The Importance of Maternity Photography

Pregnancy is the time for excitement and anticipation of a new member joining the family. This is the most unforgettable moment in every woman’s life and one ought to capture these moments on camera. The photos will serve as memorabilia, allowing you to show this to your son/daughter when he/she grows up.

The main idea of maternity photography is to capture the changes that the body reveals during this period.

As psychologists have proven, numerous pregnant women feel insecure about their appearance during pregnancy. As their tummies get large and they accumulate additional weight, they generally feel uglier and unhappy. Maternity photography is a means to counter these insecurities and eventually improve self-esteem. This art stresses the fact that there is beauty in pregnancy.

Guest Vs. Hired Photographer

I don't usually have a problem with guests taking pictures at weddings; I've usually found guest photographers to be courteous and understanding about the difficulty of the job. But what annoys me are the people who step in front of you with their smart phones or ipads because they want "a picture for themselves" as if I was just here to take pictures and keep them all to myself.

Getting in the way of the hired wedding photographer is a definite no-no, but can be easy to do when you’re trying to get good shots; I completely understand but, try to stay out of the hired photographer’s frame.

A few issues I’ve had to handle:

• ·         Don’t pull aside the bride and groom to take your own portraits of them, do it when the bride and groom aren’t busy with the hired photographer.
• ·         Taking a picture of a group and they don't know whether to look at the hired photographer or one of the smart phones. It’s easy to be commanding and say loudly, "Everyone please look at me", but that can become very annoying.
• ·         Taking action shots of the bride and groom and the guests start to push you out of the way so that they can get the shot. The hired photographer was HIRED to do this job!

You’re the guest. The bride and groom hired someone else to capture the memories of their wedding day. If you interfere in some way with the hired professional photographer, it is inconsiderate towards the bride and groom.

So please just be a guest and enjoy the wedding.  

A few missed shots:

Moments of Impact

”I have a theory  too. My theory is about moments. Moments of impacts.

My theory is that, these moments of impact, these flashes of high intensity that completely turn our lives upside down actually end up defining who we are.

The thing is, each one of us is the sum total of every moment that we’ve ever experienced, with all the people we've ever known. It is these moments that become our history, like our own personal greatest hits of memories that we play and replay in our mind, over and over again. A moment of total, physical, mental and every other kind of love.

So that is my theory, that these moments of impact define who we are. A moment of impact. A moment of impact has potential for change, has ripple effects far beyond what we can predict.

Sending some particles crashing together making them closer than before, while sending others off into great ventures, ending where you never thought you’d find them. You see that’s the best thing of moments like these, you can’t, no matter how hard you try, control how they are going to effect you. You just got to let these colliding particles land where they may and wait until the next collision.”  The Vow

Photography spots Cape Town

The most frequently asked question as a photographer is “what are the nicest places to shoot that other people haven’t over done yet?” hence the long hours sitting thinking, researching and looking for new and unique places to shoot.

Every day as I drive from place to place I notice places others usually would just pass by and think to myself, “why has other photographers not used that location yet?” So I decided to start documenting each and every beautiful place I come along that others have never thought of using.

So today as number one I bring to you Milnerton Riding Club. Beautiful horse stables with the friendliest of people to assist you.

My model wasn't prepared for a shoot lol so I don’t have many pictures to show but here are a few just so that you can get the idea.

Watch this space for number two...

My Excitement

 Saturday 31st August

I had thee best Saturday EVER! Woke up early to the sight of my handsome husband with the glow of the morning sun light on his skin. Got up, showered, brushed my teeth and had that much needed cup of Nescafe Gold. Now I was ready. So my husband and I headed straight to Studio 22 for my prints and photography portfolio and I was absolutely blissful about the results!

With a massive smile on my face, we head home to set up studio as we have 2 shoots in just a few hours.
1. A portraiture shoot of a beautiful lady named Simone and 2. A maternity shoot of Salwah, Waleed and baby girl Shafaa Samsodien.

Completing both shoots...still couldn't stop smiling as the results were amazeballs. Both shoots being my very first attempts at each.

Check out this sneak peak :)

I have now almost completed the editing (not that it needed much LOL) of both shoots and cannot wait to post it online. I will be posting it on Monday the 16th of September, so be sure to check it out @ https://www.facebook.com/smithypics01

Much Love
Mrs Smith ;)