When my cousin turned 25 she had the idea of wanting to have a shoot done with her close friends and family, in a boudoir style. On the day I had a quite a few nervous ladies not knowing what to expect and how exactly this was going to happen. As a photographer I know, that being in front of the camera could be daunting, it makes many people feel uncomfortable because they are not too sure what expect. It takes some skill to get people comfortable, one which I enjoy a lot. It means I get to connect with many people, most of them strangers who are clients I am meeting for the first time.

This shoot turned out to be such a success  as the girls enjoyed themselves tremendously. My cousin got her wish for her birthday, and opted for having a beautiful calendar made of all of her beloved ladies. When you want to have a special birthday done, and want to enjoy the time with your friends and create beautiful memories, something like a group boudoir shoot would be just the thing.

Yolandi Jacobsz

I have just spent the best two (and a half days) camping out in Rustenburg with some of my family.  Looking at this photos can you believe that this isn’t almost half of them   We have been going camping since I was probably one and a half.  This is I get a chance to recharge my batteries and catch up with all my cousins and nephews.  And we have now started a new

family tradition where we take one big group photos of everyone so that we can treasure these photos in years to come.  We found a dam where we played “klei-lat” until the sunset.  We sang psalms and other Afrikaans folk songs around the fire and even had a race to see who could get their tent packed up in the shortest time.  I have now learnt to treasure every precious moment and take life one day at a time…

Riani

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

My cousin got married a few weeks ago and it was a really special day! Mandy (the bride) and Clint (he groom) make such a lovely couple – they are so in love and it is beautiful to see!!! I of course was taking photographs and was in my element – I love to photograph weddings! There is something contagious about them: the love, the excitement, the nerves,the families, the tradition…. there are so many special moments to capture on film, and that’s what I love!!!

Of course, I also got to see some of the family that I never get to see, which is always nice. I have so many cousins it’s scary but it’s fun when we all get together and share crazy family stories and always has us in fits of laughter!!!

The wedding was a morning wedding (a really cold morning too – poor Mandy in her wedding dress!!) And so it was short and sweet and simple and special! You could not take the smile off either Clint or Mandy’s face the entire morning. But my best part of the day was when Clint cried as Mandy walkied down the aisle…. I think all the women were watching and aaahing at how sweet that was – he truly is lovestruck!

Well cuz, I wish you guys a wonderful life of love and gratitude together! Enjoy every moment as it seems to fly by so quickly….

What makes wedding photography so special…?  I think it is the essence of love   Deciding to get married and to commit yourself to one person for the rest of your life is truly a momentous decision.  So to celebrate this decision we have a ritual called getting married.  Every culture does it differently but the outcome is basically the same.  Carey-Ann is Louise’s cousin and I play soccer with CA at Alberton Football Club.  We always have a great time together and are perfectly in sync on the soccer field.On the day of the wedding we truly had the best weather any professional wedding photographer could ask for.  I’m not quite sure where the bride and groom ordered their weather but I’ll let you know when I find out   I’ve heard a rumour, if you don’t want it to rain on your wedding day you have to put a fork in the ground and a broom in a tree… on the other hand I’ve also heard that rain on your wedding day signifies that you will have a long and happy marriage, so you decide! CA and Shaun I hope you guys will be happy together forever until eternity…!!

Riani

Louise and I had the privilege to photograph Shaun and Carey-Ann’s wedding on Saturday at Sha-Mani country lodge and SPA.  CA is Louise’s cousin which just made this wedding so special to photograph.

 CA, Stacey & Mary was late coming from the make-up and hairdresser (but it’s no secret that hairdressers take a while to make your hair look magnificent) but I couldn’t believe how beautifully done her hair and make-up was.  The world is such a small place, Janine the make-up artist was asking CA who is doing her wedding photos and Janine remembered me as we have actually worked together on a afew weddings. 

 Ca and I play soccer together at the Alberton Football club and you don’t dress up for soccer so it was quite different seeing her looking so stunning!! 

Being typical photographers and worried about where we could get the best light for our photos we asked (ok, ok more like insisted) that CA got dresses in her mom’s room which has a big window.  (Window light makes your photos just so natural looking and enhances the bride’s natural glow.

On our way to the venue the flowergirl, little Maddison’s (cousin) nose started bleeding again as she comes from Ireland and it’s much too warm for them here.  But we handled this mini crisis and off we went

It was such a beautiful ceremony with Louise reading a scripture from the Bible and them promising to love each other forever…  (Just the thought makes me go all mushy :-)   )

Their wedding was really unique, almost everyone is really serious about some football team or another  (fittingly Shaun and CA play fooball at the same club), so we took a few photos with them together with their golf clubs and soccer boots   They even walked into the reception with man united outfits! As I know some of the family members visit our site regularly  I thought I’d give you a sneak preview of their photos and share it with everyone.  Carey-Ann you looked absolutely gorgeous in your stunning wedding dress!  Shaun you looked dashing in your suit (you clean up pretty good)  

Shaun and CA, I wish you all the best in your life together and I know you’ll be very happy in years to come!!

Riani

I photographed my cousin’s CA’s kitchen tea yesterday (or should I say bridal shower??) Bridal shower just sounds so much better than kitchen tea! Especially since I don’t like the kitchen and neither does my cousin Carey-Ann. It was so funny, one her friends gave her Olive Oil bath lotion – beautiful stuff – but CA at first thought she had to cook with it and was not too impressed. She said she would have given it to Shawn if it was for cooking…

She was really spoilt by all her friends and family and since they already have all the household and kitchen goodies (and she doesn’t really care much for those kinds of things) she was showered with pampering gists such as lingerie, bath and body lotions anda few naughty things too!!!

It was a really fun afternoon, spent with friends and family (and what made it even better was that Liverpool beat Man United 4 – 1!!!) Poor CA and Shawn: they are Man United supporters…. The ladies were in a real party mood and CA’s mom Mary and her bridesmaid Stacey were wonderful hosts. We played Bridal Bingo and then a sppinging game where everyone got a chance to spin and CA either got to open presents or have a drink or two!! Shame she really got nailed a few times!!!

The afternoon was ended off with 3 fine looking men dancing and entertaining the ladies and perhaps giving CA a little more attention than Shawn might approve of!!! But it was all good, clean fun in honour of the bride-to-be!!!

The wedding is in 2 weeks time. I am really excited as Riani and and are photographing the wedding. it is at Sha-Mani in Alberton and I’ve heard that it is a beautiful wedding venue. As the wedding photographer, I guess I will have to behave myself at least until after the wedding ceremony……

After that, I think I’ll let Riani work her magic (she really is a good wedding photographer) and maybe I can be in one or two photos for a change!!! I will have to have a few glasses of champagne with my cuz and the rest of the family to celebrate this special occasion!

Watch out for the McGinley waddle – even my Uncle Tom is going to be there and he is not getting out of it…..

It’s going to be a party of note – one thing I can say about the bride and groom is that they know how to party!! And party we will…. Enjoy the day my cuz, it’s one of the most special days of your life….. And may the two of you continue to be best friends forever because that’s the glue that keeps a marriage together!!! All my love Weez