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We arrived slightly late, but just in time for the sun to rise at 6:52 am. It was a wind still morning and the reflections on the water was absolutely amazing. After the shoot we stayed at the beach with the boys till almost noon.

Thanks to Linda, Glenn and the beautiful bride models who helped make this shoot possible.

Below is a few of our images, taken as the sun rose on the horizon.

And, once again Neil & Tamara went out of their way to make this shoot possible.

Below is a few of our images, taken as the sun set in the distance.

Natasja my wife and our two boys joined me and we had an awesome time together. They were such a great help, holding the off camera flash in position and we loved every moment as the sun broke through the dark early morning clouds on the horizon. The model brides were beautiful and absolutely wonderful to work with. We sincerely hope that they will cherish and enjoy all the images we took of them.

Thanks to everyone who joined us and to those who made the shoot possible, especially to Neil, Tamara and Michael. We had so much fun . . .

Amanda & Gavin’s HighLights Music Video from Gavin Blok on Vimeo.

Thank you Amanda & Gavin for making us a part of your special day. Everything was perfect and O, so beautiful.

We had a blast and enjoyed every moment working with you. We really hope that you will share & enjoy this highlights music video with everyone you know and that it will serve as a lifelong, happy reminder of your wedding day.

Yes, it true!  Can you imagine going into a lake – wearing your wedding dress on the day of your wedding?  Never!!  Who would be so crazy?  Ok, not on your wedding day – and yes, there are many brides willing to do it! 

Why mothball your wedding dress?  Hoping that your daughter might want to wear it one day, is just wishful thinking!  The trend now is to go to some outrageous, crazy, wacky, call it what you like location and have the time of your life – taking some of the most amazing pictures of you and your partner wearing your wedding attire.  Off cause  there is the risk that you might destroy your dress in the process, but at least you have the most incredible experience and amazing photographs to show for it.

So, now that you know what it’s all about - here follows a few pictures to share with of a recent Trash The Dress “TTD” we did with a few other wedding togs at Silverlakes Estate in Pretoria.

The Digital Photography Book 1

The Digital Photography Book 2

The Digital Photography Book 3

Why are there so many books on digital photography? It seems like a new one comes out every week, and it’s been like that for years. We think it’s because the books that keep coming out miss the mark on what most photographers really want: a book that cuts through all the techno-stuff, and uncovers the secrets the pros use to create amazing photos. After all, that’s what we all want, right? We want to create photos that make our friends and family say, “Wow, that’s incredible. Did you take that?” But even though we have great digital cameras—in fact, we often have the exact same makes and models that the big pros use—somehow they’re still the ones getting all the “Wows!”

Until now. Scott Kelby, the man who forever changed the “digital darkroom” with his groundbreaking, #1 best-selling, award-winning book “The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers,” now tackles the most important side of digital photography: how to take pro-quality shots using the same tricks that today’s top digital pros use. This isn’t a book of theory—it isn’t full of jargon and confusing concepts.

This is a book that tells you exactly which button to push, which setting to use, and over 100 of the most closely guarded “tricks of the trade” to get you shooting dramatically better looking, sharper, more colorful, professional looking photos with your digital camera every time you push the shutter. Here’s another thing that makes this book different: each page covers just one trick, just one single concept that makes your photography better.

Every time you turn the page, you’ll learn another pro setting, another pro tool, another pro trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. There’s never been a book like it; if you’re tired of taking shots that just look “OK,” and if you’re tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, “Why don’t my shots look like that?” then this is the book for you.

2. The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world’s top shooters
By: McNally, Joe
Published By: Pearson Education

THE FIRST BOOK WITH ONE FOOT ON THE COFFEE TABLE, AND ONE FOOT IN THE CLASSROOM.

Joe McNally, one of the world’s top pro digital photographers, whose celebrated work has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated, Time, and National Geographic (to name a few), breaks new ground by doing something no photography book has ever done — blending the rich, stunning images and elegant layout of a coffee-table book with the invaluable training, no-nonsense insights, and photography secrets usually found only in those rare, best-of-breed educational books.

When Joe’s not on assignment for the biggest-name magazines and Fortune 500 clients, he’s in the classroom teaching location lighting, environmental portraiture, and how to “get the shot” at workshops around the world. These on-location workshops are usually reserved for a handful of photographers each year, but now you can learn the same techniques that Joe shares in his seminars and lectures in a book that brings Joe’s sessions to life.

What makes the book so unique is the “triangle of learning” where:
(1) Joe distills the concept down to one brief sentence. It usually starts with something like, “An editor at National Geographic once told me…” and then he shares one of those hard-earned tricks of the trade that you only get from spending a lifetime behind the lens. Then,
(2) on the facing page is one of Joe’s brilliant images that perfectly illustrates the technique (you’ll recognize many of his photos from magazine covers). And
(3) you get the inside story of how that shot was taken, including which equipment he used (lens, f/stop, lighting, accessories, etc.), along with the challenges that type of project brings, and how to set up a shot like that of your own.

This book also gives you something more. It inspires. It challenges. It informs.

But perhaps most importantly, it will help you understand photography and the art of making great photos at a level you never thought possible. This book is packed with those “Ah ha!” moments — those clever insights that make it all come together for you. It brings you that wonderful moment when it suddenly all makes sense — that “moment it clicks.”

3. The Best of Photographic Lighting: Techniques and Images for Digital Photographers
Author(s): Bill Hurter
Publisher: Amherst Media,U.S.
Published: 11/1/2007
Format: Softcover

Bill Hurter explains the characteristics of light–both natural and artificial–in this in-depth guide. Fully exploring color balance, exposure, and light ratios, the handbook expands on skills learned in the studio to explain how to harness the beauty of less predictable lighting situations, like those shot outdoors or on location. Packed with tips from more than 30 top professionals on wedding, portrait, and commercial photography, this resource is sure to both educate and inspire.

4. Posing for Portrait Photography: A Head-To-Toe Guide
Author(s): Jeff Smith
Publisher: Amherst Media
Published: 7/1/2004
Format: Softcover

Posing for Portrait Photography: A Head-To-Toe Guide

Photographers learn how to gauge the needs of their clients before placing them into a stale, preconceived “women’s,” “men’s,” or “children’s” pose that hardly fits the client’s personality or preferences.

Provided with a two-pronged approach to fail-safe posing, photographers learn first to determine what the mood of the portrait should be and how to use an appropriate posing genre–traditional, casual, glamour, or journalistic. Photographers are then shown how that genre can be used as a basis to produce a pose that best suits the client, allowing them to create dynamic yet natural-looking pose that the subject–and the intended recipient–will love.

5. The Art of Pregnancy Photography
Author(s): Jennifer George
Publisher: Amherst Media
Published: 2/1/2008
Format: Softcover

The Art of Pregnancy Photography

Capturing the beauty of pregnancy through photographs is an increasingly popular trend, and this timely guide covers the basics of maternity photography from both artistic and business standpoints.

The details of creating a successful maternity portrait are addressed, including how to select a meaningful location, what props and fabrics to use, how to pose the subject, and how to produce a flattering lighting scheme.  Helpful digital effects that can enhance skin tone and impart a wide variety of polished and artistic effects are discussed, as are tactics for incorporating other family members in the portrait.  Also included are tips for building a strong connection with the subject that can lead to a profitable, lifelong client relationship.

6. Studio Portrait Photography of Children and Babies
Author(s): Marilyn Sholin
Publisher: Amherst Media
Published: 9/1/2007
Format: Softcover

Studio Portrait Photography of Children and Babies

From learning how to set up the perfect light for infants to understanding posing techniques for adorable images, this guide to shooting children’ s portraits is an indispensable resource for photographers.

Thorough sections on dealing with infants and working with toddlers and preschoolers include month-by-month and year-by-year developmental guides that ensure comfort and cooperation to help create unique, personalized images. An overview of equipment and a discussion of the essential tools for a shoot pairs with advice on presenting portraits, working with difficult parents, and securing referrals to make this an all-in-one resource for portrait photographers.

7. How to Photograph Your Baby’s First Year
Author(s): David Hayball; Laurie White Hayball
Publisher: Amherst Media
Published: 8/1/2003
Format: Softcover

How to Photograph Your Baby's First Year

This short video below is a typical example of a Highlights Music Video that was recently produced in our WedOnVideo.co.za Production Studio.  Please click on the image below to have a look . . . 

Nadia and Greg HighLights Music Video from Gavin Blok on Vimeo.

The idea was to film a Hawker 700 jet in flight over the Hartebeespoort dam while chasing it from a second jet, a Cessna Citation.  We spent more than 2hrs in the air and had several bypasses over the dam.  The people below must have thought we were crazy.

Here are a few pictures of our day in the sky.  The aerial shots of the Cessna Citation was taken by Geran, my assistant, while I was filming the Hawker 700 in flight.

. . . and here is the video

 

Philken Aviation Hawker 700 from Gavin Blok on Vimeo.