During the recent (March 2015) wildfires that set the Cape ablaze, Tim & Gaby were amongst the people that were asked to evacuate their home in the middle of the night.  They packed a suitcase of essentials, got Joey their beloved dog into the car with them, and headed to family for the night.  Fortunately, the fire didn’t reach their home, and they were back home the next day.  Their engagement shoot was scheduled for only a few days later.  Instead of rescheduling the shoot, we decided to head up Ou Kaapse Weg to the Silvermine turnoff and do their shoot up there, amid the burned fynbos, with views of Cape Town below us.

 

 

 

 

The light at the top of the mountain was beautiful just before sunset, and it almost felt as though we were on another planet.  The ash had blown away, and all that was left was burned fynbos bushes and sand.  The lovely couple stood out among the black, orange and brown and I love the way the photos turned out.

 

 

 

Tim & Gaby were such a pleasure to work with – they laughed and cuddled together and mostly ignored me behind the camera, which always makes for lovely, relaxed, candid photos.  I can’t wait to photograph their wedding!

 

 

 

As devastating as the fire was, only a few days later, after a little rain, you could see signs of regeneration and growth.  Fynbos needs fire to regenerate. And we are reminded exactly how amazing mother nature is.