It starts with a boy and a girl coincidentally getting to know each other…

Two years down the line, next thing you know you are blissfully engaged and planning your special wedding day J  You might ask me how to choose the right wedding photographer.  Truth is that it’s different for every couple getting married.  My advice would be to have a look at a few photographer’s portfolios and meet up with your favourites. 

It’s important to take note of “how the photographer makes you feel”.  Do you feel right at home and at ease?  Did the photographer manage to comfortably start up a conversation which just grew from strength to strength?  Secondly you need to ask to view their  wedding portfolios, how many brides do you see? If there are only a few chances are good that they haven’t photographed many weddings.  Which in turn might mean that they don’t have enough experience to handle any situation which comes their way.  You can even go as far as asking them for a few references (previous brides and grooms) you could phone and chat to.

Lastly, never be hesitant to voice your opinions and queries.

Hope this gives you some insight on how to better “interview” your wedding photographer to ensure that they are the right one for you!

Riani Labuschagne & Yolandi Jacobsz

Wedding photography

The people you choose as your groomsmen, or as your bridesmaids, are chosen for a reason. These are the people you have shared many incredible moments with, and they know you best.  We always say to all couples who come and enquire about wedding photos, that even in the chaos of getting everything together and planning a mass of things, because a wedding has so many moving parts – when the day actually arrives, you are supposed to do nothing else but have fun. People don’t always know how important this is, because it is unfortunately a day that goes by extremely fast, and then all you planning, only becomes the beautiful memories we as photographers got to capture on the day.

On the day so much is happening, and so many people has to get ready for this affair, and many jokes and laughs are shared, and we love to interact with our couple and the whole entourage following because the comic moments that come out of that, are priceless.

We love these photos, not only because we enjoyed the wedding so much and the atmosphere was great, it was because the couple was relaxed, and made for wonderful times, and that is what we would want all couples to remember- our job is to catch to moments, and catch it, we shall, all YOU have to do, is enjoy your wedding day, enjoy your friends, and trust us to bring the very best out of your special day.

Yolandi Jacobsz & Riani Labuschagne

Wedding Photography

So you have just gotten engaged :) and are super excited to plan your wedding?  You have been looking at dresses for ages, and have a few cakes in mind, and don’t forget about who to invite, the perfect venue and of course a brilliantly talented photographer to capture it all…

But where is the best place to start you ask?  Firstly you need to work out approximately how many guests you are inviting (you should have an idea judging by the size and closeness of your families) Knowing this you can start looking for your dream venue.  As I find that sometimes you find a spot you adore but they simply cannot accommodate as many guests as you would like to invite. And thirdly (before deciding what time of day you want to get married or confirming your venue) have a look around and go and meet with a few photographers.  They can give you sound advice for good times to get married to ensure great lighting for your wedding photos (also saying that any photographer worth their salt can shoot in almost all conditions)

Keep in mind the wedding photographer will spend most of this important day with you capturing every detail and moments as we go along.  You need to be able to communicate your ideas and expectations effortlessly to this individual/s (before the actual day of the wedding. As well as feel comfortable with each other.

With all this info on hand you can start planning our very special wedding day!

Riani Labuschagne & Yolandi Jacobsz

Wedding photography in JHB

This special day was set out in Bronkhorstspruit at a gem of a venue called Oxbow Country Estate.  The key difference between this estate and so many other venues is that the gardens are landscaped but by using the natural plants which grow in the area.  So it’s landscaped but wild, if that makes any sense J

The hall was decorated very elegantly and not overdone and it was refreshing to see something unique for a change.  “B” is such a gentleman and we both agreed that he is the type of man to marry, and looking at the special bond he shares with “A” just makes you all warm and fuzzy on the inside.  I know that they will be together for years to come (just as they have been together since school years)

We loved the fact that they gave us total creative freedom and entrusted us with capturing their wedding photos on this day.  They were keen to try each and every idea and pose no matter what we asked and for this I have to say thank you guys J

Wedding photos are all about having some beautiful memories captured so that you can reminisce over them for years to come!

Riani Labuschagne & Yolandi Jacobsz

Johannesburg wedding photographer

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

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

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