Morgan’s Baptism

Little Princess Morgan was born on 11 August 2015. She was born on 27 weeks and only weight 700g. We had a private Baptism for her in January 2016. m1 m2 m3 m4 m5 m6m7 m8

St Anthony in the Valley

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Last year I had the pleasure to capture a wedding at St Anthony Chapel in the Valley. What a beautiful little Chapel and the surroundings is ideal for some rustic wedding photo’s…

Here are some information from a website on St Anthony Chapel in the Valley.

The story of St Anthony in the Valley.      10 December 1999

The year 1997 was financially a low point in the history of the farm. The vineyards needed to be replanted with better cultivars. Some of the farm equipment had to be replaced. I then made a promise to God that if I succeeded in selling a portion of the farm, I would use some of the money to build a chapel for the community. In December 1997 a portion of the farm was sold.

Part of the chapel was an existing building, dating from the early 1960’s. The building was originally used as a dairy and at one stage as a house. In 1980 I realised the farm staff needed a hall/meeting place and we changed this building into a community hall. It was used for religious and other community purposes, at one stage even as a crèche and afterwards a clinic. Today this building has been altered, extended and is now the chapel.

The chapel is dedicated to my late parents, Pieter & Inah Visser, who taught us children to respect every one else, their religion, their beliefs and their “mens wees’. The two windows at the entrance are dedicated to our family lines. The “wheat window” representing the bread or the Body of Christ in the Eucharist is dedicated to my mother’s side, the Jordaan’s. They were wheat farmers in the Bredasdorp area. The “grape window” representing the wine or the Blood of Christ in the Eucharist is dedicated to my father’s side, the Visser’s. They were wine farmers in the Stellenbosch area.

The tabernacle doors are made from Oregon pine. This wood comes from the original interior window shutters of the farmhouse (Villeria) which was on the portion that I sold. The altar top is made from solid Burmese teak. This wood comes from a huge vat that stood outside the Nagenoeg house. When I was a child it was used to store our drinking water. The same wood was used for the 14 Stations of the Cross (which represent the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem), the cross section of the crucifix, the shelves for the statues and the hymn notice board. No explanation is needed for the two wine vats at the altar. This is a wine farm and my father was a trained cooper, and Jesus’ first miracle was changing water into wine at Canaan, at a wedding feast. Wine plays a big roll in Christianity and in the Bible. Each year on St Vincent’s day we have a blessing of the harvest. He is the patron saint of wine growers and his feast day is on 21 January.

During my pilgrimage in September 1999, I bought the St Anthony’s statue in Fatima, Portugal. His feast day is 13 June. He is the Patron Saint, not only of Portugal but also of lost causes and couples. In the chapel there are two statues of Our Lady, namely, Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Lourdes, France. Both are very special places for me. I visited these places firstly as a non-Catholic in 1989 and then as a Catholic in 1999. The small “Sacred Heart” has a long history. When my father bought Villeria in 1963, the statue was left behind by the previous owners. I have always kept it with me wherever I moved. It now has found its rightful place in St Anthony’s. The Crucifix figure was bought in Oberammergau, Germany where the Passion Play is performed once every 10 years. The olive wood Sacred Heart was bought by me in Shepherd’s Field outside Bethlehem in Israel as well as the Crusader’s Cross (also known as the Jerusalem Cross), which hangs above St Anthony’s statue in the back of the chapel above the doors.

Most of the other articles in the chapel have been donated by various people. There are too many names to mention them all. I would like to say once again thank you to everyone for their generosity.

Different denominations, mostly through staff members, use the chapel. Sometimes there is up to three or four church services on a Sunday. On the 4 December 1999, His Grace, the Archbishop of Cape Town, Lawrence Henry blessed the chapel. In his sermon he mentioned that he would like the chapel to become a place of pilgrimage for all the people from the Cape Town area. Today the chapel and community hall are used very frequently for retreats, not only Catholic but many other religious denominations from all over the Western Cape.

As you can see everything has its special God given place in St Anthony and in my life.

I would like to thank God for all these privileges. I am truly blessed.
Schalk W Visser
082 414 8333 or beesting@mweb.co.za

The money that we receive for the weddings will help pay the school fees and school clothes for the children from the workers on the farm.

Sunshine Festival: Media Launch at Eaglevlei Wine Estate 18 February 2015

This year will be the third birthday of the Sunshine Festival held in aid of Alta du Toit Aftercare Centre. This will also be my third year involved with this festival and I am proud to say that I’ll be their photographer for the day.

On 18 February 2015 they had their media launch at Eaglevlei Wine Estate and also the home off the festival for this year. The festival will take place on 28 March 2015. I am so looking forward to this. It’s one of my photography highlights every year.

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One very proud mom…

Armand my eldest son gave us one big surprise this year. He started shooting at the school’s air rifle club. From the beginning he did very good and I was very proud of him.

To get provincial clothes he had to shoot 2 x 705. In August they had two competitions one on the Friday and the second on the Saturday. The Friday he shot a 699 and the Saturday he surprised everybody and shot a 756. After the competition they cleaned up the hall and then the Grade 12’s who’s last competition it was invited all the shots to go and join them and they entertained and danced for us. They really wanted to end their years of shooting on a high note. I am gonna miss some of them at next years competitions.

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Although Armand did not qualify for full provincial clothes he made the under 14 b sporter team and represented his province in Gauteng in October 2014. When they called out his name and said he was chosen for the team I could not help myself, this mom cried of pure happiness and was so proud of him. He could not believe it and he smiled from ear to ear. After the team was called out we had to fill out forms and as we sat there his coach came and she told me that Armand shot himself into the team with his scores the past two days. And then we cried of joy again….

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Armand also qualified for a gold medal when his team came first in one of the competitions earlier in the year. At the Gala evening they handed over all the medals and trophies for the different competitions. Just look how proud my boy is. Smiles from one ear to the other….

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Then the big moment arrived the one we were all waiting for. They called out all the teams who were going to represent our province at the SA’s in Gauteng. Although we already knew Armand was going this was just finalizing everything. I had to really work hard not to cry again….

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Now the hard work started. Armand wanted to qualify for his full provincial clothes while at the SA’s in Gauteng. He practiced at school and at home. He started playing with the little dumbbells to help strengthen his arms so that he could be more steady when standing and kneeling.

Here are some photo’s of Armand showing off his Western Province Kit he got at the Gala evening…

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I must admit even now that I am writing about it I still get so emotional.

Hein Smit Design Featuring on my Partners page.

Hein and I started talking via Facebook after I took photo’s of Mrs Cape Town 2013 in one of the dresses he designed for her out of old and unused ties. I personally met him for the first time at one of the  Save the Tie, Save a Child meetings. Hein is a very talented and passionate designer and I love his work.  CW_364510441271_709329359113756_2403644597468235616_n

Hein is launching his own clothing line Blue Chameleon and I have the pleasure to capture it for him. If you would like to order any items of this clothing line please contact Hein via Email: hein@heinsmitdesign.co.za or phone him on his Cell: 073 816 4884 for an appointment. The best of all is you can pick and choose what colors you want it in and also mix and match allot of the items.

For more on his Blue Chameleon clothing line please visit my partners page or click here.

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My Photo’s Someones Quotes: Day 151

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” I BELIEVE THAT HAPPY GIRLS ARE THE PRETTIEST GIRLS.”

Audrey Hepburn

 

One special moment….

Holmes_5685I am busy editing  Catherine and Justin’s wedding and when I came across this photo I got something in my eye……

Catherine’s dad wanted to take a photo with his phone and asked her nicely if she would mind posing for him. The whole episode played off in front of my eyes and I could not resist also capturing this special moment between father and Daughter.

I love this photo and just had to share it with you so long….

 

Ruby Tuesday: 13/14 Weeks

Ruby is growing up to fast. Her latest is to snoop on the kitchen counters and the stove. You can’t leave anything near the edge of the counters, tables and the stove. She also opens my Tupperware cupboard to get something to chew then takes it to her bed… She also knows when she did something wrong when I call her she runs and hide under our bed..  Just like a child…

She still wakes me at night to go outside and with it being winter here in South Africa it’s cold and wet. I am thinking of getting a litter box for her just for the night. During the day I don’t have a problem taking her outside.

Ruby loves water and when I take her outside she always end up playing in a puddle or two.  She loves being outside and when it’s not raining I try to play with her a bit. The best of all is I play fetch with her and then after the second time she disappears into the house and go throw the ball in her basket. Everything goes to her basket. She collects sticks, stones and leaves…

When I open the sliding door between our house and my parent’s Granny Flat Ruby slips out the gate and go visit my parents. The first time she slipped out I got a scare because she just disappeared and my son was riding his bike. My first thought was she slipped out and  ran off…. Then I heard my mom talking to her, what a relieve…

Here is some photo’s I took this morning of Ruby using my Canon EOS 7D with my Sigma 70 – 300mm 1:4-5.6 lens and my Manfrotto Monopod. I must say I am impressed with the photo’s. I get better quality action photo’s with this combination than with my Canon EFS 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS. Now I can see with my own eyes why photographers have more than one lens in their bags… I am building my lens collection but it takes time… Still looking around to see what my next buy would be. Thinking of an 85mm but will first ask a few wedding and portrait photographers before I buy any lenses.

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/365

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This was the first time that I saw a make up artist carry his brushes in his pockets…

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/364

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/361 – Peek a boo

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/359 – Summer Shoot

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/358 – Nephews

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/357 – Aran

Aran_8793pj357bw Aran_8793pj357On Saturday I took Aran for an outing to my favorite place, Joostenberg Bistro on the R304. Lian came with and they enjoyed themselves. Some more of this outing at later date….

 

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/346 – Sunshine Festival: 4

Amore
Amore

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/345 – Sunshine Festival: 3

James Marais as Elvis
James Marais as Elvis

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/344 – Sunshine Festival:2

Maritza
Maritza

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/343 – Sunshine Festival

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Arista Paxton

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Playing with Depth of field

 

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A few weeks back I started playing with Depth of Field in my home studio. I had no problem with this outdoors, but in the studio I struggled to get the desired effect. So one evening I decided I’ll go practice a bit on my always willing prop Lenie and my frogs that never made it to their destination in my garden but rather stayed in my bathroom and studio as props. I moved her around on the studio floor further and further from the background till I ran out of laminated flooring. Ooops that’s going to be a bit of a problem. I am not a great fan of editing to much and to clone floor the whole time will not do it for me…  I moved the floor towards me to see what the effect will be in the background.

I then asked my eldest if he would mind being my live subject so that I can practice some more. I told him to move forward and backwards to the side and so on. My first photo of Armand came out all wrong. Armand was all out of focus and the background was in focus. Not what I had in mind. I practiced some more and after moving around allot I got it right. Armand in focus and background was out of focus….

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Oeps wrong way around….
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That’s better…

Then my husband came to the studio and decided that he had to change the setting a bit. My frogs got moved next to Armand. I took some photo’s and then I told him what I am trying to achieve…. Oooooh okay was his reply and he moved the frogs back to their original positions. I still had the problem of the gap at the back. You can see the tiles and this I wanted to prevent.  When I am the same level as the subject it’s fine, but as soon as I sit up then I see the tiles. Luckily I still had 2 extra pieces of laminated flooring so I put that in at the back in the mean while.

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Armand just being silly….
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Ogies, Armand’s cat joined the shoot, and so did frog1

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I made little crosses on the flooring so that I can show my clients were to stand  so that I can get  desired effect I want. I just love experimenting but my boys on the other hand are not so keen on mommy using them as her subjects.  So for the next experiment Lenie and the frogs will have to do…

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/325 – Testing testing…

Wrong way round_3196 Wrong way round_3196bwA while back I was playing with my camera trying to figure out how to blur out the background in my home studio.  Well something went wrong…. Armand was a blur and the frogs eyes in focus.  I was frustrated but after a while I got  a liking in this photo…. In the mean while I practiced some more and realized that I need more space if I want to achieve what I had in mind. Someday I’ll buy a house and convert it into a photographic studio. Till then I thank our Heavenly Father for what I have…

 

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/317 – Diane’s Model Shoot 3

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/316 – Diane’s Model Shoot 2

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/315 – Diane’s Model Shoot

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/280 – Bridal Shoot

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Model: Sunette Olivier
Hair & Make up: Something Beautiful
Dress: MC Design Design & Couture
Flowers: Flowers by Rika

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/277 – Find the subject

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Spot the little boy….
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Spot the little boy

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Today my friends came for their long overdue family shoot. Thomas told us he was finished with photo’s and like always the best way to get any child to participate and laughing naturally is while playing…. My photo of the day though is the one where little Thomas disappeared behind the ball. That also happens from time to time….

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/261 – Why the ring finger?

The Ring finger test
The Ring finger test

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The Pastor at Shellvine and Nicole’s wedding had an interesting theory why the wedding ring is put on the ring finger.

Put your fingertips together. Now put your middle fingers downwards.  Your thumbs represent your parents remove the two thumbs from each other. The index fingers represent  your friends remove from each other. Your pinkies represent children remove from each other. By removing from each other means that you can let go of them. Your husband or wife is your number 1 now. Now try to remove your two ring fingers from each other. They won’t move. This means that with marriage you are bound together and will always be there for each other. Does not matter what you will stick to your partner…

I know now a days the people give up to soon and they let go to easy…. Allot of people go into a marriage with the back door open if it don’t work we get a divorce….

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/259 – Mr & Mrs Steenkamp

Mr & Mrs Steenkamp
Mr & Mrs Steenkamp

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/255 – Cake smash Take 4

Mellisa's cake smash
Mellisa’s cake smash

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Project 365 Photo a day: 365/244 – Cake Smash: Take 1

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Mellisa turned 1 today so we had her cake smash
Mellisa turned 1 today so we had her cake smash

I photographed Mellisa the first time 27 December 2011 she was 4 weeks old. Today she turned 1 and I had the honor to capture her Cake Smashing…..

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/243 – Bridal Shoot Take 3

Model: Sunette Olivier
Hair & Make up: Something Beautiful
Dress: MC Design Design & Couture

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/238 – Soooo Tired

Photo shoots are so tiring….

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/236 – Big Brother

 

 

I am busy editing the Kottnitz Family shoot. When I saw this one  I decided on the spot this is my photo of the day. Mom just finished changing baby and big brother observed… Just look at that little eyes…..

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/232 – Bridal Shoot take 1

Model: Sunette Olivier
Hair & Make Up: Something Beautiful
Dress: MC Design & Couture
Flowers:Flowers by Rika
Photographer: Coreen Kuhn Photography

Today Sunette and I had lots of fun. This is just one of the over 400 photo’s taken today. More on this shoot at a later stage…

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/230 – Motherly love

On 9 November I had the pleasure to capture the Kottnitz family. Little Ewald was only two weeks old on the day of the shoot. I started editing their shoot today and came across this photo and it spoke to me. I took it with my Canon EOS 500D and my Canon  EF 50mm 1: 1.8 lens. This is the first time that I use this lens in a studio shoot. Got a few out of focus photo’s but I was to close.  I would love to get to know my 50mm lens better. I’ve heard that it is an awesome lens for portrait.

 

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This afternoon I had a  photo shoot with a two week little boy and his family. His little three year old brother got a bit bored because his little brother is getting all the attention. I caught this one of him while mommy was giving little brother milk.

 

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/221 – Your mine…

 

The more I edit Riaan and Madelein’s photo shoot the more fun shots I get. Just love that naughty look in his eyes.

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/216 – Looking outside

 

 

Today I am posting early, Hubby is coming home and Lian got chosen for a six a side Cricket Tournament. Today I am splitting myself and my time in two. Support Lian one half of his tournament and the next few hours I need to support Armand at the cricket club. In between all the cricket my dear friend is bringing hubby home from the airport.

I just love this photo when I saw it this morning I instantly knew this is my photo of the day.

Just making triple sure every hair stays in it’s place.

I just had to share this one with you.

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/199 – Look how handsome…

Chantè’s partner getting ready. He was a real treat and he loves the camera…

Mirror Mirror against the wall….

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/198 – Getting Ready

Chantè’s make up being done

Wow I can’t believe how quickly time goes by…

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/181 – Matric Farewell

WOW today”s Matrick farewell was very emotional. I saw Chantè for the first time when she was only 10 months old. Today was her Matric Farewell and she took my breath away. Let the photo do the talking…..

Beautiful!!!!!

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/150

 

Only a few photo’s left then I am finished with Arno’s Photo Shoot.

I must be honest I am looking forward playing with my “boyfriend” again. But till I am not up to date with my Photo Shoot’s I am not going to… My clients have been waiting far to long…

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/149

Handsome in green and black

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/112

Today I had the pleasure to capture this handsome young man. More about him and his shoot to follow.

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Arno. Black & White

 

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/63

This morning while preparing for my photo shoot I needed to test my lighting so I asked Lian to help me.

He were busy playing a game on his PSP and walked playing to the studio.  I told him were to sit and while I was testing to make sure that my settings are correct he just played on. When I asked him to sit on the high chair he at least looked up at me and gave me smile…

I test my settings before every shoot.  My boys are so use to posing for mom. The best of all the client phoned and told me the little one fell asleep. On the one hand it was a good thing.

The little one has a cold and I have some experience in doing photo shoots with children that are sick it is not fun for 1. The little one. 2. The Parents and 3. For the photographer.  Runny noses and crying is not on my list at all. I always tell the parents if your little one is sick please call and we move the shoot. I am not going to charge you a cancellation fee like some photographers do.

I am busy mom…
One smile mom… Black & White
One smile…

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/39

Today was a tough 111km. I am very proud of all the riders. Rolling hills can brake ones spirit very easily.

We left Club Mykonos at approximately 8:45 to our next destination at Hopefield. The road was very narrow and the surface of the road was not helping either.

We had one incident on our way to Morreesburg when one of the riders crashed into one of the other riders. Luckily there was no fatal injuries only a few scratches from the fall.

We left Morreesburg with full tummies for Pikketberg. Up hill, downhill the men and ladies did not have it easy.

The road was long I started hanging out of the combie’s window to get some action shots. But more about today in another blog. I took nearly 800 photo’s today. Next week I have allot to work through.

Project 365 Photo a day: 365/3

Hi there,

Today I am introducing you to two members of my family. Armand my 11  year old boy and his cat/baby Ogies.

Armand is a introvert and it takes him a while to warm up to people. He loves playing cricket, computer games and whatever other gadgets there are to play games on.  Then what allot of children don’t do anymore he loves playing with his lego and little figurines. Normally over weekends and school holidays my studio floor is full of little figurines and Lego. He always ask  if I have a photo shoot and if he can play there before he start packing out his toys. I don’t mind at all I love watching him play.

Ogies his cat is always nearby. I must laugh but it is so cute when he puts his little figurines in a line and then she decides she’s going to play to.You just see toys scatter all over the place and all that Armand says is “Ai Nuksie” then he starts putting everything back where it belongs.  He also love to do his homework on the studio floor. Ogies will sit next to him and when he is reading she will start licking his hair.  Armand can carry Ogies any way he wants to she just go with the flow.

The first thing that Armand does when he gets home from school is go looking for Ogies and when he can’t find her he gets upset. Ogies mother Ounooi also his cat disappeared a few years back. He still talks about Ounooi allot. There Armand is like his mother always clinging to the memories of those we loved…. Ogies on the other hand sometimes drives me insane…. One morning Armand did not say good bye to her before he went to school she sat in the passage and called him. She  went to his room, the kitchen, the garage back to his room and miaau.  In the beginning I thought she was hungry gave her food, water and a treat then only did I realize that Armand left home in a hurry that morning. The last thing Armand does before he goes to sleep is kissing his “baby” good night.

I think it is very important for a child to have a pet. It learns them responsibility and how to love.

Armand and his cat Ogies
Armand just love his cat Ogies to bits.

Tomorrow I’ll introduce Lian and his dog Tekkies…