Governor's Bay Engagement Session - New Zealand

New Zealand is THE most amazing country I've got to see so far. I've traveled quite a lot, having worked for the airline industry, I've seen most of the countries in Asia and Pacific, but New-Zealand really had my heart. The landscape, the people, the good vibes, the Maori culture, everything adds up on my "why" list for "why should you visit New Zealand?" . One city in particular touched me, not because it's the prettiest but because of its people. That city is Christchurch, which was hit by a massive earthquake in 2011, destroying most of the city. The first time I visited Christchurch was in 2014 and the city was still rebuilding itself; I was struck by the resilience shown by its people, the positive mindset, the energy put into making the city beautiful again... And that was the spirit that I felt throughout my trip within the North and South Islands, Kiwis are one of the most welcoming and warm people I've got to meet, I think, we as -French, especially Parisians- have A LOT to learn about. Now, enough about the blabbering, I'm sharing with you this engagement session with Nooshin and Judah, a lovely couple who was getting married the week after this session. We chose Governor's Bay as a location for this shoot because... well just look at it:

Shot on Mamiya 645 AFD; Film Lab : Carmencita Film Lab

Love is light

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

- Martin Luther King

This quote has run through my mind on and off for a while now, especially after the horrific attacks in Paris, Brussels and around the world. I've quite pondered about how my work, how my passion for love stories and for the beauty of life in general could, in some ways, bring light in others' lives, or a breath of life to the lifeless minds who are driven by hate. Tough question, I know right ? To date, I don't have a clear answer to it. But the project I wanted to share with you today was a sort of revelation to me, a sort of glimpse of how light, love and art can do when they're put together. A few weeks ago, my friend Nick from Greece showed me some pictures of an amazing place called Tatoi, I booked my flights straight away because I knew I wanted to shoot there. It used to be a Royal Palace (you can read more about it here and see some pictures of how it used to be here). But it's now completely abandoned and what used to be a magnificent Palace is now turning into ruins. It's quite an amazing experience to walk through these abandoned buildings and imagined how life was back then...Some buildings still have some furniture, old cars and wine barrels are still left there. The fate of this Royal estate is both sad and mesmerizing at the same time. I couldn't help but compare it to Versailles, imagine how it would be to see it abandoned and turn to ruins ?! 

So our aim was to kind of bring back to life this lifeless place. To bring the light of love within this complete chaos of ruins. To see life and motion where you think it wouldn't be anymore. Here are the pictures:

White dress : Violette Tannenbaum | Lilac Dress : Shopgossamer | MUHA : Frantzeska Koukoula | Headpiece and Silk runner & ribbons : Orchidée de Soie | Calligraphy : Nice Plume Calligraphies | Bespoke rings : Myrtille Beck | Film Lab : Carmencita Film Lab

Engagement session on Bethells Beach, New Zealand

Last January, I had the chance to travel through New-Zealand (for those who never been, write it down on your TO DO LIST NOW) to discover its amazing landscape and people as well as to shoot for Soil and Stem's amazing floral workshop. It was such an amazing experience to be surrounded by so many talented florists and see how they create, but I'll tell you more about it in a next post! Today I wanted to share with you this engagement session I had the chance to capture while I was there. I am beyond grateful to have met these two. Theo and Maddie are the sweetest couple and I'm so happy we got to shoot at Bethells beach which is the epitome of the natural beauty of New Zealand, it is not only surrounded by the ocean but also rocks, caves, white sand dunes and freshwater streams - paradise in a nutshell!

Shot on Mamiya 645, Fuji 400h. Dev & Scans by Carmencita Film Lab

Flowers by Horrobin and hodge | Dress  : A la robe | Calligraphy : Nice plume Calligraphies

This session was also published on Style Me Pretty

Indian Beauty | Engagement Shoot

Couldn't wait to share with you a sneak peek of this amazing beauty. Bertille got engaged this Saturday, isn't she stunning?

Je ne pouvais pas attendre, il fallait que je partage avec vous un aperçu de ce week-end et de cette beauté à couper le souffle.

Put a ring on it | L'effet Beyoncé

Hey guys! She liked me so she put a ring on it

Je reviens d'un mariage qui a eu lieu à Montpellier (oui vous savez, là où l'été a vraiment commencé!). Quand on a le soleil, un couple trop cute, des invités trop cool, ça donne ça, et ça fait du bien. Des moments magiques où on passe des larmes de fou rires au larmes de joie. Merci à Rongho et Laurline pour ce beau jour. D'autres photos à venir, restez connectés !

Getting married is the coolest thing ever, that's what I told myself when I came back from this wedding in Montpellier  - South of France, where summer has started for real while Paris is still contemplating whether it should let us get out without a coat... - Anyways, when you have the sun shining, an oh-so cute couple, the coolest guests ever - you have the best combo to live moments like this. Everyone -including me- teared during this wedding, either from too much laughter or too much emotion or both. I did both -of course-

Thank you Rongho and Laurline for this Beautiful Day. More photos to come soon, stay tuned !