredibly helpful. During family shoots, he will often be put on babysitting duty while I focus on couple photos with Mum and Dad.
He's the kind of person who quietly solves five problems before anyone even notices something needed doing.
Outside of weddings, Zach is a coffee lover, a gamer, and works full-time supporting homeless youth. He holds a Cert IV in Community Services, which probably explains why he’s so compassionate, patient, and grounded on a wedding day.
Based here in Orange, he often gets dragged along on my adventures and I’m always grateful to have him by my side.
We are and always will be a safe space for all types of peoples - LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and everybody else can feel safe here.
Sam Russell Photography acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
© Copyright 2016-2026 Sam Russell Photography
