Bronwen contacted me via Twitter last month and said she wanted a portrait photoshoot just for herself.  It was to celebrate herself really… to show a confidence in herself… well, I may be just the photographer, but I think she looked just incredible! And the entire shoot was so much fun and such a pleasure to do. Oh and the photos were also needed for social media profile pics.

Bronwen did it properly… she booked Lauren to do her hair and make-up for the shoot and made a day out of the whole experience  Good make-up and hair makes SUCH a difference to photoshoots!

As for the locations we used… I took my cue from her ideas about what she wanted out of the shoot, and suggested Arts on Main for industrial urban and a little grunge and then Wits for a bit more glamour … and the fact that both place were closed worked perfectly in our favour because we didn’t have to move around people.

Make-up and Hair: Makeup by Lauren

These next 2 are possibly my favourite from the afternoon…

OMW I had such a LOT of fun today

A few weeks ago, I posted a link on my Facebook profile to the SCAR Project. I’ve been following David Jay’s project for months, and I’m in awe of his work and especially of this project. I didn’t expect a comment on the post from Kathy, saying that she’d like photos like that done while I was doing her journey photos.
I’m completely in awe of Kathy’s strength.

I was going to write her story, but when I edited the images this morning, I knew that my words would not do them justice at all… so I asked to write something for today’s blog post.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I took it quite calmly until my thoughts ran away with me, then I got scared. I had to mentally pull myself together and work it through slowly.
I decided I had two options. One, let the cancer rule me and destroy me mentally or two, confront it and decide to fight. I took option two I decided to fight, and I am still fighting.
So I accepted that I have breast cancer and made a decision to take it one day at a time that was the only way this would work for me. I phoned my children and told them.  The only one I am really worried about is my youngest child as he is in Canada and he has no family support there.
I decided to have a full mastectomy. Surgery went well and I was ready to accept whatever was behind those bandages, and I was amazed how neat the scar is. It has not bothered me one bit to have the breast removed.
Chemo was another story not the most pleasant thing to go through, but I did it and I’m proud of myself. I still have lots of treatments to go through, and I am taking it one day at a time. Yes, I did have very bad days during the chemo where I really thought is it worth all this and then I remember that I am a fighter!!
And still now with the treatment, but I am living for today and for that I am so grateful. I asked Jeanette to do the scar shoot as I am proud of my scar and I am a survivor… why not show it.

About the photos: My only thoughts while travelling down to Cape Town, were that I needed to find a location that would make the story work. I knew that the vineyards used for her other photoshoot would be too pretty. I didn’t want any background that detracted from her.
And we found the perfect spot. I used their empty pool in the end. It’s perfect that the mottled surface looks scarred, and that Kathy’s body looks perfect against the scarred surface, apart from the scar line and the radiation marks.

I salute her, and really hope that I’ve done her story justice!

And we both hope that these photos somehow heal and help women in South Africa and across the world as they also fight breast cancer.

I met Michele at the gorgeous Peech Hotel, which is a boutique hotel in Melrose.  I loved all the textures in the room, and the little nooks all around the grounds.  Michele had originally booked the shoot as a boudoir shoot, and then changed her mind… but I think it worked just perfectly

And then right at the very end… we did a few boudoir photos

On Friday last week, Nia changed her Facebook status to say that she needed professional photos taken before Monday.  I don’t see every persons’ status updates in my stream **whisper** because I follow too many people **end whisper** but I did see that one.  I replied asking what kind of professsional photos… knowing that I was quite fully booked for the weekend but maybe I could squeeze her in.

Anyhoo, she needed a few head and shoulder shots for a magazine and website that needed media shots of her… and she wanted to use the photos for her social media profiles.

So Nia came to my house early on Monday morning for a quick shoot, and these are the results.  Even though she only wanted the more professional looking straight laced ones… I decided that she needed a more funky look too, for a few of them, to be used on more social sites

I’m getting more and more requests for these types of short, quick shoots as more and more people are realising that a good image online is vital

Most of the time, I incorporate these photos into a full Lifestyle shoot, but I think I’m going to be organising some social media packages that cater for these types of requests… what do you think?

Adam’s bar mitzvah is in February, and in anticipation of the event, I met the family today to take his portrait photos and the family photos.  After chatting to his mom a few days ago, we decided to use the graffiti wall in Waverley as a backdrop for the photos.

Joining us for his portrait photos, were his brother and sister… and their cousins from Australia.  I hope they all enjoyed it… as they ended up having some photos too

Stay tuned for his ceremony photos and celebration photos that will follow in a few weeks time