When thinking of taking up a career in modelling (or simply doing it like any other hobby) the first step is to get yourself a professional photographic portfolio to get yourself out there.  We offer a wide range of packages and will adapt our modelling photoshoot to suit your needs.  Any style, any look, EVERYTHING goes!  Or, maybe you are like me.  Wanting just a few nice photos of yourself just to show everyone else that

yes you too can be a model.  S did modelling a while ago and life just got too hectic so she decided to put her modelling career on hold for a while.  Restarting this career was on her 2010 TO DO list and she has taken the first step.  I am so excited and know you are really going to make it big!!

Riani

Have you ever looked at someone’s modelling photos and thought to yourself that you would love to have photos like that done of yourself.  Not that you want to start modelling or anything fancy like that…  You just want to have a few professional photos taken of yourself which you can post to facebook and maybe send of to Granny.  Well, we offer packages ideally suited to this requirement.  A photoshoot where it’s all about you.  Contact us for more info on info@louisedieselphotography.co.za

Riani

We hope this year will be a great year for you and your family.  Perservere in your efforts and great rewards will be reaped.  Shoot for the moon and even if you miss you will land among the stars!  We look forward to looking after all your photographic needs in 2010.

The team at Louise Diesel Photography

Can you believe that in all these years of following my passion (photography) I have never once tried to photograph lightning…?  Unbelievable I know.  As mentioned we spent some quality family time in the Drakensberg this Christmas and we happened to be up on the tops of this mountain range.  So we were able to witness a lighting storm which was actually really far away.  Being at almost the same height as the clouds so

to speak we were able to witness (and photograph) the spectacular lighting bolts shooting from the sky without being in any real danger.  This is where a digital camera came in handy.  You can take as many photos as you like and review them quickly and easily so that you can then adjust your settings.  What I did was to close the aperture slightly (changing from anything from f8 up to f11)  and then I did long exposures like 10

seconds, 15 seconds, and 20 seconds.  It literally is anyones guess as to what settings to use when photographing lightning as every lightning bolt is different and so is your exposure.  I have to admit this was really fun to do and it took a lot of guess work to figure out the exposure but was worth it in the end!

Riani

Are you one of those individuals who would probably never be caught without your camera?  Well then you have probably tried to photograph one sunset or another.  Here is a few pics I took while on holiday in the Drakensberg.  The trick is to try taking photos of the sunset at different time intervals, let’s say about every 5 minutes.  Then have a look at how the colours change in the pics.  In the beginning you will probably find

that it still looks a little washed out and bleak, then somewhere in the middle you will find that the colours have been captured a lovely scene with vivid pinks and saturated oranges.  And then right at the end when the sunset seems to be its most beautiful you will see that it is useless trying to photograph it and better to just enjoy the breathtaking scenery.  The key is to find the right moment to photograph every sunset scene.

Lastly, you don’t always have to have the sun in a sunset picture. Be on the lookout for interesting reflections on the water or on reflective surfaces.

Riani

Taking photos of your pets is something a lot of us have experimented with at some time or another.  They are our companions and a big part of our family.  When taking photos of your dogs you are trying to show them in the same way you feel about them which can be tricky.  For instance I have thoroughbred boxer dogs and they are known for their lively nature.  I can almost promise you that my dogs never sit still.

They are these bundles of endless energy and they think they are human   Here are a few tips on photographing your dogs.  Try something different.  Instead of just getting them to sit and shoot down, sit down, throw then a toy and photograph them running back towards you.

Take photos of your boxer dogs (or any other animal/pet) when they are having fun like running through water puddles or catching a frisbee.  Take some initiative.  Trust me I know how difficult it is to photograph them when they are in motion but it’s really beautiful too…  We went to the Drakensberg for Christmas and this year  decided to take the dogs along…  WOW, what an experience!

At first they didn’t quite understand how the ground isn’t flat anymore but up and down with koppies everywhere.  Or that water puddle swere deep enough to swim in…  They quiclky caught on though and we had to stop them from trying to catch cows on the farm ( which were about more than 4 times their size…)  Never the less it’s an experience I won’t forget any time soon!

Riani

I thought I would share some tips on how to take great landscapes photos.  Photographing landscapes is not for everybody, just as wildlife photography isn’t either.  It is a field of photography which you really have to  enjoy and have a natural eye for.  Whenever we are on our way to a holiday destination I find myself “seeing” nice landscape photos all along the way.  And the thing is that whilst being easy to spot, landscape scenes are much harder to photograph.  You need to think outside the box in so many ways but in contrast to that it is also very rewarding.

Try changing the angle of your camera, for example climb into a tree and take a few photos from up there and then lie down on your stomach and take a few shots from there.  This photo above was taken whilst lying on my back in the long grass with my dogs running over and around me.  You can even try and include some grass (out of focus maybe, which you will achieve by shooting with a small aperture like f8)  in the pic.  Experimentation is key.  Another important aspect is the time of day.  I know you must have heard this over and

over again, but there is truth in this statement.  The lighting is softer and comes from the “side” because the sun is low in the sky.  This will give your photo some depth because of shadows.  There is also nothing wrong with taking landscape photos in the middle of the day if harsh shadows will flatter your subject (perhaps accentuate the texture of your subject.  The key to great landscape photos is a centre of interest, lots of thought and nice lighting…

Riani