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lifestyle photography, family photography Wynand van der Merwe lifestyle photography, family photography Wynand van der Merwe

Jacobus, Elaine and the 4 | Family | Gold Reef City

Oh my hat, the twins are the CUTEST! I had loads of fun with the Geldenhuys family at Gold Reef City!

How gorgeous are these people? Elaine asked me to capture beautiful family portraits for her and she really wanted fun and colourful photos…so we went to Gold Reef City! I met them at Jacobus and Elaine at Desmond and Madelize’s wedding (Jacobus is Madelize’s brother) a few years ago, before the twins were born.

Having four kids and taking them to Gold Reef City is fun and somewhat of a daunting task. We managed quite well! All we had to do was to keep to small ones happy, and then the grownups were happy. Weel, Luche is not a grownup yet, but she had to play along, and she loved going on the smaller rides with her sisters! We ended with some “grownup” fun rides with Luche, the eldest, because we had to keep her “fun-ride” tank full as well. Elaine says Luche is little adrenaline junky, like her. She really wanted to go on the meanest and baddest rides, but I must say, going in the week to Gold Reef City isn’t the best time to go to have fun on the rides. It’s beneficial to go in the week for family photos, because there is way less people, but if you want to go on the big rides you have to wait until there is enough people to go on the ride…not so great when there isn’t a lot of people.

I even went on one ride…but I wasn’t allowed to take my camera so I don’t have evidence of my ride on the Jozi Express!

The highlight for me was at the end, just before we exited the park. I got the twins to pose and hug and my heart melted!!

I have two little ones of of my own and I know how much love you can have for someone…but GEAPERS…I think these twins might just be the CUTEST on the planet…period!

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

(click on the image to enlarge)

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Teaser! Jacobus, Elaine and the 4 | Family | Gold Reef City

Oh my hat, the twins are the CUTEST! I had loads of fun with the Geldenhuys family!

How gorgeous are these people? Elaine asked me to capture family portraits for her and she really wanted fun and colourful photos…so we went to Gold Reef City! I met them at Jacobus and Elaine at Desmond and Madelize’s wedding (Jacobus is Madelize’s brother) a few years ago, before the twins were born.

Having four kids and taking them to Gold Reef City is fun and somewhat of a daunting task, but it was super fun! Smaller one’s loved it and we also did some “grownup” fun rides with Luche, the eldest…I even went on one ride…but I wasn’t allowed to take my camera so I don’t have evidence of my ride on the Jozi Express!

The highlight for me was at the end, just before we exited the park I got the twins to pose and hug…my heart melted!! I have two little ones of of my own and I know how much love you can have for someone…but GEAPERS…I think the twins are the CUTEST on the planet…period!

Enjoy the sneak peak…can’t wait to share more!

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Lize and family | Family session | Franskraal, Western Cape

Lize asked me to capture family portraits again this year, and this time we went to Franskraal’s beach for the photos. Lize, Gerda, Stephanie and Wilmie are sisters and they are part of a beautiful family!

“Family is the backbone of society. “ Unknown

Lize asked me to capture family portraits again this year, and this time we went to Franskraal’s beach for the photos. Lize, Gerda, Stephanie and Wilmie are sisters and they are part of a beautiful family!

We went to the beach at 7am and normally you are greeted the most beautiful sunrise, but we had a cloudy morning with incredible sun breaking through the clouds…and with most of my shoots I am obviously freaking out because I love dramatic clouds, and having my Godox AD200 on a tripod means I can create really cool family portraits against the clouds.

Thank you again Lize for allowing me to capture your family and I really love seeing the kids grow up….see you again this year in December? Hope so!

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

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Melt, Ohna and the twins | Urban session | Melville, Jhb

This was one of the coolest shoots I have done and love the photos! Melt, Ohna and the twins are such a beautiful family!

Wynandvandermerwe melt ohna family photography street mellville urban gauteng-14.jpg

I had the privilege to capture Melt and Ohna’s maternity shoot two years ago, and look at the twins now! Wow, they are soooo freakin cute and they were a breeze to shoot! They were doing their own thing, and I have learnt to follow what the kids do with family shoots, and it works amazingly! It also helped to show them the flash button on my camera, and they could press the button and “shoot” someone (I mean it looks like lightning going off when the flash fires) as incentive! They loved it! We did the maternity shoot in Melville one early morning, and they wanted to recreate some of the images but with the kids, and its amazing how a place can change. Many of the places were not there anymore, but I must say the “updated” Mellville looks amazing. I just loved the protea murial which wasnt there the last time!

Enough said. This was one of the coolest shoots I have done and love the photos! Please leave a comment at the end!

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Werner and Elsa | Gender Reveal | Northcliff, Jhb

Congrats! Hadassah is going to be loved! Maternity shoot for Werner and Elsa was super special!

What do you get when you mix your own best friends Werner and Elsa, with a smoke grenade, Jacaranda tree flowers, the location where they got engaged, and lots and lots of wind? Really awesome memories!

Werner and Elsa is personally very good friends, they have been with us through the good and tough times…so they mean a lot to us! Elsa obviously wanted me to capture some really cool maternity and gender reveal photos of them and the baba that’s on the way, so it’s really special for me to be able to share in this special time of their lives. (I obviously knew they are getting a girl even before their parents knew, becuase I had to bring a pink smoke grenade! hehehe)

Elsa wanted to do a baby reveal shoot in September at around 16 weeks of her pregnancy, but baba didn’t want to reveal the gender, so the shoot was postponed by a month to 25 October 2019, and wow…we had such a special time.

We almost missed the Jacaranda tree flowers season, but we got some really cool spots close to Northcliff Koppie in Randburg. We also did most of the photos at the Watertower or Koppie because the place is special to them…that’s where Werner asked Elsa to marry him, and it’s special also because the views of the city and the sunsets are next level up there! We weren’t so lucky with the sunset, and on top of that we were greeted with crazy winds, so that’s why Elsa had a rather crazy hair-do in the photos…we had to stand with her face down-wind otherwise we wouldn’t have seen her face…hehehe!

We eventually revealed that they are going to have a little girl, Hadassah, and what a beautiful God-given name! Congrats you two! You are going to be such great parents, and she is going to be loved to the Moon and back! You guys are like Godparents to our kids, and if you are half the parents you are as with our kids, then you are going to be briliant!

Enough said, enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

Click on the image to enlarge!


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Joe and Nadine | Lifestyle Shoot | Johannesburg

I just loved capturing moments of Joe and Nadine at their home!

Joe and Nadine | Lifestyle Shoot | Johannesburg

Wynandvandermerwe Joe Nadine couple shoot gauteng100.jpg

A day in the life of the Van der Waterens

I spent the afternoon today with Joe and Nadine at their beautiful home, and I loved capturing moments for them! 

Nadine is a very good friend of ours, and she is also a mentor at our church’s youth ministry (my wife and I are also mentors), and she has a profound prophetic gift. She is so inspiring in the way she shares about her walk with Jesus. 

Nadine told me that Joe, her husband, is not the “photo shoot” type of guy and she had been begging nagging him for 5 years for them to do a shoot, and the day finally arrived. And crazy enough, Joe was actually sick during the shoot, and he did quite well to not “look sick”. In fact, I think he did amazingly well. Joe and Nadine are such a special couple and they are completely sold out to Jesus. They have been together for 14 years, and they know each for 20 years. (Wow, they look quite good for a couple who’s kids are in university….)

Joe loves hunting, therefor the buck trophies in the house and Nadine works in the medicine industry and she is an amateur musician. Nadine said that Joe grew in a house where his parents were musicians so he felt he wanted to do the opposite…so he can’t play the guitar or piano. He did say he is a rocker at heart, and loves his rock music!

Their kids are out of the house, and they currently live with their dog and cat…and what a mission to get the dog in the photos….we sort of managed by throwing a very slobbers toy and I really love the result!

The photos in the lilies are super special because its Nadine’s little pride of her home, and loves them becuase of their significance. They symbolize trumpets because they look like trumpets, and trumpets make noice or music which announce something, or prophetically shout out to the Lord! Similar to the Israelites walking around Jericho and blowing on their trumpets…

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end! a little love will go a long way!


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Little Maddison | Lifestyle Session | the Smith family

I just loved capturing family portraits for the Smith family again, and with a new addition...Little Maddison!

Little Maddison | Lifestyle Session | the Smith family

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. Maya Angelou

I just love it when I get to photograph the same family, especially when there’s a new addition to the family. Life has continued and a year and a bit has gone by in the Smith family’s lives. And just check how much Ryan has grown, I mean he was the little baby in the previous photos (click here) and now he is a little boy. Little Maddison is the new addition to the family and she is so freakin cute! And Ryan and Maddison together is cute. Ryan loves his sister and the love was evident during the short time I was there. He also loves his new room, which was the spare room for guests, and it was the room in which we did the photos for the previous shoot. Something that hasn’t changed is their wild dogs…but I still love it because they created the coolest photos, Maybe I shouldn’t call them wild…but rather “dogs with character! oh boy…I had fun photographing the Smiths, and they are such gorgeous people…inside and out!

Thank you Robert and Kirsten for trusting me to capture follow-up photos of your family…I am privileged to see how their kids grow up.

Here’s their photos and please leave a comment at the end!

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Little AJ | Mini Family Shoot | Bryanston Pine Forest

I had the privilege of capturing Awe & Elandi’s wedding (click here) 2 years ago and they very recently had their firstborn. Little AJ.

This is why I love what I do…So by staying connected to my clients I get to capture the next chapter in their lives…kids!

Little AJ | Mini Family Shoot | Bryanston Pine Forest

“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” —Friedrich Nietzsche

I had the privilege of capturing Awe & Elandi’s wedding (click here) 2 years ago and they very recently had their firstborn. Little AJ.

This is why I love what I do…So by staying connected to my clients I get to capture the next chapter in their lives…kids!

Wow, AJ was soooo freakin cute to photograph…I mean it was literally the first time for me when a baby crack himself up when I wanted to draw his attention! He literally burst out laughing at me when I made funny noises….so funny!

Venue: Bryanston Pine Forest

Enjoy the photos and I hope we get to do this again soon!


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A colorful shoot with Siann & her family | Studio session

I had so much fun capturing Siann and her family in studio while they fired confetti canons! Wow, what a colourful shoot!

A colorful shoot with Siann & her family | Studio session

“Life is like a box of crayons. John Mayer

I recently did a shoot with Siann and her family in Ruth du Toit's studio. Siann is the Marketing Director of the amazing Oakfield Farm Wedding Venue

I wanted to do a very colourful session with a family of four but with confetti canons and Siann and her family was the perfect fit! Confetti canons are pressurised canisters with pieces of confetti, so when they pop, they shoot confetti. And you get different colours and sizes, and I found the longer ones work better with the shots I wanted to create. Another thing, which I didn't realise, kids don't really like the massive noise these things make...I mean it literally sounds like a gun going off! But it makes cool pictures! 

Siann and her family are such an easy and fun-loving bunch and they are super gorgeous! I just loved having them in front of my lens! After we finished all the confetti canons we played around with the confetti and they had loads of fun throwing each other with the confetti! 

If you want to book a session with me with confetti canons...please get in contact

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end! 

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The Hugo family | Lifestyle session | Lynnwood, Pretoria

I just love the lifestyle session I did with Raymond & Christina at their beautiful home! They are such a beautiful and full-of-love family!

The Hugo family | Lifestyle session | Lynnwood, Pretoria

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” Jane Howard

Raymond and Christina are old friends of mine. We know each other from Varsity days, event before I was a photographer....wow...thats way back. One of our very cool memories at our wedding, which was 9 years ago, was when they gave us a very huge swimming towel as as wedding gift. Yes...it was huge...big enough for 2 people...and I just remember how the photographer screamed to "get that thing out of my photo"...yes it was super colorful as well...hehehe...

They are super passionate people and they have the most adorable 2 kids, Eben and Sophia. I did a lifestyle session with them are their home, and their kids were half awake when we started. I didn't plan their session in the kitchen on the floor but I had coffee with them, and we enjoyed coffee on the floor while the kids got to know me and got used to me. I know...most kids love me but when kids are half asleep they prefer their parents...hehehe...

Raymond is a building contractor and loves renovating homes, and recently decided to buy the home they are currently staying in. But he told me, when they bought the home there were so much work that needed to be done that the bank was reluctant to give them a loan. The redid the roof, moved walls, relocated windows...opened up the kitchen and made it super modern. It such a pretty home now and they did such an awesome job. 

I love lifestyle sessions because I get to spend a few hours with people in their homes, doing their thing and preserving beautiful memories for them. You will see in the following photo, having 2 kids isn't for sissies...I mean he is feeding Eben and Sophia at the same time. :)

I also try to take photos of each child in their own room because that is where they feel safe and they relax the most for the photos. Just love Eben's room and I also loved to see how well he, as the older brother, played with his little sister. Precious. He is such a cool and awesome older brother. 

Enough said. Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

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The Van Wyk Family | Lifestyle Session | Pretoria

Wow, such a beautiful lifestyle session for Deon and Lize at Lize's mom's house. Wilhelm just loves his little brother!

The Van Wyk Family | Lifestyle Session | Pretoria

“It didn’t matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” Peter Buffett

I captured family photos for Deon & Lize, and their extended family, during the December holidays, and Lize was pregnant at the time. Her little boy was born in the mean time, and he is so adorable! Wilhelm, just loves his little brother.

So being a father of 2 kids myself I know exactly how blessed they are to have another little human in their home...well...home is technically in Zambia for now because Deon has a job as an engineer on a mine and they live and work as expats in Zambia. Lize is visiting because her mom can help with the kids, and Deon came to SA for Lize's 30th birthday...oh yes and also for the kids. 

I didn't plan to have their wedding album in the photos, but the album was lying on the table and I just had to include the album in some of the photos. Christine Meintijes took their photos, and it makes one think how far they have come from being married to having 2 kids in the home. 

The photo Deon is holding in the last photos is Lize's Granddad (so Wilhelm's Great Granddad). He had South African colors in boxing, so it was fun creating a photo with Deon and Wilhelm posing as boxers, paying a tribute to Lize's Granddad. A story in a story...love it! 

They are renting out their home in South Africa so we did the photos at Lize's mom's home in Menlopark, Pretoria. 

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Teaser! The Van Wyk Family | Lifestyle Session | Pretoria

Wow, such a beautiful lifestyle session for Deon and Lize at Lize's mom's house. Wilhelm just loves his little brother!

Teaser! The Van Wyk Family | Lifestyle Session | Pretoria

“It didn’t matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” Peter Buffett

I captured family photos for Deon & Lize, and their extended family, during the December holidays, and Lize was pregnant at the time. Her little boy was born in the mean time, and he is so adorable! Wilhelm, who turned 2 only a few days ago loves his little brother.

So being a father of 2 kids myself I know exactly how blessed they are to have another little human in their home...well...home is technically in Zambia for now because Deon has a job as an engineer on a mine and they live and work as expats in Zambia. Lize is visiting because her mom can help with the kids, and Deon came to SA for Lize's 30th birthday (which is today, congrats!) and also for the kids. He will go back in the next few days, and Lize and the kids will join later in April.

I didn't plan to have their wedding album in the photos, but the album was lying on the table and I just had to include the album in some of the photos. Christine Meintijes took their photos, and it makes one think how far they have come from being married to having 2 kids in the home. 

The photo in the last photo is Lize's Granddad (so Wilhelm's Great Granddad). He had South African colors in boxing, so it was fun creating a photo with Deon and Deon posing as boxers, paying a tribute to Lize's Granddad.

Here's a sneak peak of the session I did for them at Lize's mom's home in Menlopark, Pretoria.

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Ruth du Toit & Family | Beach session | Struisbaai

Such a beautiful photoshoot done of Ruth and her family in Struisbaai at the beach. Ruth is also a wedding photographer and her work is amazing. Go and have a look under Ruth du Toit Photography.

Ruth du Toit & Family | Beach session | Struisbaai

In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities. János Arany

I made friends with Ruth from Ruth du Toit Photography at a SA Weddings Event in Johannesburg, and I have been following her wedding and lifestyle work for a while now. And amazingly when we were in Struisbaai, she said she will be there and asked if I would like to photograph her family on the beach...and obviously I jumped up and said yes...and oh she took some of my family as well! 

See the photos Ruth took of our family here: CLICK

She has such a beautiful family and I just loved making them run on the beach. And what I love about those photos is that as a person you can't think too much how you want to stand or how you look....all you can think about is to run....so you look as natural as you can be and for me that is when you look your best. No pretensions...just fun and laughter with your family! Same goes for the jump photos!

Enjoy the photos and leave a comment at the end please! 

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Charlene & family | Mini Photo Sessions | Cape Agulhas Lighthouse

I had so much fun doing mini photo sessions at the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse! It is such a beautiful location and Charlene and her family looked absolutely gorgeous!

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” —Jane Howard

Charlene said she does a photoshoot each year with her family, and this year she wanted photos in Struisbaai. Charlene and Jandre is from Namibia, and they are on holiday in Struisbaai with their kids.

Their youngest, Ethan, is roughly the same age as my son Lian...and wow...he is a brave and fearless little boy! Ethan was a bit ecstatic during the shoot...but that is what I love...I love interaction. It seemed Ethan liked me from the word go, because he came running after me and interacted so spontanuous in front of the camera! I just love the emotion is those photos...Charlene and Jandre got a bit anxious after a bit....and he got a hiding during the shoot...but I loved his energy! He reminded me of my son. He seem to be a go-getter and not afraid of anything. Just love his people skills...I mean he made friends with me, a total stranger, in a matter of seconds!

I just love to do shoots at the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse! So beautiful!

More info regarding this area: Discover Cape Agulhas

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

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Lizeth & family | Mini Photo Sessions | Cape Agulhas Lighthouse

I had so much fun doing mini photo sessions at the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse! It is such a beautiful location and Lizeth and her family looked absolutely gorgeous!

Family is not an important thing. It's everything. Michael J. Fox

Albie & Lizeth, your family's joy is so sweet and contagious!

I loved having you in front of the camera...and I love your kids jump photos!

Just love to do shoots at the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse! So beautiful!

More info regarding this area: Discover Cape Agulhas

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

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Mandie & family | Mini Photo Sessions | Cape Agulhas Lighthouse

I had so much fun doing mini photo sessions at the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse! It is such a beautiful location and Mandie and her family looked absolutely gorgeous!

In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony. Friedrich Nietzche

I recently did a photoshoot with Mandie's sister Ankie for her Supper Club and when I advertised I was doing mini-sessions at the coast, that was when Ankie referred me to Mandie for a photo session.

Mandie and her family is from the Free State, and her husband is a farmer there. They were on holiday in Struisbaai and wanted photos done at the Lighthouse in Cape Agulhas, and wow...they looked smashing! I had so much fun....just love the ones with their little dog!

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

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Lize & her beautiful family | Kleinbaai, Western Cape

I had a blast capturing Lize and her beautiful family in Kleinbaai. I didn't know it at the time of the shoot, but one of my school and Voortrekker friends is Lize's sister (Gerda), and she was my date to my Matric Farewell 14 years ago! Wow, such a small world!

Lize & her beautiful family | Kleinbaai, Western Cape

"Family Is the Most Beautiful Thing God Made" Pope Francis

Lize asked me to capture photos of her family while on holiday on Kleinbaai and I absolutely loved it! They are such a cool bunch of people....and good looking! The bond between sisters is so special, and I just love the photos of her and her 3 sisters. She currently lives in Zambia and it must be great to be together as a family in SA.

I didn't know it at the time of the shoot, but one of my school and Voortrekker friends is Lize's sister (Gerda), and she was my date to my Matric Farewell 14 years ago! Wow, such a small world!

Kleinbaai is next to Gansbaai, and also close to Hermanus, and its a hotspot for Shark Cage Diving. Lize's parents have a holiday home in Kleinbaai, and we decided to take photos at Onse Baai, a spot where the ocean crashes over the rocks...beautiful!

Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end!

 

 

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Simone & Riley | Family Photography | Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, Western Cape

I had a blast doing some photos for Simone of her and her daughter Riley at the beautiful Cape Agulhas Lighthouse! Riley is such a sweetie!

Simone & Riley | Family Photography | Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, Western Cape

“A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give" Laurel Atherton

I had an amazing time with Simone and her daughter Riley. Riley is a serious busy-body, and she made the shoot very interesting...let's just say we couldn't really do what we wanted but more like what she wanted...she is super cute though! I just love kids and she reminded me of my son Lian. Very strong minded and not afraid what the world throws at them!

The following photo sums up the day. The one moment she is happy, and the next she makes a u-turn and runs the other way...Simone's face is priceless!

I had a shoot with Simone last year, and it was good catching up with her. Riley was almost 1 year old last year during our shoot and now almost 2...wow so many things happen in one year!

We did the shoot at the beautiful Sanparks Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, the most southernly lighthouse in Africa (amazing), and also the place where Simone and her husband Tyron did their wedding photos (I didn't know this, she told me when we were doing the photos). 

We had amazing weather this holiday season thus far and we had just a little wind during the shoot ...I didn't plan for the wind but the crazy shots of the girls and their hair are super cool!

Enjoy the photos and please add a comment at the end! 

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