Ever since I decided to become a wedding photographer I have ended the year by doing “a best of my wedding pics of that year” I get a bit emotional every time I get these images together! This year-end exercise reminds me of so many things. It reminds me of what my strengths and weakness are. It is also a way to say goodbye to the previous year and allow the space for improvement. But most importantly it reminds me of how incredibly lucky I am to do a job that I love and how lucky I am to have attracted clients who allow me to do what I do and make a living from this.
Weddings are funny things as they turn grown men to tears, they send mothers into a frenzy and fathers into meek puppy dogs. Families come together and people journey from all over to celebrate and reunite. There is a always a joy and an energy present unlike any other human ritual I know. A bride often feels her most beautiful while she is fluffed and fancied for hours. The men feel sexy in their suits, shorts or veldskoen, and no matter what they are wearing they are all moved when they see their bride coming down the aisle. To be able to capture a photograph of someone where they look at the photo and see the beauty that I see, in that moment is a truly remarkable thing. I see beauty everywhere and in most people. I love taking pictures of brides hugging their grannies. I love taking pictures of kids doing silly things, I love creating narrative portraits of my clients but mostly I love taking pics of people having fun and being human. My personal quirk however is finding the humour in it all and telling stories with my camera.
This year has been a happy year for me and when I look through all of these photographs I feels so darned charmed that I have had so many wonderful inspiring people who have entrusted me with their dear memories. I have found more balance this year than in any other year and between that and having such incredible clients and a very special man in my life I have been reminded of how lucky we are to be alive.
I would like to thank Liz my assistant who has never moaned when we have stayed that extra hour or three because I didn’t feel like I had the shot. Liz, who has made me endless cups of tea and and has my diary organized like a ninja. You are so valued and so talented. Liz has a few pics in this best of 2015 which really says how great she is. Thank you … you rock!!! My world would suck without you.
Huge thanks also to KJ and team from Nanuja who make all my albums. I am such a perfectionist that every wedding album that I produce is like an artwork to me and KJ is so accommodating and goes the extra mile. Thanks also to all the folk at Fotomax who print all my work and also house us and also put up with all our crazy. I do have to mention Teez here. What a gem of a human!
And lastly but not leastly, thanks to all the service providers who have not only made my job easy but so much fun. I couldn’t do my job without all of your genius. Thanks also to all of you who have referred me and to those who have worked with my schedules to get the shots that I do. I can’t name you all but you know who are my specials. Thank you I love you!!!
Thank you to each and every single one of you. 2015 has been such a super year for me and you have all been a part of that!!!
