When one gets the chance to travel, it is nothing else than very exciting. That so many cultures still stay the way they are, with their own unique way of dress, how and what they eat, and their specific characteristics that make them unique in what they bring to world – are able to keep those characteristics sacred, is amazing. When you think of certain places, you think of certain things about those places that are unmistakably their own. Louise and Ryan Diesel, and a few of their close friends, had the chance to travel to South America, to see Peru and Argentina. They had the wonderful opportunity to climb Ausangate and see the wonder of Machu Picchu.

When you travel, you are most likely to visit places that are very touristy, and that have been photographed by thousands of people. If you have the luxury of time try and use your time wisely by getting the right time of day to photograph. Weather permitting; you can use the sunset and the wonderful colours that give, to your advantage for striking images with bursts of colour. Right in the middle of the day, is when the sun sits high in the sky, creating very few dramatic shadows, and lighting the sky to a very bright white, it doesn’t make for the best time to shoot.

When you think of Argentina, you think of tango, and Louise and Ryan had the amazing opportunity to tango, and enjoy the city of the famous Evita Peron. It’s a lively city with its famous light blue- and white flag, and provides amazing shooting opportunities. Always keep the camera nearby when travelling; it’s the one chance to capture your life’s memories as you have had the chance to see it through different eyes.

Yolandi Jacobsz, Riani Labuschagne & Louise Diesel

Professional Photography

Here at LDP we photograph any and all toddlers you can imagine, from outgoing and loud, to introverted and quite shy and there is a common thread which binds them all, beautiful photos!  We thought we’d share some quotes which pretty much sums up these little people:

“A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it. ”
Jerry Seinfeld

“Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed.”
Anon

“Even though your kids will consistently do the exact opposite of what you’re telling them to do, you have to keep loving them just as much. ”
Bill Cosby

“Blessed are they that have children, for they will never be in darkness. – And as well as leaving lights on they never shut doors !” 

Ettiene Marchal

“When you are dealing with a child, keep all your wits about you, and sit on the floor.” 

Austin O’Malley

“Pretty much all the honest truth-telling there is in the world is done by children.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Children are the most expensive form of entertainment”

Mihaela Iosof

Riani Labuschagne

Professional Photography

The many contradictory differences but similarities that life has, is something I love, and it’s also something that I use in my own personal photography journey. I have always loved doors, perhaps because of the fact, that they both shut, and close, and they can both lock you in, but free you to go outside of the frame. They are the portholes to the world, and many of them have the most amazing textures, especially when beaten up and are old and rustic. Photography, gives us this amazing ability to create, sculpt, mould, bend, and just literally play with light to make something extraordinary. The sole thing that can make or break a photo is the lighting of it, and what would work as flat lighting on one shot, meaning lighting from most angles, having the shadow fall to the back, will not work on a different image, and a lower-key, with half the subject or even a greater percentage of that, falling in shadow, giving it such an interesting dimension and making it appealing to the viewer, as it evokes something within them.

When we do shoots such as maternity shoots, we know we are working with a lovely shape, the roundish belly of the pregnant mommy, and it’s such a distinguished shape, that we try and accentuate its beauty. It’s a very flattering way of lighting for boudoir shoots as well, as it creates a sense of mystery, and even romance, and has a completely different feel than a white background and its flatter look.

The key to photography lies in the lighting of the subject in front of the lens, and if that can be perfected to a pleasable, viable, and appealing look, you are heading in the right direction. Different lighting set-ups work well with different shoots, when shooting environmental for example you have little control over the lighting and sometimes that sunlight throws harsh shadows over subjects faces, which can add to the photo, as it can make the harsh circumstances of the people displayed stand out, as many environmental shoots’ essence is about showing the poverty and destruction in certain places. Always play around with lighting, it gives you endless possibilities.

Yolandi Jacobsz

Professional Photography

“A strong woman works out every day
to keep her body in shape
but a woman of strength looks deep inside
to keep her soul in shape

A strong woman isn’t afraid
of anything
but a woman of strength shows courage
in the midst of her fear

A strong woman won’t let anyone
get the best of her
but a woman of strength gives the best
of her to everyone

A strong woman makes mistakes
and avoids the same in the future
but a woman of strength realizes life’s mistakes
can also be blessings and capitalizes on them

A strong woman walks
sure footedly
but a woman of strength knows
when to ask for help

A strong woman wears the look
of confidence on her face
but a woman of strength
wears grace

A strong woman has faith
that she is strong enough for the journey
but a woman of strength has faith
that it is in the journey that she will become strong”

Edith Venter

Professional Photography

Photographing fire is always appealing and very easy if you know how to use your camera…

Firstly you need to decide what you want to accomplish with these photos, neat abstracts which you can use a zoom lens for, or are you more the “all or nothing” kind of photographer?  This will help you make a decision on what kind of lens to use.  Secondly I would try and steer away from using your flash when photographing fire as you “lose the essence” of what the dancing flames are all about.  It’s always a good idea to carry your tripod with you so that you can do low-light photos without having camera shake.

I would try alternating shutter speeds to capture different visual effects.  A faster shutter speed like 1/125^th of a second will freeze the motion of the flames and a slower shutter speed like 1/25^th of a second will allow your camera to capture the movement of the fire for something a little bit more interesting looking.

Oh and you can never have too many… So have a go at it and enjoy the wonderful results!!!

Riani Labuschagne

Professional Photography

Many times the appeal of something lies not in it being very new and shiny, but in the rustic, old, beaten look of it, and when you get to travel to smaller towns, such as Loeriesfontien in the Northern Cape, South Africa, one gets to see the true nature of small town people, and the wonderful way they live. Many of these little towns only have one Main Street, and small shop that gets fresh things in only every second Tuesday and people with colourful and interesting characters.

During the months of August and only a small part of September, the flowers of the Namakwaland blooms, and it’s an attraction that lures even foreigners to experience the wonder of this natural showcase. And no two years are the same. When photography is such a big part of you like it is for me, you wish it could have been possible to have a camera attached to you all the time, but when going away on a trip such as this, always make sure to have the camera ready, as there are such magical things one can capture on these remote little places, and when coming around a bend and a whole field of flowers as far as you eyes can see stares at you, in quite presence, it truly takes your breath away, and makes you forget the hustle of the city for a moment.

Yolandi Jacobsz

Travel Photography

Like any tertiary study of something, it requires discipline and one must know the rules to doing it right, as is also the case with photography. When you go and study photography, they teach you the fundamentals of photography, on what visually would work best to make your picture a success, or to have it evoke an emotion. Especially when being taught the rules of studio photography, working with the flashes and having it sync with your camera, is a whole different ballgame on its own.

In the studio it is quite controlled, as the camera has a certain setting that work with the lights’ dynamics, and then the only concern would be posing and directing your subject. But when it comes to environmental photography, there are less rules, as your audience is more forgiving to the fact that the lighting couldn’t always have been perfect, and it isn’t about posing, but what the situation it, in depicting it exactly like that, however raw and upsetting, it may be. War photographers make a living out of showing the world the destruction, poverty and conflict in places, and it’s always about how it makes you feel on the inside, and making you ask your own set of questions, on how, or why.

It’s always a good practice to photograph people in their raw state, they can only be one thing, themselves, which is most of the time, the exact kind of impact you need.

Yolandi Jacobsz

Environmental Photography