What is is about a pregnant woman that just attracts other people.  Random people just smile at you through the crowd and others come over and talk about the miracle of your pregnancy and wants to know the story (how many weeks left? / boy or girl etc?)

I think it’s because these special women are carrying a tiny miracle underneath their heart and they have started something so big that no words could ever describe the way they will always feel about their children.  I once read a quote and it said:”  The decision to have a child is momentous, it is to decide to have your heart walk outside of your body for eternity…”  For me this pretty much says it all.

We specialise in capturing the precious bond shared between you and your hubby and now your unborn child as well.  These are precious moments in time which we will preserve and capture creatively.  All pregnant women are extremeyl beautiful, and even if you have picked 3-4 kilos during pregancy and you don’t feel particularly pretty, make the conscious decision to still come for you professional pregnancy photoshoot.

Use this opportunity to treat yourself a little, go for a manicure and have your hair and make-up done, you will feel like a million dollars and it will definitely come through in your photos (trust me   )  Palesa and Lebo came through to our photographic studio in Johannesburg last week to have some professional pregnancy photos taken.  We have had this shoot organised like more than a month back.

Palesa wanted her stomach nice and round to feature in her maternity photos.  You can see she is very petite so she doesn’t carry that big but she decided that now is the right time   Lebo is absolutely in love with his wife  (little bit self conscious in the beginning but we soon had him laughing and posing along)  I love to watch the way “parents to be” are excited and nervous about their new arrival.  You can clearly see it in their eyes… truly magical.

I’ve often asked myself how can you love someone you have never met with all your heart, I guess that is just one of the great miracles of parenthood.  Palesa and Lebo all the best for you with the new little one, I can’t wait to finally meet him

Riani

Weddings are exciting events to plan, but can be a bit overwhelming with all of the different aspects to put it together. One of the aspects that you will want to figure out is who do you want to capture all of the memories from that special day. When finding a Richmond wedding photographer, it is important to interview multiple potential professionals. You will want to view their past portfolios and look at previous ceremonies that they have shot. You will have multiple Richmond wedding photographers to consider when beginning this process, so do not be worried about passing up on one to hold out to see if you can find someone with more talent.

Once you have found someone to take the photos of the ceremony, you can focus on the other aspects that will need to be arranged before the big date. There are a lot of little aspects that the bride will want to arrange before the big day actually arrives. Deciding what she wants to do about the bridal party’s and her own hair and makeup is one of those little arrangements. An inexpensive way to do this is to either do your hair and makeup on your own or have a family or friend to do it for you. If the bride does decide to go with a professional to do her hair and makeup, it is important to go and do a test. This will allow changes to be made to the hair and makeup plan before it is too late and becomes an issue. This is an easy way to make things less stressful once the big day gets closer. For a lot of brides, the dress is the most important part. Along with finding the dress, you will want schedule multiple fittings to make sure there are no issues with any tailoring you may have done to the dress.

Planning your bridal party is always a lot of fun, however, this can become overwhelming as you add more people to the group. The procession seems more elegant with the larger bridal party. The downside is that with more people, typically there is more chaos and problems. With large groups, you have to schedule dress and tux fittings around multiple people; also rehearsal dinners will have to be scheduled around everyone as well.

With an event as important as a marriage, there are so many pieces that have to come together when in the planning process. Though you have all these plans to focus on and it can become very stressful, it is important that you do not let it go to your head. Women becoming ‘bridezillas’ is so common that multiple shows on TV focus on this. Being firm with what you want is understandable, but you want to be sure you do not become too unbearable. You do not want to anger or scare off the people working around you at the risk of ending up completely alone at the last minute with too much to do.

When you think of love you think of meeting the man of your dreams (who looks like prince charming himself and absolutely  adores you) who sweeps you off your feet.  A whirlwind romance then followed by him getting down on his knee and proposing at the most romantic date.  You then get married and live happily ever after.  Does this sound familiar? 

Life isn’t as easy as that and that is what makes it so exciting with new twists and turns around every corner.  Getting married is a big decision followed by commitment (and of course the wedding of your dreams   )  So after 12-18 months of seeing venues, meeting with coordinators, going for dancing lessons and selecting a cake and so forth there needs to be a special photographer with whom you have bonded and gotten to know.  They will take your wedding and transform your photos into memories which will be cherished forever.

When you choose the team at Louise Diesel Photography as your preferred photographer, you are getting very distinct female photographers who are brilliant in what they do, capturing moments.  We get involved with your day, fix your hair if the wind’s blown it out of place and even keep your mind from wandering when you are finally ready, and off to church.  Every wedding is a personal experience where we get to know you and your family which gets us so involved that we may have to wipe a tear once you have said “I do” while capturing the perfect shot.

We strive to create teriffic wedding photos with you as the superstar while making the experience fun and interactive.  Capturing the essence and the langauge of love that you share is what makes us the preferred south-african wedding photographer!

Riani

Here is an insider’s guide to picking a wedding photographer in Hampshire that helps people choose the best photographer for their special day!. It has suggestions from professional wedding photographers who have an idea of how to create great photos. It goes through the entire process from choosing potential candidates to picking the photographer who works with you. Along the way, you’ll find some tips that aid in finding the best photographer possible.

According to wedding photographer Brian Trudeau, the first thing step is to look for local photographers that specialize in wedding photographer.In Trudeau’s Associated Content article, he asserts your best resources to find the best photographers are wedding websites and married friends who have had great wedding pictures taken.Trudeau also believes that married family members are the best sources of information because they have actual knowledge of the photographer’s capabilities.Use resources like these to find several photographers to choose from…

Once you have your list of choices, do a little research to whittle the list down to 1-2 finalists.” To help your research, go smoothly, Trudeau also thinks that you should look at samples of the photographers’ work. When you look at the photographer’s samples, try to compare how each uses different photographic styles and techniques to see if you like his “style. After viewing some samples, you can pick your “finalists” based on how your sense of style meshes with the photographer’s.

– It’s vital that you feel safe being around the photographer . He’ll be working closely around you throughout the wedding. Be sure you can live with that!

– It’s also important that you hire a photographer who will work throughout the entire wedding. Too many photographers stay on for only a certain timeframe. Too often, this isn’t long enough to cover the whole wedding. Therefore make sure you find someone who is able to be there the entire time.

– In addition, try to pick competency and ability over work experience. New photographers offer great services at lower costs because they want to establish a good reputation. As a result, why not consider hiring a “newbie” photographer?

After deliberating about these and other things, hire your photographer and enjoy yourself!

I don’t know about you bit it feels like everytime I start thinking it’s almost summer and I pack all my winter jackets away winter cruelly strikes back.  All I want is to lounge outside in the sun, play with my dogs and have a braai without feeling that I am getting frostbite…

I want to sit outside and watch the sun set without having to go and grab a jacket because I am chilled.  We are truly privileged to live in the beautiful sunny South-Africa.  Friend from the UK are visiting and I was talking to them on a day that was roundabout 14 degrees and I was complaining about the cold weather and she told me that in the UK this would be considered as warm. 

In fact everyone over there would probably be getting out their bathing costumes to have a swim.  So be thankful that we have the best blooming weather in the world.  Nature has to be in balance, so seeing that it has been cold, it will definitely be getting nice and warm

Riani

Let’s face it, most kids really couldn’t care less about having their picture taken. Chances are they would rather be playing with your family dog, kicking a ball or exploring your kitchen drawers Having photographed lots of kids (of different ages) I have am 100% sure that telling a little kid that his mommy wants a pretty smile for the camera or that Granny wants to put this photo on the wall will definitely not entice them to smile. Photographing kids means you need to “get into their head” and think like them. (scary but true)  You need to make your shoot fun and exciting so that it’s more like an adventure than a chore…

Here are a few pointers which have worked really well for me in the past:

1. Get them involved.

If you have been in close contact with your toddler recently you will have realised that they are all about exploring new things and playing games.   So instead of plonking them down in front of the camera and asking them to smile involve them in a game like pulling funny faces (subjects almost always react to their photographer, if you smile a lot you put your subject at ease and it will most likely make them return your smile – which is when you will snap your shot)  Tickle them, put some of their favourite music on and ask them if they would dance with mommy or daddy.  Get someone to hold them upside down by their feet or throw them into the air.  All of this goes a long way towards capturing an award winning smile.  In other words give them a reason to smile…

2. Be quick!

Kids are constantly on the move and unless you know some  kind of serious magic your subject probably isn’t going to sit still for very long! Remember that in this digital age we have the freedom of shooting hundreds of photos (literally) and deleting the unwanted ones later so keep your finger on that shutter button and use it. I know lots of kids’s first reaction to a camera is to pull a funny face (which can be just as precious as a solemn pensive shot) so shoot away and only review afterwards.

3. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your “shoot” is going to be quick and easy

One tip on photographing your kids I can give you even before you attempt to switch your camera on is to have patience and make sure you’ve got a lot of time. You are most likely only get “that award winning shot” somewhere later on in your shoot.  So take your time and give your subject (which is of course your little angel) some time to get accustomed to his environment and explore the space.  Sit back and watch them but never take your finger off that shutter button. 

4. Choose your equipment wisely.

Don’t even waste your time with trying to use your tripod when photographing your kids as it is only going to be in your way.There’s no need for a tripod when you’re photographing children.   Also, make sure beforehand that your equipment is fully prepared before you even take your child outside for their photos. I promise you that by the time you have swopped the batteries and the memory card your kid will have been borede to death and have vanished into thin air.

5. Get on your knees and shoot on their level.

I know you have probably heard this a million times before but that’s only because it works so well.  Getting down onto their level will make them feel more comfortable around you.  Photographing a child from a standing position makes the child look ”helpless” and like you are in a dominating position and vice versa if you shoot from a low angle like lying down on the floor and shooting up at them they will look larger than life (President’s usually get their photos taken like this as it implies power)  Try to shoot a little bit of everything until you have developed a knack for it, take a few full body shots, a few close ups and even a few half shots. 

6. Lastly, always finish on a good note.

Once you have finished photographing your kiddie it is a good idea to finish it on a high note like giving them a sucker or allowing them to take some photos of mommy or daddy (with your help of course)  This just rounds off their shoot and makes them want to “do it again” PS-always be prepared for the unprepared!  Riani

We have photographed countless weddings for overseas couples so I thought today I would write a quick blog on tips on planning your African Destination wedding 8000km’s or more away…

Imagine taking the plunge and saying ‘I do’  by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean or in the heart of the bushveld somewhere in Africa.

South-Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and is the perfect country to get married in because it is a vastly big country with a rich diversity of cultures and gorgeous surroundings.  You can choose from almost every possible choice from having your wedding on a beach in picturesque Mozambique or getting married in the bush (true african wedding style) and even having your wedding photos taken with African Lion Cubs. And as a bonus most South Africans are laid back and fun-loving and visitors always feel instantly at home.

When getting married in Africa (or any overseas location for that matter) be on the lookout for a wedding venue who offers a one-stop service and are able to organise everything from a venue to a minister, to catering, decorations etc.  Each event is individually planned and, with everything taken care of prior to the your arrival, your peace of mind is guaranteed.

It is a good idea to try and book your African wedding venue and South-African wedding photographer a year in advance for a large wedding, while smaller wedding celebrations can be arranged within 48 hours.  Services such as ministers, decor and flowers can be organised at shorter notice but keep in mind that will be subject to availability.

Wedding licenses takes roundabout 2 days to be processed.  Legal requirements in South-Africa include couples’ passports, copies of previous marriage/divorce documents and birth certificates.  Your wedding minister will then be able to perform the service and arrange all legal documentation.  The only limitation concerning you African wedding venue is that the signing of the register needs to take place under a roof.

Then lastly, remember that the sky is the limit… If you do all the necessary research and planning you can have your wedding in africa exactly the way you have always seen it in your wildest dreams

Riani