Dror Eyal Photography

Top Billing Q&A

dror — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:37:08 +0000

… a little Q&A with me in Top Billing this month where I wax poetic about shooting weddings in Johannesburg.

to be serious for a second though, the quality of the reproduction in Top Billing is really high end, which makes me happy, and besides a recent photo of me, they also featured a pic from Sharon and Barley’s wedding as well as Angie and Brandon’s wedding.

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Lee and Cameron at Casalinga

dror — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:30:06 +0000

If we had a prize for the couple that laughed the most at their wedding, and were just general badasses, these two would probably win it. Yep, we were back at Casalinga, for another cool relaxed laid back wedding and if these two look familiar its cause we shot their couples session last year(?) where they laughed just as much and seemed to have just as much fun. Ooh, just before I head on back to Lightroom and another epic editing session, thank you Lee for taking care of us and making sure everything was sorted out – I’m getting you a Koi for your one year anniversary.

probably my fav photo of the day, and I got to indulge my photojourn side

I was speaking to a client the other day about the length of time it takes to edit a wedding, and they mentioned that their mom didn’t understand that it wasn’t like it was in her day. You no longer get to drop off your rolls of film at the lab on the Sunday and pick up the proofs on the Monday. We now have to spend a lot of time doing our own post production on the images in photoshop. Yeah … I’m not so sure we’re better off with digital.

We watched Alice in Wonderland the other morning, and Tim Burton has not let us down. Well worth the R130 …

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crazy season

dror — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:34:12 +0000

Its March and it feels like its been weeks since I’ve last had a decent night’s sleep. Feb/March is our crazy season, hours of slaving in front of a hot screen, a million pixel tan, and I feel like I’m missing on posting some of the coolest work we’ve done in a while because there’s a lot of pressure to deliver the weddings in time and putting together a full blog post means a day that I could have spent editing. So you get bitty posts of single, or if we’re lucky, a couple of images from a recent’ish wedding. Maybe I’ll do a best of Feb/March in April, if you’re a Feb/March client that means you’ll probably have your selection gallery before you have a blog post.

Ok, so that’s out the way, I wanted to post this one of Diane who got married at Red Ivory a couple of weeks back. V spotted this beautiful bit of light just streaming over the trees as we were headed back and Diane was game enough to go for a bit of a bundu bash. I think it was worth it.

As always we were ably joined by the peerless DVI on video.

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RE.INVENT (workshop)

dror — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:07:11 +0000

I’m very late on this one, I know, people have blogged it, tweeted it and even posted images. I’m very very late to the conversation. Anyway, not much to add, except to thank everyone for taking a chance on a new workshop (people arrived from as far away as Nigeria, Durban, Secunda etc), it was great to meet everyone and reading the blogs, I’m glad you all learned something, and I hope some of you take that leap of faith.

Our designer is working on a new site and I’ll be posting some images and video from the workshop once its ready.

Some blogs I have seen:
Stella
Eileen
Kat
Jeanette
Mandy
Archie
Rachel
Gavin
… I’m sure I’ve missed out quite a few people, Andrea is much better at this than me. I’ll add them as I spot them.

don’t panic its a workshop, we usually only have two photographers.

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Nirox (Sunday Morning)

dror — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:23:10 +0000

At Nirox for the opening of Auke de Vries’ ‘A Gentle Invasion’. Its not really my kind of sculpture, so we dodge the actual opening, sit in the shade, snack on muffins (if that’s what they were) and enjoy a slow Sunday morning at Nirox, one of my favorite places in Joburg.

I shot a couple of textures while we were there – available for download from The Dror Eyal Experiment.

Telkom has finally arrived and rewired the house, so we’re back on ADSL.

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Diane & Jason (Sneak Peek)

dror — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:28:55 +0000

We’d been waiting for this one for a while, so despite the fact that I had wrecked the big black car two weekends ago and we were driving the super sexy Dent Doctor courtesy car which smells like something had died in the boot (for which we are deeply grateful – the car not the smell), I was excited. It felt like we had known Diane and Jason forever, the weather was playing along nicely, we knew a lot of the people coming to the wedding and it was at Red Ivory. Nice. I’m going to post a full blog post later this week, but for now a quick sneak peek of their killer bee sunset over the Magaliesburg.

processed with the Yesterday action set and the texture is Nirox 3

If you’re headed to Red Ivory Lodge for a tasting, check out their Fresh Garden Fruit Preserve(?), one of the nicest things I’ve eaten in a long time – not too sure how to describe the taste, kindda sweet and spicy, I think it may have had peppadew in it.

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Fire

dror — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:00:54 +0000

Just wrapping up this one, from the James Bond event at Summerplace.

fireworks at Summerplace – for camera geeks, shot on a Nikon D700 at iso6400 using the multi-exposure function.

We’re still getting people just taking photos from the blog and using them without permission, especially venues, please note our copyright license on the right. Its also just polite to ask.

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Almost caught up …

dror — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:26:22 +0000

I’m almost caught up on my editing, just wrapping up this one from the moon and sixpence, and going over the material for the RE.INVENT workshop on Tuesday. Why is it that flower girls are always camera shy?

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YABB

dror — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:37:20 +0000

Dominique at Glenshiel, window lit portrait

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Kirsty and Ryan at Shepstone Gardens

dror — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:25:42 +0000

What I love about Shepstone Gardens is that its kind of like having a wedding in your garden, very intimate, very Great Gatsby, very relaxed, you always kind of expect a jazz quartet to be playing in the corner or maybe a busker walking in off the street. Except that we’re in Joburg and you don’t really want anyone walking in off the street, but close enough for rock ‘n roll.

I didn’t get suppliers details, cause I’m terrible about that, and I was having too much fun watching Ryan do ‘the Elvis’, kids messing about with the balloons and the guests eating candy floss in between cocktails. Wait, the bar was by liquid chefs. One supplier is better than nothing. Loads of pics today.

A little bit Marilyn, a little bit Madonna

I hardly ever see nice images of the toasts – I kind of like this one

Apologies for posting so many pics …

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Elrese and Reghardt at Moon and Sixpence

dror — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:39 +0000

This one kind of reminded me of True Romance (the Quintin Tarantino movie not the overused sentiment) … smooth suits, killer moves, great story line, loads of fun. A perfect day. It would have been a perfect movie as well if they hadn’t cast Val Kilmer as Elvis (Val Kilmer as Elvis!?). Anyway, many many killer bee images, super cool relaxed couple, the weather played nice and I probably spent as much time chatting and cracking jokes as photographing – always a sign that the photographer is getting seriously cool images and isn’t stressed. Thank you both for making it so easy.

Ok, ok, some suppliers, cause I remembered to ask.
Carriage and horses by Chris Beyers from Terrouges Equestre – the horses looked well looked after and groomed and they were called Jazz and Blues! The carriage was an actual antique from the 1800s.
Killer Bee dress by Biji Couture
Suit by – I have no idea but as soon as I find out I’m getting one.
Venue – Moon and Sixpence

I hardly ever post images of the retinue because it isn’t something that we specialize in – you’re better off with someone more traditional if that’s what you’re after, but this one makes me smile

Whenever I see a Biji dress it seems to beg for a big canvas, almost classical oil painting kind of treatment – I can see this one on a big canvas. Or maybe its just me.

Most of the time my clients tell me in our pre-session that they hate being photographed, always look terrible and always have the same frozen smile on their face. These two rockstars, same story. I’ve stopped believing that story.

before you email to let me know that I’ve already posted the Son of Preacher Man photo, I think it makes a cool bookend to the one of the flower girl hence the repost.

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Midnight

dror — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:44:39 +0000

My favorite time to edit is on this side of midnight, the entire neighborhood seems to be asleep and apart from the occasional dog barking, its almost completely silent. Tonight, this morning, this little guy is keeping me in stitches with his expressions during the ceremony.

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007 at Summerplace

dror — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:18:04 +0000

Friday night we’re at Summerplace for a 007 themed event. Bond girls, fireworks, a blackjack and a roulette table, martinis and an Aston Martin. I don’t have model releases for the evening so I can’t post pics, but I’m pretty sure I can post some images of the cool decor.

Venue: Summerplace
DJ: The mighty mighty DJ Ricky H
Event Management: Otto De Jager Events
Cake: Sugar n Ice
Catering: Taste Explosion

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Ivana and Claudio (Day After)

dror — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:10:30 +0000

7h30 photo call, its early, way too early, but in an hour or so the soft light will turn into harsh contrast and way too much African sun, and in four hours Claudio and Ivana will be on a plane to Mauritius and we’ll be trying to catch up on sleep. Got to work quickly, we have an hour and a bit to create some killer bee pics.

So sunglasses on, take out coffee clutched in my hand, a couple of memory cards shoved into my jeans pocket. We’re outside the Market Theatre, caffeinated to the gills, its been a long weekend of very little sleep and V and I are feeling it. I’d torn my rotator cuff two weeks ago and my physio had recommended I rest my arm. Yeah, right, rest the arm that holds up the camera during our busiest season. That’s likely. I’m slightly gratified when Claudio rolls down the car window and him and Ivana both look slightly shattered.

We take it slowly, a couple of images under the highway, super chilled, swapping tips about Mauritius, Claudio and Ivana are the most calm relaxed couple, just unfussed about anything,letting us do our thing. Catching some killer bee images before the sun turns the day into a washed out mess. Its not a trash the dress session, there’s no water anywhere, but Newtown is pretty dirty, and some of the images I’m wanting to make require a bit of bravery. Ivana’s answer is … its a dress.

Three quarters of an hour later and its a quick trip to the center of town, historical buildings, authentic backgrounds, just around the corner from the ANC building. A bit more of a Joburg scene. A million miles away from yesterday’s shoot at Summerplace, I silently wish I’d brought a couch.

someone call you know who and complain, the photographer cut the grooms head off …..

Hang on to your bellbottoms I’m going to post the previous couple of shoots in random order.

Hey, a preview for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland just came on the telly. I can hardly wait, and its in 3D. I may have to break my no-cinemas-not-ever-again rule and head out into popcorn land.

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Tough

dror — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:10:48 +0000

You have to be pretty tough to survive being a groom at a jewish wedding.

Jan/Feb are catch up months at the studio, so I’m posting bits and pieces that catch my eye as I edit.

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Son of a preacher man

dror — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 07:29:56 +0000

Yesterday, Elrésé and Reghardt at the Moon and Sixpence

more later … and yes I know, it was that kind of wedding.

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Dominique and Charl

dror — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:18:25 +0000

All it took was one person saying sachten to someone else and I was back in my childhood. Amazing how little it actually takes to kickstart that part of your brain that houses your childhood. People dancing the dabke, a rocking tent set up in an old estate house, all Gatsby in white, vintage cars and black tie … one of my favorite elements of a wedding are the way that traditions and family histories get incorporated into the day. Anyway, I’m not going to say too much, expect maybe to mention that for one night the center of the universe was relocated to Houghton.

Ceremony: Rosebank Catholic
Reception: Noordhoek
Couple shoot: Glenshiel
Decor & Coordination: Otto De Jager
DJ: DJ Ricky

I love this image – just a perfect moment

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Nicole and Brett

dror — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:48:50 +0000

It was looking like rain, not heavy rain, but that soft soaking rain that seems to have taken up residence in Johannesburg for the last couple of weeks, the kind of rain that wouldn’t put a cramp in your style but might seriously get under your skin after a while. That kind of rain tends to produce soft light, very green greens that if you mute them just right you can get that old world kind of look.

I was back at Shepstone Gardens, the rain had kind of stopped, the rogue hen was scampering about and Nicole had told me earlier that she wanted something a bit edgier, something less pretty. Once the ceremony in the dutch garden was over we took the retinue and headed into Newtown, dodging a photographer shooting what looked like a cover for a youth magazine or maybe an edgy model portfolio, and locating a spot where the light fell just right.

Nicole was cool, relaxed, knew what she wanted, in love with her Brett and the architecture of the inner city. A great start to the year, some killer bee pics in the inner city and probably my all time favorite bridal retinue pic. I don’t often like to take the retinue with us on the couple shoot because they tend to distract the bride and groom, but this lot were perfect, we used them as background, as foreground and we even did some formal group photos under the bridge.

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Send in the clouds

dror — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:41:39 +0000

I’m busy working on Joanne and Adrian’s wedding at Oakfield Farm, and spotted this one, which reminded once again that not all things are what they seem but the moments between the kisses sure make for some pretty cool wedding photos.

Simultaneously while editing, I am also really enjoying Damon Winter’s double exposures series.

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Wedding Collection

dror — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:40:07 +0000

Congrats to Christine and Roger whose wedding was featured in Wedding Collection magazine. Their wedding was out in Intundla and Christine was just one of the most chilled, happy and relaxed brides we’d had last year. Perfect for our natural photography style.

I see that people have been using our testimonials page to navigate the blog. Probably the most interesting way to do so.

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The Bones

dror — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:32:50 +0000

I’ve been pretty immobile this week, trying to give my foot a chance to recover. A quick visit to the radiologist has resulted in a diagnosis of ‘prominent degenerative change with end plate irregularity’ which I am hoping is doctorese for ‘getting older’ rather than doctorese for ‘needs a metal plate in his foot which will set off every metal detector in a five mile radius and hurt like hell on cold days’.

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RE.INVENT { a workshop }

dror — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:12:35 +0000

I’m very excited to announce a photographic workshop by Andrea and I – RE.INVENT. For around the cost of a root canal and a lot more fun, you get a whole day of killer bee photography knowledge. It will be taking place at Forum Homini on the 23rd of Feb and there are still a couple of seats available. More info at http://www.theworkshops.co.za. I’m looking forward to meeting some of you blog stalkers.

21/01 THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT! THANK YOU.

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Joanne and Adrian – the wedding

dror — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:30:44 +0000

I’m pretty sure that Sunday was the hottest day of the year, maybe even the decade. The BBC weather report had promised thunder showers and had a very nice icon of dark clouds on their site, the kind of clouds that have photographers drooling about textures and moody skies. All a lie. It was hot, Africa hot, the kind of hot that would have made Tarzan want to go back home, sunny with the kind of contrasty light that makes wedding photographers want to call their mom. I was trying to manage over 200 people into a large group photo, not my forte, they wanted out of the sun. I tended to agree with them.

Since I was last here, Oakfield Farm had installed those misting systems that spray a fog and cool down the air, I wanted to stand under one of those for an hour or two. Of course the artificial fog plus the sun setting through the trees made for some killer bee images, got to love irony – and artificial fog. Lets see, Joanne and Adrian, fun, a blast to be around, and just a cool couple, add a seriously elegant dress (I was introduced to the designer, but promptly forgot the name, sorry), twin flower girls, skinny ties on the guys, a couple (and a coordinator) who are used to my often bizarre sense of aesthetic and trust you to pull off very very different images. It was a pretty rockstar end to the year. Thank you both.

Ok, one thing before I show you some pics from the day. I was recently at Letamo, and I was chatting to a woman who turned out to be a hair dresser and when she found out I shot weddings, she said that the number one regret of her clients after their wedding day was that they didn’t have photos of the people partying at their wedding. Well, something along those lines, she said it more eloquently. So I know I show a lot of photos of people partying on this blog, but since its on my mind at the moment, a couple more.

got to start with a couple of pics of Joanne, who looked like a moviestar

I hardly ever show our parents photo – but this one was pretty classic.

Chum Char – or as I overheard one of the guests call it “expensive tea” – I suspect that may not be a direct translation.

Adrian is tall, very tall, and he tends to laugh a lot.

If you think Joanne and Adrian look familiar, I shot their couple session a while back, some of which they had used in their guest book – I felt cool.

Our merry band of suppliers on the day were:
The incomparable Cathy Heaton on make-up,
Michelle from Hair Innovations on hair, and,
Jazzanova(?) on upright bass, drums and keyboards.

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Bumper to bumper (S

dror — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:05:37 +0000

The weatherman had promised us rain, thunderstorms and even more rain. Naturally it was blisteringly hot, not a cloud in the sky, and we were dressed in black. Sharon and Barley wanted a urban feel to their shoot, so we headed into Melrose Arch, permits in hand, and stopped traffic. Literally. So an urban feel, a serious 50’s style dress, Harajuku Lovers shoes, skinny ties, Scarface references, traditional African mixed in with high end style. Killer bee images left right and center. There was even a Mbira … it was that kind of day. The sound of the main table getting down and singing along to Bumper to Bumper is on heavy rotation in my head.

probably my fav image of the day, but then I’m a sucker for b&w street scenes

A bit of a Scarface vibe at the Cigar Lounge

A couple of people have asked about my tweet about sharpness being overrated. If you didn’t follow the link, it was a comment on the fact that every week we see wedding photographers over-sharpening their images to a crisp. Think about it.

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Tis the season to be gorgeous

dror — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:04:50 +0000

The one thing that I do miss about watching DVDs is the adverts. Some days they’re the most interesting thing on the telly. Christmas, Lachapelle style, beautiful lighting throughout. (Link is NSWF)