We haven’t featured an album in a while, and I just wanted to show off a couple of pages from Angie and Brandon’s wedding at the Westcliff. Its super clean, quite graphic and features a lot of moments and expressions, not just a fashion shoot using the bride and groom as props. The cover was made from the pattern that they designed for their wedding stationary. Its a killer bee Westcliff Album that is classical, emotional and whimsical. I love it, and I think it fits two very hip parents who also happen to be killer graphic designers.

It started with Roger handing me an iced glass filled with a cloudy yellowish liquid. It was hot, I’d been walking up the one million stairs that connect the ballroom with room 433, I needed liquids. I took a huge gulp, and another, before somewhere in the back of my head the message slowly trickled, the drink had a serious amount of alcohol in it – somewhere north of rum.

Half an hour later, we were at the terrace, watching Roger and Greg get married in a traditional celtic ceremony. Rockstars? Yes. Loads of fun? Yep. People being themselves, ignoring V and I’s instructions, messing about, allowing us to capture the energy and adrenaline that only kicks that hard when you’ve just gotten married or someone has told you to jump out of the airplane? Check. Can’t wait for the couples session.

If Greg and Roger look familiar its because we did a lifestyle session with the Smythe family last year two years ago.

Last week Saturday V and I were in action at St Martins down in the south (hence last week’s trip to miniland) where Ruth’s dad is the principal. Amazing chapel with an incredible history, designed by H Baker & F Fleming, and built by unskilled labourers … well, you have to see it. It was quite a trip down memory lane being back in a high school, amazing how they still have the same feeling so many years later.

Ruth, David and their families were total rockstars. Thank you all for your generosity and warmth. As they say in the classics, it ain’t a party until the nuns start dancing.

I’m slowly getting better and getting my voice back, should be back to full email duty next week. BTW if you’re a fan of Chuck Palahniuk, I watched Choke the other day and its actually pretty good, not as great as Fight Club, but pretty good, especially if you happen to be very feverish (NSFW or home actually). Kind of like speed reading a year’s worth of YOU magazines in three hours.

If for some bizarre reason you’re following my camera collecting exploits – I have just bought my dream camera, expect to see me carrying it about on my next vacation.

Our first bride in black, our first couple from Singapore and a rocking wedding. Expect a whole bunch of images in the next day or so – I picked up a bit of a cold and I’m going to take a day or two to get over it. Just wanted to post this one that caught my eye while I was downloading the cards, because Ruth and David are in Cape Town on their honeymoon and I’m pretty sure they have an internet connection.

Just a couple more that struck my eye while I was backing up.

It kind of started with this idea of doing an edgy wedding shoot by Carfax, you know down there by Newtown in downtown Joburg. Throw in a couple of big panoramics by the Nelson Mandela Bridge and I thought we could get a couple of killer bee shots. So we packed into the big black car, made sure that the doors were locked – inner city Joburg and all that – and headed down. First stop, the Nelson Mandela Bridge – being used for a commercial shoot, can’t get on. Second stop just under the M1 where all the cool graffiti is, a crew is shooting a hiphop video. So much for edgy, you couldn’t throw a point and shoot in any direction without hitting a television crew.

So we parked the car and did a couple of big panoramics with the underpass while I was trying to think of plan D. Then I spotted him … dressed in a what can only be described as a pet body suit (you know those flesh colored unitards that people who want to streak but are too embarrassed wear?). I smiled, he waved, he turned to Angie and Brandon and asked if he could have a photo with the bridal couple. Angie and Brandon obliged and he, kind of, almost, invited us up to the rooftop where they were having a 40th birthday party. How could we resist that invite. A rocking downtown rooftop with the sun setting over Fordsburg and a view over the M1, pretty cool and it wasn’t even raining.

Angie and Brandon, total rockstars. Brandon cool and smooth, smoking a cigarette like a villain in a James Bond movie, Angie, the Bond girl (obviously), dressed in a rockstar white dress. The rest of the evening kind of blurred into rounds of straight faced gin, friends, family, in jokes, and raising the roof at the Westcliff.

Thank you for taking us downtown, traipsing up dilapidated building because your photographer told you there will be an amazing view (got to admit it was a good guess), making V and I feel so welcome and comfortable with your friends and family, and of course looking so photogenic.

Some might say that we crashed a 40th birthday party in downtown Joburg with our bridal couple, invited ourselves up and took advantage of their amazing view and the incredible sunset over Fordsburg and the Oriental Plaza. More later when I’ve had a bit more sleep and everything has been backed up.

Its been a while since I’ve put up a blog post. I think the next month or two while we roll on to Christmas are going to be tough ones out here in the studio. Still a couple of weddings left to shoot, quite a few to finish up and well, what can I say its one of the wettest, darkest summers we’ve ever had out here in Johannesburg. So expect sporadic postings from me, occasional images of dark sky weddings, and some late night ruminations. I apologize in advance, its the lack of caffeine.

Yep, I’m still off caffeine, although at around 11pm when my eyes are ready for bed and I still have a couple of hours work left its always touch and go. I was reading a paper recently, yes I do still read, and it turns out that the act of remembering a memory changes that memory, sleep deprivation makes it worse, actually causing us to make up memories. The cheap and easy cure for false memories, a cup of coffee!

But I’m still off caffeine, its hard to explain why, I just feel I need to. Other than that not much to report, I’ve stocked up on series 4 of LOST and Grey’s Anatomy (which V loves and I pretend to hate) and we’re working our way through them while editing.

And just before I end off, I often get asked what advice I have for people starting off in photography and I know a lot of people who read this blog are photographers. Abbas, who shoots beautiful black and white images exploring various religions, was recently asked what advice he had for young photographers. He replied “Get a good pair of walking shoes and…fall in love”. I still can’t find a decent pair in Joburg.

We’ve been to some really cool weddings in the 2006/2007 season. Made some friends, had a great time and shot some photos we are really proud of. In no particular order, my favourite weddings of the season.

Michael and Angela at Oakfield

Just an incredible wedding, filled with tradition and friends. Angela transformed Oakfield from a farm to a setting out of the Great Gatsby.

Maryanne and Scott at Koyama

Cool venue, laid back couple, indie sounds and glorious food from By Word Of Mouth.

Alesa and Dimitri at Saheti

Greek weddings are just fun, full stop. Add some wild Americans into the mix and well, you should have been there.

Mari and Elmer at Anderland

Two of the nicest people we’ve had the pleasure to meet.

JP and Christine at The Grace

Class and elegance would be the two words I’d use here. The love between these two was palpable.

Louise and Dan at The Westcliff

Wild. I mean really wild, like only a jewish wedding can get.

It is one am and we just got in from shooting Louise and Dan’s incredible wedding at The Westcliff. The day started off with yoga at The Towers and ended with a wonderful couple surrounded by their closest friends and family. What a truly glamorous day for two amazing people. The wedding was elegant and beautiful and filled with characters who you would expect to find in books written about mythical families. We had a grand time and I think the photos reflect that.

and the there is this one which I love although you will have to scroll sideways to see it properly.

Check out their sneak peek here

[ vendor prop: Edited to include names I had forgotten ] – There were may people to choose from this week, from the make-up artist who did such an amazing job I don’t think there is going to be any photoshop retouching on my side, to the two chefs who made the most delicious cake, to the Reverend Bercovich who delivered an incredible ceremony. My vendor prop though goes to Melissa Botha and Cotie Kurtz who made the dresses. The dresses were some of the most incredible creations. Louise looked radiant in her gown, and I love the message that was threaded into the layers “Can I Keep You”. They were really some of the most amazing gowns we we’ve ever photographed. Contact Melissa at 082.807.0567 and Coti at 083.444.4644 or coti[at]chikaybridal.co.za

BTW Louise and Dan are on honeymoon in Mauritius at the moment, which Louise informed me was bound to be warmer than Dallas. I only have one thing to say in reply to that. There are small sections in Alaska that are warmer than Dallas. I hope you guys are having a blast.

We shot our first Greek Orthodox Wedding this weekend. What a blast! It started off quietly enough at The Westcliff, a quick drive later and we were in the church at the Saheti School. The church itself was amazingly decorated with icons, beautiful religious artworks and the ceremony was incredible. Demitri and Alesa are a great couple, full of fun and joy. We really enjoyed witnessing the love you guys have for each other and for life. Thank you for allowing us to capture that for you.

Then it was off to La Gatto, a small restaurant – I don’t actually know where – we travelled in a convoy through Houghton and then I was lost. This is where the real party started. You haven’t partied ’till you’ve gotten down at a Greek wedding. Dancing, plate throwing, more dancing. There is something about Greek music that makes you want to get down, especially when the DJ rattles off something in Greek and everyone cheers and jumps on the dancefloor.

I know I normally drop in a vendor prop around now. This time however I want to give a shout out to Dimitri’s mom and sister, her husband Costa and to George. Thanks for making us feel really welcome, we had a great time and I promise I really am still full.