ok, so I know I say this all the time, but Brigitte and Rod seemed like the real deal. Chilled, laid back, genuine couple who looked like they belonged together. Either SA is filled with cool couples about to get married or this blogging lark is doing its job and connecting us with the kind of people whom we enjoy being around. If I had a Christmas card list I’d put them on. Just a really natural couple who look good in pics and are easy to get along with.

My head is starting to throb and I’m not sure going cold turkey on the caffeine was a good idea, so I’m going to wrap this up for today. I just wanted to mention a quick thing about parents. When I first started I very tongue in cheek used the pay-off line – Not Your Mother’s Wedding Photographer. It summed up a bunch of things for me, but mainly the fact that I didn’t want to shoot weddings in the same way that everyone else shoots weddings. We’ve met some pretty cool mothers since then and changed the pay-off line, but I also had a comment the other day from someone who said something along the lines of, your photos are breath taking, but I’m looking for wedding photos. Anyway, I understand where he’s coming from and I make a point of shooting at least one portrait for the parents. Nicely composed, classical images. The kind of portraits that your parents can put up on the mantelpiece.

It’s been a long couple of weeks, I’ve been (figuratively) chained to the desk in the basement working on albums and doing the post on what seems like millions of photos. Two of my cameras broke while shooting a wedding – the two batteries on the big black camera’s battery grip literally shot out, snapping the hooks and the housing – fortunately I had backup cameras, but that would account for my dry wit at Avianto. After many phone call and trips to Kayalami, the local Nikon repair center and I are finally seeing eye to eye as to who should be paying for the repairs. Anyway, it’s been a while so I figured a bit of an update on what is going on in the studio is in order.

Nicola and John’s album, they’re the baobab guys, was nominated for an album award. After speaking to Nicola we decided not to submit it, I’m not really big on photography competitions, but it was nice to get recognition for a really cool album. I don’t think I posted anything from that album so a quick couple.

I also finished Swathi and Andrei’s killer bee Mauritius album.

I even finished Shelley and Marc’s Shepstone Gardens album (some from that one later this week, after they get a chance to see it). I did find this cool birdcage pic amongst the images – I’ve been having a Eugenio Recuenco week, so it may just be me that loves this pic.

We also opened a couple of dates in Jan, March and May due to cancellations for those that are still looking. I did send out mails to everyone who asked to let them know if anything changed. I’m also in the process of investigating switching back to the traditional albums from the storybook, coffee table books, and am in talks with a local bookbinder to make me a custom sample album.

Also really getting into Hendrik Kerstens’ portraits.

It’s been a brutal month, which ended off on a high note with Nicole and Paul’s wedding at Avianto. Ok, so besides the fact that Nicole looked drop dead stunning and Paul is one of the most chilled and genuine people I’ve met (very very nice speech), Avianto is one of those venues that has been photographed to death. The challenge is always to do something different that fits in with the personality of the couple, something that showcases what their wedding was about – vogue glamor and classic elements mixing with their Jewish and Greek backgrounds.

By the way, if you’re going to have a half-Jewish, half-Greek wedding, or just need an officiant who is conversant with a lot of faiths and is just a really cool person, Rev Lihai Bercovich (082 464 0313) is the man for the job. I spent a good part of the evening chatting to him about everything from our days at Rhodes to obscure elements of the old testament, to quirky subculturish television series that I like to watch.

Where was I, Oh yeah, so we took up the challenge at Avianto (is Avianto on the wedding mile?) this weekend and I think we got some pretty killer bean images – without taking a single one in front of the Avianto sign. Anyway, it’s getting late, so just three images from my side before I wrap up Jenny and Seamus’s album from Dinarobin – yep, that’s how far behind I am at the moment.

Loads more cool images, but I’ve been trying to keep the blogs to three images, you’ll have to wait until I post some spreads from their album.

Have a great week …