Brad and Tam's Wedding Invites

I'm not sure if you remember Tam and Brad's infographic save the date that I posted some time ago. Well, here are their wedding invitations!

They wanted to continue with the styling of their STD but use more pastel color tones and incorporate some laser cut details as per this invite reference. 

I'm very happy how they came out and I hope you like them too!

Pumeza and Mandisi's Wedding Blog

Wedding Sites and blogs are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to printing wedding invitations. In one hand because it's more cost effective as you don't have to spend extra on paper and printing and in the other one, because people are more conscious about our planet and how the use of paper (if it's not recycle/recyclable) affects it.

The wedding blog is a great option for couple's that have family and friends overseas. Sometimes the post can take quite long time to deliver the invites - I've heard of stories where invitations have arrived to the guests days after the wedding day-. It's also great when the couple wants to include more information than just the formal part of the invite, like their love story, directions and map, accommodation facilities or a gallery with their favorite images. And besides that, it does not only allow the guests to RSVP online and the couple keep track of this, it also allows for some interaction through shared comments building up to the big day!

Here are some screenshots of the blog I created for Pumeza and Mandisi. I had a lot of fun working on it and it seems that their guests totally loved it (according to the stats, the site had over 2000 views in just one month, hehe). The blog included a home-landing page, P&M's love story in infographic style, RSVP page, Bridal Party page, Photo Gallery with family and friends and a space for guests to leave comments and wishes to the bride and groom.

Week #4: My Photography Project - The Real Pole Dancing

For this week entry, instead of shooting stills I decided to do something different: shoot video!
I looove visuals and as I want to improve my camera skills, why not practicing shooting video as well?
It is quite tricky but it's a lot easier and motivating when there's a special story you have to share...

My friend Simone and her dancing partner, Sherry, won the South African duets pole dancing competition 2013. They qualified to go to London and participate of the international one but they need funds to make it there.
My little contribution is based in shooting a short documentary video showing what the girls do and what Pole Dancing is all about (not the streep-club style one) hoping some cool sponsor see it and believe in the girls as much as I do!
The Real Pole Dancing: coming soon.

Just for now, some stills from the footage that we shot.

Petra and Marteen elegant wedding in blue

For all the wedding lovers, here's a keepsake... I love all the brides that have come to me for their wedding invites,  and even thought each of them are special, there are a few ones that will always have a place in my heart. Petra is one of them...
I met her last year at the Tygervalley Wedding Expo and a few months later she came to see me. Our meetings were 15 minute "work" and an hour girl's chat sharing advice and tips for our weddings; from Honeymoon destinations to wedding shoes.... by the way, did you see her beautiful blue shoes? If you are looking at getting a color shoe but you can't find it in the shops, check Anella Wedding Shoes, they have many models and they can all be dyed to any color...
Petra married Maarten in December last year and had a beautiful wedding with reception at Val du Charron Estate. Here are a few images that Cape Town based photographer Christelle Rall took of the couple.
Congrats Petra and Maarten: wishing you a life full of smiles and happiness!

Week #3: My Photography Project - Life is a beach

So this was the third week of my photography project and I chose to shoot one of the most beautiful things here in Cape Town; the beach! These pics I took at the sea-pools on the left of Camps Bay Beach. The afternoon was just amazing with the perfect Capetonian sunset and warm-golden light.
The most exciting thing is that I took all these pics on MANUAL mode with the Nikon 70D: yeayyyy.... I'm so excited and I understand why people rave so much about shooting in manual mode; it really gives you space to play so much. I took many, many pics and to my surprise there were so many nice ones.... I can't wait for this coming week pics...

Week #2: My Photography Project - Proteas at home

 

This is the second week of my Photographic project and I've been practicing quite a bit with different objects at home. But what I have chosen for this week's post is Proteas and flowers at home.
I love Proteas, they have become my favourite flower, so during this time of the year when they are in bloom, I buy every 2 weeks a bunch for home - these ones Arri got for me.
I shot these in Program mode as I'm still not confident with Manual but learning little by little. I think some of the pics are nice but they could be better, like focus, depth of feel and lines in the composition could be improved. But saying that, I'm very proud with my second entry.
I have also been researching and trying to understand more about shutter speed and aperture and realized that the lense I'm using has quite a small aperture 3.6/ 5.6. Well, I don't know if that's small but I was just finding it difficult to shot with little light (this week rained everyday except for yesterday and today). Or is just an excuse to buy a new lense?... hehe... Hopefully next week, I'll be able to post some shot in Manual if they don't come all blurred... Happy weekend everyone!

Week #1: My Photography Project

I don’t know how exactly I decided to start this project… I guess it must have been a mixture of reasons:

. being my wedding over, I need a new project to focus my attention on and something that inspires me and pushes my creativity

. the fact of living in this beautiful city with so many good features and the best lighting in the world (by the way , have you noticed the light we have had these last two days? Oh my… Everywhere I drive or walk to, I can see hundreds of beautiful pics…

. I also want to be able to take good product shots… I look at the pictures I take of the stationery I design and mmm, it really doesn’t make justice to the designs… the images could be much better and I want to improve this…

. and of course inspired by Maree Louw, our wedding photographer. Oh wow, she really is amazing. I’ve not stopped looking at our wedding pictures this week, I totally love them!!! (you’ll see them very soon) And it’s not only the lighting, composition and editing of the images, it’s the way she has been able to capture the essence of the moment and in a picture show how the day really was. And that’s what I think is the most beautiful and difficult thing about photography: being able to capture in just one still image, a moment, a feeling or a sensation. If you want to see Maree’s work, please check her web here and if you are looking for a photographer, you know who is my number one recommended. If you are more into photography, you can also check her film and lomo blog here which is so cool!. Oh, and Maree, I hope you don’t mind that I‘m using the same layout for this project as your blog… it just makes the pictures look so delicate and beautiful….

 

So the truth is that I don’t know much about photography and even many times I’ve tried to learn about exposure, aperture, shutter speed, different lenses or the importance in shooting raw, I never really got it. I think I’m pretty good with the computer so my lack of knowledge on how to shoot might have gotten “unnoticed” (perhaps only by people like me, heheh) thanks to photoshop and editing. But now I want to learn how to take proper pictures. I want to be able to shoot images in full manual mode. So what best way to learn this than by practicing? As they say: you only need to spend 10000 hours of your time to become a pro in a certain discipline. It’s not that I want to become a photographer (besides there are way too many good ones out there) but I just want to be able to take a picture, look at it and say “wow, that really is an amazing photo”!

So inspired by 52 Photos Project and many other Photography initiatives, I decided to start my own “Photography Project”. The task is very simple: just take a picture or series of pictures once a week. I’m not going to put themes or tasks but make sure every week I photograph something different so I can practice different styles of photography.

So for my first week, what better thing to shoot that something I see everyday in Cape Town: Lions Head and Table Mountain. I took these pictures last afternoon with my husband camera (which normally just seats unused under the bed): a NIKON 80D with a 87mm lense (not that I know what that means, heheh). I shot everything in Program mode (at least trying to move away from AUTO, hehe) and then edited them in Lightroom with some cool presets I got a few days ago.

Can’t wait to shoot more pics and learn a bit more. Have an awesome weekend everyone!

Lucy and Duncan Whimsical Day

 

Duncan met Lucy one evening in London. They fell in love and moved to South Africa, got a home, 2 dogs and a cat... 9 years later, Duncan popped the question and Lucy said "yes"!
Yesterday I published Lucy and Duncan's wedding invitations - Here's a small selection of images of their wedding day! Congratulations Lucy and Duncan for your beautiful wedding: hope you have many, many more years of joy and adventures together...