Oh I do love it when clients are fun and adventurous!! And this family has it in spades!!

Desere booked this photoshoot a few months ago and she was very specific about going to Newtown.  She wanted the urban vibe and mentioned using the graffiti walls… I was thrilled.

I had an absolute ball with this shoot… partly because I got to take photos where I’d been dreaming of going for ages… in the old Park station next to the Mandela bridge! Travis mentioned while we were at the graffiti walls that he’s always wanted to go into the station and he’d really love to have there photos done there, and I warned them that I didn’t think we’d be able to get in.  Every time I’d tried before, it was barricaded or swarming with security who’d turned me away.  Not this time though… the gate were open and even though we were being watched by police on the bridge (who were at a film set that was set up on the bridge), we had free reign

And it was SO SO SO worth the effort

He was stretching his dragon wings…  because he had a dragon hair style

LOL he was so cute here… trying to copy the expression of this “sad” man.  He couldn’t quite get the winking, so used his hand.  The reason his hand is on the floor is because he thought that’s where the claw would go

Ticked off another bucket list item today… BOOM!

If you’re been following my blogs you’d know that this is the year I turn 40, and I started celebrating it when I turned39, by starting a bucket list project.  The aim is to accomplish one thing off my bucket list every month.  I’m slightly behind with that plan… I didn’t realise how much time it would take.

LOL! But today, I can happily say that I’ve done one more thing!!

I jumped off a building!

To be slightly more precise, I did the power swing at the Orlando Towers in Soweto

And what’s more, I did it with most of my family and that made it even more special!  When I told my parents a few days ago that I was planning it, my mom said that she’d like to do it too.  Then Elaine, my sister, said that she and her boyfriend, Bryan had been planning a trip there for a while… so in the end we decided to make it a family affair

Let me just say that it was terrifying being up there and waiting for my turn.  Bryan went first, and bungee jumped… then my mom and then my sister did the swing before it was my turn.

I almost… almost… chickened out. I was actually more worried about hitting the cables underneath than the jump… I think.  Anyway, I can’t describe what it felt like waiting… and then listening to the countdown which all the guys were out of sync with! And then when I finally jumped… I was so worried about going head-first.  Yes, head first, because they warned us before going up that you have to step off feet first and if you go head first you can hurt yourself on the rope thingy.

And then when I did jump from the platform which was 100m above the ground… and was free falling for the 40m… my breath was completely blown away and I didn’t even scream… until I felt the slack in the swing. And then it was fun!

Anyway, you’re here for the photos  The ones of the tower were taken by me.  Some of the photos from the ground were taken by Lance, some by my dad, and some by my mom… and the ones from the top of the tower were taken by one of the Orlando Tower guys (that R100 for photos was money well spent)

We were all numbered and tagged before we got harnesses and were shuttled into the lift

Then it was Bryan’s turn to bungee first…

And then it was my mom’s turn to swing

I have no idea what we were talking about here…

And then at last it was my turn…

And that was that…

I’m glad I did it… but not sure I would do it again.

I must say this though… it was one hell of a way to start a new year 2012 will be rocking if it carries on in this vein!!

I’m sure my mom will be posting photos of herself on her blog, so pop on over there to check…

I went to the new Vovo Telo’s at Cresta Shopping Centre this afternoon with my kids for some lunch… and to take some photos.  Oh I do like Vovo Telo’s, and I LOVE that there’s a new branch closer to my house than the other branches are… I think I’m going to be there quite often.  Especially considering how awesome their food is… their breakfasts are to die for!! Oh and Vovo Telo’s is definitely, in my books anyway, the best looking eatery in Cresta right now.

And I also LOVE that I was asked to take photos of the new store which, if you’re not familiar with it, is a bakery and a cafe.

To introduce the breads to the passers-by, they had a table at the door with various breads to try with olive oil and balsamic vinegar… yum my favourite way to eat bread!

And according to owner, Charles, he’s going to probably be putting in WIFI too… awesome for local businessmen who need a break with excellent coffee on tap!

I still haven’t eaten the lamb burger or the pastas that are on the menu and that appeal to me… I’m going to just have to go back!

PS. If you’re wondering where it is in the centre, it’s at the Pick ‘n Pay entrance.

After the entrepreneur event held at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, Sir Richard Branson held a gala event at Randlords in Braamfontein last night to launch his new book, Screw Business as Usual… and I was there to take photos of him.  I didn’t actually do the entire event’s photos, Greg Hack took those images… my role was to take the press photos.

So, lucky me, I got to follow Sir Richard around the whole evening… I had NO problems with that at all.

But first, a photo of the magnificent view from the venue… Randlords is just amazing!

Louis Janse van Rensburg got to shake his hand  It was actually fabulous finally meeting Louis too, after speaking to him for so long via Twitter only!

Jane Tewson, one of the co-founders of Comic Relief in the UK, was also there, and actually, that T-shirt that Sir Richard Branson wore in the afternoon at the Branson Centre (see previous blog post) was one of her designs.

Zuraida Jardine and Mongezi Mtati (he’s also an entrepreneur from the Branson Centre) introduced the speakers for the evening

Jean Oelwang from Virgin Unite

Tracey Webster, from the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, wore a magnificent dress made by one of the entrepreneurs, Lesego Malatsi (who you may remember from a previous shoot)

And then… this little girl came up on stage, and stunned us with her singing.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the house while Cleo Filander sang… she was amazing.  She’s only 11 years old

After her performance, a few things were auctioned off to raise money for the Branson Centre.  This lucky couple won time with Sir Richard Branson, including flights to London!! How AMAZING!! You cannot put a value on that!

And then… Tony Banks beat off stiff competition to win a tea date with Desmond Tutu.  WOW!!

And then Cleo got invited back on stage to sing again, and Richard gave her a gift of a dress, which will be made for her by Lesego

Then Sir Richard went up to the top deck and spent time with the entrepreneurs who had displays on site.

It was such an incredible evening, and I cannot thank the Branson Centre and Virgin Unite for giving me the opportunity to take the photos.

I had the most incredible day today at the Branson Centre in Braamfontein, and because I cannot possible do it all justice in one blog post, I’m going to split it into 2 parts.

I was privileged to be asked to take the photos at an event hosted by Richard Branson at the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurs today.  It was aimed at helping local entrepreneurs, and took the form of a speed dating session where a whole host of local and international businessmen and entrepreneurs mentored a few Branson Centre entrepreneurs.  It was amazing to walk around and listen to the conversations.  What an incredible opportunity for these young guys, as the advice was readily forthcoming, and in some cases really good business connections were made.

Tony Banks with the guys from Afropark

Jean Oelwang from Virgin Unite

Steve Bailey from Virgin Mobile and Vinay Padayachee from Virgin Money

Richard Branson with two of the Virgin Media Pioneers from the UK

Maakaplan from Soweto Internet Radio listening intently to some sage advice

And we could not miss out on a photo opportunity with the whole Virgin team and the entrepreneurs from the Branson Centre next to their new signage

I can only see magnificent things coming from these meetings today

… and then we all had to dash to the launch event at Randlords, where Richard Branson launched his new book “Screw Business as Usual”