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Admired In AfricaJuly 16th, 2010I was very excited to be selected and invited to be part of Admired In Africa. “Admired in Africa is the only website that is exclusively dedicated to bringing together the top wedding photographers in Africa.” Please pop over to their website to see some amazingly creative African talent.
Out and about in New York CityJuly 9th, 2010New York is one of my favourite cities and this was my fourth visit. I never ever take going there, or being there for granted. Ever. The energy, the chaos, the mix of diverse cultures, the fashion…i just love it all. I always leave there inspired. The first four days I spent visiting friends just outside NYC in a town called Irvington, and the last three days two of my friends from London joined me for a girls weekend. I had some time alone to go and explore, so I grabbed my camera bag, hopped on the metro and got off at a random stop. I spent hours just wandering the streets and getting totally lost, with the biggest smile on my face. It was bliss, and here are a few shots from my trip.
Mishelle’s portrait session in a forest in Kent, EnglandJuly 5th, 2010When I was over in the UK recently, I got to spend some really good quality time with friends. Just being in the moment, enjoying a drink with a friend, or having a heart-to-heart is really quite special. We can learn so much about ourselves from the relationships we build with others, whether with friends or our partners. I first met Mishelle when I was about 8 I think, and it was only when she moved to the UK in the 90’s when I was living there, that we re-connected and started building a friendship. She is one of those friends I feel completely myself with. I can put my feet up on her couch, talk about absolutely anything and when we laugh, we do it til our stomachs ache. You just can’t put a price on that! I have seen Mish grow and blossom - from working in an office in London, to marrying her boss (Yes!), putting herself through Uni to become a top Counselor and Psychotherapist, to finally becoming a mom to William who is now two. Mish lives in a gorgeous house in a forest in Kent – she literally walks out of her gate and she’s in a forest! I told her to put on bit of lipstick and bring along some of her favourite sexy shoes and we headed out for a little photoshoot with Poppy her dog, while William took a nap. Every mother needs to take a bit of time for herself to re-connect and feel sexy again. Mish, you look HOT! HOT! HOT! Lauren & Bryan’s Maternity shootJune 29th, 2010Lauren, Bryan, Jessie and Jack met up with me in Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap also known as the Malay Quarter, on a sunny Sunday morning. I thought it would be stunning for a shoot as the colourful houses and cobbled roads are so full of character and charm. We had a super relaxed morning ambling through the streets. This warm and lovely little family are so down-to-earth, they have made me want a little family of my own (even more). Jessie and Jack are two of the easiest & happiest children i’ve met in a long time – when I was photographing Lauren and Bryan, they entertained themselves or sat on the side to watch. Lauren, at the time of the shoot in mid- April, was about 5 months pregnant…so she is due any day now! The last photo was taken recently – I popped by their house to do a few more as Lauren’s bump was much bigger.
Louise & Clive, Rickety Bridge – FranschhoekJune 16th, 2010I have to share this story of synchronicity and how I came about photographing Louise and Clive’s wedding at Rickety Bridge in Franschhoek. My friend Sean Calitz photographer referred me to his close friend Louise who lives in Australia and was planning a wedding in South Africa. So Louise and Clive booked me for their big day. A little while later, while Louise was out and about in Sydney with her friend Alicia, Alicia said she new of a photographer (me!) in Cape Town . They were both then completely shocked that Louise had already booked me. It so happened, that last year when I was in Egypt on a girlie holiday, I met and became friends with Alicia (who lives in Australia)…and had no idea that Alicia and Louise were friends. Small world! Ok, back to the wedding day….a beautiful sunny day, a small wedding party, a lovely intimate ceremony, and a fantastic wedding brunch under a marquee! The day couldn’t have been any better. What is great about Rickety Bridge when it comes to photo’s, is that even if the wedding takes place in the middle of the day with full sunlight, there are loads of areas in the shade for shooting in. Louise and Clive – wow, it was so cool to meet you both and thanks for being so patient with me uploading my blog! See you in Australia next year (well that is the plan so far!)x
Melissa & Jonty – The Mount Nelson HotelMay 2nd, 2010Melissa and Jonty got married at the most famous hotel in Cape Town, The Mount Nelson. The weather in May is usually unpredictable in Cape Town, but on this particular day it was beautiful and sunny. The ceremony was held outside under a Chuppah (canopy). I had previously photographed Mel & Jonty’s E-session in Houtbay, so I knew how easy and relaxed they would be to photograph on their wedding day. I love doing Jewish weddings – they are so full of energy and everyone always seems to be on the dance floor when the music starts. There was such a build up to their wedding. They set up a website for family and guests with a little story of how they met, and the plans for the wedding. I think that was such a special touch, as it gave insight into their lives, which then meant that when i spent the day at the wedding, the experience was a more personal one. More and more couples are doing this and I really encourage it. The Knot offers a website for couples to easily set up info about their wedding day. Mel & Jonty, thank you! I had such fun with you both. x
Nelle & DeWet, MolenVliet Estate in StellenboschDecember 19th, 2009My photography has been influenced alot from reading Eckhart Tolle’s ‘The Power Of Now’. It’s about being in the ‘moment’ and experiencing that moment for what it is. Being ‘present’. Like when you’re sitting having a coffee with a friend, you are totally there, not daydreaming of that email you have to send, or the birthday present you have to buy. I sometimes battle with this, my thoughts buzzing around my head, but am always conscious of ‘the now‘. Some of the best images i’ve made were when I was being present, feeling the mood around me, scouting out the light, seeing where shadows are falling, ready for moments the bride and groom share a laugh or an intimate smile. I love playing with movement during some of my shoots – it creates a different element to a photograph, and a lovely energy. Nelle and DeWet got married at Pniel Church in Stellenbosch and had their reception at the lavish MolenVliet Wine Estate. After the ceremony we headed off to do the bridal photo’s. Our 1st location was at an old, unused petrol station. It was hectically windy and at one point during the shoot, Nelle’s veil blew off into the street and was driven over by a taxi! The veil survived and thankfully was still clean and undamaged. Some days wind can be a real pain when shooting, but on this particular day, it worked in our favour. For the 2nd part of the shoot, Ockie (one of the owners of MolenVliet) kindly drove us in a 4×4 along a bumpy road to the top of the venue. Paradise – views of the vineyards and mountains with the sun just setting. This is one of the most stunning venues I’ve worked at! The design of MolenVliet is pure genius – the reception area has two sections built off it – the 1st is an outside area where guests can have a smoke and drink without feeling separated from the wedding party, and the 2nd section has a large ‘lounge’ type area with leather sofas and a black and white checkered floor. Ockie and Aneen from MolenVliet did an incredible job making sure the day ran smoothly. Nelle & DeWet, thanks for braving the wind! you were both so cool to photograph. Another AMAZING day at ‘work’! make-up: Gabi Hough (see links page); Music: DJ Preston from On Cue Music; Videographers: Silverline Productions; Flowers: Flowers In The Foyer; Cake: Kanya Hunt Blog uploaded the 3rd January 2010
Jonathan & Anne – Part twoDecember 29th, 2009I decided to do two blog entries for Jonathan and Anne’s wedding as they will be travelling in Asia for 6 months and won’t get to see their album until their return!
Anne and Jonathan’s ‘trash the dress’…’rock the frock’…post-wedding shoot!December 31st, 2009Yes, here are Anne and Jonathan again! I was fortunate enough to have another incredible day of fun with them on New Years eve and what a cool finish to 2009! As you can see i’m a little behind with blogging – I don’t quite know where January went to….anyway! This shoot reminded me of one of my favourite photographers Martin Parr who did a series ‘Think of Britain’. Colourful, and very British, his photo’s are documentary, satirical and humorous. For me and many others, he is a great symbol of British life and culture. I met up with Anne and Jonathan for their post wedding shoot – or as it’s been termed in the industty ‘Trash the Dress’ or ‘Rock the Frock’ (where the bride and groom get to wear their gear one last time with no worries of getting it dirty or damaged.) The shoots are not necessarily about ‘trashing’ a dress, it’s more about having fun and being photographed doing something you’d not usually do in bridal gear. We headed to one of Jonathan’s favourite haunts, a little fish and chips shop in Hout Bay which he used to visit throughout his childhood. This is probably one of the most fun shoots i’ve done. Sometimes the best moments in life don’t cost much – sharing a bag of hot chips with the seagulls brought so many shrieks and laughter to the day. I highly recommend this if you’ve had a stressful week at work or just need to switch off and re-charge. I lay on the ground for most of the shoot, shooting up. I don’t think i’ve been so close to seagulls or looked so closely at them – they are amazing birds. They zoom down, then cleverly hover, almost teasing, to snatch a chip. It was a combination of exciting yet at the same time scary with so many of them flying overhead. After that we headed to a shipping yard where a guard let us in for ‘just 20 min’ …we ended up there a couple of hours! We had the whole jetty with all the boats to ourselves as the fisherman had already gone home – it was seriously like our own playground. Anne and Jonathan climbed on boats, then did their first dance on the jetty….and before we knew it, it was close to 9pm and they were late for their concert at Kirstenbosch. I always lose track of time when i’m shooting which is a good sign I LOVE MY JOB!!!! On my way back from the shoot i was running through new years resolutions in my head. I only ever pick one or two or it’s too hard for me to stick to them. In 2009 I stopped using plastic carrier bags (except of course for the large black bin bags as there’s no alternative to that yet) and started being nicer to myself. For 2010 I kept my 2009 resolutions and added two new ones. The first one, to try new things off a menu – like going to a Thai restaurant and picking something random which I can barely pronounce. It shakes life up a little, and gets me out of my comfort zone. My second resolution – to spend more time with people that matter – my family and friends. Anne and Jonathan are still on their 6 month honeymoon and travels around Asia. I have just checked facebook and they are currently in Jodpur! Amazing!!! To the coolest couple, here are a few photo’s from the day to remind you of life outside of India. xxx
Rebecca & Jacques, Rhebokskloof, PaarlMarch 21st, 2010It is quite rare to meet someone with so many incredible qualities rolled into one. When I met bubbly Rebecca I felt as if I was meeting up with an old friend. Not only radiant on the outside, but equally so on the inside. She is one of the very few people i’ve met in my life that can make whoever is in her presence, feel important and special. The way one person treats another and the positive energy which they carry around speaks volumes. As a photographer, it just makes the day that much more awesome. Rebecca & Jacques met at a Rocking The Daisies concert and have been together ever since. The day started off a little cloudy and by the afternoon the sun was out, warming up the large area where the wedding would take place. Both the ceremony and reception were held at the beautiful Rhebokskloof in Paarl. This is the first time i’ve shot a wedding there and it’s a spectacular venue. The ceremony took place next to the lake, and the reception was a black and purple baroque themed picnic. Little ottomans were dotted across the lawn as well as picnic blankets, and each group was giving a picnic basket, drinks and champagne. Goodluck, with a genre of ‘live-electronic-house’ music opened the dance ‘floor’, and everyone danced on the grass. These guys were out of the world – I have never felt prouder to be South African – they rocked the place! I highly highly recommend booking them for your wedding – but you have to get in early! They have gigs all over the place and have several international gigs lined up too.
Carey & Gareth, Nooitgedacht, StellenboschMarch 20th, 2010Nooitgedacht Estate is a beautiful venue, and it’s the first time i’ve had the privilege of shooting a wedding there. Royal Blu co-ordinators meticulously did the elegant decor – crystal lampshades, beautiful flowers, intimate lighting and the funkiest green and white striped dance floor. Carey and Gareth live in the UK, and I met them several months ago in CT to chat about their wedding day. They were so easy to photograph – happy to go along with anything that presented itself. The weather was awesome, and the sunlight over the orchard was incredible.
Laura & Pete at The Roundhouse, Camps BayMarch 27th, 2010I met Laura several years ago when she was working for SA Wedding Venues and we’ve become friends and stayed in touch. When she asked me to photograph her and Pete’s wedding I was so chuffed! She is such a lovely person – always smiling and laughing. I started with some shots of her getting ready in Camps Bay and was greeted by a whole room of excited women – mostly Aussies! Laura is from Australia, and when i first walked into the room i did a double take -I’d forgotten that she has a twin sister, and they are identical!!! I’m not generalizing here, but Aussies are soooooo friendly and always up for a laugh! Their ceremony took place on the lawn outside The Roundhouse with views of the 12 Apostles mountains, Clifton and Camps Bay. All couples are different when photographed – some are shy and reserved while others are crazy and up for anything. Laura and Pete are the kind of couple that are so connected and just so completely into each other, and just laughed the whole way through the shoot. This made the entire experience relaxed and loads of fun. The reception was held under a marquee attached to The Roundhouse, and was beautifully lit by fairy lights, candles and kerosene lamps. Awesome wedding and fantastic energy! Mix up Aussies and South African’s and you have one heck of a party! Thanks Laura and Pete for an incredible wedding and being just so wonderful. I am sad you are both moving back to Oz.xxx Make-up: Wydaad from Bobby Brown Flowers: supplied by Flowers In The Foyer, but created and put together by Emma from Floriade – a Sydney-based florist.
Bret & Nicole, Haute Cabriere, FranschhoekMarch 24th, 2010Bret is a pilot and Nicole an air steward and they met in the air! They live in the USA and flew to South Africa with Bret’s best friend and Nicole’s sister Lydia. It’s not often I get to shoot a wedding with such a small bridal party of 4! We did some creative photo’s in Franschhoek at their guest house, then headed off to Haute Cabriere for the ceremony in the cellar. Following this we headed into Franschhoek centre to ‘play’ some more and had a blast in the streets. This was the longest time I’ve ever had with a couple doing the bridal photo’s – 4 hours in total (with 20min for the ceremony).
Picnic wedding featured on “Cap Classique”July 2nd, 2010Recently, I photographed Jacques & Jacques; Rebecca’s charming, picnic wedding at Rhebokskloof – and it was featured on Cap Classique, a recently new blog. Cap Classique is a fresh and inspiring blog, jam-packed with everything for a bride planning a wedding in the Western Cape. Creator, Gaby Frescura, a South African living in London had this to say about her blog: “So many of my friends (especially those living outside South Africa) have struggled with their planning online. I will be featuring lots of inspiration boards, real weddings, focus on venues and highlight trends and suppliers, with 4-5 posts a week. So head over to http://capclassique.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/real-wedding-rebecca-jacques/ Thank you for showing some of my work Gaby. I’m looking forward to doing more work with you in the future!
Published in ‘The Sun’ newspaper, LondonMay 17th, 2010Monday morning, on my way to Heathrow to board a plane to New York, one of my wedding photo’s was published in The Sun newspaper! Several years ago, I photographed Matthew and Sonia Booths wedding. Now, as the momentum for the 2010 football World Cup builds up, all eyes are on defender Matthew Booth – known as the “Beckham” of South Africa. Journalist: Dan McDougall To read clear article: sun201gm17
CJ & Rob – Bushmans Kloof, Cederberg MountainsApril 16th, 2010Bushmans Kloof is undoubtedly my favourite wedding venue so far! It has the most breathtaking scenery and it’s hard not to walk around with your mouth wide open at the pure wonder of it all. CJ & Rob had their ceremony outside with a backdrop of rugged rock formations. Singer and songwriter, Vicky Sampsons magical voice echoed throughout the venue as CJ and Rob arrived to do their vows. It was quite a moment. I think everyone there will remember that forever. After the ceremony we headed off in a range rover to do the creative shoot. It was hot and the sky was an incredible blue, and everywhere we stopped was just perfect for photo’s. I shot until the sun set and we’d run out of light, then headed off to have an awesome dinner and finished the night off dancing to the rhythms of funky DJ Rene and his band. The co-ordinators and staff at Bushmans Kloof are also the friendliest and most efficient I’ve worked with. If you are planning a South African wedding with a difference, this is the place to have it! CJ & Rob – thanks guys, I had a great time with you both!
Girls will be girlsApril 14th, 2010The days I get to go to photographers meetings aka, ‘girlie catch-ups’, are just the best. Tuesday early morning, fellow photographers and friends Christine Meintjes, Jules Morgan, Lizelle Lotter, Nikki Meyer, Lauren Kriedeman, Natassja Harvey and awesome editor Adri Rupping met up for breakfast at Klein Joostenberg .There was an instant buzz around the table – as you know when girls get together we all talk at once! We are becoming more close knit with every meeting – sharing photography knowledge, talking about life, love, food….and nailpolish all in under 2 hours. And miracle of miracles, no ego’s are involved – just openness, laughter, encouragement and love. I value these times so much and we all just get along so well. We chatted while painting each others nails (multi-tasking at it’s best) and after all the positive chatter , we all felt super motivated to get a crack on with our editing. A camera got passed around so the shots below are taken randomly by everyone (including our waitress). Thanks girls for always being up for the impromptu catch-ups and all just being so crazy and so damn wonderful. See you all in a couple of weeks….
Christine Meintjes and Jules Morgan with their lomo cameras.
Lauren Kriedeman and Christine Meintjes
Jules Morgan and Christine Meintjes
and Christine Meintjes and Natassja bottom right. . |
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Nikki Meyer and myself
Me and Lizelle Lotter top left; Jules Morgan Lauren Kriedeman, Nikki Meyer, Adri Rupping in the middle,