Having shot over a hundred weddings, it's strange I have never photographed a ceremony at Avianto, which does seem to be one of the more popular Gauteng venues.
Every wedding is, of course, different and I love that.
I love the different personalities and circumstances of the day and the genuinely nice people I get to meet. This one involved many, many emotional and tearful moments throughout the day. There was also plenty of laughter to make up for the tears; the mother of the bride being locked in the bathroom; a petal-obsessed flower girl; an ancient Landy; a fun-loving and relaxed couple and a bride looking ever so graceful walking up a muddy hill. . . just so her selfish photographer could capture an image with the moody sky.
Thank you, both of you - we had a grand time.
There she is, an angelic flowergirl very serious about her role on the day...the petals had no chance.
A while back, I completed a gorgeous shoot for a business named In Good Company, who offer a range of imported linen, tableware decorations and, basically, just lovely things!
I wanted to keep it all quiet until their newsletter was done, dusted and launched and, since it is, I can now finally reveal.
The theme of the tea party set-up was Alice in Wonderland and you can see by the images they went full-out with the styling and props. My first commercial shoot and I absolutely loved it!
More picture on the In Good Company blog.
...and wait! there is more, you can download free printable pdf files used for this bride in wonderland shoot - just click here.
I saw this on the blogosphere last night and got so excited when I saw you'd done the shoot! It's gorgeous! I lurve Alice in Wonderland stuff - we did our last issue of the Splendid Affairs mag with an Alice theme as well. Starting to wish I'd done it for my wedding!
(03.04.10 @ 10:32 AM)really love the theme.. wish more "brides" were so adventurous, you really captured the "fun" in it all...
(03.05.10 @ 04:15 PM)Thank you so much for sharing this! It is absolutely stunning. My events company Creative Collective is currently working on (believe it or not) TWO Alice events :) and this is truly Gorgeous & wonderful inspiration :)
(03.12.11 @ 02:12 PM)I'm not really blogging, because I have a wedding today. I'm just posting one random shot, of Jay and Sarah, which hardly counts as 'blogging'.
In general, I'm not so good with change (I have a tendency to find a comfort zone and to cling to it for dear life).
It was with this in mind I first agreed to present RE.INVENT with Dror, since public speaking is very much outside my comfort zone.
So, you will understand why I was equally nervous (as I was excited) for RE.INVENT, which was convened at The Forum Homini Hotel, yesterday.
Previewing the participants' websites and blogs beforehand did not help the jitters, as I knew we had some serious talent and amazing photographers lined up for the workshop.
We had such an amazing group in attendance, along with gorgeous models, which were a picture of perfection, Gen worked her little butt off to achieve the images the attendees were striving for.
I can't wait to check out the blogs to see what images were captured yesterday. ...and, if anything, I hope that the participants have picked up, that Dror and I attempt to get picture-perfect photos straight out of camera and use PS/Lightroom purely as a an enhancer.
For the first time ever, I can say I took the least amount of shots on the day, as I was more occupied with questions from the photographers themselves.
Naturally, no post without a pic, so here you are - Just one photograph, which I took demonstrating a point to one of the participants.
The first one developed ......in Lightroom. Yes, I discovered a few tips and also tried my hand at Lightroom.
For all those that attended:
Canon 5D | 24-70 2.8
Settings: Aperture Priority, f 4.5, Iso 400, WB Manual.
Processing: Those gradient things taught by Dror and conservative tweaking of sliders in Lightroom (So conservative that I can not, for the life of me remember). No presets used.
In the second, I used the same image and played around with the "darker side"
Love the darker treatment on the second one.
Thanks for a wonderful day, I learnt a huge amount, and it was fabulous to finally meet you IRL!
I would have to say "Ditto" on that, it was really nice to meet everyone!
I will definitely be there for the next workshop. "I hope there is going to be one"
(02.25.10 @ 09:57 AM)Thank you so much, Andrea! I could have stayed there all day asking questions. And it was great to meet you after all these years of blog stalking! :-)
(02.25.10 @ 11:48 AM)Thanks so much for sharing so much with us on Tuesday, you really did answer all the questions we wanted to know. I had a Great time. Thanks again
Thnaks for an awesome workshop. As a new photographer, I really felt so intimidated to be amongst such talented phtographers. I am still mulling over sending my images, thanks again I really learnt so much from everyone.
(03.01.10 @ 08:55 PM)Ah I love this one .
(03.01.10 @ 09:08 PM)I enjoy'd the workshop so much. You realy must consider doing it again, you've realy got no worries about speaking in public. I believe you and Dror impressed us all with skill as well as giving info. I in turn, I was anxious showing my work to such wonderful photographers!
(03.16.10 @ 10:19 AM)
Less has really become more these last couple of days. Less sleep = getting more work done.
Deadlines and a to-do list that is turning out to be an instruction manual; busier than ever, I have had some great shoots I still need to post, but, for now, my priority as promised. . . Nancy and Paul.
It was a fabulous marriage ceremony at Leopard Lodge. I absolutely loved working with Nancy and Paul. Both were so relaxed, natural, full of laughs and made us feel like part of wedding!
The weather was totally gorgeous, cloudy at just the right times, with the sun peeping out during the creatives, which made it all too easy for Ursula and I.
I'll leave the chitter-chatter short, so I may now scratch one more item off that list of mine and give you the images of Nancy and Paul.
How gorgeous are these shoes?
Thanks to you and Ursula for an awesome day. We had so much fun! The pictures are gorgeous, and I can't wait to see the rest!
(02.22.10 @ 10:11 PM)please send me a break down of packages your offer
(04.21.11 @ 01:42 PM)
Gorgeous pics!!!
(03.12.10 @ 10:50 AM)Absolutely beautiful images! Love the lavender field
(03.13.10 @ 05:03 PM)I also love the lavendar field, together with the last one. Wow!
(03.15.10 @ 06:53 AM)I only saw the halo above the angel now...how apt!
(03.15.10 @ 07:01 AM)Gorgeous as always! This was a beautiful wedding with such wonderful people...you captured Nahtalie's loving nature so well, Andrea
(03.19.10 @ 08:07 AM)Stunning stunning stunning. Nahts, you looked amazing and Win ever so handsome. Love you both
(03.19.10 @ 03:32 PM)Fantastic photos, that capture the happy occasion so well ..........
(03.21.10 @ 02:36 PM)I love them! Thanks so much to both of you for capturing all of what was so special to us. I cannot wait to see the rest. From the moment I saw your pics I knew that I wanted you to be behind that lens and finally here we are :) Thank you, thank you, thank you x I thought those "special" pics taken while my mom was locked in the bathroom would be here too :) My sister would kill me! Ha Ha Ha!!
(03.24.10 @ 05:09 PM)Oh and by the way, my shoes didn't stand a chance after that photo shoot! When I got back from honeymoon I had such a chuckle when I saw the state they were in. ANYTHING for these pics though!
(03.24.10 @ 05:12 PM)WOW! WOW! WOW! they are absolutely stunning....nats, you look amazing! the love that we saw on the wedding day has been captured beautifully in the photo's! xxxx
(03.24.10 @ 05:33 PM)I am so glad you like them. Sorry about them shoes, R.I.P.
"My sister would kill me" was the exact thought train that prevented me from posting them.
(03.24.10 @ 06:38 PM)I do not recall that she was fully dressed?? Or quite looking her best feminine-self, whilst at her rescue mission trying to bash the toilet door open, trying desperately to save the distressed mother of the bride. ;-)
What a laugh!!! Definately not fully clothed but you still HAVE TO give them to me. I'll whip them out one day when it can work to my advantage :) Aaahh, sisterly love.
(03.25.10 @ 04:04 PM)Yes, quite right you two!!! I would kill you both.
(03.26.10 @ 04:49 PM)Although the the name "Fat pants" has become quite famous now!! He,Hee! A hysterical moment i will never forget. Oh my sussie! These pictures brought me to tears when I saw them. You look exquisite. Andrea, you have captured Nahtalie and Winston perfectly. What a talent you are!!
Wow... an amazing couple, a beautiful day and a fantastic wedding! Thank you for inviting us to share it with you. Your pics serve as the proof of a wonderful future togeter.
(03.30.10 @ 10:52 AM)