We’d kind of gotten turned around in the one way streets that cluster around the Carlton Centre, in the inner city, turned the corner and a huge plume of yellow and purple smoke was erupting out of a car. Someone carrying some sort of implement of destruction rushed to the smoking car and started banging on the driver’s window. A film crew had closed off the road, they were shooting a scene. It’s tough trying to find a quiet location on a Saturday afternoon in the Johannesburg city centre.

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 …

• An occasional series #3
• an occasional series #7
• an occasional series #8
• Joanne and Robert at Toadbury Hall
• Shooting Formals

not many words this week, just pics.

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.

• Not quite Paris
• In the key of F5
• Lee and Cameron at Casalinga
• Una and Steyn

On Friday we got to go to one of the most fun weddings we’ve been to in a long time. Natasha and Sebastian were just relaxed, impossibly cool and looked liked they were having a blast. It was also our first no Facebook wedding, where the MC asked the guests to not post anything to Facebook or online.

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.

• The Cradle of Humankind weddings
• The Cradle – Mignon and Adam
• Not sure if these automated posts are going to happen …
• The Cradle Wedding – Linda & Sean
• The Cradle – Agnita and Heins

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.

• Day After – Alvina and Andrew
• Underwater in Mauritius
• Heritage Le Telfair Wedding – Alvina + Andrew
• Mauritius Beach Wedding – Alvina + Andrew
• Nicky and Andrew at Longmeadow Piano Lounge (III)

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.

• Angie and Brandon at the Westcliff

It seems I’m always posting blogs late at night these days, we’re deep into summer madness, trying to keep up with the latest weddings. A lot of the other wedding photographers in our circle are also still up, I can see them on Skype. I’m kind of half listening to the new Black Keys on my earphones – V is asleep, it’s an early morning for her tomorrow.

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.

• Summer Place Wedding – Bronwen + Andries
• Studio closed
• Rainy Summer
• Rain Rain and No End In Sight
• Joanne & Adrian – the couple session

I’m terrible at keeping secrets. I can’t imagine how Paulo managed to not tell anyone about the helicopter that he had chartered for the wedding. No-one knew, not the groomsmen, not the bridesmaids, not the bride. I almost spilled the beans at one point. Don’t tell me to keep a secret, think of a hyperactive eight year old, I pretty much have a similar capacity for keeping quiet. I didn’t say a word.

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.

• Nicole and Donavan at Thaba
• Thaba Ya Batswana – Daisy + Ricardo
• End of the 2010 Season
• Nadine and Phil at Amazingwe
• Testimonials