Our first Saturday off in what feels like years. So we went down to that bastion of all things hip, sugar-free, organic and ethically sourced, where chocolate is labeled honest, beer is crafted and shots of tequila are dispensed at 10am. A tangled mixture of reclaimed urban, textures, concrete, typography and homegrown. Also known as the Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein. We watched as the superhip 30-somethings and their kids wandered about, caught up with old friends and wondered where the venue got those superfat light bulbs from. A nice quiet Saturday in the city – it even rained.

couples in wedding dress in India, 

I’m just wrapping up a few things before we close the studio for the year. Take a small break, enjoy the festive season with our family – I get to roast a leg of lamb again (my secret is anchovies).

Traditionally most studios end of the year with a best of selection of images. Kind of a 2011 rewind. Going through them to pick a couple for our best of, is kind of like going through a photographic diary of our year. If you’ve followed the blog you’ll know that we’ve had an incredible year, met some amazing people and still chat to a lot of them on a regular basis. We’ve spent time swimming with elephants in Northern Thailand, shot an incredibly emotional beach wedding in Mauritius, went out on a dhow to a deserted island in Zanzibar to watch Zan and Reyna get married, we saw an incredible sunrise over the dunes in De Hoop while whales frolicked in the background, we fell in love again with the rhythm of the Johannesburg inner city, time stopped as we watched a tropical storm develop over the Indian Ocean, and so many other heartfelt, incredible, out of this world moments. Our work has been featured in numerous magazines, blogs etc, but most importantly in some of the most rockstar wedding albums. I got to speak in front of a standing room only audience on the main stage at the Photo & Film Expo, did some very cool workshops, brought out a series of DVDs and spent my year with V.

In a hyper-competitive industry in one of the worst economic climates we had a support network of other photographers. Ian Mitchinison, whose work inspires me all the time, and is always free with his advice. My co-conspirator, Werner from Natural Photography, who was likely to be up for a Skype chat at any hour of the night, and for my money is the best family photographer around. Andrea Carlyle, who is just family, and a rocking photographer. Rianka and Floris from Rianka’s Weddings who are going to be the team to watch next year. Tamlyn and Dylan from Tyme who makes killer bee cappuccinos. Sybrand Cillié (Pro Photography), aka The Cape Town connection. Sephi Bergerson, pound for pound the best Indian (or other) wedding photographer on the planet. James and the crew at Red Ivory, for being the venue that took things to the next level. Sjani at Weddings on Zanzibar who is just a rockstar in her own right and one of the nicest people we know. All the photographers who’ve been commenting on our FB page and clicking ‘like’, thank you. I do read all the comments and appreciate you taking the time to have a look at our work.

Picking a couple of images for our best of is insanely difficult, every wedding has it’s own memories and personalities for me. I’m going to post a few on our Facebook page.

sjani wedding, wedding photographer of the year 2011, 

One of our favorite couples have been featured on the cover of My Wedding Day, and we get to cheer for them. We told you you were rockstars, and this proves it.

More pics from their out of this world wedding in Mauritius and here.

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It’s December, that time of the year when we work 18 hour days editing weddings and trying to get last minute albums ready in time for our annual vacation. In the last two weeks I must have seen at least a couple of hundred images ruined by other suppliers in the photos. V and I try very hard to fit in to the general wedding atmosphere and wear appropriate clothing for the occasion. For me, a collared shirt is the minimum appropriate wear for a formal occasion like a wedding. I don’t wear all black because I’m not a ninja, I haven’t been to SWAT training, and Johnny Cash isn’t a blood relative. We wear what we would expect guests arriving to a wedding would wear.

If your videographer, chauffeur, chopper pilot, coordinator etc, etc, is going to be around on the day, they will end up in your photos because if the choice is between getting an image with the videographer in it or not getting the image, we will shoot the image. If that videographer is wearing a baggy t-shirt, jeans and sandals, they will be in your photos dressed like that. Just because it’s black it doesn’t excuse looking sloppy. If the coordinator is going to walk behind you all the way to the chapel and they are dressed for a day by the pool, they will look like that in your photos as well. If the video person or sound guy has a habit of leaving his stands, mics, tripods etc right next to you at the altar, they will be in your photos. You wouldn’t believe how much it costs to get a retoucher to remove them.

We close on the 17th btw – and are back on the 2nd.

Saw this quote being thrown around in a Google+ mud slinging match this morning.

“The fact is that relatively few photographers ever master their medium. Instead they allow the medium to master them and go on an endless squirrel cage chase from new lens to new paper to new developer to new gadget, never staying with one piece of equipment long enough to learn its full capacities, becoming lost in a maze of technical information that is of little or no use since they don’t know what to do with it.” – Edward Weston

We had to study Mr Westons’ work at university, was never a big fan, but the quote really resonates for me.

dror eyal actions, few photographers master medium r, 

It finally arrived and we’re busy sending it out to all of those that pre-ordered. Should be with you in the next week or so.

If you’d like a copy or are just wondering what it’s all about, head on over to The Focal Plan. There’s even a free chapter where we turn Alvina’s rocking wedding photo into a serious Hindi Rockstar image in lightroom. Look Ma, no presets.

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In the 2 main arenas expect to be wowed by the biggest line-up of speakers yet, from international guest speakers such as the world renowned Rufus Deuchler flying in from Italy to top local photographers like Roger De La Harpe, Kevin Shoulder, Dror Eyal, Lou Coetzer, David Larsen, Brett Florens, David Rogers, Deryck Van Steenderen, David Oosthuizen, Ian Mitchinson, Darryl Van Niekerk, Sean Nel, Mia Ziervogel, Mike Tippett, Anton Van Niekerk and many more…

See full schedule once completed at www.photofilmexpo.com

UPDATE: looks like we’re on the main stage on Sunday afternoon – http://www.photofilmexpo.com/WORKSHOP_MAINSTAGE.pdf

I’m going to be giving a talk at the Photo & Film Expo (with Ian), it will be about inspiration, getting better at photography and developing your brand – come say hi.

On another note, if you want me to come speak at your club, to your group, class etc, drop me an email.

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