A wedding is quite the celebration of any couple making that promise to each other, and it’s after all two people coming together in love, preparing for their life together. Therefore we always say to the couples when they come and visit us – seeing our work and chatting to us about their big day, that the part of the wedding where couple photos are to be taken is probably the most important.

The wedding has so many parts to it, and we are there to capture it all, from the detail in the function hall, to everyone getting dressed, to the ceremony and vows, and the speeches at the reception, and al is what the day was – the wedding. But there is a certain gap we allow for couple photos, and those images are very special memories, they are the images that end up being framed and hanged, and you will look at them, and remember the butterflies and gulp in your throat right before the big moment.

We carefully pose couple shots, using the best possible light, and making it seem fun and natural, instead of old-fashioned and uninteresting.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Spontaneous wedding photography

Our journey started with a girl and her Madrinha walking into the studio to enquire about having beautiful photos taken at “the girl’s” special 21^st birthday celebration and we’ve been having a blast ever since!

They have taught us all about Portuguese customs, delectable food and sense of family the Portuguese community share    {oh yes as well as how BIG these families are…lol)

Eileen and Quentin’s wedding day (this is “another girl” from this same family) is one that I won’t soon forget.  As I browse through their photos I realize that Eileen is smiling in probably every second one of them, which I love as this is exactly who she is.  So vibrant and bubbly, she might have been the bride (so it’s her wedding) but she was helping the bridesmaids dress and talking and laughing along with everybody there

As you can see from the photo on the steps, Portuguese weddings is just one of those occasions where the whole family gets involved.  This was taken at the house where she was getting dressed and they came to see her here.

On the morning of their wedding day there was dark rain clouds looking and the wind was blowing terribly, and in the end the wind had blown the clouds over and even got us a beautifully spontaneous photo of Eileen’s veil fluttering in the wind… haha (was SO funny – after this we took it off) 

After that we took the wedding couple to do some shots by themselves (not just us I might add, as we had friends and family tag along too J  Gotta love them!)

We are privileged to share in all the special moments with you and with such friendly and photogenic people I am sure we can only capture beautiful memories!

Riani Labuschagne & Yolandi Jacobsz

Professional wedding photography

For very few people, we would know exactly what to buy as a gift for them. People have such different tastes and interests and it’s quite hard to tell what would be something that would be viable to them. A photo shoot as gift, is something that would work for absolutely anyone, no matter how their family is put together or what it consist out of.

We have the great privilege to work with an amazingly wide variety of people, each family different, each model unique, and they always enjoy the shoot tremendously. So a photo shoot gift voucher is the perfect gift, and a great idea, as everyone would want to have great photos of themselves taken, and have the chance to have fun in a professional photo studio.

We always take great care, to make sure everyone that visits our studio, know that we are professionals, using professional high-end cameras and equipment, and we use skill to technically create great images – but apart for everything, we connect with our clients, and they always feel like family to us. Treat yourself, or a loved one or friend, to a shoot at Louise Diesel Photography, The Real Life Studio, it’s the perfect gift, and will create a lifetime of memories.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Ideal Christmas presents

Few days are as important in a couple’s life as the day they are getting married. A wedding day can be made such a big deal, but the essence of it is to capture a promise a couple makes to each other, a bond they seal, and then they get to do it in amazing outfits and in front of their loved ones of course. It’s a day that kicks of the rest of their lives together as a married unity, and the wonderful expectation of so many amazing things yet to come, like a  bay being born for them, or moving into a new place together.

Most photographers are quite artistic, creative people, being in-tuned with so many waves of the world, and when people get emotional especially at a wedding, the photographer feels that energy too. We capture everything, and we’re aware of what is happening around us, the whole time. There are so many little moving parts that form part of a wedding, and many of it gets lost to the couple, as they only have eyes for one person that day. We make sure to go around the venue and chapel or church, and get all the small things that we’re handpicked to make the day extremely special.

A wedding is a promise that is one of the most important ones you’ll ever make, so you want to remember the day, as much as possible, and it unfortunately goes by so fast. With our images, and products we present to you, you’ll be able to look back at your wedding photos with pride, and a sense of sentimentality, of a day full of promise and love.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Wedding Photography

Wedding photography is something which I absolutely love shooting.  Every one of these days are special in their own respective ways…

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing & sharing Lloyd and Elaine’s special day at Morrells in Northcliff.  What a day…?!  Let’s start you off with and idea of the venue, landscaped gardens (nothing kitch or similar to any other venue in JHB) friendly staff and more photo opportunities and spaces any photographer could ever dream of.

If I have to think of one word to describe the bride Elaine on this special it would be radiant (and bubbly, and ecstatically happy and humble – ok, I know this is more than one word, but there isn’t just one word in the English language to compare)

Selecting the perfect wedding photographer can be tricky and this is why we always urge our couples to come through to meet the photographer (like Lloyd and Elaine did) so that by the time you get married this person could have been part of your family

Choosing photos to share was difficult as there are just so many that stand out, but I think most importantly, the one thing you can definitely be sure of is that these two lovebirds will be certainly be happily married for years to come…

Riani Labuschagne

Wedding photography

At the beginning of this year, if you told me that I would sit next to our president’s daughter Duduzile Zuma and see her crying because the wedding photos we took for her captured the day so perfectly,  I do not think I would have believed you…

We feel SO privileged and grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside pepole like Gayton Mckenzie and Kenny Kunene, along with the ZAR clubs and obviously taking photos for the Zuma’s.  This was such an amazing experience which I am sure Yolandi and I will remember for years to come

Seeing the photos in an animated slideshow today with Dudu just filled us with so much pride and joy, it was literally like re-living the whole day again.  From getting ready, to the happy expression on her face when she met up with Lonwabo, to their private couple photoshoot and their first dance.  So many memorable moments, like when she kissed Lonwabo during their couple photosession and he had this red lipstick kiss on his cheek, right up until her dad doing a wacky dance alongside one of the cousins.

As I said we are just truly grateful for the wonderful opportunity we got to share with the Zuma’s and are looking forward to many more happy “photo-moments” shared together!

Riani Labuschagne

Professional wedding photography

Few things come close to the splendor, and magical feel of a wedding day. Many of these couples have been together for years or have know each other for quite some time, and on the wedding day, still some nerves seem to float around. The thought of having to take such a big step and that THIS is now the moment can overwhelm one. But then we have seen so many couples, just melting into the whole relaxed union of their promise, when they see each other. A bride looks extremely beaming and happy, and a groom looks so proud he could almost burst. At that moment nothing else matters for them, but each other, let alone who is standing in the wings capturing all of it happening. We had done a few weddings to know, that most couples love the relaxed, non-posed look, where the feeling is casual and not stiff and forced. We always try and get that mood going while we are shooting, so that you can only remember your big day as one of the best. For photographers, being in tune to what the couple is doing and reacting towards each other, and being aware of the surroundings and little nooks and spaces to use where we can photograph beautiful images, is all part of what makes us professional.

Many months of planning went into a wedding, and on that day, the euphoric feeling makes for a zoned-in image of only your husband- or bride to be. So we always go around, and photograph all sorts of small details, beautiful smiles, little giggles, and precious moments. Trust your wedding into the hands of the photographers at Louise Diesel Photography, The Real Life Studio.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Wedding Photography