We encourage people to bring their own personality as much as they would dare, to the studio. Because when you bring with you elements of what and who you are, it makes for great photos, as you are comfortable, and when you’re comfortable in front of the camera, something just lights up inside of you. The camera is your closest friend, it shows everything very faithfully, and when you are tense or putting on a pretentious smile, the camera picks it up, and the audience will notice it as well.

When I recently did a group shoot with a whole bunch of ladies wanting to make a calendar of their images, I encouraged them to bring something that represents them, and what great fun we had, and what amazing captivating images I got.

With a boudoir shoot, which is basically a shoot with lovely underwear or nightclothes, the women are on their nerves in anyway, not knowing what to expect, and it’s quite a big exposure to get undressed in front of the photographer. It’s very much our responsibility to make our subjects as comfortable as possible, having a good knowledge of good lighting and your equipment, and a great deal of charm reassuring your clients that they will receive an amazing product. Bring your personality to the studio, you’ll enjoy it so much, and have great images that shows a bit of who you are.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Boudoir Photography

A matric dance is to any matric pupil, about as important as a wedding day is to any bride or groom, and a lot of planning goes into a matric dance as well. We have had the opportunity to see many young couples getting all dressed up and looking lovely, and feeling very proud when they look their best. What a wonderful way to remember the day and getting professional photographs taken, either in studio or on location such as a beautiful garden or in a home with interesting staircases or pathways, and knowing that those photos were taken with great care, making you look absolutely stunning, as you would want to remember the night and the effort put into your outfit choice.

Photography has so many facets and about everything can be photographed, therefore it’s a discipline- and hobby that appeal to so many people. The wonderful way of making people relaxed in front of the camera, bringing out the best in them, is a skill that every photographer should have, and if used correctly, one can get striking images that tell a story, and a bit about the person being photographed too. Just like a wedding, with a matric dance there is a lot of excitement in the air for the evening that waits. It shows in the photos, and makes for images that one can look back on, and remember the day after so much planning. Have amazing matric dance photos done, at Louise Diesel Photography, The Real Life Studio, for quality images, that are the best.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Matric Dance Photography

Toddlers rarely stand still, as we all know.  So prepare yourself for a busy 20-40 minutes (varies from subject to subject)  Set-up and test all your studio equipment, toys etc beforehand to ensure you don’t have to waste precious time which could have been spent taking photos of your toddler.  Another great photography tip is to get down to their lever, yes I know you have heard this many times before and it really works.  When taking photos toddlers on their eye-level the world becomes a different place and you can experience the world as they do.

Get some noisy toys and use them in the studio.  A colourful green froggy which goes squeak-squeak will get a smile out of most toddlers, or maybe their favourite ball (you know them best – otherwise ask mom and dad to bring some favourites along – which will also personalise the photos)  Make sure to schedule their photoshoot at the time of the day they are normally at their happiest, it might be in the morning a while after they have woken up and have had breakfast and some are better after they have had their afternoon nap.   Don’t stop photographing when they turn away from the camera or aren’t smiling, because you are trying to capture the essence of being a toddler.  Do you think those shots with a tollder looking back over their shoulder were posed?   No way… this was a toddler walking away from a photographer and just peeking back to make sure all the attention are still on them and that is the moment the photographer has captured so magically. 

One thing I have learnt on my quest to take better photos of toddlers are to give them some space and just a little bit of free rein.  They don’t like being clung onto, and every now and again a top-up of milk or juice can do wonders.  The more toddlers you photograph the better you will get and the more fun it will be…!

Riani Labuschagne

Family photos

Family shall always be the cornerstone of our studio, no matter how many events we had been able to photograph, how many wonderful people we got to meet, or how many different shoots we are booked for, families share something united, and getting a picture of all of that is what makes them unique, fun, and a joy for us to photograph. Because all families are different, they have children ranging from small babies to elder children, and in each phase there is something interesting to capture. We do all but about stand on our head to get some people to smile, and many people walk out of our studio, feeling like family. We have a relatively small time to create a bond with the family, to have them feel comfortable in the studio and not shy away from us, to get images that that family will look back on for lifetimes to come, and to photograph technically as perfect as possible, to that skin tones appear natural, and colours stand out nice and vividly.

When you decide to become a photographer, you do so for many reasons, and it’s one of those industries, where you’re also not sure where you’ll end up. You have an inherent idea of what you perhaps want out of it initially, and then it turns out that it might end up putting you on different paths to other places not even imagined.  When I first started I didn’t think families would be the main focus of my career, but now, I have the blessed opportunity to photograph so many different people, seeing their kids grow and change, having them connect with us and us with them, and having so many clients feel like family at the end of the day.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Family Photos in JHB

We periodically get a lot of enquiries about modeling- or profiles shoots. Many people then quickly say, but they aren’t a model, we should please just be aware of that. Having a portfolio shoot done, is more about taking lovely photos of yourself, than trying to be a supermodel, who has had years of training to pose perfectly, and gets agents who run their lives from the one shoot, or runway to the next, and that basically their life, so they are very good at what they do. But all of us want to see ourselves displayed in an amazing way, and the way to do that, is by having a stunning portfolio shoot, without feeling pressured into knowing you’re not really a trained model. Many of the “models” that we get to shoot, are trying it for the first time, and also needs good guidance from the photographer into what will work well in the image, and not have the image look fake or forced. Even though it is “posed” to a degree, we want to show a natural shape of the body, as the camera tends to immediately pick up in clutched hands, stiff shoulders or a forced smile.

When you work with light, you obviously have are working on the subject it is falling onto, and the on the subject is where you will see exactly what shape it creates, or where it gives you highlight and shadow detail. Therefore we shift the lights in the studio, numerous times, as putting it in a different angle, will give you different effect each time. We understand the blind trust that goes into wanting to look your best, and having that in the hands of someone else. At Louise Diesel Photography, we always strive to give you the best product imaginable, and gorgeous photos that you can be proud of, if even not an experienced model.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschange

Model Portfolio Photography

We always say that every family is different and that was the case with this shoot.  Angel is like one of the kids in the house and so it was only right that she had a photoshoot with mom… Here are some tips when taking professional photos of animals:

1. Bring some new toys as well as favourites along to your photoshoot, as these can make cute photos as well as provide a “treat” when posing for the camera.

2. A piece of Biltong or Droëwors will get almost any dog to sit still for 2 seconds

3. Don’t expect your dog to behave 100% like an angel as I promise you this will not be the case…  New people to meet, new environment to explore and lots of excitement.

I would also recommend that you pose in some of the photos with your dog, because this lessens the chance of them running off the backdrop or taking their toys and running for the door.  Talk to them, but you also need to take command.  Dogs respond very well to calm, assertive energy so try not to psyche your dog up in the car or at the photoshoot as this will make it infinitely harder to photograph your beloved pet.  And sometimes you just have to go with it, there won’t be 100 shots of your dog looking straight at the camera, but then again how many times do they look you straight in the eye (except when they are challenging you)

Here at LDP we love to meet your whole extended family as well as your dog children, so feel free to bring them along to your photoshoot (Just contact your photographer and let them know you are bringin a furry friend along)

Riani Labuschagne

Lifestyle family photography

The camera has this amazing way of capturing absolutely everything. Many have this preconceived notion that one can walk into the studio, and the camera or the photographer might not catch onto their shyness or apprehensiveness, but the camera truly do see everything, and something like a fake smile is easily detected. Sometimes we don’t know what is more difficult to photograph, smaller children who rule the world, and if they don’t want to smile you’ll very simple not get a smile, or adults who tend to hold back when they’re in the studio. It is very much the photographer’s responsibility to try and get some smiles out of their subjects, you have to pull out all stops, and use some charm and some charisma to get people to relax, and have fun.

Parents know their kids best, and usually dad knows just the right place to tickle to get kiddies to burst out in giggles. We encourage that, and need the parents’ involvement, helping to get the children comfortable, and be a bit more spontaneous.

Our studio prides ourselves in capturing images that you’ll look back on in fondness, remember your kids laugh, remember the fun moments, seeing how kids grow, realizing again the bond you have as a family.

Yolandi Jacobsz

Family Photographers JHB