My Blog

Robyn & Colin's Engagement Shoot

9/1/2016

When Robyn and Colin got engaged, it was important to them to find a photographer they connected with, They wanted relaxed, non-posed but beautiful photos of their big day as neither felt really comfortable in front of the camera. So I was delighted when they asked me to work with them!

The location of their e-shoot was important to them, they wanted to use a place that they spend a lot of time at, and with Colin being an avid Fly Fisherman, Kloofzicht was the perfect option. The afternoon was perfect, rain earlier in the day had made the weather cooler, gave us beautiful light and the most dramatic sunset I have ever seen. I love how they are so affectionate, and how much they enjoy each others company. It made working with them so easy, and allowed us to get the most amazing natural photos of the two of them.

Here is a peak at Robyn and Colin's engagement shoot:

Robyn & Colins Engagement Shoot - Kloofzicht

Thank you to this amazing couple for choosing me to be part of your big day. It was fabulous working with you both, and I wish you many more years ahead filled with love and happiness!

Venue: Kloofzicht
Makeup & Hair: Makeup by Monique

Love
Chantal
XXX

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Zelna & Hennie's E-shoot

2/25/2016

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Zelna and Hennie are such a special couple to me ... full of life and fun, it was a wonderful experience working with them! They are so much in love, and it comes through so strongly on camera.

Their wedding was set to be a very relaxed and vintage affair, and as they love South Africa and all its history we decided the best setting for their engagement shoot was Reefsteamers. This is one place that I love to work at, there are so many awesome places to photograph, and we walked around admiring the hard work that goes into the restoration of the beautiful old ladies.

As Hennie is also an avid photographer, he took great pleasure in comparing his Canon to my Nikon, and the afternoon was filled with loads of laughs and jokes. Adding to his delight, I pulled out my vintage Canon Film Camera and the two had a few funny selfie moments, and pretended that they were doing their own photoshoot.

This memorable afternoon ended with a spectacular Johannesburg sunset, and then we sat with the Reefsteamers team and waited for Susan, the oldest steam train in the yard to return from her Cullinan trip.

Thank you to the Reefsteamers team who allowed us to use the facility and for being so amazing with your historical knowledge. Thank you also to Makeup by Shandre for Zelna's stunning makeup, and lastly to my tireless assistant Michael for all of the help on the day.

Hennie and Zelna you are both fabulous, and I really wish you all of the happiness in the world as you deserve it. May your love grow and continue to blossom for many years to come!

Here is a peak at Zelna and Hennies fun e-shoot:

Zelna & Hennie E-shoot - Reefsteamers

Love
Chantal
xxx

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A steamy engagement shoot - Samantha and Francois

9/18/2014

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Samantha and Francois, had the most beautiful and very steamy engagement shoot in March this year. Their E-shoot was scheduled during the wettest months in Johannesburg, where we had no sun for days on end. Poor Samantha was very stressed out, and was ready to postpone right up until the morning of the shoot. A few panicky messages went back and forth between us, but as morning dawned, we woke up to the most perfect sunny weather. I do believe, to this day, that it was a sign that these two are meant to be together!

We arrived at the rather wet, but fabulous venue for the shoot, Reefsteamers in Germiston, and were greeted by the friendliest people, who are all volunteers that restore the old steam trains. They were so excited to see us and showed us the engines we could go inside and opened up the sheds so we could use different locations for the shoot.

Samantha looked beautiful, having had her make-up done that morning by Shandre, and the couple looked amazing together in their simple but elegant outfits of blue jeans and white shirts. Can you believe, Samantha and Francois had never really been in front of a camera and were super nervous about this? They are smoking hot and the camera just loves them! This young couple are just so in love and comfortable together, they needed very little coaching to get the steamy and sexy images.

Here is a peak at the E-shoot we did with this fabulous couple .... Sam and Fafa, I love you guys, you are amazing and I am blessed to have met you and to now call you my friends!

A huge thank you has to go to my second Chris who ran around with me, climbing up and down engines and made the day run a bit smoother, as well as to the amazing Team at Reefsteamers who provided us with the perfect location.

Love
Chantal
XXX

Sam & Francois E-shoot - Reefsteamers

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Morongoa & Basil's E-shoot

5/14/2014

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Morongoa and Basil are a beautiful couple with a stunning little family. The minute I met them in the little coffee shop in Brooklyn Mall to discuss their wedding day plans, it was an instant connection. I love the way they look at each other, the way they interact and of course how good they look together.

Their love story is pretty awesome, Basil saw Morongoa in a Mall and instantly knew that he wanted to know her better. I think for him it was love at first sight! A couple years later and a little girl who arrived to complete their family, they decided it was time to get married. As they both love nature and water, we decided the best place to do the shoot was at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens.

The afternoon arrived, it was perfect weather and the whole family including Morongoa's 2 daughters joined Chris and myself for this fun and fabulous shoot. Here is a peak at a few of our images from their E-shoot, I would like to thank Chris who was my second and ran around with the children for most of the afternoon.

To Mo and Basil ... words can't describe how much I love you guys!
XXX

Morongoa & Basil - E-shoot - PTA Botanical Gardens

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Ginger Love - Carrie & Greg's E-shoot

10/16/2013

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I first met Carrie and Greg at the Oakfield Farm Expo at the beginning of the year, and we had an instant connection. They are such a beautiful young couple, and I just love them to bits! I am super excited for their Wedding in December.

It was a beautiful afternoon, with heavy threatening clouds when Chris and I met Carrie and Greg at the Meyersdal Nature Estate in Johannesburg South for their E-shoot. While we prayed for the rain to stay away, we bundu bashed a bit and found the perfect spot for the shoot. The wildlife watched us from a distance and we were even treated with a rainbow for a few minutes. I just love this shoot, it is difficult to believe that we were in the middle of the city as it is such a beautiful and nature filled place.

Carrie told me a few things about their love story, and I just have to share ... it shows how they were just destined to be together, a perfect ginger pair!

Our story begins at Alberton High School. We were both in the same school year, but never attended the same classes. I definitely noticed him though and coincidentally one of my friends even suggested that he could be my future husband. Following from graduating from matric, our lives took different paths and we lost contact. Fast forward six years and we found ourselves befriending each other on Facebook. Our story could make a great case study for social media love stories!

After a few weeks of virtual flirting, we found ourselves on a first date. The date was pretty spontaneous and we wished that the evening wouldn't end. We haven’t looked back since; although Greg will tell you a more romantic story of how we met by reaching out for the same can of Coca Cola in France.

In December 2012 , after being together for four years,we decided to have a well deserved holiday in the Drakensburg. One day we went on a hike. The mountains were magnificent and the sky was a beautiful pink and orange hue. On top of that we were surrounded by wild horses! To my surprise, he surprised me with a beautiful engagement ring and proclaimed 'Marry'.

Our wedding day is now set for December 2013 and we cannot wait to be married. It’s not very often that two gingers tie the knot!

Carrie & Greg

Carrie & Greg - E-shoot - Meyersdal Nature Estate

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Rene & Tinus - Their Engagement Shoot

10/7/2013

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I first met this amazing couple at the end of June, when I got a call telling me they were planning their wedding for the end of July. We fast tracked the meeting and engagement shoot to make sure all would be ready in time for this short notice wedding. So a mere 2 weeks before their big day, Chris and I met Rene and Tinus at Delta Park on a pretty chilly winters afternoon.

Both of them are rather camera shy, so we started off slowly getting everyone relaxed, and soon the two of them were giggling away, and having an absolute ball. I have to say that I love this couple, they are really the sweetest people and its so wonderful that they met each other and are so much in love. Here is a peak at their engagement shoot which was so much fun for us all!

Rene & Tinus - Engagement Shoot - Delta Park

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Shelley & Garith - E-shoot - Irene Dairy Farm

8/21/2013

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Shelley & Garith E-shoot - Irene Dairy Farm

Anything but ordinary is how I can describe this engagement shoot with my good friends Shelley & Garith! Shelley is a fellow Boudoir Photographer and when we started chatting about doing her engagement shoot I knew it was going to be more about having fun than anything else.

On the 14th of July 2013, Chris and I met Shelley and Garith at Irene Dairy Farm for a hearty lunch before setting off for the afternoon shoot, with gumboots, a guitar and all sorts of other things in tow.

I can say, this was so much fun, with loads of giggles and laughs the whole way through. What a quirky, fun loving and sometimes crazy couple. From the gumboot dance to the doors and then the painting with light it felt more like an fun afternoon outing than work.

To Shelley & Garith, thank you for letting me do your E-shoot, I cant wait for your wedding in March and I am very priviledged to know you and to be one of your Bridesmaids. I shout out goes to the lovely Chris who as always was a wonderful assitant, and to Jenny from Dagena Make-up, Beauty & Weight Loss for doing such a lovely job on Shelley's hair and make-up.

Shelley & Garith E-shoot - Irene Dairy Farm

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Love is in the Air! Christine & Charles's Engagement Photo-shoot

5/31/2013

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Christine & Charles - Engagement Photo-shoot

I met Christine only a few weeks ago, and was really intrigued as she had just got engaged to Charles and they were planning their wedding in only 10 weeks. This is a whirlwind engagement, although they have been together for 8 years. Meeting with Christine over coffee, I realised one thing about this couple, they are well organised and focused, if anyone could get this done in such a short time, they would!

I was super excited when she told me where they wanted their engagement shoot - an airfield incorporating a few airplanes!

The day was really fun, but poor Christine almost froze to death when we did the sunset photos, at least Charles got to keep his jacket on! I felt so bad for her, but I think we can all agree, it was worth it! Thank you to the lovely ladies, Chris and Sherrie, who ran around with us, carrying all the equipment and holding reflectors and scrims!

I asked Christine a few questions about her and Charles, the answers put a big smile on my face, and I am so priviledged to have met this down-to-earth and cool couple! I can't wait to shoot their Wedding next month at Casalinga, I know it will be an awesome wedding. I wish Christine and Charles many more happy years together and hope they loads of time in the air doing what they love together!

How come an Airfield for your Engagement Shoot?
We both have a passion for aviation, Charles has his commercial pilots license and I have my student pilots licence. After 7 years I realised Charles will never change. Its aeroplanes aeroplanes aeroplanes, so I decided if I can't beat them, I might as well join them!!! (his dad and brother also have pilots licences, and his granpa did as well) You can only imagine our dinner conversations :)

We really are the best of friends and have so much fun together!

Christine & Charles - Engagement Photo-shoot

How did Charles pop the question?
He proposed at Mount Grace on top of the mountain. When we got back to the car a lady was there crying. She had reversed into our new hilux :( so we spent the next 2 hours at the police station. Then it rained - only on our car!!! (now I sound like a drama queen but its true). When we got to his folks place his mom got the champagne out and the broke 2 of his great Grannys crystal glasses and when we got home our gate motor blew up. So we went into lockdown!

So we figured if so much unluckiness happened on the first day, the rest of our lives should be a breeze:)

Christine & Charles - Engagement Photo-shoot

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Sharing the love - Our Couple Shoot Winners

5/13/2013

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Charisse & Vuyani - Couple Shoot - Delta Park

In February I decided to share some love with a deserving couple so I ran a little competition to see which couple could get the most votes on their love story.

It was the lovely Charisse and Vuyani that won our competition, and wow, what a beautiful couple! Our shoot was filled with lots of fun and smiles and I am delighted that they love their images! Congratulations on your engagement Charisse & Vuyani, you guys are really wonderful together!

A huge thank you goes to the lovely Chris who was my hardworking assistant on the day!

Charisse & Vuyani - Couple Shoot - Delta Park

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A True love story - Angela & Tys's engagement shoot

4/18/2013

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I met the lovely Angela and very dashing Tys at the Oakfield Farm Expo last year and was very excited when Angela contacted me and asked me to be their wedding photographer in August this year. As Tys works in Iraq, and they live 3 months apart at a time, we organised their engagement shoot for March while Tys was here for Easter. We chose the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens for the shoot as it is beautiful and fitted with everything they wanted. Timing was really good as Monique (Make-up by Monique) did Angela's make-up trial the morning of the shoot.

Now their story is special, and you can see it the minute you spend time with them, so I asked Angela to share their story:

Finding my Boereseun:

Years ago when I was getting divorced, I confided in a friend – asking them what on earth I did wrong in my previous relationship choices – and he said “Angela – you should find yourself a boerseun – a boerseun will treat you right”. Little did I know that 12 years later I would find myself a boerseun who honestly treats me like a princess!

How do you cope spending so much time apart?
With Tys and I living apart and only seeing each other every 3 months it is very hard, but I always say with our skyping and bbm’ing we probably talk far more than most married couples. When we talk every night it is dedicated time together, which probably doesn’t happen with most relationships. We make this difficult circumstance work.

Angela & Tys - Couple Shoot

How did he pop the question?
Tys popped the question in a little place overlooking Hartebeespoort Dam. He had a bottle of our favourite wine, and put some music on (We both love music). He seemed to be rather purposeful with his selection on his Ipod… and then it came to a song about a soldier going away and asking his love to marry him before he leaves (Tys was due to leave the next day, to go back to Iraq)….. He went all quiet – and me – being a little slow at times…. I say “this is a lovely song…. Do you want to dance?”….. Typical Angela moment….. So Tys says “I am asking you to marry me and you ask me if I want to dance?” Eish….. epic fail! Haahaahaa! Of course I said “yes, yes, yes!”

To Angela and Tys, its amazing working with you and to see such love between two people. I am really priviledged to be your photographer on your Wedding Day! I wish you loads of love and happiness! May your love continue to grow!