Portraits of Jo

Jo has led an inspiring life, woven with vibrant threads that create the rich tapestry of her story. Just like the beautiful fabrics she’s collected from around the world, her journey is diverse and colourful. She spent significant time traveling through Central America in her youth and has tales of mining for opals, living on the shores of Lake Atitlán, and discovering embroidered treasures from local Mayan women. Like a magpie drawn to shiny things, Jo has a love for gemstones and became a jewellery designer who seeks materials from far and wide to craft her exquisite pieces.

She is a creative spirit with an eye for beauty who also creates it. She’s a spiritual seeker, a businesswoman, a mother, and a treasured member of her community. I find her truly fascinating. When we first discussed her portrait session, I knew I wanted to capture an image that reflected her travels as well as the quirky aspects of her personality. Jo isn’t one for flimsy high heels; she’s more of a dusty boots and barefoot gal. She mentioned feeling awkward in front of the camera and that she hates it—something I’ve heard many times before. But honestly, she was a dream to photograph, and I think the results reflect her vibrant essence!

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Portraits of Julia

Portraits of Julia

This is #BTS reel from my studio time with Julia Franco, the brainchild behind the brand @Nosso. If you head to Regent Street in Sea Point, Cape Town, you will find their flagship store. This treasure trove of interesting arts and crafts hails all the way from Brazil and is most definitely one of the most vibrant and inspiring shops on the strip.

I remember Julia once complaining about the fact that South Africans love to paint their houses beige. Dull, insipid beige! It’s an anecdote that often amuses me when I walk around new areas and start to question why this is indeed a thing here.

Nosso is anything but beige, and neither is Julia. Her personality is colourful, bright, and full of life. Being Brazilian, she brings that Latino energy along with an enormous smile and bucketloads of style.

For her shoot, we played with colour while listening to eighties music! The images encapsulate the woman she has grown into: strong, stylish, and elegant with a dash of quirk.

These images have been used in many articles written about Julia and Nosso and were instrumental in the PR campaign for Nosso’s brand launch.

If you would like to have your portrait taken, DM me. Also, check out the new Forty-ish and Flourishing Portrait Experience I have just launched for women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, designed to amplify your joy and capture your authentic, radiant essence.

Click here to find out more and if it resonates with you do hit the connect button and let’s chat.

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Portraits of Jody

Portraits of Jody

Jody and I met 25 years ago in a small hut on an island in Thailand. She and her boyfriend at the time pierced my tongue by torchlight. I forgot to tell them that I had an intense fear of needles, so they thought they had killed me when I fainted.

We became firm friends after that and travelled together in Malaysia, India, England, Guatemala, Mexico, and South Africa. I’ve seen Jody morph from my dreadlocked hippy friend into a highly esteemed academic with a professor’s hat and an extremely large number of published papers under her belt.

Jody is an activist, a researcher, a yogi, a vegan, a traveller, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and one of the most principled people you could meet. She has a heart of gold and a curious mind. She is one of my favourite people, and I am blessed to have her as an integral character in my life story.

Jody needed some headshots for her academic career, and so I convinced her to do some portraits as well. She was a dream to have in front of my lens.

Click here to find out more about the 40 ish & Flourishing Portrait Experience and if it resonates with you do hit the connect button and let’s chat.

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Portraits of Germaine

Portraits of Germaine

Here are a selection of portraits I recently made of Germaine. She is 60 years young, believe it or not.

Germaine and I met many years ago through our mutual friend Peter Engblom in his little house behind Bean Bag Bohemia in sticky Durban. Durban was still cool in those days, and there was always a string of creative people in and out of Peter’s house whilst circus performers pulled forks out of their noses and did the splits in his lounge. Pete was an artist who should have been born in a different era. He was so much more Montmartre than Morningside.

A year later, I taught art lessons on Germaine’s enormous dining room table overlooking the ocean in Umdloti Beach whilst monkeys climbed on top of the kitchen cupboards. She showed me how to ride a horse, and we spent many days cantering around the sugar cane. I’ve been lucky enough to have been adopted by her family.

We are edging towards two decades of friendship, and so it was a real blessing to be able to make these images with her in my studio recently.

Germaine, my fierce friend who has the biggest, most courageous heart.

Germaine, my creative, colourful friend who can make a house a home and whip up a feast for the masses in the blink of an eye.

Germaine, my animal-loving friend who has more horses and dogs than I can count.

Germaine, my curious friend who has a zest for life and endless energy to experience as much as she can.

Here’s to society celebrating women growing wiser!!

Click here to find out more about the 40 ish & Flourishing Portrait Experience and if it resonates with you do hit the connect button and let’s chat.

 

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Portraits of Bhavika

Portraits of Bhavika

I met Bhavika a few years back at the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo. We got chatting over our vegetarian dinner, and I remember thinking, “This is a lady I could be friends with.”

Bhavika is an anaesthetist in Durban, and besides putting people to sleep, she has an interest in mental health and is currently setting up a clinic to help people with depression. Bhav is a deep soul with an adventurous spirit. She loves to laugh and to travel, and one of her favourite memories is walking down the streets of New York with her Burberry jacket.

We made this set of portraits in Durban on my recent visit. Our afternoon started with some very classic headshots and personal branding portraits. We then headed into the studio to create something that represented the empowered, courageous woman who has traveled all over the world. We used a carpet she bought in Turkey as a backdrop, and later I convinced her to get into the pool. She is an Aquarian and has a symbolic relationship with water, so I am glad she braved the stormy weather as the image of her floating is probably my favourite.

When I asked her why she decided to invest in this experience, she said that she is so used to being in the background, and now that she is opening the clinic, it is her time to step into the light and be seen.

If you’ve been hanging in the shadows and know deep down that it is time for you to be seen in your best light, get in touch. I would love to include you in my 40-ish & Flourishing Portrait experience. I have opened my diary up for 40 women to be a part of this over the next 12 months.

Click here to find out more, and if it resonates with you do hit the connect button and let’s chat.

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