We invited Elicia as a guest blogger to share her experience with Providence Creative as well as her idea behind this adventurous couple’s shoot through the streets of historic Kimberley.
You can also view their online gallery here.
In the end, the best adventure I have is doing it with someone you love and care about.
The major inspirations for this shoot came out what I love, which is travel, history and architecture. I wanted to feel like a tourist in my city and be proud of where I come from and live. I believe that Kimberley has such a rich history and places to explore. I wanted to show that no matter where you live you can make the most of it.
There were so many places on my list, but as I began to plan reality started to kick in and I had to narrow my list to the must-haves. To my surprise the cathedral I pick – only because of the doors – ended up being my favourite places to shoot.
Being a tourist in my city was more fun than I imagined, even if drive past it so many times, it feels like a whole different adventure when driving on a scooter and holding your lovey like in the movies. That feeling of adventure and discovering places together just makes it so much more special.
I saw scooter or Vespa photos when I was daydreaming of touring in Italy. I saw a vintage scooter in Kimberley and the idea just stuck. This was one of my most creative and most unique ideas that I wanted to keep this for an engagement shoot. However, with everyone having access to the internet I discussed this with Providence because I love their style and I knew they would be able to pull it off and be the first to have this type of shoot. It was excited and nerve-wracking at the same time to do this as a birthday shoot instead.
Nevertheless, when our first shoot at the De Beers headquarters was done it started to get fun to travel on the back of a scooter through the streets and Marike trying to take photos like the paparazzi in the car while we drove. It was one of the most memorable moments to remember.
At one part in the shoot, we were in front of the Alexander McGregor museum and people didn’t know why we were taking photos – so they started taking with their phones.
One of my favourites has to be the all-time foot pop with an embrace. As cheesy as it is, the light, the background and even the girly foot pop made it one of the photos that I will print, screenshot and post over and over again. At some point, you forget the cameras and you can just be so thankful that you found your best friends you can be silly with. Even if you have never done a photo shoot, a good photographer can let you be yourself without being in your personal space and still capture all the emotions.
To my surprise, I loved the St Cyprian’s Cathedral photos the most, just because we could be more silly with each other and it gives that touristy feel. This is where we were a bit more relaxed and ourselves and the gothic architecture gave us a beautiful background with the red bricks.
The city hall was important for me because this is where so many historic events happen and it is one of the few buildings with the original street lamps. It was so much fun going round and round with the scooter till we got our picture-perfect shots. The one photo I love was when we were pretending to dance and the shops behind us one cannot think that this is in Kimberley and more a Moroccan feel to it.
Saying that the Synagogue was our last stop and this was where we laughed off the day. Steri-Stumpies are one of our favourite things to drink together, which was the reason I chose it as a prop. We had to toast like what they do at weddings and we couldn’t stop laughing while we did it. It is such a unique structure, built after a synagogue in Venice – that is in our city and it was one of the places that were a must-have in the shoot. Search what you find interesting about your city and embrace it.
I want to take a moment to explain the photo where I am eating a bar of chocolate. JW’s reaction in that photo was not a made-up one. I didn’t have breakfast yet and I usually have chocolate with me. I wanted to use it as a prop and I got hungry and asked if I could take a quick bite. JW just had that look like “really, chocolate again?”
Time went by so fast, some of the photos we saw later were spontaneous and “in the moment” photos which turned out stunning. When we got the photos I could honestly not stop looking at it. I think it is human to find faults and regrets first, which is to have kept this for an engagement shoot as I have not seen anyone do this yet. However, now I have discovered that making memories with the ones you love should be captured by your photographers. It was so special to see that there are photos taken where we had our own inside jokes with each other and the friends and family that knew it had a good laugh.
I realised that in the end, after looking at architecture and taking on life’s adventure. In the end, the best adventure I have is doing it with someone you love and care about.
Honestly, with all the nerves and planning, it came out better than I ever could imagine. All I can say is that with a good photographer, they won’t just be able to deliver – they will be able to supersede your expectations and shoot it out of the park.
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