The life between the one we log onto, and reality, are becoming increasingly blurred. Cape Wedding Summit addressed a long-overdue need by gathering the South African wedding community under one roof.

It also challenged me and 10 other industry troopers to speak up and hoist photographers to new heights. The noticeable common thread across all speakers was the depth in what they projected, over surface-level inspiration. I actually cried for the first time in 8 years? 😅

Invited by the notable Kim Raaf, a gunning photographer who doubled as my taxi driver. Kim, we love what you have produced here. Thank you for having me 💛

“That was so great.. YOU WEIRD FUCK’. - Shari and Mike"

Photos by Shanna Jones.

I would like to thank Marie-Astrid from AMA Conseils for organising my workshop Smoko Season to take place in Lyon.

Half the day conquered ways in which I go about pre-production, to gain better access into couples lives to therefore pair my photography with their personalities. Questionnaires involving lateral thinking, through to strategy behind pricing guides, copywriting and the presentation of your imagery.

The attendees you see beside this were in their off-season, which made it my responsibility to boost their confidence levels via. a live shoot with a couple as well. It was important for me to focus less on gear and much more on the idea. I guided curiosity-led photographers by conveying the value of deliberately staged portraiture to them, explaining how I pose couples in action-based movements (inside a literal bowling alley) while ensuring they remain comfortable.

Thank you so much to Cocktail The Conv for providing me with the lightbulb moment that education does indeed align with my ethics. I can't sell confidence, but damn I got pretty close 🤝

I stepped up to the plate and re-worked a 45-minute love letter, addressed not only to myself, but some fresh French faces in my industry. I titled it 'Check out before you check in,' which largely acknowledged shifting gears into unrushed photography post-COVID.

Amongst a sea of digital shortcuts and digital urgency, I drove home the realisation that slowing down actually speeds you up. I also stressed through multiple avenues that the pressure to over-extend yourself and your calendar can lead to burnout, and a sense of perpetual inadequacy.

Jetlagged but determined, closing day one with a really polarising Keynote was wildly rewarding. My talk felt so well received, and leaving with friends for life was the icing on the cake 🧁

Photo by Audrey Dubessay.

Commencing 27th August inside Collingwood House, this masterclutz of a one day werkshop is an intensive and practical probing. I think it’s time. You weddy?

‘Smoko Season’ refers to that long-awaited break time in which us industry folk get to take a backseat for that joyous n’ nippy part of the year. Oh.. you’re still editing? Nevermind 😏

Mile End Bagels, Free to Feed as well as Jamsheed Wines are providing grub, cuppas and piss’a’plenty 🧑‍🎨

To wrap up, a cuppla generous giveaways from Godox, PicTime and Backblaze couldn’t hurt.. before hitting the pub of course 🍻

‘Education’ is one thing, but Smoko is forever 🤘

I was invited to close the final day (no pressure) of the 2024 Way Up North conference in Florence, Italy. I challenged assumptions about our industry, gave the finger to ‘consistency’ and spoke with unfiltered honesty. Mum, if you're reading.. Take a look!

How the Europeans understood my bogan lingo I have no clue... but the feedback from the larger than life audience lit a huge fire under my ass, and reminded me that everybody has something unique to share. My 'something' was a shoey..

"Don’t let his exuberant approach fool you – there’s nothing careless about the way he does things. He takes on 25 couples a year and is intentional and generous with his time. His is a no-shortcut approach to inquiries, client communication, photographing, culling, and editing, and he’s willing to spend time on each stage of this process. Today, we’re diving right into the virtues and benefits of a workflow that doesn’t hold maximum productivity or efficiency as the pinnacle of success."

• Anna Hutchcroft, The Retake

"It all began on Mum’s lil’ eBay camera back ’round 2010 – how glam. Remember those slide-down lil’ underwater point-and-shoots? I loved a MySpace selfie (top-down angle, of course), and I frothed an edit full of stickers ‘n over-saturation. From there it was pretty much a game of luck, really!

Fanged it down the Hume Highway and started a life in the big smoke, copped an invite through one of Mum’s friends to some dazzling duo’s wedstival, bought along me fresh new cam (not the MySpace one, could you imagine?) and realised I was a sucker for a portrait over a landscape any day."

• Speaking with Kate Streader.

God knows why, but Oli Sansom rudely interrupted my Euro holiday and threw me in front of a projector in the middle of Ghent, Belgium.

I wouldn’t doubt there were some eyes glazing over when I started talking about analytics, but I think my biggest take home was conveying the value to wedding photographers on triple-checking your terminology to tick the oh so important inclusivity box.

My non-linear and guest heavy Insta carousels seem to be popping off nowadays too, so I spun yarns on how I whip those up, and how this influences my ‘tick box’ approach prior to exporting sneak peek photos for my couples 🙂