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.

The Hindu ceremony took place at a private island called Ilot Mangénie.

Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s post with images from their Catholic ceremony at Notre Dame Du Bon Secours.

Tomorrow is admin day at the studio, so if you’re waiting for an email from me, you should get it tomorrow.

I was a bit flummoxed as to how to post these, you can’t really do justice to a 20 hour day with two ceremonies and six outfit changes in a single blog post. So I’ve decided to break it up into three separate posts. It was still difficult to break up, but what an amazing day.

Swathi was just the most chilled bride and Andrei just too smooth for words. It started early and turned into the most incredible day of laughter, tradition, dancing, sunshine, rain and dramatic skies. It was amazing to see a group of family and friends that are so connected to each other. I think someone mentioned the guests being from 11 different nationalities. I remember at one point standing inside Notre Dame du Bon Secours, listening to the coordinator explaining something in Creole (I think), hearing someone saying to a noisy child “khalas” (arabic for enough), and being transported a million years back to fighting with my brother in my grandparents’ backyard and my grandmother telling us khalas.

… and a quick sneak peek at tomorrow’s post

Oh, meant to mention this cause she was simply fantastic, the wedding coordinator was Mitchella Chan at Le Touessrok (I could probably live in Mauritius for the rest of my life and not be able to pronounce Le Touessrok correctly, I seem to be hardwired against pronouncing anything French or Creole).

Three days, five hours sleep, detained by customs, living on curry and Phoenix, trying to get around with French learned by watching foreign movies. Wouldn’t trade it for all the little plastic toys in China. I’m back, sun burnt, knowing a bit more French and trying to get through almost 8000 photos. So, this is part I, of I don’t know how many.

Seamus and Jenny and Ebba and Jimmy, you guys all rock, and Ebba is a rockstar in her own category. So, ready to see some pics from a rocking Mauritius beach wedding – take note of that dress! This was at Dinarobin, I’ll write a longer piece about the whole trip and how it came about and destination weddings a bit later.

I know its traditional for beach weddings to be all sunsets and superblue water, but by now you know how I feel about tradition and anyway the whole thing struck me like a classical black and white Hollywood love story on late night tv where the white has faded into cream and the shadows have a touch of blue in them.

I know, I know, a lot more photos than I normally put up – apologies to those on slower connections. If you’re waiting for images from one of my other weddings from last week, I’m about three weddings behind at the moment, but they’ll be going up during the week. If you’re waiting for images from Nicole and Johan’s weddings, mine will be up early next week.

Updated to add: Their wedding coordinator was Sonya at Dinarobin who was witty as beans and pretty damn amazing – if you see her, tell her Mr Dror says hi.

I’m listening to the new Neil Diamond – Home Before Dark, really enjoying Pretty Amazing Grace

It was incredible. Stay tuned for some amazing images. I just need to wrap up some album changes, drop off a couple of packages and answer a lot of emails.