There is just something about black and white photography that is elegant and classic. I love black and white photos – I love the look and the feel of them but you have to have the right ingredients for a black and white image to really work.

Things to consider when doing black and white photography are the brightness and contrast – low lighting conditions are often ideal for black and white photography. Beware of using a high ISO though as noise is more obvious in black and white photography.

Also, rather shoot the image in colour and convert to black and white in post-production – you have more control this way and can always use the image in colour if it works better that way, whereas shooting in black and white doesn;t give you the option of converting to colour.

You also have more control when shooting in RAW as opposed to Jpeg, but make sure you have enough space on your memory sticks as well as big resources on your pc to handle raw images.

 Other things to consider are shapes and textures. because you don’t have colours to draw your attention, you need to create drama and a point of interest with either your lighting or using shapes to draw the eye.

There are lots of fun things you can do with black and white photograhs (as with colour) and it is a whole genre of it’s own, but used correctly, it can be very powerful and effective.

I recently did a photoshoot at a Stimorol Karma Fruita Party and Promotion. They wanted a professional photographer to capture the event / promotion so that the images could be used for PR purposes as well as advertising and reports.

In the past, they would often just have someone from the office take ‘amateur’ photographs, but this can be tricky for someone who does not really understand event photography and how to work with the lighting. You can end up with very dark images and or blurred images and this may not be the kind of professional look you were hoping for.

So I decided to share some tips to help you with event photography. When doing a photoshoot at a promotion / function / event, there are a few things to bear in mind:

(1) You will need a flash! Make sure that you buy the best flash you can afford and always have spare batteries available. When you are using the flash most of the time, you will be surprised how quickly the batteries die.

(2) Try to bounce the flash where possible, or use slightly longer shutter speeds with the flash, which will give you a sharp image but will also bring in some of the ambient lighting.

(3) If the event is held indoors, a tripod will come in very handy. Where possible, use a tripod with a long shutter speed to capture the ambient light. However, when photographing people and moving objects you will need a fast shutter speed to get the subjects sharp and in focus.

(4) All events are different but you will usually need to move around a lot so make sure your equipment is in a portable bag and wear comfortable shoes.

(5) Be on the lookout and be ready to catch any unexpected moments – these are always plentiful at most events and will really complete the photoshoot.

(6) Make sure you vist the venue before the event so that you know what to expect – consider vantage points, lighting, space for tripod, etc

(7) Get a brief from the client so that you know exactly what is expected – what specific parts of the event / function / promotion do you need to capture. What kind of photographs would they like ie fun, natural candid photos or more formal, posed, professional images.

(8) Stick to your style – If you were chosen as the professional photographher of choice based on your portfolio, don’ go drastically changing your style unless this has been discussed with the client and you are confident that it will work.

(9) Dress the part – you are a professioanl event photographer so dress like one. Find out what the dress code will be at the event and dress accordingly.

(10) Finally, relax, mingle and have fun! When you are enjoying yourself, you will be more approachable by people attending the function / event / party and might catch shots that you would otherwise not have the oppurtunity to do.

Wedding photography can be a lot of fun if you know what you are doing but it can also be very stressful if you are not experienced enough or well prepared. The biggest thing about a wedding is that there are a number of photographs that a bride would want you to capture that are “once off” photos and if you miss the shot, it is gone. You will never get that unforgettable first kiss of the newlyweds again! So here are a few tips to help you be prepared for photographing a wedding and get the best wedding photographs ever!

Firstly, you need to sell yourself as a professional wedding photographer so you need a good portfolio of wedding photographs which you yourself have taken. Do not show your potential client your corporate or family photos or any of your other work (no matter how good your portfolio may be) – your client wants wedding pics and nothing else. A porfolio of an entire wedding will also show the couple that you are capable of photographing an entire wedding, so while you may be tempted to just show off your best photographs from various weddings, this may not be the best selling tool and could lead to an unhappy client in the end. Your portfolio will also give your client a good idea of your particular style of wedding photography which is important for them to see from the outset. If your style is more informal and you prefer the more natural, candid photographs, then your client needs to know this in advance.

Once you have been appointed as the professional wedding photographer, you should meet with the couple and discuss things such as the venue, time and season of the ceremony and reception. You need to consider things such as what time the sunsets, whether it might rain, etc. How long will the service be and what time would you begin the photographing. What is the planned schedule for the day? All of this information is vital if you want to wow your couple with amazing wedding photos. Go and visit the venue (preferably at the same time as the wedding is planned for) as this will give you an indication of lighting as well as what kind of traffic you can expect. You will also be able to find good spots for different photos. Where will the group wedding photos be taken? Are there any secluded or unusual loactions to take some romantic wedding pics? It is also advisable to find out what type of ceremony it will be ie hindu, catholic, jewish, informal, alternative, etc and speak to the minister beforehand to find out what special moments need to be photographed during the ceremony and if you would be imposing at any times during the ceremony.

Also, find out who the wedding co-ordinator is as they will have a load of valuable information for you that can assist you and make your life a lot easier. There are many beautiful and popular wedding venues, all of which have there own charm and defining characteristics and the wedding co-ordinators will help you to get the most from each venue. They may also be able to refer more business your way should you do a good job. Ask them about the availability of a conference room or hall in the event of bad weather. Find out about reception seating and layout ie where is the bridal table? If the main table is right next to a big window at midday, you might wish to move this beforehand. Find out where you will sit – you need to be close to the main table so that you don’t impose. Ideally you want a clear line of vision for the speeches. Find out about alternative access points to the venue, plug points and extension cords for lighting, are there dimmer switches, etc. Look for fluorescents above the briday table and try to be at the rehearsal.

Make sure you speak to the bride and find out if she will be using a make-up artist. If not, inform her that her make-up should be darker than normal or you will have a bride looking like a ghost in some of the photographs. Ensure that all your equipment is working properly before the time, have spare batteries and memory cards or spare film and preferably a spare camera too. On the day, be assertive and take charge. it is your responsibilty to get the best wedding photographs ever and you will be expcted to deliver – so if people get in your way, politely and firmly ask them to step aside. If you have an assistant, make sure they understand how you work, how your equipment works and what style your wedding photography is.

A contract is also highly recommended to make sure that everything is covered beforehand. This will ensure that the couple know what to expect and will also protect you. The contract will include things such as how long you will be photographing, what the cots implications are and what is included in that particular wedding package. It will also state things such as the amount of time you require to take the photographs. You need at least an hour after the ceremony to photograph the newlyweds or you may not quality shots. Get your client to sign and agree to these terms beforehand. Plan to be there until a certain time and negotiate beforehand if there is an extra cost thereafter. You could be expected to stay at the reception till 4am if not discussed beforehand.Another good idea is to do a fun pre-shoot of the couple about 2 weeks before the wedding in casual clothes. This will get them used to posing and working with you and get them more relaxed in front of the camera. Make sure that your equipment is serviced and you have a full tank of petrol.

Make sure that you dress for the occasion. It is usually a formal occasion, unless it is a beach wedding or something similar, so dress the part. You don’t need to wear a suit and ladies don’t need to outshine the bride, but  look the part and make sure you wear comfortable shoes as it is a long day! In terms of posing, look at things such as hands and feet. Get the bride to hold the bouquet as long as possible, you want to avoid arms just hanging straight down or behind her back. Grooms will try to put their hands in their pockets – one hand in the pocket is okay with the other either leaning on a prop such as a tree, windowsill, bridge. Grooms holding arms crossed also looks good.

In terms of the upper body, avoid a confrontational stance. Try to have the body off center to the camera. If sitting, get the bride or groom to sit on the edge of the chair so as to avoid slouching. Use props where possible – a bottle of champagne and 2 glasses work well  (take some water along too as the couple could get thirsty). Finally, be professional and respect that this could be the biggest day of the newlyweds lives (even though you may have photographed hundreds of weddings) - so give of your best and always remember to have fun!!

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The coolest photography on the planet is photography that brings joy to the photographer and the subject being photographed. When people are relaxed and comfortable they make better photography subjects, and having better photography models always leads to higher quality photography.

The coolest photographers in the world (the real professionals) have the ability to get their clients, families, children, babies or toddlers to relax and be happy in front of the camera.

This is precisely why they are the coolest photographers on the planet, their work is stunning because they can capture the very essence of the moment and not the subjects innate nervousness and reserve.

This is even more important if the subject have only met the professional photographer that day and they find themselves in a bewildering studio environment with lights and flashes going off all over the place.

The professional photographer will talk to the subject, charm them, tease them, do whatever it takes to get them to relax and forget they have just met and to buy in to the concept that taking cool photos is fun and  that they have an important role to producing the coolest photos on the planet.

Furthermore, the coolest photographer will achieve this without telling the subject this is so many words, it is an art form in itself and one that top photographers on the planet work hard to perfect.

Taking the coolest photos on the planet is an art, but today’s digital photography technology helps enormously as you can shoot hundreds of photos in one sitting and instantly have them available for editing.

The coolest photographers will always have lots of memory sticks available in order to to capture the hundreds of photos needed to produce the coolest photos on the planet.

Obviously the really cool photographer will have the necessary skills and training so that when they take hundreds of photographs they are able to produce hundreds of high quality, visually appealing photos for their clients, with a minimum of editing and retouching on their part.

This is what enables the professional photographer to deliver the coolest photography on the planet to their clients, time after time. That is the real skill, to be able to get those subjects to relax, have fun and take an active part in the photoshoot and really look forward to getting those cool photos they have been posing for!

What I love about what I do (as I can’t really call it a job) is that every photoshoot is unique and that you get to meet all kinds of people from all walks of life and you get to travel to all kinds of wonderful places too.

I recently photographed the board of directors at a company called Cosira Group and I was really impressed by this awesome company and it’s wonderful team of leaders. It was a fun few days and I was pleasantly surprised to see such a big corporate company filled with dynamic and positive people. The company is growing at an unbelievable rate  and it was really inspiring to spend time with these people and to hear how positive they are about the country and the growth they expect in the near future….

Thank you to John Da Silva, Mr Da Silva Senior, Janine Badenhorst and all the other wonderful people I met at Cosira for an eye-opening and motivating experience. Corporate photography at it’s best!

The Mondeor Mini Mites hosted their first tournament ever on the 28th of June 2008 and what a success it was! The boys (and girls…) had so much fun and played their little hearts out much to the satisfaction and pride of their parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, second-cousins etc. It was a really special day and we thank all the parents and organisers who helped to make the day a reality – and a big well done goes to all the little boys (and girls too!!!) 

Click here to view a dvd of photographs taken on the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVm3hQjvbtc

I photographed a wonderful French couple the other day: Maxime and Charlotte Coutrot. Their photoshoot was a gift from a friend in France and they will be returning for their newborn shoot once their precious little bundle arrives….

Isn’t technology amazing – their friends on the other side of the world were able to give them a lovely gift of everlasting memories and they will be able to share these beautiful images online in an instant!