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Chris & Marike | Engagement shoot | Maboneng Precinct
Wow, I just loved to capture Chris and Marike’s love for each other in the streets of Maboneng Precinct!
Chris & Marike | Engagement shoot | Maboneng Precinct
Be fearless. Be bold. Be you. Anonymous
Marike told me that Chris’ “baby” is his Suzuki Hyabusa, and “bad-ass” is an understatement. That thing is monstrous. And to photograph his bike against the cool backdrop of Maboneng Precinct was such a joy!
I love stories, and I to tell stories through my photos is even better. Chris and Marike has a very interesting story. Chris is a policeman, and Marike a prosecutor…and many of us have met at church or in a club or coffee shop…but they have met in court. How crazy is that? Yup, love has a strange way of connecting us, and amazingly…we don’t fall in love with each other’s exterior (hmmmn, looks are important, and Marike most probably knocked Chris’ socks off) but we fall in love with what goes on our hearts. They both have tough exteriors….I mean you need one to work as a policeman in South Africa, and I can just imagine how tough you must be to be a prosecutor, yet they have such gentle souls.
I absolutely loved walking the streets with them capturing their love for each other! So beautiful!
Marike, your makeup by Melinda De Wet from Frissk Beauty was just flawless and you really looked beautiful!
Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end.
Urban portraits with Dené Vorster | Sandton City Parking
I had the pleasure of creating some urban portraits for Dené Vorster at Sandton City's parking area! amazing!
Urban portraits with Dené Vorster | Sandton City Parking
I had the pleasure of creating some urban portraits with Dené Vorster at Sandton City's parking area this week and I just loved working with her! She is a down-to-earth powerhouse and I believe she is going to go far with her music!
I just LOVE sunsets in Johannesburg, especially in Winter because the sun turns almost red, and the sun didn't disappoint.
Dené entered into Idols SA Season 7 and reached the top 8 during this particular season...amazing achievement! Her music style is R&B/Soul and her music is amazing! Here's a link to her version of Adele's "Someone Like You" at the Idols Competition. (Click here)
Enjoy the photos, and please leave a comment at the end!
Here's one of Dené's music videos on Youtube...love it! Support local and buy her CD on Itunes!
Teaser! Urban portraits with Dené Vorster | Sandton City Parking Lot
I had the pleasure of creating some urban portraits for Dené Vorster at Sandton City's parking area! amazing!
Teaser! Urban portraits with Dené Vorster | Sandton City Parking Lot
I had the pleasure of creating some urban portraits with Dené Vorster at Sandton City's parking area this week and I just loved working with her! She is a down-to-earth powerhouse and I believe she is going to go far with her music!
I just LOVE sunsets in Johannesburg, especially in Winter because the sun turns almost red.
Dené entered into Idols SA Season 7 and reached the top 8 during this particular season...amazing achievement! Her music style is R&B/Soul and her music is amazing! Here's a link to her version of Adele's "Someone Like You" at the Idols Competition. (Click here)
Here's a sneak peak of the shoot. Enjoy!
Portrait shoot with Annarika | SARIE Voorbladgesig | Hertford Country Hotel
Annerike is such a beautiful soul inside and out. She asked me to do some portraits for her because she wanted to enter into the SARIE Voorbladgesig competition.
Portrait shoot with Annarika | SARIE Voorbladgesig | Hertford Country Hotel
"Adornment, what a science! Beauty, what a weapon! Modesty, what elegance!" Gabrielle Chanel in Biarritz, 1920
Annerike is such a beautiful soul inside and out. She asked me to do some portraits for her because she wanted to enter into the SARIE Voorbladgesig competition (PLEASE Click on the link to vote for her!!).
I had such a wonderful time with her and she is so elegant and easy to photograph. I had some modelling and styling help from Missy. (thank you Missy...almost 90% of the shots were directed by Missy!!) Missy also did the make-up for the shoot and she is most probably the best out there! Her company is Missy Make Up Artist and another amazing thing about Missy is that her own make-up is always done so she doesn't mind to be in the photographs. :)
I always love shooting at Hertford Country Hotel. The venue is painted white on the inside so the creative opportunities in their spaces are endless. If you use off-camera flash the space even doubles up as a studio! Amazing.
I used a single flash setup. I used my Softbox for Speedlights and Nikon SB-910 flash with Phottix triggers on a lightstand and I used what they call butterfly lighting. The softbox was directly in front of the Annarike's face pointing slightly downward, so the light created a slight shadow under her nose. There were ambient light coming in from her left (photo right). I also tried to point the flash directly into her face so I moved the softbox around depending on how Annarike were standing.
Here is the make-up preperations with Missy.
This is the one Annarike selected for the cover.
And these 2 she also entered. She had to submit 3 images.
Here are some of the other images we created.
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!
Linda's family | Family session | Midrand, Johannesburg
I had a blast capturing the joy and energy of Linda and her family. I just love family photography on location.
Linda's family | Family session | Midrand, Johannesburg
God's dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion. Desmond Tutu
I just love big families, and I love capturing the essence of how much love there is in a family. Linda's family is no different. I just loved how the grandparents are central in the family and how the focus was also around the grandkids...and what a lovely bunch of kids! I just know how much grandkids mean to grandparents...I mean...I really enjoy seeing my dad with my children...you get a glimpse of what it was like when I was a little boy.
One of my passions are children and to capture the joy and energy of children. I especially love it when I can bring a little character out of some kids who are too shy to perform in front of the camera. I feel so liberated when kids relax in front of the camera, and I get a glimpse of their true self...and that is such a privilege to capture on camera!
Enjoy the photos and please leave a comment at the end.
Portraits of Annemarie | The Gables Sandton | Styled Session
I had a blast doing this styled session with Annemarie Lindeque at the beautiful the Gables Sandton Venue. Amazing make-up by Making Faces by Gerda. Flowers by Bespoke Bloom.
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!
Gold, teal & pink magic | Mini Styled Shoot | Hertford Country Hotel
Wow, I enjoyed capturing Laykanne, in a beautiful Gelique dress, for my mini-styled session at the incredible 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
Wow, I had a super special family shoot with the Blignaut family at Irene Dairy Farm. Chantel, your late husband would have been proud to see your boys so confident and strong!
“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 :(
Cleopatra's Maternity Session | Hertford Country Hotel
Cleopatra's magical maternity shoot is on my blog! She looked smashing in her yellow dress! And her daughter was so cute!
"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!
Collin & Cheryl | E-session | Pretville
Laughter is the best medicine for the soul, and I can't get over how much fun Collin & Cheryl's engagement shoot at Pretville was!
“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!
The Malston Family | Lifestyle session | Gauteng
Wow, I absolutely loved this lifestyle session with the Malston Family. There is so much love in this home!
“It didn’t matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” Peter Buffett
I must admit, I havent done many lifestyle shoots before. I have been doing location shoots and I haven't focused on doing shoots at my client's houses...and wow...I love it. A big part of my inspiration for photography, in the days I started out, was I loved how photography tells a story. "A picture speaks a thousand words" they say...and I remember how I would travel to places or a country and I always tried taking photos (street photography) where I would place a person or a subject in their own environment. By going to someone's home you automatically photograph them in their own environment. That is the place where they live, laugh, cry, sleep, eat...amazing!
Tracey's sister, Jacqui, bought one of my lifestyle photography vouchers last year for Tracey's birthday. Tracey and Byron (her husband) has a 1 year old boy (the cutest little boy) and they wanted me to capture a little bit of their lives at their home. I absolutely loved it! They has a cozy little home, and I just felt the love when I walked in there. This little boy is loved to bits, and it was great to see it. Their little boy is also a poser and he definitely makes me look good...I mean...just check out the way he looks at the camera...!
Enjoy the pictures and please leave a comment at the end!
Canada here we come {Yatish & Bhavna}
Wow, I just loved the session with Bhavna and Yatish at their beautiful home in Kyalami! They will soon be moving to Canada!
“Laughter is the jam on the toast of life. It adds flavor, keeps it from being too dry, and makes it easier to swallow.” —Diane Johnson, Le Divorce
Bhavna & Yatish will be moving to Canada soon and Bhavna asked if we could do a couple shoot at their beautiful home in Kyalami, and wow...what an amazing shoot it was! They are such beautiful, easy-going and down-to-earth people, yet sophisticated if you look at their super stylish and beautiful home!
One of their favourite spots in the house is on the lounge suite in front of the TV, where Yatish watches a game of soccer or where they enjoy family time watching a series or movie with their little dog! Just love the fact how Yatish took off his shoes when we took photos on the lounge suite...just awesome to relax in front of the camera!
I actually didn't plan to shoot so much indoors but a sudden thunderstorm caught us off-guard. I am glad because I got to capture them in so many memorable spots in their home!
Enjoy the photos and may you be blessed in your adventures in Canada!
Michelle & Marcus {Couple shoot in Melville}
Marcus and Michelle's urban couple shoot in Melville is on my blog!
"In your light, I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art." Rumi
I recently hosted a competition on Facebook for a #FREECoupleShoot, and Michelle Daniels was the winner. She is currently dating Marcus Ras, and I decided to take them to Melville, Johannesburg, because they wanted to do an Urban Shoot. Wow, they are an amazing couple, and boy oh boy...they are such a photogenic couple. They are such beautiful people and so much in love....the way Marcus looks at Michelle is just mesmerizing!
Venue: Café De La Crème, Melville and surroundings
Enjoy the pictures and do not hesitate to leave a comment at the end!
Stephen & Gena's urban e-session
Stepen & Gena's urban e-session in the inner city of Johannesburg!
Wow. This was a super fun shoot. We got to go to the inner city of Johannesburg to do an urban shoot, and Stephen & Gena just rocked! They looked absolutely exquisite, and I just love the way that they contrasted with the surroundings...amazing!
I had a bit of a laugh with Stephen because he was very stiff and on his nerves, and I had to train him in front of the camera. The greatest moment for me was when we were almost at the end of the shoot Gena said: "Wow, I have never seen Stephen smile this much". Thanks for the compliment.
I so wish I was going to take their wedding pictures, which I am not. They already have a photographer booked, but I can just imagine how wonderful their weddings pics are going to be!
We had an interesting moment though during the shoot. My camera was almost nabbed. There was a guy who came up to me and asked that I take a picture of him, but while his buddy was behind me looking for an opportunity to nab my camera (I didn't know this, Gena told me afterwards). Gena went into a praying frenzy and her faith got us out of that situation. The 2 guys left us but our nerves only really settled once we left the area after the shoot.
A big thank you to Fourways Flower Market at Pineslopes, JHB, for the bouquet of flowers!
#urban #engagementshoot #esession #wedding #weddingphotography
