This week’s interview is with Ansunette Ferreira. She is a highly qualified photographer and she works out of Pretoria.

How do you describe your photographic style? I have a very light and comfortable style of photography. I capture a very natural and spontaneous sense with the final product reflecting emotion of the moment. There is especially expression of emotion in a persons eyes. What I love about my style, is reading in the eyes the stress moments, the love, fun and the excitement. I think I do no have a reflective style, but I have lots of fun with the couple. Its their day to enjoy and for me to capture it – forever!

How did you get into photography? It has always been a passion for me and I have been assisting wedding photographer form a early age. God has led me on a path where I truly understood his calling for me and his anointing on my life. After my own wedding I new, this is what I want to do.

How long have you been photographing weddings? I have assisted a Photographer for 7 years and went to study photography with one goal in mind, INTERNATIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER. In 2003 I finished my diploma in Photography and was rewarded as student of the year in the category “Best wedding photographer”.

Where are you based? I live in Pretoria but enjoy travelling. Most of my weddings are done outside of Pretoria (Botswana, Kruger National Park, Nelspruit, Secunda, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and many other wonderful places) and is willing to travel anywhere in the world to be part of a Bride and a Groom’s most fantastic memories.

What has been the highlight of your career as a wedding photographer so far? The day I went down the Isle to say my I do for ever, to the most wonderful, loving and kind hearted man that God created, on this day we both decided , that wedding photography will be part of our lives and ministry.I don’t follow other Photographers work too much but have had a course with David Beckstead which I really enjoy and learned a lot from.

Which are your five favourite wedding photographs, and why? 

In this photo you can feel the love of this couple, that they have for Jesus Christ and how they show their submissiveness  towards Him.

I love the emotion of “I will NEVER do that…”! This bride was a treat to work with!

My first reaction to this photo was “I WANT TO LIVE THERE!” Although this is a Monument, I get the feeling that this queen and her king are entering their new beginning, their castle.

They have joy, they have fun, they have love in the sun… need I say more?

Detail, detail, detail…. Wedding detail is part of who the bride and the groom are.

How do you market yourself? Word of mouth from satisfied brides, google, facebook, marriage meandor, bruidsgids, Internet wedding sites, and praying a lot J

What type of camera do you use? I aim to have my equipment reflect my passion and use the best cameras available -  Nikon D3

What would you love to add to your equipment? A Ring Flash and a Nikon D3S

How important is a tool like Photoshop in your work, and do you retouch at all? In today’s world, post production of photographs is part of the artistic skill and style. I use photoshop daily to enhance the photographs, to a point that it is still natural and balanced. All photographs I select for that album, or the websites, will be retouched to enhance the photo but always stay natural. I have had a few requests form mother in law’s that want to look a few kg’s lighter J

If you could be invisible- with your camera- for a day, you would… Photograph my children, they are fun to watch when they play and I learn a lot from them.

What advice do you have for photographers who are just starting out? Budget, budget, budget. This is more important than having the skill to take pictures. Most new wedding photographers, do not keep in mind that their equipment shooting weddings will not last for ever. As the technology also advances, you need to advance and this is making large holes in your pocket . Do not quote ‘cheap’ because you need the experience, rather attend weddings with existing professional photographers, until you feel ready to do you own weddings. To do your budget , you need to keep in mind, the replacement cost of your equipment, travel, accommodation, drinks and water to name a few. Remember you pay for the wear and tear on your motor, the loss of a tyre in a pot hole and replacement of post production software and hard wear. Items like rechargeable batteries, scan disk cards does not last forever either and this list can go on for ever. This is one of the reasons why most young photographers leave wedding photography (lack of budget skills) in the first few years of the profession. In November 2010 I will have a workshop regarding budget and good packages for new upcoming professional photographers. This Detail will be ready at the end of July @ Fish Eye Connect Photography Workshops

Where on the web can people find you?
Ansunette Ferreira
Designer Album Specialist
Fine Art Photographer  (coming soon)
Facebook
Twitter

Where would you love to go for a wedding shoot? Italy, France and the desert

Is there anything you’re learning to do? To keep improving on my wedding photography skills and the video editing skills for my new wedding season that starts in September 2010. International the wedding trend is moving fast and to keep up you need to do allot of reading and attend courses.

What will you be up to in 2010? I am taking my photography to the next level, by adding commercial value to my photographs; taking photos for international ad campaigns and companies. This is quite challenging and new to me, but a great learning experience. In November 2010 I will have a workshop regarding budget and good package structures for new upcoming professional photographers.

This weeks’ interview is with Stellenbosch based Maré Rootman. She may be in the Cape, but she’s keen to travel to photograph weddings too, so you Gauteng brides must definitely not rule her out!

How do you describe your photographic style? I’ve always loved the fun and romantic side of photography, that’s why I’d say my photos portray fun and romance.  I also love the documentary aspect of photos and that’s what I ultimately strive towards, to bring a more natural documented feel into my work.  I love open spaces and simplicity, it gives a sense of freedom to the photographs.

How did you get into photography? Ever since I could remember, photography was an art that captivated my brain and I felt that with this medium, I could have total freedom of expression.  So I studied photography and graphic design at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography, and the more I experimented with the photos, the more I realised what a blessing photography could be for others around me.  This is still what drives me today.

How long have you been photographing weddings? I did my first wedding in November 2009, before that I’ve shot a lot of weddings with photographers like Lizelle Lotter.

What has been the highlight of your career as a wedding photographer so far? My journey so far has been such a huge blessing, but I must say:  I live for the feedback from my clients, especially that moment when they get the first peep at their photos on the website, this is my highlight for sure!

Which are your five favourite wedding photographs, and why?

The photograph of the sun’s flare bursting through the couple is contrasty and dramatic, I love it when elements like the sun adds such grace to a photo.

There’s something mysterious and beautiful about this photograph and the lines of the trees makes it a stunning black-and-white setting.

There’s a certain calmness to this bridal portrait, every time I look at it, it makes me think of the saying that a woman should have “a soft and quiet spirit”.

I took this lovely photo of the bride happily dancing away on the beach while her husband stood at the back, admiring the freedom that she’s feeling.

This moment here:  the moment just before your lips touch to kiss:  for me that is by far the most romantic moment and certainly my favourite in every wedding.

How do you market yourself? There is absolutely no better way to market your company than the classic ‘word of mouth’ approach.  It’s been working for ages, and it still is my best way of marketing.  If you deliver quality and friendly service to your clients, it will come back to you.  Social networking like facebook is also very effective.  I would strongly recommend a blog and/or website before you start your business.

What type of camera do you use? Currently I shoot with Canon 50D, soon I’ll be upgrading to Canon 5D.

What would you love to add to your equipment? After the 5D, I’d like a nice wide angle lens like the Canon EF 14mm 2.8L II USM, stunning wide angle shots makes my heart skip a beat 

How important is a tool like Photoshop in your work, and do you retouch at all? Photoshop is definitely important, but I do most of my editing with Adobe LightRoom.  As I like to keep my photographs looking natural, I don’t do a lot of ‘air-brushing’ unless the client asks me to.  The editing depends on the photograph; I use the editing to enhance the feel of a photograph so that the photo speaks to the audience the way I want it to reflect.  Just a slight change, like changing a colour photo to black-and-white can make a tremendous difference in the appearance of that photo.

Which are your five favourite “outrageous” or artistic photographs, and why? Here are some shots that I treasure:

This is a photograph of me and David Goldblatt back in 2006, the day I met him, my camera was in for repair, so I bought a cheap disposable camera and put the plastic camera on David’s huge and heavy tripod and clicked it on self-timer   I still get a smile on my face when I tell this to other photographers.

I absolutely adore animals, especially Border Collies, this photograph reminded me of the days I grew up on our farm and how the loyalty and energy of such a doggy face can just brighten my day in an instant.

If there’s one subject that I love photographing, it is children and especially babies, they make you laugh at the most unexpected times….they just make me happy every time I frame a shot.

If I had to do a portrait of myself, it would probably end up something like this photo – I love the creative energy that flows from the girl, just on her way, running past the frame.

A few years back, I got an urge to photograph old people, they have so much wisdom and yet most of them have to sit in a lonely old age home all day.  I remember how they laughed and interacted so kindly with me.

If you could be invisible- with your camera- for a day, you would… travel with world renowned photographer David Goldblatt and document every expression on his face while he creates the most beautiful photographs ever taken.

What advice do you have for photographers who are just starting out? Surround yourself with a support system:  friends and family that cheers you on as you go, it’s so important to have positive ideas and laughter around you, as that will be an influence on your daily motivation and work flow.

Where on the web can people find you? Have a look at my work on my website or find me on Twitter or Facebook.

Where would you love to go for a wedding shoot? I most definitely would love to go to America’s wide open landscapes, they have so many different cultures and ways of living than I’m use to now, oh, and then there’s the beautiful Scotland….

Is there anything you’re learning to do? Well, to be honest, I’m not much of a cook, so I’m trying hard to upgrade my cooking skills in the kitchen – even my husband think he cooks better than I do!

What will you be up to in 2010? I’ll be busy planting new seeds in God’s Kingdom and working harder to see what really matters most in life.

Thats right! Would you like to watch AnGlugWedding streamed live online? Here’s the link:

UStream

All you have to do is create yourself a free account using the “sign up” link at the very tippity top of the screen. You can also comment using your Twitter account- how cool is that!!

On Saturday (the wedding starts at 4pm) the streaming will start shortly before the ceremony and you’ll be able to watch and listen as if you are there yourself.

Do please remember that streaming will chew up a fair amount of your internet usage, so I do apologise for that… but there’s no better way for us to share our wonderful day with our loved ones far away.

This week I am interviewing another photog from the Cape- Cara Lee Mc Laughlin. You have got to go and look at the galleries on her site. 

How do you describe your photographic style? I’m not sure if I have a certain style. I am patient, unobtrusive & always try capture those extra special moments. I think it is important to love what you do, that way, it will be captured in the photographs.

How did you get into photography? I have always loved photography, ever since I was little. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. When we were asked in class who wanted to be a nurse or a teacher…I was the only one that didn’t. I said I wanted to be a photographer. I come from a very creative family, so it was inevitable that I would land up doing something like this.

How long have you been photographing weddings? I have been photographing for a while, but professionally I have been doing it for 3 years.

Where are you based? I am based in Cape Town in the Southern Suburbs.

What has been the highlight of your career as a wedding photographer so far? Every wedding is so different. I did do one wedding on probably the hottest day of the year. The bride arrived on a boat, it was lovely. The groomsmen were the funniest groomsmen I have ever worked with. I have never laughed so much at a wedding before. I think my favourite wedding so far, was photographing my best friends brothers wedding. The love that flowed from the groom to his beautiful bride was unbelievable. I was secretly crying behind my camera. I feel so blessed to be asked by a couple to photograph and capture one of the most important days of their lives.

Which are your five favourite wedding photographs, and why? This is a really tough question. I have so many. But have attached ones that really stand out to me.

My first choice would be my black and white one. It was a few minutes before the ceremony, the bride was almost in tears and the bridesmaids were making her look perfect, I snapped this one and knew immediately that it would be in black and white. I love it.

My second choice would have to be mom and dad kissing their beautiful baby boy – he was dressed in the same suit as his dad – to cute for words.

My third choice would have to be the ceremony shot of the bride crying. It was a very emotional ceremony & I think I captured it.

My fourth would have to be the groomsmen shot. They were so relaxed and so much fun to photograph.

My fifth choice is the bride and groom on a bench. It looks posed as they are looking at me, but the bride literally sat down, put her feet up and smiled. They were so relaxed and in love – it was great. 

How do you market yourself? On the web mostly. On wedding sites and Facebook, Gumtree, etc. I think word of mouth is great advertising, if one couple praises your work and tells their friends, then word spreads. It’s great to know that couples tell their friends, it’s a compliment in itself.

What type of camera do you use? I have two that I bring to weddings. I use my Nikon D90 and as a back up I have my Canon 400D 

What would you love to add to your equipment? Fisheye lens – I love what the photographs look like once edited and blown up. Wide angle – this will be my next buy.

How important is a tool like Photoshop in your work, and do you retouch at all? I think it is very important. I edit all my photographs – no bride wants a mark on her dress or pimple in her photographs, I don’t believe in changing appearances though. You need to be able to recognise yourself at the end of the day. It is a great tool to help change the photographs into black and white or sepia.

Which are your five favourite outrageous/ creative/ unusual/ artistic photographs and why?

Number 1 would have to be when the groom and his groomsmen took their shoes off, lay on the grass and threw their feet in the air. The bride came up with the great idea for each guy to wear different colour socks. The laughing that happened was so much fun.

My second one would have to be me asking the bride to run up a hill and the groom kneeled down – we made it look like the groom was holding his bride. It was a great idea.

My third one would have to be this great couple I shot on the beach. He picked his bride up and pretended to drop her – she screamed and I got the shot. That was fantastic.

My fourth would be this amazing couple, once the priest announced they were man and wife, they turned around, shouted – YES, WHOOP and threw their hands in the air – was so nice to see them so happy.

My fifth one would be the groom jumping as high as he could, the bride’s body language is great, and funnily enough, this isn’t as posed as it looks.

If you could be invisible- with your camera- for a day, you would… I think I would be the paparazzi for a while. Or just go to someone in Hollywood that is extremely famous, take some amazing black and white photographs in a relaxed atmosphere. 

What advice do you have for photographers who are just starting out? Work with another photographer, learn from their experience. Take your camera everywhere! Shoot anything and everything that captures your eye. Go on courses and learn the basics, then teach yourself your own style.

Where on the web can people find you? My website and my Facebook page.

Where would you love to go for a wedding shoot? Mauritius – I would love to go there. The surroundings, mountains, blue water, would be a photographers dream. Anywhere tropical would be ideal for me. 

Is there anything you’re learning to do? I am thinking of learning to speak Italian. My mom is Italian so I would love to be able to chat with my mom in her language. 

What will you be up to in 2010? Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

This week I’m featuring Wade’s Cakes in Rondebosch.

Talk about artistry! I truly wish the gallery on this website was bigger… They have an excellent reputation and are well known in the wedding industry.