READING TIME: 2 min 52 sec
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/15/2025
UPDATED: 06/15/2025
It’s one thing to take a beautiful photo. It’s another to see. For the Melbourne-based photographer behind Briars Atlas, this distinction is everything. “The way I see it, I don't get paid to take photos, I get paid to pay attention.”
That ethos has shaped a creative career that spans over a decade, merging meticulous observation with raw emotion, and film with digital. With twelve years behind the lens, Briars Atlas—whose work drifts between weddings and commercial projects under the brand Manual Labour—isn’t just a photographer. He’s a student of the liminal, a curious mind with a taste for soil health and Super 8 film, and the proud parent of a lizard named Currant.
Before photography, there was advertising. Music videos. Design. Animation. “I like to think dancing in that space gave me some useful grounding for this little crack at photography,” he reflects. That multidisciplinary past hasn’t faded. Instead, it infuses every wedding shoot with a level of creative rigor more commonly found in fashion editorials or film sets.
Today, this passion finds its way into every frame through careful craft: “I’m obsessed with trying to get great at all the categories: portraiture, photojournalism, and the liminal. Why not?”
Where some chase trends, Briars Atlas stays rooted in a different kind of clarity—one shaped by art history, intention, and a distinct editorial sensitivity. His clients—often architects, designers, and fellow artists—seek out not just his imagery but his worldview.
He describes his style as “anchored in meticulous observation.” Whether using Canon digital gear or a carousel of film cameras (Hasselblad, Mamiya, Olympus 35mm, and even 6x12 Holga panoramics), his goal remains constant: to reveal the “seemingly benign moments that are actually just as interesting as the louder ones if photographed carefully.”
It’s not just the moment that matters—it’s the medium. From shooting Super 8 to scanning his own film and applying darkroom-inspired techniques, Briars Atlas ensures each gallery tells a story with texture and variety.
“I want a client's gallery to feel like a treasure trove of images that came from different eyes. It should feel interesting and discoverable over time.”
Briars Atlas doesn’t just shoot for his clients—he works with them. “Send me that Pinterest board. WhatsApp dump me those images you found and fell in love with in that article.” For him, creative collaboration isn’t about copying—it’s about connection. “The word ‘no’ isn’t in my vocabulary,” he says. “Optimism, advocacy, and a ‘why not?’ attitude make for great relationships and outcomes.”
This open-armed philosophy has made him a favorite among couples looking for a photographer who both listens and leads.
With only 15 weddings per year, Briars Atlas pours intention into every commission. Half of these take him far beyond Melbourne—from the rhythmic pulse of New York City to the architectural minimalism of Mallorca’s Neuendorf House. “The most incredible slice of restrained Architecture I’ve ever seen,” he notes with reverence.
Whether in an urban jungle or an isolated modernist marvel, he makes each setting a part of the emotional landscape of the day.
When asked what advice he’d give his younger self, the answer is as sharp as it is thoughtful: “Get a (good) accountant.” But he adds a deeper truth: “You can't change your output if you don't change your input.”
Rather than looking to the wedding industry for inspiration, he suggests diving into culture, design, and art: “This will build a far stronger vocabulary in creative production… and even start trends and launch new categories.”
To couples preparing for their big day, his advice is equally grounded: “Focus on your partner and your community (at all costs)... This is a living, breathing organism, not a checklist.”
In the end, photography—at least for Briars Atlas—isn’t about following algorithms or producing picture-perfect frames. “Making luxury work isn't about photographing a fancy bag or shoes to desperately cosplay being rich and hopefully fit in,” he says. “It's about caring about this craft, and making better photography, and that’s what someone looking for a luxury photographer deserves.”
And that’s what you’ll find with Briars Atlas: craft, care, and a little bit of rebellion.
