I know of a few people who are still confused and don’t even know that I spent the past two months in Mpumalanga. It was all just so extremely crazy. If you want to hear the story, be patient – it’s a bit long. If you don’t really care (that’s ok), just skip this post and have a look at the pretty families I posted the past weekend!

On 15 December last year, my sister phoned me awake just after 6 am. The baby was coming. He wasn’t due for another 4 weeks but her blood pressure went up and they were going to do an emergency c-section. People who know me, know that Realdi and I are basically glued to the hip. I love my sesie so much and come hell or high water – I was going to be there for Baby’s birth!

So, in a few minutes I had bought my plane ticket. I was leaving at about 1pm that afternoon and I had SO many things to cancel! One of them was a second shooting gig for Christine Meintjes that Saturday and I’m still SO grateful that she understood! Also a big thanx to Catherine Mac for taking over one of my family sessions!

To emphasize how crazy that day was.. I took the bus to the airport. I never EVER take a bus. I didn’t even know how. My awesome friend, Nicolette, got her husband to take me to the bus station. Oh and I took my iMac with me. Yes I am the luckiest girl in the world that it didnt get stolen! I think I’ll leave out the bit that at that point it wasn’t insured yet.

In the end, I got to the hospital probably 15 minutes after Baby’s birth. That’s where it kind of went downhill. You know in the movies where the mom has the baby and then directly after he is brought to her and everybody ooh’s and aah’s? Well that didn’t happen here. Carlo (that’s his name!) was 4 weeks premature and had underdeveloped lungs. Realdi and Martin and the grandparents were the only ones who got to see him for the first 3 weeks of his life!

I actually took up knitting to manage my stress and pass the time! Lol!

As you look at these pictures, know that this little guy is a fighter! During his 3 weeks in NICU, all of the medicine that was supposed to work didn’t and they had to go back to the basics to get stuff that would work on him. There was actually a Sunday where I just sat outside my Mom’s house and prayed as we all thought he wasn’t going to make it. So the biggest thanx of all goes to Jesus for saving this little life for my sister and her husband. He is the cutest little thing ON THIS EARTH!

Ok, enough now. Enjoy the pictures. And Carlo – Welcome to the party

Carlo has the cutest Monkey room EVER!Day one at home.This seriously awesome auntie bought him the dinosaur toy. “It’s so fluffy I could die!”This is ‘Skaap’ on the right. He watched over little C during his time in NICU.On the right he is in the arms of his Great Grandmother! How awesome is that!?
He very first bath – TRAUMATIC! Lol, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Martin sweat that much!

If you’d like to know who made all Carlo’s little knitted hats, her name is Audrey! Visit her page on Facebook  - Auds-and-Ends

Uiteindelik het ons tyd gekry (of liewer gemaak) vir hierdie fotosessie! My arme niggie smeek en soebat elke keer wat ek in Mpumalanga is om hulle af te neem en dan is ek gewoonlik naweke reeds volgeboek! So Liela, hierdie foto’s is net vir jou! Hoop jy hou van hulle! ❤

xxx

My twee niggies en tannie: Esmeraldi, Amanda en Marizel.

During my time there I had the privilege to photograph a family I once did a shoot for. Only this time we did a shoot with the WHOLE family! It was the most beautiful setting that Chantelle suggested and I loved loved loved the light there!

xx Ek hoop julle almal geniet julle kiekies! Dankie dat julle geduldig gewag het! xx
Die drie mooi sussies! Jackie, Yvette en Chantelle.Marnus, Alishia, Andrew en Luvhan.Ouma en Oupa!Ayesha en Jamon met klein Alishia.Jessie die hond was so cute!! Haha..                                                                     Stevie                                                                             Louis en sy drie manne.Steven en Jackie             ………………………………………            Louis en Yvette                 …………………………………………………………………………..                                                                                             Dawie en Chantelle.Puren, die mooiste blou oog seuntje!!

Gerna en Christiaan se troue was STYLVOL, MOOI, KREATIEF, en net plain mooi! Ek is nou ‘n groot fan van Olive Mystery – alle toekomstige Johannesburg bruide – julle kan maar gerus daar gaan trou en my boek as jul fotograaf (just saying)

Dankie G + C dat ek julle mooi dag kon vasvang. Dit was alles ‘n fees vir die oog! Geniet die voorskou en hoop julle geniet nog julle honeymoon in Thailand xx

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Gerna’s wedding dress was absolutely gorgeous! It was designed by her friend, Germien Le Clus (you can find her details at the bottom of this post). The best part is I’m photographing Germien’s sister’s wedding in October! So I get to photograph another such a pretty dress! Lucky me!! Pin It

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Service Providers:

Please check back shortly for an updated list.

Wedding dress: Germien Le Clus | www.germienleclus.co.za | 076 168 5821

Venue + Decor + Catering (they are awesome!): Olive Mystery | www.olivemystery.co.za

Flowers: Bunches at Home Flower Market | 082805 0996 | angie@bunches.co.za

Make-up: Kathryn Marnevick | 082 953 2748

Hair: Pasquale Kempton Park (Talitha) | 011 391 3105

Cake Table: Lizette Barnard (bride’s aunt)

Decor: Olive Mystery + Gerna, Christiaan, Marilize + Christiaan’s Mom.

Stationary: Canvas Stationary Boutique (Carike) | www.canvasboutique.co.za | 082 393 7070 | carike@canvaseventsmedia.co.za

Harpist: Gaylen Sales | www.gayleonharp.com | 083 259 9498 | mgsales@worldonline.co.za

2nd Shooter: Simoné Franzel Photography

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My first few months in Cape Town were extremely scary. The first time I found Canal Walk without my GPS I celebrated! With wine! Yes I drink wine now too! A true Cape Townian né? lol. One of the biggest things God has blessed me with this year are friends. I’ve never been extremely outgoing and before moving to CT everybody warned me that the Cape is very ‘clicky’ and I won’t make friends easily, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. I know I truly belong in the photographers community because I’ve never had more friends. Not even in a small town such as Middelburg.

Cape Town, you are a beauty. And I’m so happy to live here. If you could go back in time and tell my 2007 self (attending University of Pretoria and studying BCom) that I would survive my first year as a full time Cape Town photographer I would have died laughing. I didn’t know anything about photography. I didn’t even own a camera! Bahahaha!

It still amazes me how I got to assist some of our country’s top wedding photographers. These guys are all just such rockstars in my eyes and from each one I learnt something else: Jean-Pierre Uys, Sybrand Cillie, Du Wayne Denton and Christine Meintjes, Jan Dorfling. Even I have to admit, I came a long way from the ‘plattelandse meisie’ from Middelburg who used to ask Joburg togs whether she could assist them and always getting turned down. Cape Town togs are WAY nicer!

Within the first 24 weeks of last year, I had shot and assisted at 27 weddings! I was definitely thrown into the deep end and I really do love what I do!

Earl gets his own paragraph. This cool friend of mine (from Earl Martin Photography), postponed his shopping trip on a Saturday to bring me his 5D as a back-up when my camera fell and broke during a wedding last year.To all future brides – don’t worry I had a back-up camera but I needed Earl’s to be my new back-up! I was terrified for like 5 minutes and he was the first person I phoned. You see Earl? You are such a reliable person that during a crises you are the first one that comes to mind! Thanx for saving my ass. I hope you enjoyed the biltong.

To all the photographers who let me help them last year - thank you, especially Jean-Pierre Uys who I never thought I’d meet let alone assist. He was the one who sparked the flame at his first workshop in Oct 2010 and made me move.

Here’s to 2012! To all the people who visit my blog now and again, I wish you a very happy and blessed year! I hope you will continue visiting me as I will do my best to post pretty pictures!

Here are a few of my favorite images from some of the weddings I’ve shot at this year..

(2nd shooting for Sybrand Cillie)

I seriously thought this guest was Arno Carstens. Almost asked for his autograph as well, but it wasn’t him (2nd shooting for Du Wayne Denton)(2nd shooting for Du Wayne Denton)

This was without a doubt the prettiest wedding I attended this year. And I’m very proud of the shots I got as well!(One of my own weddings: Justin + Janine)(2nd shooting for Jo-Ann Stokes)

I really love this pic of the three couples all embracing each other at the same time. When I took the shot I only focused on the front couple, and only later saw there were indeed three!(One of my own weddings: Stefan + Lindie)Felt very chuffed with myself for getting to photograph singer Anton Goosen at their wedding
(One of my own weddings: Barnie + Euline)(One of my own weddings: Sergil + Cleo)(2nd shooter for Du Wayne Denton)Their best man was Sharks rugby player, Ross Skeate. Swoon! He very gentlemanly helped me over the rocks during the couple shoot. Ahem. Yes. I am lucky.(2nd shooter for Du Wayne Denton)(2nd shooter for Jo-Ann Stokes)(2nd shooter for Jani B)(2nd shooter for Jan Dorfling)(One of my own weddings: Michael + Desré)

Their wedding was the one with the prettiest decor this year by far!!
(One of my own weddings: Kobus + Simoné)

This wedding was very special for me. Simoné and I went to the same primary and high school but we only became friends this year after she discovered I was a wedding photographer just like her! Her creative flair for throwing together the prettiest and most colourful wedding of the year secured us two features this year. One international and one local!(One of my own weddings: Clintin + Sheila)(One of my own weddings: Ritchie + Laura)(One of my own weddings: Dries + Marlise)(2nd shooting for Du Wayne)

This was the wedding of fellow wedding photographer, Yolande Snyders-Kotze. I was called “assistant” for the day so that we don’t get confused when someone said “Yolande”. lol(One of my own weddings: Damian + Laura)(One of my own weddings: Werner + Francis)And now for some behind the scenes footage…

Du Wayne braving a VERY VERY windy Camps Bay.
Yes, we get silly the later it gets during the reception. It’s not enough to just photograph guests anymore
Christine Meintjes doing her thing.Jammer Christine, ek het gedink dis ‘n funny pic!