Why families continue to choose and recommend Southern Exposure Photography for over three decades.
Home » About
Learn More About Who We Are & How We Got Here
✓ Family-owned and run since 1995
✓ Experience passed down for generations
✓ Entertaining and light-hearted
✓ Constantly evolving and ever improving
✓ Loved from London to Sydney
Family-owned. Experienced. Trusted for over 30 years (Est. 1995)
Family-owned. Experienced. Trusted for over 30 years (Est. 1995)
30+ years family photography experience
Trusted by generations of Sydney families
Over 5,000 families photographed
A lasting investment in your family’s history
Over 1 million images since 1995
Capturing a lifetime of memories and milestones
Southern Exposure Photography is a family-owned and run business located in the Sutherland Shire, in Sydney’s south.
With over 30 years of experience, Founder & Lead Photographer Daniel Mann is known for his calm, humorous and fun approach to a well-guided family photoshoot, helping everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera, ensuring awesome images every time.
Behind the scenes, Dan’s son Josh selects and edits the best images from your shoot, ensuring display-quality artwork for your family to enjoy for generations to come - priceless!
We bring decades of experience to every family shoot, giving you complete peace of mind and confidence that your family memories are in trusted hands.
About Us
Our Satisfaction Guarantee
We 100% guarantee you will receive the best quality and service. If you are not satisfied with your final images, we will gladly re-shoot all images completely free of charge. If you are still not happy, we’ll cheerfully refund your investment in full.
Only Buy What You Love
Choose only the images you love - no lock in packages.
Love Them or We Re-Shoot Free
Not happy with your images? We’ll re-shoot at no extra cost.
Finished Artwork Ready to Display
Artwork you’re proud to display in your home and share with family and friends.
Don’t just take our word for it, here’s what our clients have to say!
“My first photoshoot with Southern Exposure was over 20 years ago, when Dan photographed me and my son who was then a toddler. I was thrilled with the photos and have treasured them ever since. Now, years later, I’m just as happy with the beautiful shots Dan took of my three children, which they gifted to me for Christmas. Sincerely, the best present ever. I can highly recommend Southern Exposure Photography for a responsive, friendly and high-quality service. The photos are beautiful.”
-Gill V.
Meet Our Family
Daniel Mann
Founder & Lead Photographer
Dan is the founder and lead photographer at Southern Exposure Photography, establishing the business over 30 years ago.
Dan’s friendly, patient approach helps people feel relaxed and laugh easily - capturing genuine emotional moments.
After decades in the industry, Dan’s passion still runs as strong as ever.
Joshua Mann
Operations & Creative Director
Josh takes care of all online creations, editing and bookings. Behind the scenes, he ensures that essential business operations run smoothly, providing a stress-free client experience.
Josh’s dedication to mastering digital technology and cutting-edge editing techniques, ensures every image aligns with Dan’s artistic vision.
Our Story
Southern Exposure Photography was founded in 1995 by Daniel Mann, beginning as a film photography portrait studio in Cronulla Mall. Daniel’s passion for photography began when his older brother gifted him a camera for his birthday. What started as curiosity quickly became a calling. His enthusiasm for taking photos led him to freelance as a newspaper photographer in London, landing his first job at just 16 years old. From those early days shooting news and fashion, his love for photography grew into a long and celebrated career.
Fate played its part when Daniel met his future wife in London while she was on holiday. That meeting led him to move to Cronulla, where he began a new chapter of life and co-founded Southern Exposure Photography in the Cronulla mall.
In its early years, the business was built around traditional film photography, with a dedicated darkroom, viewing room, and a strong focus on craftsmanship, patience, and getting things right in-camera. Those foundations still shape the way we work today.
Over the course of his career, Dan has photographed everything from food to newborns, sports stars and celebrities to weddings, but over time, family photography became the heart of the business. That shift was deeply personal. After becoming a father to twins, Dan’s perspective changed, and so did his priorities. Capturing meaningful moments for families became more than just work. It became a way to help families preserve memories they could return to for a lifetime.
With more than 30 years in the industry and over a million photographs taken. He is the preferred choice of other photographers when they need their own portraits taken, earning him the reputation as the “photographer’s photographer”. Daniel’s photographic work can be found on practically every continent, and his family portraiture is cherished by thousands of people around the world. These images remain a lasting reminder of joyful moments captured in time. At his core, his heart remains in documenting the everyday emotions of Australian families.
Southern Exposure Photography now operates across the Sutherland Shire and Sydney, photographing families outdoors, in their homes, and at meaningful local locations. What hasn’t changed over the past three decades is the philosophy behind the work. Sessions are fun, genuine, and centred around families, who return year after year.
Today, Daniel proudly works in close association with his son Joshua, who joined the business at the age of 21. Josh’s dedication to mastering modern digital technology and advanced editing techniques ensures every image aligns seamlessly with Dan’s artistic vision. Southern Exposure Photography remains a deeply personal, family-run business. Now multi-generational, it looks ahead to a future of continuing the legacy and serving Australian families for generations to come.
What Drives Us
Our approach is simple: create a relaxed experience, photograph real moments, and deliver images your family loves. Everything we do is guided by a few core values that shape how we work with every family.
EXPERIENCE
We believe great photos come from feeling comfortable. Our sessions are designed to feel easy - no pressure, no awkward posing, just space for real moments to happen.
HONESTY
We keep things clear and straightforward. From how our sessions work to how our pricing is structured, we’re upfront, transparent, and focused on what’s best for your family.
CARE
We don’t rush, and we don’t treat sessions like transactions. We take the time to understand your family and make sure you feel confident, supported, and happy with the final images.
Our Photography Style
We specialise in natural, relaxed family photography that reflects real relationships - not overly forced smiles or poses.
Sessions are guided but flexible, allowing space for:
Genuine interaction
Artistic direction
Real emotion
Whether photographed outdoors, in your home, or at a meaningful local location, our goal is always the same; images that feel true to your family.
Why Families Trust Us
✓
Over 30 years of professional photography experience
✓
Over 5,000 families photographed
✓
Over 1 million professional photos taken
✓
Family-owned, local Sutherland Shire business
✓
4.8-star Google rating from local families
Our Simple No-Pressure Approach
1
Secure your session for only $50
2
Enjoy a relaxed family photoshoot (1-hour max)
3
View fully edited images in-home or online
4
Choose one high-resolution digital image included
5
Purchase only the images you love.
Proudly servicing the Sutherland Shire & Sydney since 1995
We’re based in the Sutherland Shire and regularly photograph families across:
Kurnell, Cronulla, Woolooware, Caringbah, Miranda, Sylvania, Gymea, Kirrawee, Sutherland, Kareela, Como, Loftus, Engadine, Sans Souci, Ramsgate, Helensburgh, Stanwell Park, Stanwell Tops and other surrounding Sydney suburbs.
We’re happy to suggest one of our regular photography locations - including Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Darook Park South, and Stanwell Park Beach Reserve - or photograph your family at home or somewhere with personal meaning.
Ready to Book Your Shoot?
Buy today, book within the next six months, available 7-days a week for shoots and viewings.