I half consider going back to bed, but these days I don’t sleep so well. Insomnia and a 1997 Tiburon are all that are left from my days in the corporate world. So I fire up lightroom, get some coffee going and start doing some editing. I’ve already edited the images from Kerri and Quintis’ actual wedding, but we also did a underwater photoshoot for their day after shoot – I saw a couple of people on our Facebook page comment on the underwater photo that I posted that Kerri and Quintis must have been an amazing couple to work with, and they were. You can’t go wrong when a couple trusts you to do what you do. That’s when we do our best work.

more pics from Kerri and Quintis’ killer bee wedding and day after shoot can be found on our facebook page. If you were a guest or know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

and from their day after shoot …

more pics from Kerri and Quintis’ killer bee wedding and day after shoot can be found on our facebook page. If you were a guest or know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

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We got some killer bee light though, and Jo’burg on a Sunday afternoon is a completely different beast from Jo’burg on any other day. All majestic and silent. My favorite time to walk down Bree Street. I love the authenticity of the buildings and the history of the place. Jarrett and Cornel were up for anything, our kind of clients, so we got to go to our regular scenic spots as well as a couple that I’ve been meaning to try for a while. Nice

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So we did what any true jo’burger (Joe Burger?) would do, we left the city and headed for the country. Dullstroom to be exact – a weekend away photographing Alison and Jonathan’s very very pastoral wedding at the Dunkeld Country Estate. Rolling green hills, fish jumping in ponds, horses grazing in the fields, light filtering through a very flammable forest, it was like stepping into a Thomas Cole painting.

Along the way we managed to discover the world’s worst cup of coffee at the Mugg & Bean in Alzu, and were grateful when we arrived at Dunkeld to be greeted by Jonathan with a care package that contained amongst other things …. fresh milk for coffee. Someone give that man a Bells. Thank you guys for taking such good care of us.

I didn’t get any vendor details but I did notice that the guys were drinking Johnny Walker Gold Label before the ceremony.

There are more pics of Alison and Jon’s very very pastoral Dullstroom wedding on our Facebook page. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

There are more pics of Alison and Jon’s very very pastoral Dullstroom wedding on our Facebook page. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

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we only submit photos to magazines, blogs etc with our clients permission.

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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.

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That’s ok though, today our venue is none other than Turbine Hall. I remember it back from the old days when I went to watch Faithless play there – it was one of V and I’s first official dates. Today we get to shoot Angela and Patrick’s wedding in some of the nicest concrete chic structures in Jo’burg. Nice. I love industrial backdrops.

Two incredibly photogenic people, the nicest bridal party, ex-Rhodents galore and edgy chic decor. What a way to end an incredible year.

Reception: Turbine Hall – where Lance, the Ops Manager was just a rockstar.
Ceremony: St George’s Anglican Church ( Parktown )
Getting Ready: The Westcliff

More images from Angela and Patrick’s chic wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself.

More images from Angela and Patrick’s chic wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself.

I chuckle every time I think about the Checkers marketing department having to promote turducken, imagine having to punt a food where the first four letters spell …

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Dress: Marianne Fassler (yes, there was a leopard print garter)
Ceremony: St George’s Anglican Church ( Parktown )
Reception: Villa Arcadia
Videographers: DVI
DJ: DJ Luis Almeida

More pics from Lili and Cameron’s rocking wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them or were a guest you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

More pics from Lili and Cameron’s rocking wedding can be found on our Facebook page. If you know them or were a guest you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

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V and I are super sensitive to our clients’ privacy, if we have posted a pic of you ( whether you’re a client or guest ) and you would prefer to not be online, just drop us an email and we will remove it.

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

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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.

We were at Summer Place this weekend for Bronwen and Andries’ wedding, two people who I couldn’t imagine more in love (and two of the nicest people you’re likely to meet). You know it’s easy to get jaded in this industry, another wedding, another bride in a beautiful white dress, but looking at these two smiling at each other, sneaking crafty looks and kisses on the staircase, your heart can’t help smiling. So now, late at night, my new lava lamp keeping me company, editing those images and seeing the sneaky glances, I’m smiling again to myself, very grateful to have been able to capture those moments. The cats are still looking at me strangely.

I did get vendor details this week:

Dress: Gideon
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Getting Ready: Le Chatelat Boutique Guest House – stunning venue
Ceremony: St Martins in the Veld – can’t actually explain how beautiful the light is in this 100 year old church.
Reception: Summer Place – our co-ordinator was Simon who was on the ball and really accommodating.
Decor: Lorraine at Papillo Designs, rapidly becoming one of our favorite decor/wedding coordination people. Just a rockstar really.
DJ: The man, the myth, the legend, DJ Luis Almeida
Videographers: Andre from Freeman Productions – professional and unobtrusive, a pleasure to work with as always.

pretty good huh?

ok, some pics, but before that, there are more pics of Bronwen and Andries’ super stylish Summer Place wedding. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

There are more pics of Bronwen and Andries’ super stylish Summer Place wedding. If you were a guest or know them, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

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All I can say is that Kate was surprised. The wedding rocked like the 80′s and Kate and Paulo brought serious rockstar swagger (and movie star good looks) to their photoshoot. The reception was at Thaba Ya Batswana, and kind of reminded me a lot of the purple lighting design I’ve been seeing from the New York photographers. We were joined by the videographers from DVI so we didn’t have to stress about the moody lighting, which is always nice. Just a rocking relaxed day with two of the nicest people, who made the day just too easy. Thank you.

btw I did have to smile to myself when it came out that Paulo went to Benoni High and spent a lot of time not studying. I did a lot of not studying at Benoni High myself. Lots of good memories.

Portraits: Rand Airport
Reception: Thaba Ya Batswana
Ceremony: Our Lady Of Lebanon (which is one of the nicest churches we’ve photographed at)
Videographers: DVI

more photos from Kate and Paulo’s rocking Thaba Ya Batswana wedding can be found on our facebook page – if you know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

more photos from Kate and Paulo’s rocking Thaba Ya Batswana wedding can be found on our facebook page – if you know them you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

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I just wanted to say thank you to everyone, who made an effort to make us feel welcome, those that made an effort to speak to us in English, those that listened to our terrible Afrikaans, to both the Van Rensburgs and the Nels. We really appreciated everything and had a blast hanging out with you. Next time at our place?

There are more pics on our Facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave Jan and Irma a message.

There are more pics on our Facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave Jan and Irma a message.

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I’m still cruising on adrenaline from today’s wedding at Red Ivory. Christelle and Jonathan, two of the nicest people you’re likely to meet. A gathering of friends and family who came together to see them get married after a nine year engagement. Just being themselves, having a blast, always smiling, Christelle doing little dances she was so excited. That kind of excitement is infectious. Then there was Jonathan who reduced pretty much everyone to tears with his groom’s speech.

Hours later, traveling home on that very dark highway, I’m mentally going through the images, ticking off the one’s I liked for the blog. One keeps jumping out, it’s of Christelle’s sisters helping her get ready, the look on their faces says everything.

We were joined at Red Ivory by DJ and lighting maestro – DJ Paul and saxophonist Rike Coetzer.

You can see more images from their rocking Red Ivory wedding on our facebook page. If you know the couple you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself in.

You can see more images from their rocking Red Ivory wedding on our facebook page. If you know the couple you’re welcome to leave them a message or tag yourself in.

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“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.

I’m just wrapping up the Facebook edit on Esmari and Eugene’s wedding, I’m just smiling to myself, Jay-Z on the speakers, you can’t help smiling when you’re looking at images where everyone is having such a blast.

I only really have two things to say:
One, thank you guys, it was a real joy to photograph the two of you. I’m not sure what the ring bearer was on about, but from looking at the pics, I suspect he wanted his rings back.
Two, why is it that the life of the party is always a pilot? Don’t I suffer enough with my fear of flying :^)

You can view more from Esmari and Eugene’s Country Club wedding on our Facebook page, if you were a guest feel free to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

You can view more from Esmari and Eugene’s Country Club wedding on our Facebook page, if you were a guest feel free to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

If you’ve come to my workshops, or heard me speak, you’d have heard me say that there isn’t such a thing as wedding photography. It’s something that the magazines and blogs define for brides and they in turn request that from their photographer who shoots it, and then it becomes the standard. So this weekend as I watched Esmari being laced into her dress, I wondered who thought that the best way to showcase a wedding dress which is designed for someone’s body, was to put in on a hanger and hang it somewhere interesting.

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We were at The Westcliff this weekend, for Samantha and Sean’s wedding. The Westcliff, especially Jacaranda Hill, always makes think of the kind of weddings that they would have had in the roaring twenties, all dressed in slick white, hats and fascinators. Rolls Royces in the driveway and string quartets playing on the lawns. Add the whole Johannesburg in Spring aspect to it – I’m talking serious Jacaranda’s in bloom all over the place, the smell of approaching rain, and it’s one of those weddings that just seems in it’s own space in time.

Dress: Pronovias
Suits: Fabiani
Ceremony: Rosebank Catholic Church
Reception: The Westcliff
Rolls: Spirit of Ecstacy (Ferdi is a really nice guy)

You can view more from Samantha and Sean’s Westcliff wedding on our Facebook page, if you were a guest feel free to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

You can view more from Samantha and Sean’s Westcliff wedding on our Facebook page, if you were a guest feel free to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

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We were at the always killer bee Red Ivory Lodge for Chantel and Rossouw’s wedding. Romanz was (were?) singing under the huge tree, the crystal tree ornaments were catching the late afternoon sun, James and the always-on-the-ball staff at Red Ivory were serving some of their out of this world cold berry drinks. In the background the sun was setting over the Magaliesberg Mountain range. It was a gorgeous day.

If you weren’t there, I could tell you that Chantel wore a seriously killer bee Gert Van Der Merwe dress, that her father officiated over the ceremony (there was suspiciously no youmaykissthebride – Rossouw went for it anyway), I could also tell you that it was a super relaxed day in the country, the view of the sunset was amazing.

I just want to thank Chantel and Rossouw’s families for just being rockstars and making us feel welcome, and making an effort to speak to us in English. Much much appreciated. Thank you.

Ok, to the vendors.
Reception: Red Ivory Lodge obviously
Band: Romanz
Dress: Gert Van Der Merwe
Coordinator: Lorraine at Papilio Designs – On the ball, organized and such a pleasure to work with. Always replied to our emails within 24 hours and was happy to work with us to make sure that the bride and groom got the best photos.

… almost put my foot in it. My second shooter for the day was the very talented Corinna Tannian who just kicks ass.

more pics from Chantel and Rossouw’s wedding on our facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

more pics from Chantel and Rossouw’s wedding on our facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave them a message.

I get a lot of questions about the 50mm lens that I use and why I don’t switch to a newer lens, faster lens, an f/1.4 or f/1.2. I was telling someone at the Photo & Film Expo last week, I believe that lenses have personalities, two identical 50mm lenses will each have their own quirks and after almost 20 years of using mine, I feel that we know each other. I know what it can do and I know how to use it to get what I want out of it. As for the f/1.4 or f/1.2, aperture is only one of a couple of factors that determine DOF, and it’s not even the most important one. Fact.

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Before I do though, I got to shoot this weekend with the super talented Rianka, who is going to be a big name in our industry in the next year. Keep an eye out for her. We were accompanied by the rockstar videographers of DVI, Rob and Santi – who make me smile and shoot some serious video.

As always more images on our Facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave Cara and Clive a message.

As always more images on our Facebook page, you’re welcome to tag yourself in or leave Cara and Clive a message.

After my presentation yesterday at The Photo & Film Expo, a couple of people came by and asked why I didn’t talk about marketing, getting clients, word of mouth, social marketing, SEO, branding, logos, all that kind of stuff that people think is essential to being a successful photographer. I talked about mastering our craft because I think at the end of the day successful photographers are those that take great photos (I could be wrong, but I suspect that I’m not). If you take the three tactics that I gave and practiced them, you will be successful regardless of what your logo or advert looks like.

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Ok, I’m very late on posting this wedding, but it’s been up on our Facebook page for a while and it has gotten some very cool comments. We don’t often go out to photograph the evening before rehearsal dinner/get together braai, because not much really happens, but you guys rocked it. Really too easy to photograph you guys and the retinue, such a pleasure meeting you both. I think I’m just going to add that Catherine and Michael, and their crew, partied like it was the eighties. Nice.

Our videographers on the day were the guys from Freeman Productions who are always a pleasure to have around.

More from their wedding on our Facebook page.

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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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