To wait is a discipline and so important in my opinion. In today’s social media and with the speed people share things I think many people do not wait long enough for their ideas to develop inside before sharing it. I took the gamble and waited and I am glad I did.

Today I had a great unexpected surge of inspiration that I have been waiting for to finalize my vision for my new online presentation!

I made a decision to keep back most of my new weddings I photographed since the end of last year for my new blog. I felt that with some of the new work I created I wanted to share it on a new platform. Out with the old in with the NEW! I realized that my site and blog did not give a real picture into who I am. I want them to represent me more and the direction I am going in.

I have been extremely busy the last few months shooting many weddings around SA and I have made it more my priority to get the work out to my clients than spend time on my site. As the season draws to a close I am getting closer to finishing it all. I am focused on the finish line!

The release will be during the next 2 months and then there will be allot of weddings to enjoy.

I feel good about the images I have created the last few months for my clients and I feel very good about the direction I am going forward from here. Its great to feel good about what you do! I waited till that was clear!

The past is just there and as always I look to newer things going ever upward!

I recently also moved office into a new office/studio! A place with space and a place to dream! I was looking for an unique space and it was re-vamp & recycle approach to change an old butchery shop into a gorgeous space! I will share more on that with the release of my new blog.

I took some time off from my blogging/facebook to think and plan how I want to go forward from here. I was in the “darkroom” developing whats inside, waiting & listening and I am looking forward to share it with the world!

New blog! New Site! New Studio! New ideas on shooting weddings! New products! Now I need a wedding in New York!

Courtesy www.NIkon.co.za

Normally when I read a review I skip to the conclusion of the review and then go back and look at the review in detail. Therefore I am starting with the conclusion…

BUY THIS LENS!!! ITS’ A NO-BRAINER THIS ONE! It’s one of those lenses with amazing quality at a really great price. So if you wanted a 85mm lens and you didn’t have the money for the f/1.4 G lens then just go and buy this new Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G lens! In fact if you own the old 85mm f/1.8 D then I recommend you sell that one and get the new Nikon 85mm f/1.8 G lens!

(The “D” lenses are the older versions and the “G” is the newer ones. This review is more of an impression. For a full review and for more technical details please view the official Nikon site.)

I got the opportunity to shoot with this lens during the workshop I hosted in JHB, so I could not focus on doing just a review, nevertheless I was impressed. What I really liked is that this lens feels almost like the new Nikkor f/1.4 G 85mm lens. The newer lenses tend to have a slightly more plastic feel, but that is something that doesn’t bother me at all – I want sharp images and good focusing.

The lens is very light and I like how it looks in terms of design. It is always great to have a nice “fat” lens on your camera.

Comparing the 85mm f/1.8G lens to my old 85mm f/1.4 D I think the new 85 has slightly better focusing, produces warmer colors, and just as sharp at f/1.8. What is really great is that this new 85mm has the closest focusing distances between all the 85mm Nikon lenses! That is a great bonus. It has a 0,8m focus distance compared to the f/1.4 G – 0,9m focus distance.

It produces a really smooth and beautiful bokeh (background blur). I am not a technical expert, I am an artist and for me I want a lens to produce what I see and this lens will not disappoint.

Why shoot with an 85mm lens? 85mm Lenses make for great portraits and the focal length gives you a different dynamic compared to a 50mm or a 35mm. When I shoot I see in terms of focal lengths and I can’t do without an 85mm in my kit. If you own a 70-200 f/2.8, I would still recommend you get an 85mm because of the stops you gain in light. It gives you faster shutter speeds to capture motion in low light.

Here are some samples taken with the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S: All shot at f/1.8 on a nikon D3. You can see the beautiful background blur and sharpness one would expect from a top quality 85mm lens.

This is going to be a HOT item so I recommend you pre-orders this lens! ORMS

A Big thanks to Nikon SA letting me try this lens!

These first photos are stripped away from the expectations of “having great decor” or “posing for your wedding pictures” and they reflect what couples should do on their wedding day and that is have fun and be in love!

I know this is easier said than done as one’s wedding can be very overwhelming and you might end up almost not being yourself. I would urge couples who feel that way on their wedding day rather to then take a moment, slip away from the guests and “breathe”. Once you relax you will enjoy the day so much more.

I was recently asked by a client what makes a great wedding? My answer was simply, couples who enjoy themselves!

They had their wedding at one of most the beautiful and scenic Cape Winelands venues Vrede&Lust.

I am so happy and excited about this! I did it again! (First time was for 2009 click here) One of my photos was awarded as part of Junebugweddings.com Best of the best wedding images of 2011 from around the world! Every year they bring out a Fashion report where they select according to them the best wedding photography images of the year. This accolade has become so sought after that it  attracts the very best wedding photographers from around the globe to enter the competition.

Junebug states: “Filled with phenomenal photographs from talented wedding photographers around the world, this year’s collection is sure to inspire and delight. From stunning portraits to candid emotions, to extraordinarily innovative perspectives, these images show the power and artistry of wedding photography at its finest.” This is what their email stated: “After carefully reviewing nearly 5,000 photos, we are thrilled to let you know that one of your stand-out images was chosen for inclusion in our Best of the Best 2011 Wedding photo Collection!”

Here is the image they choose:

Please view the full collection of amazing images here: Best of the Best 2011

We were allowed to submit 10 images per photographer. Here is the other 9 images I submitted:

I must apologize, I haven’t been active on my blog these last 3 months with posting very little. Even those who follow me on Facebook probably think I disappeared. It has in fact been a very, very busy time since October. I shot many gorgeous weddings all around SA and London, did some very cool engagement photos, did work for magazines and then…my new studio!

I am very excited about my new office and studio. I looked for an interesting space, in a non typical location and I found it so close to my home! There was a lot of work that had to be done to fix it up, but it was a challenge I loved. Basically: old butchery shop turned into a studio! Peoples reactions to this has been priceless! I loved the challenge to “re-cycle” space and objects! There was many delays and finally I could move in at the very end of December 2011.

I will do a full post on the studio soon when I have had time to settle in.

For now I am focussing on delivering gorgeous memories to my clients of their wedding day and I will post on my blog as soon as possible.

I am so full of ideas for 2012 and there are endless possibilities for my studio, the best is yet to come!

Here are some of the images I photographed in 2011 as re-cap.

I want to share what I have learned over the years of shooting weddings so I can help you improve your photography skills!

In this workshop I will focus on the art and act of making and taking photos.It will be an exploration into the meaning and depths of photography. Very important foundations will be discussed and revisited.

We will do some very creative night time photography and as you know most of the fun at weddings happen during this time!

Some of the topics we will cover include:

- posing techniques – elegant and beautiful

- shooting off camera flash basics

- using video light

- doing great family and group photos

- ceremony coverage

- composition and light will be the most discussed topic!

During the practical shoots I will be coaching you on the spot so be willing to learn!

The Details:

Date: 31 Jan -1 Feb 2012

Venue: Turbine Hall

Bookings- email: jpphotoworkshop@gmail.com

Bring your camera kit, including lenses and flashes and remember to charge the batteries!

All meals and drinks will be included.

Who can attend? This course is intended for photographers who have a good knowledge of the basics of photography. Your skill levels needs to be intermediate to advanced. If you are unsure please email me.

This workshop will leave you inspired and with a greater understanding of photography.

BOOKINGS OPEN 28 December 2011