stylist: jacob k 

hair: marc lopez

make-up: petros petrohilos

manicure: brenda abrial 

In the couple of weeks I have been doing more, business brand consulting than photographing my boutique clients. As there is fundamental issue that  arises when it is time to talk about how they want to market themselves. They feel unsure of what, and how to describe what they want.

Passion and hard work is only the beginning of constructing the steps to to your success.  Whether we like it or not. Selling yourself is part of the game.  This is not a hard sell and shouting on the top of your lungs that you are the best. It a communication the way you dress, the way you talk and the manner that you run your business. The thought that  you can only be respected in a suit and tie, is a foolish game for old people stuck in 1974. The artists and entrepreneurs who want to sell their work forget that they are also a brand and they have to sell themselves. The thought of selling yourself, may seem egotistical and rather arrogant, but there is a reason why your friend, got the offer and you didn't.

You didn't say what you wanted.  It really is that simple. You don't ask. You don't get. It applies in business and applies to your personal life. You will always see success move over to the next person if you don't speak up. Crying about after won't get you there. Learn to articulate your needs, your vision, with direct motives and plan and give yourself the chance to try.

You didn't try. Well then. Nobody cared. Moving on.

You didn't know what you wanted. This can be a critical moment for you to find out what exactly you want. There are many other opportunities and minutes in the hour for you to figure out your needs and take action and take what you want even if you are scared.

You let fear break you. When you should allow it to bend you and mold you to so much more stronger and braver. "Damn you fear, but we have other things to do with our life." Focusing on what is more important to you can be your save you a thousand times.

Now let's get to the crust of things. We are human and we will always be creatures of nature. Its the survival of the fitnes. Do or die If you have no desire to hustle and be a ninja.  Do something else. Be employed, because the water is cold and murky out there, nobody is holding your hand but everyone want to bite your arm.

Good Read: How To Sell Yourself 

Like +Susannah Breslin says:  I’m a natural born hustler. Because I’ve spent a fair amount of my career hanging around pimps, prostitutes, and porn stars, and, boy, do they know how to sell themselves.

You know why you didn't get what you wanted. Its time to own your dreams and not let others run all over pooping on them.

If you are fooled thinking you know what cupcakes are supposed to taste like. I would like to subjectively say. You are wrong. Yes the beautiful Marie-Helen is my friend. And yes, she baked cupcakes for my birthday. But nothing in the world beats freshly baked Cupcakes, decorated and slaved over just for you. Ah! the sweet serenity of personalization. This sugar babe express her artistic talents with a warm oven and edible fashion accessories. Though these pictures were taken in 2014. I love how this editorial simulates a lot about her sophistication, personal style and allure.

There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who catches themselves in the light of their own beauty. Simple, quiet and utterly caught unaware. My sister entered her first portrait session, nervous and not quite sure what to expect.

We all take selfies, or that group shot with friends, or have been caught off guard with food in our mouths or holding that alcoholic drink in the early hours of the morning. These are just all moments in our lives that we share, laugh about or have a sudden rush of nostalgia or maybe even regret. But they are soon forgotten, pushed to the back of our minds and quickly replaced with the next mobile phone snapshot quickie.  Downloaded on social media and then to await for the world's' confirmation. That Yes. You are pretty. Like. Like.

A glamour portrait is so much more special, unique and specialized just to suit who you are. It's not a moment. It's a session well thought of. Hair, face, mood and style. There is a certain anxiety, because you want to to get it right. You want to look good. But you are  intimidated that that camera may once again befriend you and not show your best self. In this photography session. Time moves with you. A voice guides you, pushing the boundaries of your comfort, to create that iconic picture, to capture your best feature. Being nervous is part of the discovery. Transformation of the unknown walks you down a wonderful experience that stays with you all your life.

You relax and find your own comfortable space between you and the camera lense. Breathe in, breathe out. Be proud. You are beautiful.

We all make New Year Resolutions. Whether we write them down, actively take part in creating them or subconsciously start the year in a positive note. The New Year brings new vision, new ambitions and a new sense of purpose to make this year even better than the last.

But how long do they last? I have seen many new diet plans come and go as fast a week. Promises of no alcohol drinking disappearing at the cheers of a glass of Bordeaux at a social event. Financial projections that vanish at the sight of tax deductions. How is anyone supposed to stay motivated and true to their resolutions with all of life's non-supportive distractions?

Big Over The Top Goal

Since goals live and pass by like the latest hit radio song. I have recently found it self reliant to have small goal to ultimately reach my Big Over The Top Goal in life. Its the beginning of the year, so its the best time to monitor my steps towards my big goal. I only have so many days and even less hours in the day to achieve them. The pressure is on and the need to pursuit is high. Best engage before you have a burn out. Fighting out those days of doubt or despair is keeping in touch of your Big Over The Top Goal in life.

The more out of reach, the more elaborate and the more detailed you have imaged this goal.  It should sustain you for five or ten years in your life. Hopefully. The Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) written in a book by James Collins and Jerry Porras best demonstrates how it can work in companies but it can surly reflect the major results to a person's personal life goals.

How to find your BAHAG read here

In attaining these BIG goals, it is always best to approach them in a reasonable, measurable and timely manner. The pure pressure of attaining these goals and not attaining them in the time frame you want, can leave you feeling hopeless, regretful and discouraged. The point of goals is not to make you feel like a fool but to give you the necessary energy and motivation to keep moving forward. Even if moving forward feels like 10 000 tons of dog doo doo strapped on your feet with the anchor chains of the sinking Titanic. Cause you will feel like that some days, and other days you feel like a true champion of winners. So make sure you are super productive on positive days cause there is always doo doo on the way.

Try being S.M.A.R.T about it read here

Conclusion

Your own intelligence and endurance will get you there. As the cliche goes: "Rome was not built in a day"  Stop, look, listen and walk. Stop to take the time to really discover what you want in your whole entire life. Everything matters in your life. It's your life after all. Look for the right information to make your decision making easier. Listen to good and bad advice. You have to learn either way what is good and what is bad for you. And it will all depend if you Stopped and Looked in the right place. Then walk in the path towards your Big Over The Top Goal.

Silence can be your best strategy as a way to achieve your goals read here

As I blissfully enjoy the warmest winter I have had in Europe. It is strange that I don't feel the complete experience of European winter without the snow. Who knew a southerner like myself would be nostalgic about the icy cold and perfect beauty of snow. But I'm not complaining. This winter has been awesome. From the full presence of family and the wonderful surprise of my sister arriving in Brussels. I can't ask for more and I can only be filled with gladness.

Here, here to the new Year. To beginnings, to old continuums. Today reveals its lesson on each step forward in our lives. Today, in each day is how we choose our lives. Make your everyday, the best day in the New Year. Happy New Year everyone.

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” — Oprah Winfrey

Christmas Card 2015 - Copyright Asanda Madikane

Christmas Eve, is more exciting to me than Christmas day its self. The anticipation of Christmas morning is the tip of the iceberg then its all down hill melt down from then after. Have you heard of the christmas blues? Its called Boxing day, people. New Year is not AS exciting as Christmas day eve. The buzz before the days occurrence is so much more exciting. So much more mysterious, festive and magical. The await for celebration. I love it. Just thinking about it give me butterflies in my stomach. I have been singing all morning. Any Christmas song, all Christmas songs. Im just waiting for the neighbour to through a shoe at our door from all the noise. Once Christmas presents are exchanged, hugs, kisses and laughter are exchanged... it will all be over by Midnight. Christmas does not last forever. And thank goodness for that or else we would all be broke and fat from Christmas dinners and would have to resort to eating crackers all month just to stay alive.

"You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
Im telling you why
Santa Clause is coming to town. "

Its just one of those days when its freezing cold outside but the sun is shinning brightly in the sky. Inspired by the moving reflection of the glass table in the room and the flowers near by. I created a piece that very different from the others. A lot of mood and story, almost a fine art piece in some way.

I guess it best expressed how we feel sometimes. Full of light on the outside and so much dark in the inside, or just as much light with in and fighter on the outside.

Like most good stories these days, I reached out to the internet community in search for a Make up artist who would like to build their portfolio and collaborate in creating glamour portraits. I didn't get an overwhelming response. Instead I found a lot of very good and creative makeup artist who wanted to do something new, but were too afraid to do it.

They were shy and unsure. They were crafted but not seasoned. They were willing but not able as they couldn't get over the fear that they were passionate but just not good enough. In my situation, I never asked if they were good enough. This was not a job interview nor a competition of skills. I was giving young talent a place and environment to practice, to learn and make mistakes. But that was all too much responsibility, cause the fear of failure, scared them so much that even trying would be the end of them.

Is this some kind of petrified fear? So scared that you won't even try and so scared you can not even be. Who knew looking for a make up artist would be such an emotionally involved circumstance. I didn't want to get messages of how they would love to help and create but were too scared to try. I sincerely couldn't help anyone with that. Because there is one thing that I have learned in my career as a creative. If you don't have the balls... you are just not going to make it. You are just one person doing a skill that several thousands can do and that they can do even better than you. So what! Just do your thing and do it good. Nobody care that it is the best, or the best in the world, they just care if it is the best of you.

Self doubting yourself is a disease that eats away on your dreams and digs holes in your future. It feeds on your fears and loneliness, until you are truly lonely and sad. Sad, that you never did it. Sad, you never tried. Sad that you were never good enough and never tried to see how good you were. We are all born with some kind of skill. You don't become amazing over night. It takes time and work to craft your skill. So much so that you create in a way that is only identifiable, as your work. Isn't that worth looking forward to.

So I salute Ania, my first make up artist who helped me build my portfolio. Who struggled with her own work-worth but manage to create either way. I don't know if she ever continued to persue her dreams as a wedding make up artist, I don't know if she ever went that extra mile for her self. But she did create and she did learn and she did mistakes. But nobody cares, cause you are ever as good as your last work... or until you die.

So make your life spectacular.

Good Reads

It's not how Good you are, Its how Good you want to be

How to be the Best at everything you do

December is a month of enchantment, mystery and delight. Its awe and wonder captures the imaginations of children and adults alike. It is a month to praise, to celebrate and be with family. The magic is in everyone's hearts. No one can ignore the lights that are hung high in our streets, in the stores and in our homes. It is a time to pause and reflect and be thankful. As we view the pass year, on our pains, goals, joys and tribulations. We look through the looking glass to see the person responsible for it all.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll reminds us that everything that is and everything that we think we know, is and has never been real. Whatever is real and true to us is truly what we perceive. I guess it it true to the word; "You are what you think you are" so the best is to imagine yourself as the best possible personal, all the time. Why not? There are no rules to that. I guess the hardest part of believing in yourself is liking and maybe even more fruitful, that you love the person that you see in the mirror. If you can love yourself, could you imagine the impossibilities, being possible? Love has a great effect on making people... Spectacular.

" Who in the world, am I. Ah, that's the great puzzle"

What I am trying to say, with all this is; Don't take life so seriously. Play, laugh and wonder into the unknown to great adventures.  Alice in Wonderland may seem like a world of nonsense and folly. But look closely. Doesn't our world look as out of place? With all the crazy and madness around us, and the grey line between war and peace become even more undefined. Is it not time we stop, and reflect? To remember, what is important and what we have loved.

"If everyone minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does"

Surly what you see through the looking glass should be, the best of you. Surly it should the most loved part of you. Surly it should be an expanded and infinite version of you all concentrated in your simple physical form. But surly, it is not so. Its just you in the mirror.

"Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
"I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more"
"You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "it's very easy to take more than nothing."

This editorial is inspired by magic and mystery. Happy Festive Season Everyone.

Are you in sales? Damn sure your are. Where ever you go or when ever you meet someone you are showing your best self, representing your best self in order to show the other person you are a great person. It does not have to be a hard persuasion or a formal presentation... slide shows and all. But you are present to sell yourself in how you dress, how you talk and how you walk. You are a full sales agent committed by yourself.

It was the crack of 2014. I had decided to figure out how my husbands expensive camera worked since it was idly collecting dust and revealing its awesomeness during family events. But most importantly. I wanted to get back to story telling.

I have worked on commercials, television programs and films for 8 years of my life so I knew I loved the creative and the execution process. It was just the curiosity of, if I wanted to go back and do it again, this time with photography.

Thank you to social media, contacting my aspirational photographers in Belgium was easy. Not because I stalked them down with my emails but because everyone is so super nice... and everyone knows each other. I had sent Maëlle André a friendly email and how I would like to give my help and experience as an exchange to learn about the industry and  how she works on set. I waited with anticipation as I really wanted to be exposed to her beautiful world of vivid colours, bold characters and her playful insight to fashion mix and match of colour. Her style is fresh, specific and utterly not forgotten. I see why her list of publications is endless. Her images are contagious.

I did not know what to expect of Maëlla. Her pictures where so wild, playful and limitless to the imagination. She would definitely have a firework personality. I entered the production room that was buzzing with a full team of hair, make up, two models,a stylist and assistant with rails of outrages clothing and colour. In the frenzy of everyone trying to get ready for the shoot. She moved through the room like cool water. Cool, I tell you. Calm, quiet... a peaceful creature on set. She would embody that set in her nature. Her genuine friendliness and sense of strong friendship between her team, made working with her so not stressful. And setting that confidence in the room was amazing to watch. It was obvious to see that these individuals had worked together in many other occasions and todays shoot would be for each other portfolios and the pure pleasure to create together.

Of course I wanted to be on set again. I forgot what a happy baby I was when I was on set. Many of my treasured memories in my twenties were when I was on set. Where had time gone? Importantly, what a pleasure to work with other people. To create and share something together. The experience would not have been complete with out the people that I met. Who have definitely become friends and desverse their own blog post to show my appreciation for their work.

Models: Aliane @ FLAG MODELS AGENCY & Rachelle @ Jill Models Agency
Make Up: Noel Inocencio Make-up Artist
Hair: Christophe Lambenne Hair Stylist
Styling: Maame Nsiah

How do you gain confidence to be in front of the camera? Well that's like asking what is the ROI ( The Rate of Investment of your mother. We have to be real here, the way we are or how we are is based on too many factors. If you have not yet sat down with yourself and figured who, what and when you have have become. That's a whole other blog on its own like here.

We are not all Picasso or Michelangelo beautiful. And thank goodness we are different and some more symmetrically more featured than others. And some of us are just a certain standard of beauty according to a committee of people which means that everyone is just mediocre. If we are all, plain Jades, Jones or Xoliswa; how do the ones we find more beautiful stand out of the crowd? Well, if the heading of this post has not given you the clue. Quickly reflect on one of the most sort after celebrity, Rhianna, who confined in a life coach to be confident.  Old news but relevant inside all of us every day.

So you hate your ears, nose, face, body, stomach, arms, hair, butt and basically everything the creator ever gave you. And doing a group selfie is like a tectonic panic and fear for the worst. Perhaps you dodge, run or pull a face as soon as some one whips out their phone to take a photo of you.
Well, enough of that. You determine your own worth. It sheer confidence, whether you fake it or not. It will always win in your favour.

Here are some fundamental steps that you need to before your Beauty shoot to get you in the right head space. 

Step 1. Be prepared
You are having a photograph made of your face. Your facial features, your imperfections and perfects your happiness or sadness in your eyes. You will be exposed... in a good way. :) Nothing to worry about if you look after yourself well before a shoot.

Step 2. Plan Ahead
Have you decided how you want to be photographed?
Do you want to look natural and poised, or glamorous or rock or themed to the 1940's or just captured in your day and life?
What do you want to do with your picture?
Do you want to hang it and remember how beautiful you are? or celebrate a milestone in your life? or you just want one good picture of yourself before you die. Damit. Plan ahead and it will make the photographing experience more fulfilling and rewarding for you.

Step 3. Practice makes Confidence
Bloody hell! Not sure what to do with your face or body. Well take a good moment to look at yourself and decide once and for all that you are a human being and this is your face. And my ow, my, you have a good side and a bad side. Then don't forget to tell yourself how beautiful, pretty, strong and fierce you are over and over again. It takes practice to be confident. So practice telling yourself you are freakishly and unnaturally AMAZING.

Step 4. Look the Part
If you want your pictures to capture your personality whether whimsical, natural, strong or dark. Bring the necessary clothing and accessories to best suit your desired look. Once you look and feel pretty and beautiful. You will feel transformed and more at ease with having your picture taken. Even if you are having make up or a natural look. A great hydrating and plumping moisturiser can work just perfectly. All you need now is some sass and attitude to finish the look.

Step 5. Your Photographer
Make sure the photographer is there for your best interest and will be patient and kind to elevating your best features. Always to reinforce confidence and fun, that you are doing a great job in front of camera. And wow, look how amazing look.




Asanda Photography started out as a glamour portrait session that quickly grew into a multi media agency for brands an boutiques. Telling  brand stories through fashion photography. Glamour sessions are like magazine styled photo shoot with a team of hair, make up and wardrobe consultation, for the best  private photo experience.  Photo shoots are co-ordinated in Brussels and the whole area of Belgium. Download the Free PDF on Glamour Portraits

Creativity is not something that spontaneously happens to you. Even though I would like it to combust out of no where. It is very unlikely to happen with out my brain getting a spark. A spark of an idea can get my mind racing into all kinds of things, ideas, feelings and illusions. I have to feel the idea inside of me to be able to create it into light. It is never as beautiful and phenomenal as it is in my mind, but the pure pleasure of trying to give birth to this idea is Sublime. There hence the true meaning of my blog.

Here are the ways I get my mind to spark an idea and the creation process with my favourite creatives.

1. I have one thing I know for sure that I want in my picture. It can be a pair of shoes, a brand, style of shoot or a dress. This is the beginning of the idea.

2. Write down words and or sentences what I feel, what I want to see, mood, colours, eat

3. Then I google search the words to find similar picture and history on the idea and past work on similar topics. There is nothing new under the sun anymore. Just more specific to the individual

4. As the word associations become more clear, I continue and look in Pinterest  and see other inspiration boards and start creating boards in that I find inspiring, desirable or spark some interest for the project I am about to start or I keep later into my other boards as inspirations.

5. Once I have identified what and how I want the picture to look I create my own story board. This mood board is like a story for me of visual ideas, object and sounds sometimes of the mood and look I would like to create in the photo shoot. This storyboard is then shared with all the creatives on the team as well as the model. The creative team may consist on a make up artist, hairstylist, stylist, art director, photographer and even a set designer.

6. The mood board is not set in gold. It is an organic exchange of ideas that acts as a guide for the creative process. It then easier to put into retrospective by the individual creative who have their own resources and knowledge that make the idea, strong, bold and personal. As they will also get to fall in love with the project and make their best effort to make the creative process cohesive and their best work yet.

7. Execution is getting the full team together on shoot day to make beautiful things happen. This work is a collaboration of specialist in their own field who put their own interpretation and skills together to make art.

8. With the help of edit and design an idea can be more that just a picture. It can become a story, an emotion or en experience for the user to enjoy, share or celebrate. We create because we exist to be surrounded by beauty.

9. Market it to how you want people to receive and perceive  the finished work. The communication and where it is communicated can be an added advantage to elevate the piece of work. Then we creatives, acknowledge, appreciate and move on to the next thing. You are only as good as your last work. Welcome to the world of consumption.

There is that beautiful and rare phenomenon, called love at first sight. But with fashion, that's an occasional feeling when you see the perfect, dress, shoes or accessories that you must have, own and  parade in for your own and wonderful desire... until the next best thing. All loved fashionable clothes quickly become unloved and locked away in the depth of the wardrobe. Until the day the lover, sends their loved to the place of the loving, once again. Pre-loved stores. A haven where brand quality conscious buyers finally attained their most sought after brand at an affordable price. These timeless and statement pieces are loved, preloved and reborn again and again through all season and any season. There is art in clothing. There is always a wonderful gratitude and appreciation for the great arts of Chanel, Balmain, Baleciaga, Saint Laurent Paris, Alexander Mcqueen, Christian Louboutin Alexander Wang and Céline and all its other most desired fashion friends.

Photographing an editorial for the second hand luxury store, Lady Dandy  was a delight. Working with a new upcoming Model Alanis a young and rising model was such a pleasure. She has some serious game, as we shot out side in the cold. While the I and the and make up artist, Laetitia  where dressed to the max. in layers of jackets. It was a quick and simple shoot and I was very thankful with all the support and trust I had with the Brussel based model agency,  Charley Models.