FAQ

DO YOU TRAVEL FOR WEDDINGS?

Yes, no distance is too far! I've had the honour of photographing couples from all over the world, in South Africa, Germany, Holland, the UK, Spain, Mallorca, Sweden, New York City, Canada, the Caribbean, Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Greece, Dubai and Thailand.

DO YOU SHOOT DIGITAL OR FILM?

I shoot digital. If you would like to know more about my equipment, please see the My Bag section, under Photographers.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE? DO YOU HAVE A BACK-UP?

I’m proud to be one of the 5 Nikon Premium Ambassadors for Southern Africa - this enables me to shoot with the latest professional Nikon & Lexar equipment. Please see the My Bag section for a list of my equipment (and yes, I always have a backup camera with me).

I'M PLANNING MY WEDDING MORE THAN 12 MONTHS IN ADVANCE, HOW EARLY CAN I BOOK YOU?

Unfortunately I only take bookings up to 12 months in advance, but you're welcome to get in touch to get an idea of my packages and rates, we’d love to hear from you.

HOW DO I MAKE A BOOKING?

Familiarise yourself with My Philosophy.
Have a look at my wedding packages.
Please get in touch to see if I'm available for your wedding day.
Please allow 2-3 days to receive an email from my office.
Ready to take the next step? Please complete the online booking form (the booking form will be available at the bottom of my wedding packages).
You will receive final confirmation from my office via email, as well as an invoice pertaining to the booking deposit fee.
You will need to pay a 50% non-refundable booking fee to secure your date (your booking will only be confirmed once I have received the booking fee).
Done deal, signed sealed! I look forward to getting to know you better and to help you in any which way I can during the months leading up to your wedding. Most importantly - I’m all yours for your special day!

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON THE WEDDING DAY FOR YOU AS A PHOTOGRAPHER?

Your wedding is one of the most important (& special) days of your life and it’s going to go by faster than you think! Therefore, it is vital that you feel comfortable with me, your photographer. I would like you to relax and enjoy every moment and know that I’ll be capturing your day for you to remember forever. I have a very natural approach and I don’t like to be in the limelight. It’s your day and I want you to feel like a princess/queen/diva - whichever you prefer :)

DO YOU WORK WITH AN ASSISTANT?

Yes I do, Iaan my husband is my assistant and also acts as a great second shooter.

What can I do to ensure you get the best photos possible?

Be yourself: Firstly, you need to just be yourself and enjoy the day! Try to relax and take in every moment. The happier you are, the easier it will be for me to capture natural emotions & moments.
Natural light: One of the most important things for me as a photographer, is light. The amount of light available in a room determines the outcome of the photos. If you like natural photos, I suggest you book a guesthouse or hotel room with lots of natural light for the time spent getting ready. White walls are always the first choice and a firm personal favourite.
Outside Ceremonies: If your ceremony is going to be outside, please ensure that you stand under a shaded area (eg. a big tree or a linen gazebo), this will help to reduce hard shadows / bright light on your face.
Extra Lighting: Try and add extra lighting to your reception venue - there are great lighting companies around that can help you create an amazing atmosphere and give me enough ambient light to take gorgeous photos.
Candles: If you plan to only have candles for your reception, please let me know - adding some naked bulbs / extra lighting is advised.
Reception Decor: If possible, please ask your florist / stylist to have the reception area ready 1 hour before I start photographing the bride (exact time can be discussed closer to the wedding)
Family Photos: I recommend you that you keep your family photos to a list of 8-10 groups at most.
Special Requests: Please share any special requests / anything out of the ordinary with me, so that I'm fully aware of everything that will happen on the day.

What is the best time of the day for photos?

The best light of the day is at sunrise and sunset. I prefer to use the last 45 minutes before sunset for your couple shoot. If you'd like to know what time the sun will set on your wedding, you can use this nifty website Timeanddate.com.

We really want to spend as much time as possible with our guests and don't want hours of photos. Is this possible?

I personally believe too many couples miss out on the really special moments at their wedding when they spend hours on the taking of their photos. I recommend that my couples plan their day in such a way that they allow 30 min - 1 hour to spend with their guests before they slip away for photos and that we keep the couple shoot short and sweet.

DO YOU TAKE group shots of the people at their TABLES?

No, unfortunately I don’t go around taking photos of the different groups of guests at their tables. I do however take candid shots of people listening to speeches, laughing and enjoying the evening. Natural photos are what I specialise in. If you want to ensure you have photos of all your guests, I suggest you book a photo booth. They are lots of fun and most of them will give you a digital copy of all the photos afterwards.

I LIVE ABROAD AND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MEET UNTIL THE WEDDING, IS THIS A PROBLEM?

No, not at all! Most of my clients live abroad and my business has been built and is fully geared for long distance client relationships and communication. All my processes are set up online and we can discuss everything either through email or via Skype meetings. If you have enough time prior to the wedding to meet up, I’d love to meet you over a cup of coffee at one of the many (must visit!) coffee shops in Stellenbosch.

COULD YOU ASSIST ME WITH THE TIMELINE ON THE DAY? HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED FOR PHOTOS?

I'd gladly assist in setting up a timeline / guideline for you! To ensure I have sufficient time for the most important moments I strongly suggest taking the following time allocations into consideration

Decor shots: 45 min (I prefer to photograph all decor before I go to the bride. Please ask your stylist / florist to be done on time.)
Bride before the ceremony: 1 - 1.5 hours
Ceremony: 30 min – 1 hour (depending on the ceremony)
Family & Group shots: 20 min – 30 min (list of group photos to be provided prior to the wedding)
Bridesmaids + Groomsmen: 15 min - 20 min
Couple photos: 45 min - 1 hour+
Reception: Totally up to you - I do suggest that you cut the cake before opening the dance floor.

DO YOU OFFER ALBUMS or photobooks?

Yes I do. I offer premium quality photo books, as well as smaller options for family members. For more info, please see the Prints + Album section.

DO YOU USE EXTRA LIGHTING EQUIPMENT?

I love working with natural light, however where necessary I do use flash or LED constant lighting. Just a little tip: one of the best things you can do for great reception shots is create enough light in the reception area. Candles are not enough.