Emma @ 6 months - A playful family shoot

More affectionately known to her Mom and Dad as 'Peanut' - little Emma was loving her time with the camera :) 

Outfit - tick. Pretty headband - tick. Play area - tick. Camera Man - Tick. Lets go!!

We could have done the entire shoot just on the bed - the light was perfect, the colours soft and the family was so besotted with their child - the love made it even better.

Thanks to Liesl, Chris and Emma - It was a great morning and we look forward to seeing you again and hopefully another play date as Emma grows!

So enjoy the post and dream of being young and free :)

Cheers.

Matti

The Lategan Family Shoot Feat. Lillie-Anna

The Lategan's are a dear and special family to me... and this shoot was precipitated by the visit of the newest niece, Lillie-Anna, all the way from overseas. We couldn't have asked or scripted a better setting or light than we found in Durbanville that afternoon. I love the golden hour as much as any other photographer and it just brought out all the love and fun of this family. 

Lillie-Anna was just too adorable for words and she was the focus of attention for the afternoon - many hugs and kisses from granny and grandpa, and even from her youngest uncle :)

All round a fabulous evening - thanks to everyone for making it special and I hope you can treasure these memories forever. Thanks to Vink and Candi for organising, you guys are rockstars!

So for now, just soak up that sun and enjoy!

Cheers

Matti

Christine and Caz Engagement Shoot Sneak peak @ Noordhoek Beach

I just had to share one from Sunday evening's shoot at Noordhoek beach. Cape Town summer arrived with a bang and created the perfect backdrop for our lovely couple.

#LivingtheDream

Keep loving, living and doing everything else to make those moments count!

Jenna, Garth and the Bump @ Groot Constantia.

Possibly my favourite shoot of 2013 so far... Jenna and the Bump :) <3

Nestled in the valleys and comforts of Groot Constantia, we couldn't have asked for a more awesome setting and weather. I met Jenna and Garth when she was about 8 months pregnant and soon to pop. They were such a pleasure to photograph - so sweet, kind and fun. They pretended for a while that they were camera shy but let's all be honest - you don't take such inspiring photos without a little bit of camera love ;)

They didn't know the sex of the baby before it was born and so we had a lot of fun with the blackboard and many a laugh over who thought it was going to be a girl and who was adamant it was a boy!!! If you don't know how it turned out, stay tuned for their newborn shoot and all shall be revealed... mysterious I know :)

By the end of it we had lost track of all time (time flies when you having fun) and we even got treated to a little juice and muffin break - all in a day's work. I really do have a tough time on location!!

Anyhoo, I was really proud of these photo's and how they came out. Everything came together in a bunch of fantasticness. Much thanks must go to Garth and Jenna for making it all so easy and to my all amazing Claire, for holding, carrying, getting wet, directing and making sure the convo never died.

#LivingTheDream.

Matti

Mr. & Mrs Smith's Wedding at Rhebokskloof

What seems like a lifetime ago already, Dani & Xander got Married at the beautiful Rhebokskloof [www.rhebokskloof.co.za/] estate in Paarl. It was a blistering summers day and for all the dutch folk who made it out to SA, the city was putting on it's best display. Pity my car-aircon was not working - but thank heavens for my resourceful wife who packed me an extra shirt ;)

I took photo's for their engagement shoot a few months before and ever since then had been as excited as a kid on Xmas day to do their photos :) We started with Xander and the guys who had a real tough time with some cold beers and cool swimming pool - not much of an excuse needed then to have some pool shots!!

When we reached the bride the vibe was slightly different - amazingly air conditioned old Victorian room, cold champagne and an array of snacks to eat. Oh wait, let's not forget a bevvy of crazy, cool and energetic bridesmaids. It was a room filled with fun and laughter and Dani's day was everything she could have asked for.

The rest of the day ran according to schedule - from the car the bride arrived in to the canapes and drinks. The venue did not disappoint for awesome photo shoot locations and when I saw the avenue of trees, the vines and a field of horses, I was smiling from ear to ear. The dashing couple was the cherry on the top!!!

It was a long but rewarding day and everyone made sure we were always looked after. Thanks to Dani and Xander for everything - we wish you all the best for the future!

So for now, let the photos share the story of their day and don't forget to leave your comments at the end - I'd love to hear from you :)

Cheers,

Matti

Sian & Simon Got Married at Zorgvliet

Sian and Simon got married earlier this year at Zorgvliet in Cape Town. Sian was originally from Zim, studied in SA and then jet-setted off to London where she had been living for a while. Here she met and fell in love with Simon :) Cape Town and their wedding would be the last stop en route to new beginnings in Australia.... so only appropriate then for a proudly South African wedding ;)

Most of the wedding party came from London and made a full trip of it with plenty of pre wedding festivities in the week leading up. Cape Town, as only it could do, brought some amazing and terrible weather to the table. On the morning of the wedding, driving over Helshoogte, we struggled to see 5m through the fog. Once this lifted, the heavens opened and the rain belted down. Cape Town, in all respects, was letting us down. The rain continued throughout the morning and early afternoon... but eventually everyone would make it to the church in time. Besides a few soaked boots, everyone was still in high spirits.

Then something truly amazing happened... after a beautiful ceremony and the saying of I do, within in minutes of the church erupting in celebration, the clouds parted and the sun came out... from arriving in the pouring rain, they would walk out into the sunshine!!! The sun lasted throughout the family photos, couples shoot and pre drinks. Once everyone was safely inside the reception it let out a small flood before holding off for the rest of the night... :)

It was a fabulous day in the end - the love and happiness, friendship and family could not be dulled by anything. Huge thanks must go to Sian and Simon for being so calm and collected and just as great thanks to the lovely ladies who ran the formalities on the day and making sure everything ran smoothly, we were hydrated and had as many back up photo plans as we needed!!

Right, so enough from me.... let the photos tell the story of a fabulous wedding. To Sian and Simon.... Cheers!

Rahma Baby Bump Shoot - Ready to Pop.

So earlier this year I did a bump and newborn shoot for Rahma as a gift to her from an old work colleague. I tend be slightly weary of the "gift shoot" - purely because you never know if the final client will like how you do things or even your photos... but there were no worries to be had here, as we found when we arrived. You've never met a sweeter, prettier little girl with the roundest bump ever :) Everyone was happy and relaxed.

It turned out to be one of the more comfortable and easier shoots - everyone was so kind and nice, offering us tea and juice - it made a great start to the weekend.

Thanks to Nisreen for organising everything and Rahma and bump for a lovely morning. We met again soon thereafter for the newborn shoot- Rohaan wasn't waiting for anyone to let her see the world - so stay tuned for more to come from the newborn shoot!!

For now, enjoy the pics... see you all soon.
Cheers
Matti

Daniel. Coming Soon...

 

http://mclaganphotography.blogspot.com/2013/06/daniel-redfern-newborn.html

 

Jamie and Doug's Couple Shoot @ Bushmans River

I always look forward to having a little Bushmans River shoot at the end of the year. This was no exception. The weather unfortunately had other ideas and laid out one or two postponements before we finally got down to the river and the beach. The river, alas, was slightly off its game but the couple, love and giggles were not :)

Jamie and Doug were out from America for a holiday and got hold of me early on in the year to arrange something while they were out - and it was a great way to end off our holidays with a bit of fun on the beach and in the wind. Jamie was full of bubbles and giggles and made taking photos a total treat :)

Once we hit the beach for some last photos, the clouds and sun really made for an awesome setting. The wind electrified things a bit but just added to the fun!!!

After that, a great big breakfast on the river sealed an epic morning. Thanks to Jamie and Doug and I look forward to seeing you guys again soon.

Cheers for now.
Matti

Robyn & Amy - Coming up next.

COMING UP NEXT....

Robyn & Amy: A Mother and Daughter shoot

Stay tuned.

Full post now available at: http://mclaganphotography.blogspot.com/2013/04/robyn-amy-mother-and-daughter-shoot.html

Josh - Coming Soon.

 

Annali's "Its a boy" baby shower

 

 

Good friends, laughter, fun, love, bubbles, chit chats and deliciously good looking food was the order of the afternoon at Annali's baby shower get together. Annali's friends took advantage of a visit, down from London, to meet the bump and celebrate the impending birth :) I was able to join for a brief time and capture some of the moments shared.

 

Thanks to Lara for her hospitality ( and not to mention the food, yum - see: www.thymetodine.co.za) and Annie for organising and looking after me so well as usual. To Annali who has just had her little bundle of joy, congratulation and I wish you all the best for the future - look forward to the next shoot ;)

 

Anyway, its back to work I go... look out for more coming soon.

 

Cheers,

Matti



Beautiful brides: Photo of the day

I just wanted to share... :)

Keep loving, living and doing everything else to make those moments count!

Taryn rocking the bump @clifton

I absolutely loved this shoot of my beautiful pregnant cousin @ Clifton Beach. Taryn and Rob were staying in a little Clifton beach front apartment at the time of the shoot and what better location than one's front doorstep. That and the fact that there were over 100 stairs to the road above, and only a few weeks from birth, too much walking just wasn't so much of fun :)

The weather was simply awesome but the water as always was an ice block, so all shots in the sea were taken quickly and just at the right moment. We started off easily with some simple chilled shots but once Taryn and Rob realised this whole photo thing wasn't that  bad ;) they quickly pulled out the poses and smiles for the camera. The happiness of expectant parents was as truly evident as the sun was bright and shiny!!

We had plenty of fun on the beach before taking a few shots back at the apartment. For some background, Rob and Taryn didn't find out the sex of their baby at the time and affectionately referred to it as 'Biscotti'. In addition Rob works for Vida é Café and we decided to add a little touch of the coffee to the biscotti for some fun shots - a pretty good matching I'd say :)

Anyway, we had a great time and thanks to Rob and T for all their energy, patience and coolness. This is definitely one of my favourite shoots of 2012 and deserves a long hard look. <3 it! I hope you do to.

Ciao for now.
Matti

Little Lucas Lee

 

Lucas Lee. This little guy really melted our hearts when we met him. Lucas's mom contacted me for a little family shoot, which we did a few days before his 1st birthday!!! Lucas and his family are from Taiwan and havent been living long in SA. Lucas probably didnt understand a word we were saying but it didnt matter - he listened with his eyes and his actions spoke louder than we could - he was just too cool :)

 

My favourite moment (although not the easiest to capture) was when he saddled into his ferrari push car and zoomed around the room. I chased him for a while up and down the passages until he found a a rather interesting kitchen utensil which allowed him to rest for a while and poke at my lens :)

 

The whole family, from Grandpa to Uncle to Mom and Dad, were so taken by the little guy and it was so endearing to watch. Mom had a few outfits arranged but the favourite has to be when Lucas and Dad dressed up in matching Thai boxing outfits... man, so awesome!

 

Much thanks to the whole family for being so hospitable in their home and doing everything we asked. I hope we will meet again and I can get to take more shots of this fabulous dude!

 

Enjoy.

Matti



 

Devon.

My first encounter with Devon was a little before he was born :) Some may remember him as just a bump in his mommy's tummy - see http://mclaganphotography.blogspot.com/2012/11/claires-home-made-bump-shoot.html for a quick recap :)

Devon is as cute as he looks and at just 12 days old he melted most hearts. He had certainly captivated his mom and dad who were as proud as could be. We had a great evening and Devon came out to play and stare boldly into my lens... his eyes, baby wiggles and stretches making many an 'ooh' and 'ahhhh' moment.

I can't believe its taken me so long to share these pics with you and looking back at them brought a smile to face - hopefully you'll be sharing the love.

Thanks to Claire and Riley for being as awesome as ever and sharing their excitement with us. You guys have been blessed :)

Now go and enjoy the photos...

Cheers for now,
Matti

Dani and Xander Engagement Shoot

It's 2013 and we're back in action! The McLagan Photography workshop has been busy, busy, busy and it's time to share some of the past months action with you. So, what better way to kick off the new year than with one of my favourite shoots of 2012 - Dani and Xander's engagement shoot at Noordhoek Beach.

 Location, Location, Location. Heard that one before? Well it's true... but in this case it was Dani & Xander, Location, Location, Location. I'd been eyeing a spot on this beach for ages and finally got the chance when Dani said they were all for a beach vibe setting. The location did not disappoint but add a dash of Dani and Xander spice and we had a whole new kettle of awesomeness to work with. They were fun, spontaneous, energetic, full of love and up for pretty much anything - all I had to do was point and shoot!

By the end of the session, you'd swear we'd been friends for ages. As the sun set behind us, it was the perfect end to a great weekend. Thanks so much guys, I cannot wait for the wedding - it's going to be a rock star event!

Before you get to the photos, just one last word (if you are still reading) from me - I recently said that some people put far too many photos in a blog post and you race through them to the end - ironically I'm guilty as charged in this post. There were just too many great photos not to share them all. I do hope you stick with it and make it all the way to the end - it's worth it!

Keep your eyes posted for more to come soon. Until then...
Cheers

Matti

Christine: Inside Access

IT IS HERE.... The full inside access to Christine Pearson!!! :)

Make-up by  the talented Kerryn Olivier - please show some love at: www.facebook.com/KerrynOlivierProfessionalMakeUpArtist  or contact her on 072 146 3821

Thank you, thank you, to my friend for an awesome fun filled afternoon. And especially for finding her unlocked hidden talent in front of the camera :) "Smouldering!"

The forces may have been against us on the day but I think we rocked it none the less. Then there Access Park and the blue gate... seriously who would have thought! :)

Prepare to have your socks rocked....

Cheers,
Matti

Lovely Lara Smith and Family

Ahhhhh man, if this isn't one of the cutest happiest kids out there :) Rich and Nina you guys have created a fabulous little bundle of joy!! Love her!

Ok, so this shoot feels like an age ago but, better late than never, I'm happy to finally be sharing it with you. I had offered Nina's playschool a voucher as part of their annual raffle for a free family shoot - alas it was not used by the winner(????) so I offered it to Nina and Rich for some updated pics of Lara - who has grown up so much since I first took pics of her about a year ago!!

We met at Kirstenbosch Gardens where the family had set up a little picnic spot in the corner. Lara had the open plains to run around in and plenty of snacks and drinks to replenish herself on (it's tough work all this fun). Favourites of the day were definitely Ghostpops and strawberries. A seemingly odd pairing... but not when you're kid - anything goes!!! It also made sense, obviously, to get the all the Ghostpops out of the packet to be enjoyed all at the same time!! :)

My favourite moment / game of the day was after Lara had done a little run around with dad or mom or the ducks, and she would come running back to the blanket, lie down and gently but firmly say - " Mommy lie" - and so she would. "Daddy lie" and he would oblige. Then after a quick succession of giggles, she would hop up and make a run for it... man so cute!!!

It was a beautiful afternoon at Kirstenbosch and thanks to the Smith family for the treats, fun and catch up!!! We'll definitely be doing it again soon.

Enjoy and see you again soon,
Matti

Claire's home made Bump Shoot

It's not often you get to do an entire shoot in somebody's back garden and feel like you're in a secluded corner of Kirstenbosch. With Claire and Riley, however, a whole new world of possibilities was presented. So much so that it took me a while to decide on a spot to start with... under the massive tree maybe with the light shining just in the right spot over the opposite bushes? Or what about amongst the flowers around the corner? Wait... no, by the pool and the white flowery bush? The little secret garden by the back gate to the park? They were all awesome - #lovetheoptions. Ultimately I think we did probably use most of them as the evening progressed and the sun set through the trees.

It did really feel like a trip to the park and Riley and the dog running around the tree really topped it off :) Claire was glowing just as much as the setting sun and although there were some unsure nervous moments, she really didn't have to do much to look fabulous. I think you will all agree that everyone looked the part - even little Devon (the bump to be at the time) made sure he put his chest out and sat in just the right position, so that he could be seen as much as possible!!

There were lots of laughs, fun and love in the secret garden and It was such a great way to end the weekend. Thanks to all, including Rocky (the dog), for putting on their best smiles and for making it so relaxed. Thanks as well to my lovely wife for all her help as usual and making sure everyone is not short of conversation :)

Enjoy the Bump and watch out for pics from little Devon who arrived just two weeks ago.

Cheers for now,
Matti