This angelic blue-eyed boy is my cousin who I am forever trying ti get a good photo of but he just doesn’t sit still for anyone or anything.  I mean duh… there is a whole world out there wo explore…   Then I had an aha moment the other day (like Oprah Winfrey would say)  I put him onto

the front seat of my car and gave him all the freedom he wanted.  He had an absolute ball “driving” my car and pressing every little button and lever possible (the next time I drove the car nI had to put the radio back onto the correct station, switch off the fan and wipers etc etc etc.)

The photo above is one I like to call smooth criminal.  When comparing these this little boy seems to be a little angel but looking at the last pic makes you realize that he might just be going though his terrible two’s phase.  None the less, giving children activities they enjoy will create fantastic photo opportunitues for you to capture!

Riani

When photographing a family with small children time is of the essence.  Younger children tend to get bored quickly so use their energy to your advantage.  Play and sing with them so that you can create moments where you can capture natural smiles   Sometimes you just have to let them

be and they will come back to the backdrop and dance for you if you put the music loud enough.  Create a friendly environment where they feel free to play and be themselves.  A little tickling also goes a long way, after the first tickle you just tantalise them with the thought that it will happen again and they

will surely have an award winning smile on their faces.  And lastly, patience is key.  Try to work with the kids as much as you can instead of trying to force them to do something they are not interested in.  As soon as they feel pressured they will retract into their shell.  Have fun

Riani

This little angel was the flowergirl at a wedding I had the pleasure of photographing recently.  She is 25 months old and as busy
as any toddler of her age.  Almost like she’s got ants in her pants   The only way I was able to take some photos of little
“K” was to take a photo and show her the pic on the screen on the back of the camera.  She was very pleased with this and then
continued to pose for a few more.  Isn’t she just a little darling…?

So when you are photographing kids remember to rather try to become part of their world than to impose with yours.  Sit on the
floor with them, sing to them and maybe kick a ball around.  This helps them to relax and get comfortable with you and the camera.
Keep taking photos even when they are not looking directly at the camera, sometimes these photos turn out even more beautiful.

Keep photographing, don’t stop to check and delete some photos because you might miss the moment.  Have fun!
Riani

We are always telling you about our photography from our viewpoint, and I thought I’d share our unique photography experience from our satisfied client’s view…

Have you seen what beautiful works of art pregnancy photos are being turned into these days…?  Have you found yourself looking at someone else’s maternity pictures that is stunning and thought that you would love to have photos like these but you are sure you don’t look that good? Secretly you are slightly intimidated at the prospect of havning a complete stranger look at and take photos of your growing belly.  A felt exactly the same way and this is what she thought of the whole exciting experience:”

I’d never thought of doing pregnancy photos until I came across Louise’s website. The thought of having a complete stranger take photos of my naked belly was just too daunting for me. Against my better judgment I decided to do the photoshoot anyway. I was met by Riani at the gate, whom I think could sense my hesitation and made me feel soo comfortable with myself, my growing belly and the entire experience. My husband was even more anxious than I was, but Riani really capture the essence of who we are & the transformation that was taking place in our lives.I look at the photos now & feel proud to have gone through this experience as Riani capture the essence of my pregnancy. I would strongly recommend that every couple that is expecting to do this not only for themselves but for their children to appreciate in the years to come.”

Are you the proud mother of a very busy little boy (or girl for that matter)  Then you know exactly how hard it is to try and go anywhere with your kids and keep them on their best behaviour.  Don’t worry about it, we have worked with and photographed almost every kind of child you can imagine…  Bouncing all over the studio and being very shy all included.  M has 3 little boys (aged 5 and 5 and 18 months) and this is what she thinks of her pics:”

I take my hat off to Riani on how she handled our boys during the shoot!  She took the most amazing photos, even though our boys were all over the place.  My husband and I would recommend Louise Diesel Photography to anyone.    There quality of service is superb and we all had such a good time!  Thank you Louise and Riani!

Every girl dreams of meeting her dream man and riding into the sunset…  So once you’ve met that special someone and gotten engaged you simply cannot wait to get started on planning your wedding?  Isn’t it so?  But as soon as this early excitement wears off you realize exactly just how muchhow much detailed planning you have to do…  At the end of the day no-one will remember what table decorations you had at your wedding (even though it took you a week to decide and source all the items  on the centerpiece)  This is exactly why it is essential to find a good wedding photographer with whom you feel comfortable with and will be comfortable having them capture every moment and details of your special day.  C and S sent us this lovely testimonial:”

Your wedding is one of the most important days in your life, and there are so many details to worry about to make your day perfect.But thanks to Louise & Riani, my wedding photo’s were one less thing to worry about as they took care of it all. They are so professional and caring, and helped make every moment of my special day come to life! The variety of photographs was amazing and choosing for my album was the hardest part as all the photo’s were stunning.The album turned out to be even more beautiful than I had expected and I am so grateful to Louise Diesel photography for leaving me with the most beautiful, cherished moments of my wedding day! ”

Riani

Having small children means having a hectic (laughter filled) household…   Sometimes they don’t want to  get dressed and other times they just take your whole jar of cream and pour it all out over the carpet.  As you can imagine if they are this creative at home, things in a photographic studio get pretty interesting

Taking photos of small kids is like opening a box of multicoloured smarties, you never know what colour they will be.  They are all different and perceive the world in their own little way.  And so I now think the same way as they do… FUN FUN FUN!

The “W” family was such a pleasure to photograph!  The girls were little angels, they just played, laughed and said CHEESE. lol

What else but to fall in love with this little face.  We take family portraits that makes you fall in love with your family all over again!

Riani

Pregnancy is one of the “big milestones” in a woman’s life.  Just like your matric farewell and getting married…

A photoshoot gift voucher is the ideal gift for any occasion.  Do you really remember what you looked like when you were pregnant?  Pregnancy photos has now started to evolve into something of an art.  Lots of people get one or two of these photos of their belly printed onto canvas (for a more arty feel) and hang them all over the house.

I know it is daunting to show your growing belly to a perfect stranger and have them photograph it and that is exactly why we take extra special care to make you feel comfortable including playing soothing background music to get you into the right mood to get your tummy photographed.  Have you ever listened how everyone agrees that pregnant women are beautiful, it is because they have a certain glow which can only be ascribed to becoming a mother.

I once read somewhere that stretchmarks from pregnancy should be considered to be the equal of “military stripes” but for moms.  Let me share a secret with you, I have this magic wand (in photoshop) which I am sure you will just love.  Together with my magic wand, professional lighting and warm personality I will ensure that you look your most radiant (and stretch mark free)  in your maternity photos.  We have a crew of female photographers who are perfectly attuned to you and how you feel about the child growing in your womb.

Here is what A thought of her photoshoot:”

I’d never thought of doing pregnancy photos until I came across Louise’s website. The thought of having a complete stranger take photos of my naked belly was just too daunting for me. Against my better judgment I decided to do the photoshoot anyway. I was met by Riani at the gate, whom I think could sense my hesitation and made me feel soo comfortable with myself, my growing belly and the entire experience. My husband was even more anxious than I was, but Riani really capture the essence of who we are & the transformation that was taking place in our lives.I look at the photos now & feel proud to have gone through this experience as Riani capture the essence of my pregnancy. I would strongly recommend that every couple that is expecting to do this not only for themselves but for their children to appreciate in the years to come.”

What I am trying to say is that you shouldn’t miss out on this beautiful opportunity which you will cherish forwever.  As this is the beginning of a new chapter of your life filled with possibilities!

Riani

Its unbelievable to think that Woman at Work has been going for a year!?  We’ve been there photographing these networking functions since they started in December 2008 and it’s truly amazing to have walked this road with Toni & Tanya and see their vision evolve and grow like it has.

The woman at work year-end function was held at the Glenvista Country Club and we had an absolute ball.  No microphone glitches, nothing (I know… unbelievable) The Glenvista Country Club offers an indoor & outdoor function area and they will help you arrange everything.  You can even get married there and have your wedding photos taken on their lovely green golf course…

The charity of choice for the evening is Carita’s Home situated in Brackendowns.  An extract from their website:”Yvonne Deetlefs saw an urgent need for a safe, secure and loving environment for abandoned and abused children. The result was the birth of Caritas Home, May 2001. There are anywhere from 14 to 24 children living at Caritas, all of whom have been placed with us through Social Workers and the Courts.  The outward appearance of our house gives the impression of an ordinary home in the area. This is so that the children can live as normal a life as possible and ensure a “Place of Safety” for the children” 

Yvonne and your team, thank you so so much for everything you do for all of these children.  I’m sure it means more to them than they will ever be able to express!

Edith Venter was the guest speaker for the evening.  Let me tell you she is one remarkable lady!  Even though people judge Edith (without really knowing her) she still addressed all the ladies with an opening about how important it is to never judge  any other person because you never know what they might be going through.  It takes so little effort to tell another woman her hair looks pretty, or you love her dress and I promise you by building up other people you will feel uplifted yourself. 

  Here is a little something Edith read to all of us:”

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape, but …

A woman of strength kneels in prayer 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 God’s blessings and capitalizes on them.
   A strong woman walks surefootedly, but …
A woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.
   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 in the journey she will become strong.”

And I truly found this inspirational.  Read these words again and just think about it for a while…  Edith Venter is a graceful lady, and even though she is standing on a podium she speaks to you like she is sitting across from you in your sitting room having a galss of wine or cup of tea.  She makes you feel like you’ve known each other for years and years. 

Truly a very different person to what the media portrays…

This is one year end function with great photos. Every woman at work networking get-together is such a great function because there is always constant laughter.  Basically ladies, business women, mothers and friends coming together to network and have a great time!

Riani