I met Marcia and Dion and their twins in Newtown this morning.  We were supposed to do a couple shoot in Newtown, and then hook on a few family photos in a park on the way home… but once we started we decided to stay in Newtown for the whole shoot.  The kids were in their element in the city, and loved the bright coloured doors and graffiti painted walls.

Kendra and Connor made a beeline for pieces of wood and small leaves, and by the end they had quite a collection of things that they were carrying with their teddy bears, named Thursday and Friday.  Kendra started as soon as we got there, when she picked the ONLY flower for miles around!

Connor was so cute… he waited for his daddy, and he was so pleased when he could stand in the next doorway to his daddy

See the hand that Connor is holding up… we realised just after this that he was signing “I love you”

and then Kendra joined in with the sign language

I only saw the writing on the building while edited this image… and I think it’s so apt for the photo!

And so very funny that the next lot of photos with the writing on the stairs was what I’d planned for them

It was an awesome morning… and I just love Newtown so very much!! I know that most families choose to have their family photos in a park because they think it’s prettier… and it is… but somehow the city and the buildings bring out “more” in the portraits that you take there.  Because the backgrounds are not as busy as bright leafy parks, people tend to stand out more and become more of a focus in the photo.

I met up with Jean-Pierre, his girlfriend Mary-Ann and his 14 year old son Jean-Carl at the Walter Sisulu gardens early this morning for a very special photoshoot.  It was to capture memories… to get a few photos of JP for a website that’s being used to raise funds for his surgery .  That was the plan, and the only plan.

JP has got cancer in his jaw, and is currently 5 weeks into an intensive daily radiation treatment programme.  He doesn’t have any medical aid, so his friends have all rallied together to raise funds for the reconstructive surgery that he’s going to require after the radiation has been completed.

I heard about JP and his story on Twitter, when Mary-Ann‘s friend Melissa Attree was trying to set up the donation pages.  And this shoot is my way of contributing… because memories are so very important and I believe that difficult journeys like this need to be documented.  When I suggested the shoot, Melissa said that it would be for Mary-Ann and JP, but then I heard that he had a son, and then Mary-Ann let me know that JC was in Johannesburg for the weekend… and that thrilled me… so he was included too

Anyhoo, before I get on with the photos, I must tell you that we were freezing this morning.  There was an icy wind blowing through the park… and none of us had really dressed appropriately but I’m glad it didn’t seem to bother everyone too much.

Then it was time for a picnic breakfast.  They’re all watching the bird on the left of the image who was determined to join in the feast it make such a noise!!

And lastly… the little bird who decided to join the party

I really hope that they enjoyed their morning of creating memories, and that they love the photos  I wish them all the very best on their journey, and that the reconstruction is successful and that JP can again enjoy the small things in life… like drinking coffee and eating toasted chicken mayonnaise sandwiches.

If you can help in any way, go to the Team JP site and make a donation

We’ve just come home from a very short flying visit to Cape Town, Somerset West and Hermanus, and we spent a lot of time with our family.  You’ll see more of those photos tomorrow, but first, I have to show you Kathy and Ian’s photoshoot.

It was a very special shoot, because Kathy is about to start a long treatment process. Kathy is a beautiful and an amazingly strong woman, and she has the complete support of her whole family… and she’ll pull through this… we all know she will.

Kathy and Ian, you see, are my aunt and uncle.  We’d organised this trip a while ago, and had planned on staying with them for a night.  I had also planned on doing this photoshoot with them, but hadn’t actually told them about my plans until last week.  But when we heard her news, I decided that this shoot just had to happen… and I’m glad she liked the idea.

They’re about to start a long journey, and I think they enjoyed this special time on the beach just concentrating on themselves.  I didn’t want to do many posed photos, I wanted to show the special bond between the 2 of them, and I think it worked (OK, there are posed photos too but I couldn’t resist when I spotted the reflections and shadows).

They had originally wanted to do their photoshoot in the mountains behind Somerset West, but because of the massive veld fire raging in the area, we decided that the Strand beach would be a better idea.  And the weather was perfect for it!! There was hardly any wind, and it was beautifully warm.

 
Good luck for tomorrow Kathy, we’re all rooting for you, and thinking about you constantly!

What fun today! I met up with Leigh-Ann and her extended family at Delta Park (this was the reason behind my scouting mission the other day) to take photos of them for her Tranquil Treats product brochures.

I wanted a natural setting because of the nature of the products that she makes and sells.  And the long very green grass under the trees at the park were just perfect for my vision.

Leigh-Ann’s products are so very special… she doesn’t use any sulphurs at all which means my son can use all of her products, including the bubble bath which he can’t normally use because it aggravates his skin so much.  She’s really got an awesome range of body and face treats for the whole family (including an awesome baby’s range)… and you HAVE to try her Chocolate Bath Milkshake

Anyhoo, on with the photos…

This photo was taken by Juanita, who assisted me today.

Genna organised this engagement photoshoot a few months ago, when she booked me to do her wedding photographs in a few months time.  Having an engagement shoot is such a good idea in the planning of your wedding, as it gives you an opportunity to get to know your photographer better.  We had such an awesome time today at the house they’re staying in at the moment.  It was such a pretty setting for their shoot, and was ideal because they wanted to include their 3 dogs in the photos.

Genna actually works for the same company as me, but actually found me via Google!  I think that’s quite cool!! It was only when I phoned her from an internal phone, that she realised that I was the same person that she’d been referred to by another colleague. LOL!  Anyhoo, what a magic couple… I can’t wait to do their wedding photos now, it’s going to be so very special (my first destination wedding too!)