Just in from Berlin ...

I was 3 days without the internet however 2000+ photographs were taken and so many beautiful things were experienced.

A wedding in Berlin, a Jewish/Muslim wedding, with a Balkan band playing through the second night of ceremony and festivities ... a German pension where the landlady came through with our fabulous German breakfast every morning.

Our room with the enormous windows in the historically-protected building in a lovely section of the city.

And then there was the family of the bride and groom, their open-hearted generosity with the photographer and the love between all of them that invited capture.

So much was beautiful that I was moved to tears 3 times and even more delightfully, my photographs moved people to tears on their first viewing. Weddings are always quite the stressful thing, specially for the photographer charged with capturing everything about that special day. Gert has moved from 'photography assistant' to 'photography partner' and with two cameras we covered every event over the two days, pleased to discover we work well as a team.

There was a huge pool of musical talent wandering through the white rooms in the huge rambling family home and everyone took turns to play and entertain. So many talented people played for us all.

The bride's siblings played beautiful music too and then there were the friends from the music academies and etc ...

And then there was Shabbat for family and close friends on Friday evening ... it felt like a privilege to be there and witness the ceremony.

I have never seen so much love in a family.
It was stunning to be pulled in and included.

In other news there is a whisper of a project that would involve me flying into Cairo, Istanbul, Dubai, Tehran, Beirut and East Jerusalem but I'll write of it if it happens. I'm still getting my head around it all but have said yes to being interested.

Tot straks from the tired happy kiwi chick ... photographs from Berlin to follow in the days ahead.