Inside Edge with Nkima De Faria

Every once in a while you come across someone so passionate about their craft that it inspires or reignites your own passion. It doesn’t matter if it is in a similar field or something on the completely opposite end of the spectrum - passion ignites passion; and that is exactly how we felt when we had the pleasure to meet and work with world-renowned, luxury photographer Nkima de Faria.

We caught up with Nkima for the first in our Inside Edge series, where we will be chatting to marketing and event specialists whose work and personal stories us to view things from a different perspective; and to gain an a deeper understanding on what inspires these professionals so that you can incorporate their knowledge into your next big event.

How did you get into photography? Was this a passion of yours as a child or something you discovered later?

Photography has been my first love from the very start as a little South African farm girl. It wasn’t until I moved to London as a teenager that I discovered the possibility to live out my dreams as a full-time photographer. I felt inspired by everything around me, but I had to work hard for a couple of years to fund my expensive journey! 

How would you describe your general style?

My style is a classic black and white editorial feel with a touch of boldness for the chic bride wanting to feel like she just stepped out of a magazine shoot. Add a bit of personality and you get authentic magic!

Your work has taken you all over the globe. How do you manage the expectations of different clients around the world and encourage them to think outside the box?

Communication, oh boy this is key! You have to be honest but also be realistic. Different light and weather for every country plays a big part. When my brides look at my light and bright photography, they can’t expect to get that in a dark yellow tone venue. Being upfront and showcasing a few galleries from different weddings helps with that.

Have you ever had a wedding where you did not like the setting and had to work hard to find good backdrops?

Definite YES. It is so challenging, but you have to think. This is not all about you and your style but about the best day of your bride’s life and you are there for a service to capture what your client sees in your work, connection. We can all easily get caught up in the glitz and glam but sometimes that’s not so important to them. It does make you think with a more creative eye. Looking for bright white walls for backdrops, close up couple images and just get candid! They will love you for it all.

Who are a few people you follow on Instagram for inspiration in your daily life?

My favs right now are @mariasundinphotography @Janawilliamsphootgraphy @katiegrantphoto @tyerrye.

For more information on Nkima and her incredible photography services, visit her website www.nkimaphotography.com or follow her Instagram page @nkimaphotography.

Gingle All the Way...

Whether you’re entertaining a few friends at home this festive season or planning a fabulous canape hour for your birthday or wedding, one item that will certainly be on the drinks menu is gin. Once viewed as ‘Granny Juice’ by the younger generations, over the past few years gin has had a tremendous blast to the forefront of food and drink culture – although it was recently revealed by former Buckingham Palace Chef Darryn McGrady that HM Queen Elizabeth II enjoys up to three generous gin and Dubonnet’s a day and has done so for most of her reign! 

With so many products on the market – not to mention the recent explosion of Proudly South African craft gins – it may be overwhelming to know where to start. I met up with my friend and local gin connoisseur Alex Etchells, co-owner of Alchemy Bar in The Ballito Lifestyle Centre, to get some tips and ideas for creating the perfect gin trolley at home.

Alex’s Top Tips:

~ Whether you are enjoying a quiet drink after a long day or entertaining family and friends, it certainly helps to begin with the classic flavour pairings and build from there. Start with the traditional and slowly increase your collection to include bottles from near and far. 

~ Make sure your garnishes are of the highest quality and are as fresh as possible. 

~ Glass straws are not only practical, but they are good for the environment too. All our cocktails at the bar are served with glass straws so that we too can do our part for the planet.

~ Most importantly, there are no rules and it’s all down to personal taste. The whole idea is to create your own mixologies and try out different flavour combinations.

These days the old-school Gordon’s Gin gets a bit of a bad rep when compared to the exciting flavour combinations that have emerged from craft distilleries around the world, but few know that it has had a Royal Warrant since 1925 and is still the preferred gin of choice for HM Queen Elizabeth II. Looking closer to home, we believe that every gin connoisseur should have a bottle of Alex’s award-winning Ginsala on their trolley or bar shelf, produced by his very own local Blackstrap Distillery. Drawing inspiration from the mixing pot of Durban’s cultural heritage, Ginsla is a delicate blend of traditional Juniper Berry accents and Masala Spice - a community favourite which won a gold medal at the South African Spirit’s Trophy Awards in 2019.

This idea of blending the traditional with the modern can extend through to your trolley and styling too. Again there are no rules, so mix and match to your home decor as you please, but ensure you have all the necessary items such as glasses, garnishes, ice, and mixers close at hand. Then all that’s left to do is have fun with more botanical pairings by trying the full range of Fitch and Leeds cocktail mixers, that not only taste great but look the part too – cheers!

Photography by Stories by Goya.

Love in the Time of Corona

‘Tell him yes. Even if you are dying of fear, even if you are sorry later, because whatever you do, you will be sorry all the rest of your life if you say no.’

– Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Jenni and Dylan had originally booked a beautiful beach resort in Mozambique for their wedding celebration, with family and friends flying in from all corners of the globe. So, like most couples due to be married this year, they have tentatively booked for a new date at the same resort next year.

Determined not to let Corona completely take away from their love story, they decided to move ahead with an intimate ceremony at a private residence in Zinkwazi, KwaZulu Natal on their initial date of 25 July 2020. Although the majority of their close-knit family where unable to attend due to the travel restrictions, the small gathering present would most certainly be considered ‘friends who have become family’ – not to mention their two treasured long-haired dachshunds Michael and Matilde, who took pride of place ensuring everything ran according to plan.

With a warm north easterly wind blowing through her hair, Jenni made her way to a small wooden deck covered by milkwood trees and overlooking the ocean. She wore two rings – one given to her by her mom and another by Dylan’s, in honour of the fact that neither lady could be there on the day; and as a reminder that their love would be with her and Dylan no matter the distance. And although somewhat discouraged under normal circumstances, the cellphones were out in full force to capture every moment of the marriage ceremony on video calls – ensuring all their family members were able to share in the joy of the auspicious occasion.

Coronavirus has already taken so much from our world in the form of lives lost and health scares, loss of livelihoods, economic shutdowns around the globe and loved ones separated. What this couple and their decision to get married this year represents, is mankind’s resilience to adversity and adaptability to change. That love should be celebrated at all costs. That even in times of trouble and uncertainty, we need to hold on to the hope of a better tomorrow.

As we move into the next phase of this global pandemic and celebrate the relaxing of certain restrictions, let us not forget the many valuable lessons that we have learnt along the way. Let us remember the kindness and compassion, the value of community in times of isolation as well as celebration; but most importantly, let us remember to truly live in the present and ‘say yes’ to the moment in front of us.

A very special thanks to Tash from Stories by Goya for capturing this extraordinary day and sharing her #LoveWins energy and enthusiasm!