Best of the Decade

Best of the Decade

I fell into wedding photography about 12 years ago, but it was only in 2010 that I really decided to focus on this genre of photography and career path. When I put my mind to something I am all in, even though the initial idea was that I would use the money that I earned from wedding photography to pay for life whilst I made art and exhibited on the side. I was rather naive to think that someone like me could do both, because there is truth in the saying which tells us that “where your focus goes, energy flows.” I had decided that if I was going to become a wedding photographer, I would work until I was as good as the best in the world. I was obsessed, and with that extreme dedication came a very fast acceleration. One minute I was figuring out how to use flash and the next I was being flown across the world to photograph the nuptials of strangers.

Now there are some who think that I was born with an innate talent for wedding photography and this is entirely untrue. My early photos were absolutely ghastly, but I worked myself to the bone to improve every single time I picked up my camera. I worked so hard that I put myself in hospital with adrenal burnout because I was a perfectionist and my own worst critic and was working 80 hours a week. I didn’t really care about accolades, only about being the best that I could be. I was so focused on improving my craft that I had neglected to work on my workflow and the business side of my business and so that trip to the hospital and the year that it took to recover put things to perspective. I loved the fact that wedding photography allowed me so much creative autonomy and that I was being paid to people watch and travel but it had taken its toll!

I put my prices up because I realised that I could not do what I did for average prices, as I was not putting in an average amount of effort. I kept putting them up and people kept hiring me. Fast forward a few years and I have been acknowledged by reputable international organisations as being one of the best wedding photographers in the world and have made some incredible memories during my career, but I haven’t made any non commissioned artwork that I am proud of nor have I had a single exhibition during this time. Over the last couple of years there has been a stirring in my soul that has been itching for a change but I felt a gigantic creative block inside of me. I still loved every single one of my clients and put my all into every assignment I took on but I knew that I wanted more.

It is interesting that I was awashed with this knowing just as the wedding industry came crashing down under the weight of the pandemic of 2020. It felt like the universe was giving me a huge slap as I fell into a pit of despair. This year has been emotionally exhausting and certainly one of the most stressful that I can remember, but I have made some enormous changes like tidying up my personal life, letting go of my beloved Mouse House which I had poured myself into whilst refurbishing, packing up my stuff, applying to Rhodes University to do my Masters in Fine Art, investing in a water housing for my new Sony gear and completing a free diving course.

I have no idea where this journey is going to take me, nor do I have a step by step action strategy. I have no five year plan. I only know that I am opening a new door to a new future and a new way of doing life.

In my time as a wedding photographer I have met some of the loveliest, most interesting and diverse people from all over the world. I have photographed weddings everywhere from sheep barns to mountain tops to white sand island beaches to 6 star hotels. I’ve had access to some of the most intimate moments of what it means to be human in so many different cultures and in so many different spaces. I have been moved, touched and transported and I know that everything that I have learnt and every one that I have met along the way are all stepping stones towards the next chapter.

Huge thanks to each and every person who has walked this journey with me. I am so deeply grateful for your thread in my life’s tapestry.

And so I present my favourite wedding photos from the last decade with deep gratitude and honour. I am still truly humbled that people have entrusted me to interpret their connection to the people and the world around them in my way.

PS I am being asked this alot. “Will I continue to take on wedding assignments?” Yes I will, but only a selected few per year.

PPS I could have chosen 1000 more photos so please don’t take it personally if your wedding pics aren’t in here. It was very hard to narrow this blogpost down as I have literally shot hundreds of weddings.

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Q&A with Profoto

Q&A with Profoto

At the end of last year the guys at Profoto gave me a Profoto B10 to test out. I cannot begin to tell you just how much fun I had with this light. It was like the light in me was switched on again and all my creative inspiration surged! I started playing with my photography again and made a series of portraits which were an absolute pleasure and joy to create. When you are shooting constantly as a professional photographer  it is easy to get tired and get into a rut. Using Profoto got me even more excited about using strobe lighting as it is so lightweight and uncomplicated to use.

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Top-South-African-Creative-Family-Portrait-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel

Top South African Photographer Jacki Bruniquel takes portraits

Top South African Photographer Jacki Bruniquel takes portraits

Next thing you know they asked me to be a brand ambassador! Wow! What a milestone that was.

I am now using the B10 and 2 A1’s along with various lighting adaptors and a trigger and I am loving them!

Top South African Photographer Jacki Bruniquel takes portraits

Image by: Tyrone Bradley

They recently asked me to answer the following 10 questions which I thought I would share on my blog.

1.When did your commercial photography career start, and what was your first commercial job?

I kinda fell into wedding photography about a decade ago, which is when my photography career seriously started. I did quite a few photography jobs in the years previous to this but I didn’t call my self a photographer. I studied Fine Art after school and then headed overseas. After many years of backpacking around the world I returned to South Africa and went back to Tech to study photography and get a more technical boost to my education. During this time I was also making mixed media art and having exhibitions. People started asking me to photograph weddings and because I have a creative background and approached weddings differently to what other photographers were doing at the time things took off really quickly for me. My initial plan was to use the wedding Photography to fund my art career but I haven’t picked up a paintbrush in a very long time as the weddings took over everything! Nowadays I also love photographing portraits and I’ve been doing some commercial work recently as well.

2.What camera did you use to shoot your very first commercial job with?

The very first time I got paid to do a photography job I was using a film camera, it was that long ago.

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Image by: Tatum

3.Can you remember your first payday, and how much did you earn for that very first job?

I literally cannot remember!

4.Did you have any formal education in photography, and if so, where? If not, how did you learn your craft?

I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art majoring in Photography at Michaelis UCT – this degree was very much about “how to think and communicate ideas with images” rather than a technical degree so after traveling abroad for many years I returned to South Africa and did a Diploma in Photography from the Durban University of Technology. I also worked for free for a few different photographers and that REALLY helped me learn my craft.

5. Is there a genre in photography that is on your “bucket list” and something you still aspire to get involved with?

Yes I would love to do underwater photography, get back into my Fine Art work and also do some more documentary work with NGO’s.

6.How important is Tech in your career, referring to the latest and greatest that the manufacturers supply?

I believe good ideas, creativity and a thorough understanding of light and composition are more important than having the latest gear. That being said I was extremely excited and inspired with my new Profoto B10! It’s so easy to use and makes me sooooo happy!

7. In your world, what technological advancement or improvement made the biggest difference to your career

Learning how to use flash was a game changer for me.

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Jacki-Bruniquel-South-African-Photographer-001-01

Oyster Box luxury hotel South African wedding

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8.If you could change just one thing about the greater industry, what would that be?

I wish that there was less ego. We are all just photographers on a journey. When we think we know everything we have lost the ability to grow!

9.How do you see the future of the photographic business in all segments of the market?

That’s a very tricky question to answer in the time of COVID-19 when we are unsure of anything but one thing is certain all businesses need content to build an online presence so we will be back! As for weddings and families, I think people are realising how important loved ones are during this time so hopefully this will mean that people will value beautiful images of their loved ones even more.

10. Do you have a single image from your commercial career that stands out as a personal favorite? Please share

I recently made a series of “lock-down portraits” which are deeply personal and have helped me move out of a difficult depression so whilst they aren’t commercial they have a lot of value to me.

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If you would like to view the rest of my lockdown portrait series, click here

11.What do you see as your biggest challenge in the next 24 months?

As a wedding photographer most of my clients are postponing their weddings to 2021, which means that there will be a knock on effect as it will be hard to juggle these dates and the need to get new business.

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Lockdown-Portraits-Top-South-African-Creative-Photographer-Jacki-Bruniquel-005-4578-1

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Creative wedding photography at Brahman Hills etate, by top South African wedding and documentary photography Jacki Bruniquel

I am also going through huge shifts and reconnecting with my artist’s heart so I feel change is in the air for Jax. I wont stop shooting though. I feel alive when I have a camera in my hand!

12.If you had R100 000 today to blow on hardware, what would you buy?

Can I make it R250 000 and buy the Sony A9 and some lenses?? Pretty please J

13.How do you feel about attending workshops to better your skills, and how would you like to see workshops in general being formulated? 

I attended the Two Mann Wedding photography workshop in Spain in 2016 and it was an incredible experience. Besides attending conferences and photography expos this is actually the only workshop I have attended.

I think I could’ve really jump started my technical and business knowledge and saved myself a lot of time and made a lot less frustrating mistakes had I done a few workshops right at the beginning of my career.

I’ve been running my own workshops over the past couple of years and really do delight in seeing my students grow and thrive. These are called the Unstuck Yourself Creative photography workshops and I made them for photographers who want to learn to think outside of the box, develop their own style, find their ideal clients and make friends with their flash along with a bunch of other things.

Unstuck Yourself Creative Photography Workshop

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14.Who is you biggest Icon in the photographic world, past or present?

Annie Leibovitz blows my mind away! I just love her portraiture.

15. If you were given a choice, and could only choose one, would you shoot in colour or B&W for the rest of your life?

Definitely colour!!!! I am all about the colour, I love black and white but colour makes my world go round!

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The Art of Seeing

The Art of Seeing

People always ask me how I get such great reflection shots so I will let you into a little secret! It’s got something to do with opening your eyes and seeing what is right in front of you!

But let me tell you a story first

I’m was in the market for a new car and I saw a Honda on the road the other day that I had never noticed before and now I am seeing them EVERYWHERE!

I remember when my sister was pregnant, suddenly I was seeing pregnant people EVERYWHERE

Or when I got engaged and suddenly all I could see was engagement rings EVERYWHERE. (That relationship didn’t work out by the way, just in case you were wondering why I’m not wearing a ring now!)

When the brain is aware of something we notice them. It’s not like those things weren’t happening around me all of the time – I just never took note of them and so I didn’t see them!

In order to be a good photographer you really need to NOTICE things and this happens by being aware of them, being present, mindful and opening your eyes to the world around you! Even when you don’t have the camera on you, you should be watching the light and the way it behaves, seeing compositions or studying people to watch for emotion and moments. When your brain is aware of things you will improve your eye and therefore be able to react quicker when you have your camera in hand. This is called the art of seeing and it is something you should be working on all the time if you want to be a better photographer!

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How to unboring your wedding pics?

How to unboring your wedding pics?

I recently gave a lecture to a group of 30 odd photographers on behalf of Nikon on “How to unboring your wedding Photography” and one of the questions I asked the audience was “What is it about wedding photography that makes you love it?”

I believe that in order to make authentic images we need to turn inward to discover what we really love and what we are drawn to instead of blindly copying trends or trying to do what everyone else is doing. If we know what we like and why, then we can apply these to our own work and use it as a map or a guide. If we keep coming back to this map we can create our own path instead of looking at everyone else and following the status quo which aside from being boring, can be an endless cycle.

I studied Fine Art and this has become a guide for me as it is important for me that I make images that have meaning behind them. I love to tell stories with my camera and also create new stories every time I shoot. It would kill me to keep making the same images over and over and have a repertoire of shots that I reproduce in every album. I also love to people watch and so I love taking unscripted documentary images of people doing all the weird and wonderful things that they do at weddings. I draw much of my inspiration from my clients. Weddings offer me the opportunity to take creative portraits, tell stories with my camera and also capture moments like a photo journalist. This is why I love photographing weddings and I use this as a map every time I shoot. This is also why my clients come to me!

Huge thanks to everyone who came along to my chat! So good to meet you all!!!

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Best of Weddings 2012

Best of Weddings 2012

On New Years day 2013 I woke up in the mountains and watched two swallows flying in and out of their perfectly constructed mud nest in the verandah roof.  I sat there for ages watching, thinking and reflecting.

My plan for New Years Eve was to party with all of my good friends from school days. We had all gone up to the Drakensberg for the weekend and had planned a big feast followed by champagne, dancing and fun. New Years eve morning rolled in and I woke up with a horrible tummy bug and proceeded to spend the next 24 hours in bed!

My plan didn’t work out but waking up on New Years day hangover free and feeling a lot better gave me the chance to quietly give thanks for the blessings of 2012.

2012 was very good to Jacki Bruniquel Art and Photography. She took us from the Karoo to the Caribbean. Clients ranged from a Stay at home Mom to a Springbok rugby player, from an Accountant to an Architect to an Actress. We photographed a wedding in India. We photographed weddings on farmyards, in gardens, in fancy hotels and in the bush. Some weddings were grand, some were humble.

Every one of them was different and in every one of them there is a common thread.

That common thread is the thread of Love.

I love making pictures about love. I love making photos of the human narrative. I love finding that little thing that makes everyone unique in his or her own way and making pictures about that.

Here is my personal best wedding work of 2012.

Huge thanks to all of my clients for believing in me, for picking me and for becoming part of what was a hugely special year for me.

Thanks also my amazing assistant Tash. She is the hardest-working, loveliest human ever and I owe her more than words could ever express.

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