Portraits of Annemarie | The Gables Sandton | Styled Session

Portraits of Annemarie | The Gables Sandton | Styled Session 

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. Unknown

Wow, I had the privilege of doing some portraits of Annemarie Lindeque at the breathtakingly beautiful The Gables Sandton Venue in Sandhurst. Annemarie works at Provision Optometrists in Parys, Free State, and she came through for the day for the shoot! Jessica from The Gables Sandton asked me to photograph the room they are promoting as a Luxury Suite and as a trade-exchange she allowed me to do this styled session with Annemarie. Head on over to the Gables Sandton's website to book a night's stay at this amazing venue! Click here! 

Thank you Gerda from Making Faces by Gerda for the exquisite make-up, and for organising Annemarie for me to photograph. I have met Gerda recently at the De Hoek Country Venue's Bridal Fair and we immediately realised we want to work together to create some magic! She has been in the Wedding Industry for quite some time, and have worked on many faces, including celebrities. 

The beautiful flower bouquet was made by Tamyrin from Bespoke Blooms, and she also provided the copper colored vase. She is always so keen to help out, and being super busy herself she made time to make the beautiful flower bouquet the morning of the shoot. Head on over to her website, her work is absolutely stunning! 

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

de Klerk family | Mini Photo Sessions | Shokran Wedding & Events Venue

de Klerk family | Mini Photo Sessions | Shokran Wedding & Events Venue

“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do…but how much love we put in that action.” Mother Theresa

I have done a few mini photo sessions at Shokran Wedding & Events Venue in September for Spring. I know the de Klerk family personally and its always fun to photograph them. Their kids are such a joy and their photos together for me a super special. 

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

Mischa & Daughter | Mini Photo Sessions | Shokran Wedding & Events Venue

Mischa & Daughter | Mini Photo Sessions | Shokran Wedding & Events Venue

Beauty is power; a smile is its sword. John Ray

I have done a few mini photo sessions at Shokran Wedding & Events Venue in September for Spring. I gave away a session and Mischa won the session. She has the cutest little daughter...a busy body but very cute! 

My son is almost the same age (almost 3 years old) so I kinda knew how to keep her busy, but I had my hands full to get her face in focus....she just didn't sit still for a photo! So I must say luck was on my side a few times...she is gorgeous! 

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

Natalie & John | Mini Photo Sessions | Shokran Wedding & Events Venue

Natalie & John | Mini Photo Sessions | Shokran Wedding & Events Venue

Peace is the beauty of life. It is sunshine. It is the smile of a child, the love of a mother, the joy of a father, the togetherness of a family. It is the advancement of man, the victory of a just cause, the triumph of truth. Menachem Begin

I have done a few mini photo sessions at Shokran Wedding & Events Venue in September for Spring. Natalie contacted me and asked if she can do a session with her fiancé and their dog, and I am so glad they did this session with me! I have not laughed so much during a photoshoot before...they are filled with so much joy! 

I do not have a huge opinion about online dating, but I always had my doubts "How do you meet the man or woman of your dreams online?" and how do you know the person behind the online profile is in fact the correct person? Well, I am not sure, and I haven't thought about it much. But I must say after Natalie told me they met online, and seeing how happy they are...I might just have a different opinion. John is originally from Argentina, and has been staying in SA for a few years, and Natalie in SA, and they found each other online, started dating and recently got engaged! Amazing story. 

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

Baby Ryan | Robert and Kirsten | Lifestyle Session

Baby Ryan | Robert and Kirsten | Lifestyle Session

Family is the most important thing in the world. Princess Diana
 

I love lifestyle sessions because I get the opportunity to capture a glimpse of people's lives at their own homes! And it was no different this time with Kirsten & Robert! And their little Ryan is so freakin cute! He is so lucky to have you two as parents! 

What stood out for me with this shoot was how they wanted the dogs in the shoot, and how much energy they brought to the table...it was chaos to get them all in a shot! We managed, but not without much laughter. This made for funny and real moments, and it was fun to capture. I can just imagine how it must be with them and little Ryan...Ryan will one day be super easy with dogs and not be afraid...amazing!

Enjoy the photos and please leave your comments at the end!

Jan-Peet & Nadine | Wedding | Bell Amour | Pretoria

Jan-Peet & Nadine | Wedding | Bell Amour | Pretoria

We love because it's the only true adventure. Nikki Giovanni

What an adventure this day has been!

Jan-Peet (JP) & Nadine's wedding at Bell Amour Wedding Venue was one for the books! And they both looked smashing...just look at Nadine's dress. I could not believe when Nadine told me her dress made by one of the bridesmaid's moms...I thought it was a super duper designer dress! 

JP works in the Film Industry and I remember him saying to me that he has a special look in mind with regards to his photos...so I knew the game was on. I had to step up my game...thats how it goes in this industry. You feel the pressure on your skin because you know we look at images differently than the non-photographers...

Jan-Peet is a super clever creative soul...I mean his wife describes him as a mix between a hippy and an auditor...quite funny, but true. He had this crazy huge beard when we met last year and Nadine has the following to say about her husband: "He relishes adventure, mystery and passion filled lifestyle. He gives without expecting back and cares intensely for the people he loves". Nadine on the other hand is: "a soft and a gentle soul who loves animals, friends and family" as she would put it. She has this grace about her, and absolutely gorgeous...just a joy to photograph her. Together they are such a cool and confident couple, and the love just oozes out of them. I enjoyed them greatly! And oh my word they make great photos. I didn't know how they would be and react in front of my camera as Nadine's best friend did their engagement photos, but they were such naturals...I am sure they have this before. :)

The decor was super simplistic and elegant, with magenta as the main color with a lot of greens. The Love Knot did the amazing flowers on the tables and in the chapel, and beautiful signs in the chapel and above the main table were made by the venue! The centre pieces, with the white "trees" was done by JP and Nadine, and Nadine made the origami herself. They spent roughly 18 months planning this amazing wedding! 

Much can be said about the day, how much love and laughter happened, but I think the pictures will do it more justice!

Here is a list of other suppliers who were involved: 

Makeup: Morné Marx & Hair & Makeup: Nanna Castmar-Jensen (one of the bridesmaids)

Cake, Cupcakes and Cake Pops: L's Creations

DJ and sound: Dj Kings

Nadine's shoes: Aldo & JP's shoes: Markhams

JP's and the groomsmen's suits: Civic Tailors and Outfitters, Bloemfontein

Nadine's ring: Von Wielligh and JP wooden inlay ring: VA Tungsten  

Gowns:    Thashreya's clothing & Groomsmen boutonnieres: Iniek

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

Teaser! Kalinka & Dylan | Matric Farewell | Hertford Country Hotel

Teaser! Kalinka & Dylan | Matric Farewell | Hertford Country Hotel

Kindness is grace, and grace is elegance. Dana Dalgetty

Wow, Kalinka and Dylan looked absolutely smashing for their Matric Farewell yesterday! I suggested to Kalinka's mom to that we do their photos at Hertford Country Hotel and once again...this place is amazing! 

Here is a little sneakpeak of their amazing photos!

Enjoy and please leave a comment at the end!

Teaser! Rudolph & Angelique | Wedding | Makiti Wedding Venue

Teaser! Rudolph & Angelique | Wedding | Makiti Wedding Venue

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Mignon McLaughlin

Rudolph and Angelique had a very special wedding this past weekend at Makiti - Venue's/lodge! Here are a few from the wedding, they had such a special day with family and friends! 

Video: Brightmoon Video & Photography
Second shooter: Chane Basson

Teaser! a Father's love for his daughters | Hertford Country Hotel

a Father's love for his daughters | Hertford Country Hotel

I have been wanting to do a shoot for a while where I can try to capture a glimpse into the love a Father has for his children. I am already a dad to a son, but my daughter Ile is coming any day now...I can't wait!

To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter.
—Euripides

So I am privileged to share a sneak peak of the shoot I did on Sunday with Chandni, her sister Kavita and her dad Dave! Dave is a cattle farmer in Middelburg so I therefore wanted to add a farming element in the shoot, and Hertford Country Hotel and their horse stable was the perfect setting for this shoot. It's not a cattle farm, but at least the surroundings was as if they were on a farm. Chandni and her sister had dungarees which they wanted to wear, and it worked perfectly in the shoot, and when they added the "cowboy" hats it finished off the look I was aiming for.

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

Teaser! Baby Ryan | Robert and Kirsten | Lifestyle Session

Teaser! Baby Ryan | Robert and Kirsten | Lifestyle Session

Family is the most important thing in the world. Princess Diana
 

Here is a little sneak peak of Robert & Kirsten's lifestyle session!

I love lifestyle sessions where I get the opportunity to capture a little glimpse of people's lives at their own homes! And what was no different this time with Kirsten & Robert! And their little Ryan is so freakin cute! He is so lucky to have you two as parents! 

Mother's Day mini-styled shoot | Hertford Country Hotel

Mother's Day mini-styled shoot | Hertford Country Hotel

"Mothers and their children are in a category all their own. There's no bond so strong in the entire world. No love so instantaneous and forgiving." Gail Tsukiyama, Dreaming Water

I don't know what its like to be a mother. I'm a father. But what I know is I love my mother very much, and that they are the pillars of society! Even Jesus had a mother. So I believe God knew what He was doing when He created mothers. They are a shoulder to cry on, they are the glue of the family, they are the Chief Operating Officer of our homes and they are so important in all of our lives. Just look at African families, the are run by the Grandma's. Amazing. 

This shoot was inspired by the love mothers have for their daughters, seeing that my daughter is coming very soon! I can't wait!

My wife, Juanita, who is also a mother, has a super eye for style, and most of the Rose Gold items are from our home! She has shown me how to turn ordinary things into works of art with Rose Gold spray paint. The cycad leaf and Consol glass jar was painted using spray paint. 

I hosted a competition on Facebook for Mother's Day, and Lindie were the winner. This what she said about her mother Charlene:

"She is the most INCREDIBLE woman I have ever known! and we are so alike in the things we do. We love each other very much and I can only hope to follow in her footsteps and become as amazing as she is!"

I had so much fun with both of them during the shoot. They are such beautiful souls and they enjoy each other's company so much! I love how they laugh at each others jokes and how they finish each other's sentences...it was almost like I photographed twins! You guys were amazing!

Here are some of the suppliers featured in the shoot:

Flowers: Impala Flora

Venue: Hertford Country Hotel

Make up: Made Up by Kylie

Bouquet: Simone Pheiffer from The Wedding Event

Styling and photographer: Me :)

Decor ball & Gold lamp: Mr Price Home

Gold String Lights: Typo

Gold, teal & pink magic | Mini Styled Shoot | Hertford Country Hotel

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” ― Coco Chanel

Wow, I enjoyed working with Laykanne during the mini-styled session I did at the beautiful Hertford Country Hotel. She wore a smashingly beautiful Gelique dress, which she borrowed from her a mutual friend (and her boss's wife) Simone from the Wedding Event! 

My inspiration comes from my own home. My wife, Juanita, has a special eye for decor and design, and most of the Rose Gold items in the shoot I used are from our bedroom. Locust tree leaf, the Consol Glass jars, and Wooden Protea cutt-outs were painted Rose Gold using spray-paint. The old ladder is from my garage, and the greenery is from my garden. 

I am in love with Proteas which is in season at the moment. I loved how the pink, teal and Rose Gold compliment each other! 

Simone made the beautiful Protea bouquet with the two proteas, and I got the red-pink proteas from Impala Flora at the Fourways Gardens' Spar. 

Here are the suppliers who featured during this shoot!

Model: Laykanne Rae Powell

Flowers: Impala Flora

Venue: Hertford Country Hotel

Make up: Made Up by Kylie

Dress: Gelique

Bouquet: Simone Pheiffer from The Wedding Event

Styling and photographer: Me :)

Decor ball & Gold lamp: Mr Price Home

Gold String Lights: Typo

The Blignaut Family | Family Session | Irene Diary Farm

“He made you you - on purpose. You are the only you - ever. Becoming ourselves means we are actively cooperating with God's intention for our lives, not fighting him or ourselves.” 
― Stasi Eldredge, Becoming Myself: Embracing God's Dream of You

I had the most amazing family shoot at Irene Diary Farm with Chantel and her 2 boys, Ruben and Nathan,. I am in love with the winter sunsets, and the sun didn't hold back.

I just love it when clients open up a bit while doing the shoot, because I am continually reminded that I am photographing people. People has stories. Amazingly God has a Story, which is captured in the Bible. And God is interested in our story because our story is intwined with His Story. Wow, Chantel's late husband would have been proud to see his sons this confident, happy and strong! 

One of the most memorable moments during the shoot was when the farm released the cows from milking and they walked through our shoot. Chantel got "trapped' on the other side of the cows and I got a few shots while they just enjoyed the moment...and it was funny when I had to shout at the cows for them to leave my camera bag alone...long story short...my reflector had some cow spit on...not cool :( 

A family in a splendor of burgundy | Hertford Country Hotel

“Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family. Having both is a blessing.” Anonymous

Wow, I love families and the chemistry which every family brings to the table. Farhana asked me to do a family shoot and I decided to take them to the amazing Hertford Country.

With every session I have to think on my feet with regards to managing the family and organising every one for the different shots, and you sometimes have your hands full when somebody do not want to do exactly what you want...ie. children, especially small children...you can't force them to do things! My son is 2 and a half, and I have first hand knowledge of this. My son has a strong will and when he wants something...oh my...he WANTS it. I think many photographers do not do family shoots for exactly this reason...

But not me.

I love families and children and their chemistry too much. They bring so much joy into your life. 

Well long story short, Farhana's youngest one kept me on my toes and I just love all the photos with them. She made me to be very creative with keeping her busy during the shoot, and the result is amazing. I mean, when you are very small (and I see this with my own son) your attention span is super small, especially super late in the afternoon.

Farhana told me later that evening, the kids did pass out in the car just after they left for home from the shoot...shame. 

I loved your shoot and you guys looked amazing!

Venue: Hertford Country Hotel

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

Cleopatra's Maternity Session | Hertford Country Hotel

"I sustain myself with the love of family." Maya Angelou

I enjoyed capturing Cleopatra's Maternity session, and she said she is bringing her daughter to the shoot, but little did I know how cute she will be. I have not met many kiddos that has as much energy as my son, and her daughter kept me on my toes, but I loved it! At a point she even played frisbee with my reflector...funny!  Wow, look how pretty Cleopatra looked in her yellow dress!

 Cleopatra's makeup was also magical, thank you Shelley from Butterfly Blush Make-up Artists, and I just love Hertford Country Hotel as a venue! 

Venue: Hertford Country Hotel

Make up: Butterfly Blush Make-up Artists

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

Brand & Vanessa | Wedding | The Bridge, Muldersdrift

You are the finest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known—and even that is an understatement. F Scott Fitzgerald

Wow, what a day. It was probably the coldest day of the year thus far, and it rained quite a lot. I had a tough start to the day. I woke up that morning with a cold, and my voice was gone. I luckily didn't have a fever, but I knew I would not be my 100% during the day, but amazingly I made it! I take my hat off for Vanessa and Brand. They did not expect the Winter to start on their wedding day, but they took the day in its stride and their wedding was one of my highlights for this year! 

Its actually amazing how things worked out. It poured during the time Brand and Vanessa were preparing, which meant we couldn't go outside at all for a few photos. I actually love it (well not so much in the moment, but its good for me) when I am pushed into a creative corner and I need to think outside the box. What happened was, Vanessa got dressed in a small room, and when three bridesmaids, Vanessa, her mom, the makeup artist and hairstylist, and myself the photographer, and the video production people are squished into the same room, one needs to be super creative to create awesome shots...that is what I love. I didn't do what I normally do in that moment, which means I get super cool shots...and I did! It also rained when the ceremony started, but it stopped just after the ceremony, with 20 minutes of the most amazing sunshine! Memorable! 

Vanessa said she wanted to do a "reveal-the-dress" for her bridesmaids, so you can imagine how difficult it was to do the dress shot, because the bridesmaids were in the room while Vanessa did her hair and makeup. So when we did the dress shot, I asked the bridesmaids to hide in the bathroom (they couldn't wait outside due to the rain), and we also did fun photos of the them closing their eyes and standing right in front of the dress...almost like teasing them that they are not allowed to look! And when Vanessa got dressed, they hid in the bathroom again!

One of the most memorable moments for me was the reaction of her bridesmaids when she revealed her dress! Priceless moment!

Wow!

Such special memories!

Another memorable moment for me was when the bridesmaids were walking towards the church in the rain with umbrellas. When they were about 3 meters away from entering the church, they stopped quickly and threw their umbrellas (or tried throwing it) over some rose bushes...lets just say the umbrellas didnt make it to the other side of the rose bushes and got stuck in the roses. 

I am super excited. This wedding is going to be shown on TV! Brand and Vanessa's wedding coming to  MySakpas-trou Channel 147 on ViaTV on KykNET. I enjoyed working with the guys from the Media Club Productions. It was my first experience having a film crew at a wedding, and I must say its different than having a wedding videographer at a wedding, but I had fun! 

Brand and Vanessa, it was a joy capturing your wedding, and I pray God's richest blessings over your marriage!

Here is a list of the wedding suppliers who made this amazing day possible:

Venue, Flowers and Catering: The Bridge, Muldersdrift | Wedding and Function venue

Make up and hair: Jonice from Jdv Styling

Rings: Pedro Da Silva - Fine Jewellery

Wedding Dress: Eurobride

Brands's suit: Greys

Cake & Cupcakes: Vanessa's aunt Marietjie

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

David & Irene | Wedding | Kuthaba Bush Lodge

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. — LAO TZU

I always say that a client that is referred to me is the best client. Irene is one of those clients. She got my details from Cheryl and I had so much fun during their wedding! David and Irene are such great people, and I fell in love with who they are as a person since we first met last year for the engagement shoot. I can still remember how we had this super duper planned day and it all went pear shaped because we couldn’t enter the property we wanted to go to. So we ended shooting in a barren field, and we used whatever we had and made the best of it! That is such a testimony of who they are…they are focused people but also easy-going and content with the world.

It was my first time to capture a wedding at Kuthaba Bush Lodge and I loved it. Some of the most memorable moments for me was when I found out that Irene did not have bridesmaids but "groomsmaids". I kinda expected to see David in a kilt, because he is half Scottish but he did not wear one. All the groomsmen had a handkerchief in their suit pockets made from kilt material. And the one thing that completely blew me away was Irene's dress. Wow, I loved her dress which she bought on Still White. Its a Bride and Co dress and she definitely made a statement! 

I try to end every wedding with a sparkler photo. How this photo works is I run around them with a sparkler in the dark, and then the sparkler leaves a trial wherever I ran. The problem is I need to do this in complete darkness, otherwise I show up on the photo, so there is always a risk of me falling over a rock or something because I do not know where I am going. Well...this was the first time I fell down during on of the attempts, and I didn't get hurt...too much... I just picked up a few scratches...Funny enough on the night we made these jokes that I couldn't go and phone Discovery to claim for my health insurance because an employee of Discovery (Irene works for Discovery) has seen what happened...hehehe...we had a giggle...Those photos are always worth it, doesn't matter the risk I have to take!

Here is a list of the suppliers who made the day possible:

Venue, Styling & Catering: Kuthaba Bush Lodge

Flowers: De Villiers Blomme, Modimole

Make up and hair: Andelien Steyn Professional MakeUp Artistry

Wedding Dress: Still White & Bride & Co

Irene shoes & David Suit and Shoes: Woolworths SA

Irene's hair piece and earrings: Accessorize SA

DJ: Jannie Kruger

Video: Byron & Amy Wolff

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

Teaser! Gold, Teal & Pink Magic | Mini Styled Shoot | Hertford Country Hotel

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. Kahlil Gibran

Here is a teaser from the magic that happened during the Mini Styled Shoot at Hertford Country Hotel on Saturday!

Venue: Hertford Country Hotel

Make up: Made Up by Kylie

Dress: Gelique

Bouquet: Simone Pheiffer from The Wedding Event

Styling and photographer: Me :)

Gold lamp: Mr Price Home

Gold String Lights: Typo

Admired in Africa #BeInspired2017 | Hertford Country Hotel

It was the first time for me to attend an Admired in Africa Conference, and it was such an amazing experience listening to so many amazing photographers in the Wedding Industry! It was a privilege to attend and I learnt as much from the attendees as much as I did from the speakers. 

Here is a list of the amazing speakers at the conference, and you should go and check out their work...amazing! 

Niki M Photography (Loved Niki's personality...she looks fun at weddings)

Estefania Romero⎪Wedding & Portrait Photographer

Nelis Engelbrecht Photography (Off-camera flash theory and practical...loved it)

Rensche Mari Photography (Theory and styled shoot practical)

Linda Vos Photography (Night shot theory...I learned amazing things)

Jacki Bruniquel Art and Photography (I am a very big fan, and I loved her insights into getting great emotional shots. She also did a practical and she blew me away with new ideas on how to shoot with any light)

Du Wayne Photography (Du Wayne shared his story, and had a very inspirational talk)

Tim Moolman, Eslie Basson & FujiFilm SA (Tim was sharing how he shoots with the FujiFilm mirrorless cameras and how he thinks the wedding industry is going to change...he shoots black and white and most of his Jpegs out-of-camera is perfect and ready to be sent to the client...no post-processing)

The conference was held at the beautiful Hertford Country Hotel. 

Missy Make Up Artist modelled for Niki M Photography and did the make up and hair of the other models. She is just incredible!

The amazing dresses was sponsored by Dimity Bridal Studio and the beautiful rings by Taneka Storm Jewellery.

During day 3 of the conference Carolien and Ben from Carolien and Ben Photography joined us as models during Du Wayne Denton's Black & White Photography practical. 

Chris Van Dalen & Studio77Productions did the #behindthescenes video and I cant wait to see what it looks like!

Other photographers I have met during the course of the conference, was the following:

Natalie Loots Photography

Hanri Human

Alexander Smith Photography (Petrus is a good friend of mine and a lot of what I know today is thanks to him)

Leandrie Du Plessis Photography (she is in the 3rd last picture shown below)

Designer Photo (wow, I love these guys. They've shown me how to shoot through a leaf (first picture shown below, no yellow added in photoshop) and many other tricks. Including the portraits shown below with the circular bokeh (used my iPhone's camera to create the bokeh))

And many more!

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

Collin & Cheryl | E-session | Pretville

“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” David Viscott

I had so much fun during Collin & Cheryl's engagement shoot at Pretville. I did a couple shoot with them before they got engaged and I remember how much they enjoy each other's company! Cheryl has these moments where she just bursts into laughter, and I am sure its because she is cracking herself up for Collin, but perhaps she just have joy in her heart! If this follows the trend, then I am sure their wedding day is going to be epic! 

I am in love with Pretville! It was my first time shooting in the village and I must say I could shoot there the whole day. My creative juices were in overdrive and this shoot was about 2 hours long. I could have gone for at least another hour. There is so much options. And Collin and Cheryl are also awesome clients...they went along with the ride and I am in love with the results! Thank you Pretville for the free milkshake! 

Venue: Pretville, Hartebeespoort

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