When Same and Ronnie told me that they were having a morning wedding and that my time slot for creative photos was at midday, I did my best to politely persuade them to rather make it late afternoon. I explained about soft warm light and midday shadows etc etc etc. I even pointed out the beautiful golden sunlight falling on Sam's face as we walked out of Vida. at 4:30pm. They listened nicely to what I had to say but weren't keen on cutting their afternoon party short - so we settled with the deal that if the weather was bad and the skies overcast, we would stick to midday, otherwise I'd get my way.
It was overcast :) and at about 4pm the heavens opened. The storm was bad enough that I had to drive on the N2 with my hazards on. Good call guys!! I could not have been more grateful for a couple not following my advice.
Sam and Ronnie had warned me that they were very chilled and were planning on having a relaxed wedding. I hear that rather often and let me tell you - it's very seldom true! I was pleasantly surprised when the day unfolded stress free and with only smiles and laughter.
Wishing you nothing less for your future together Sam and Ronnie.
Alright....so I've been quite bad at blogging recently. There first reason, is that I have been super busy getting photos edited and to the client and the second is that I will be launching a new website soon. I'm saving all my goodies for then - but in the mean time, here are some photos from recent shoots.
When I met Elisabeth and Emmanuel before their wedding, the ‘love glow’ surrounding them each and their little world was massively apparent and quite enticing!! I could not contain the girly side of me and started with the questions…how did you meet, when did you know that you were in love, how did you propose? etc etc.
The story is this: Elisabeth came to South Africa from Norway as a foreign student and fell head over heels for one of the dark and handsome lecturers at UKZN. After figuring out that this stallion of a man was lecturing Political Science…a keen interest in this subject arose.
Without going into too much detail, a friendship and love like non-other was formed and here we have it – A WEDDING! Of course we HAD to shoot on the UKZN campus…the place where they met, got to know each other and fell in love. Sigh ♥
E&E, I love your story and I thoroughly enjoyed photographing your wedding. Wishing you all the best for the future. Xx
You might be wondering how Michelle managed to ‘trash the dress’ in our glorious Indian Ocean and then attend her reception looking dry and perfectly put together. Or how the couple suddenly manufactured golden tans right after saying ‘I do’. I’ll tell you how (and it has nothing to do with great Photoshop skills). The couple and I decided to leave the creative shoot til after they returned from their honeymoon as the sun sets in Durban rather quickly during winter and we didn’t want to feel pressured by restrictions of time.
Best decision ever. Michelle&Ryder shone with that post-Honeymoon glow, I was feeling much more relaxed and the sun set was AMAZING!
Michelle and Ryder, thank you for having faith in my abilities and hiring me before I was even back in SA. It was SUCH a fun wedding, and I am so happy to call you friends.
Something a little bit more personal for this lovely Tuesday evening.
A few years ago I read a book called Brida by Paulo Coelho. Something in that book really stuck with me - and that was a little theory on soul mates.
Now you must know - I consider myself quite a romantic (I blush in a BIG way!), but have never really been a believer in 'soul mates' or a 'one true love'. There are many many wonderful people in the world and a few I have been lucky enough to meet. Some have left a real impression on my soul and allowed me to feel more whole - and this is my experience of a soul mate. I can only hope that I continue to cross more beautiful souls on my journey of life...allowing me to feel more connected to the Universe and myself.
From Brida:
'We are eternal because we are all manifestations of God,' Wicca said. 'That is why we go through many lives and deaths, emerging out of some unknown place and going towards another equally unknown place. You must get used to the fact that there are many things in magic which are not and never will be explained. God decided to do certain things in a certain way and why He did this is a secret known only to Him.'
'The Dark Night of Faith,' thought Brida. So it existed in the Tradition of the Moon as well.
'The fact is that when this happens,' Wicca went on. 'And when people think of reincarnation, they always come up against a very difficult question: if, in the beginning, there were so few people on the face of the Earth, and now there are so many, where did all those new souls come from?'
Brida held her breath. She had asked herself this question many times.
'The answer is simple,' said Wicca, after pausing to savour the young girl's eager silence. 'In certain reincarnations, we divide into two. Our souls divide as do crystals and stars, cells and plants.'
'Our soul divides in two, and those new souls are in turn transformed into two and so, within a few generations, we are scattered over a large part of Earth.'
'And does only one of those parts know who it is?' asked Brida. She had many questions to ask, but she wanted to ask them one at a time, and this seemed the most important.
'We form part of what the alchemists call the Anima Mundi, the Soul of the World,' said Wicca, without replying to the question. 'The truth is that if the Anima Mundi were merely to keep dividing, it would keep growing, but it would also become gradually weaker. That is why, as well as dividing into two, we also find ourselves. And that process of finding ourselves is called Love. Because when a soul divides, it always divides into a male part and a female part.'
'That's how the book of Genesis explains it: the soul of Adam was split in two, and Eve was born out of him.'
Wicca stopped suddenly and sat looking at the cards scattered on the table.
'There are many cards,' she said, 'but they're all part of the same deck. In order to understand their message, we need them all, all are equally important. So it is with souls. Human beings are all interlinked, like the cards in this deck.
'In each life, we feel a mysterious obligation to find at least one of these Soulmates. the Greater Love that separated them feels pleased with the Love that brings them together again.'
'But how will I know who my Soulmate is?' Brida felt that this was one of the most important questions she had ever asked in her life.
I chanced upon this cute little beach spot while looking for a bonfire that my friends where meant to have been at. I didn't find the bonfire, but was thrilled to find a new location. Yippee!
Congrats to Shiksha and Pravesen on their engagement. Thank you for putting up with that sneaky sea breeze...I know it crept naughtily up your skirt a few times Shiksha. You were very patient. :)
Clint and Tracey got married at the cutest little chapel at Champagne Sports Resort - which was followed by a reception at the Dragon Peaks resort in the Midlands. WOW - the Autumn leaves. We just don't get them down here on the coast. What inspiration!
Everything about this day was chilled. Clint shaved outside at his camp site after writing his speech. Tracey did her own make up while her Mother-in-law worked on her hair. The wedding march was left at the tent, the best man's shoes were left in Durban - yet no one fretted!!
Clint and Tracey and their two beautiful children were an absolute pleasure to photograph and 'hang out' with. Thanks for the breakfast the other day you two. It was a lovely treat and so enjoyable watching you struggle with which pics to feature in your Book. :)
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