The Bothma Family

This Karoo Family Photo Shoot was just fabulous.  Fabulous because we got to combine two of the things in life that really make us happy:  Road Tripping and taking photos!  But not only that, – being able to document a family that has become very dear to us, made it extra special.

We first met Jean-Marie and Chris when we did their engagement shoot way back when.  Subsequently we have done several shoots for them, and we’ve watched them grow into a gorgeous little family.

Jean-Marie and Chris’ Karoo Family photo shoot took us to “Kransrivier,” Chris’s parent’s farm.  It’s about 45 km away from the small Karoo village of Merweville.  I don’t think Jean-Marie thought that we would say yes when she originally asked us if we’d do the family shoot on the farm.    But if anyone knows how much we love a dirt road, they’d know we needed no convincing.  Who could say no to a road trip 4 and half hours from Cape Town in the middle of nowhere to do a Karoo Family Photo Shoot?

And so we set off on our little adventure.  After some heavy delays due to a large traffic accident, and a detour we finally made it to the farm.The scenery on the farm is magnificent.  The silence (except for the bleat of the odd sheep or goat kid) is almost deafening.  After the most delicious homemade burgers we trundled off on our shoot.

We started off in Oupa’s “bokkraal.”  Jean-Marie and Chris’ two little boys Lian and Eben just love visiting Ouma and Oupa on the farm.  Lian was especially keen to show us the goats.  We also got to shoot in front of a special old building that used to be the original family home.  The funniest thing happened during our shoot.  We nearly got blown away by a freak whirlwind which hurtled across the farm with incredible gusto.  Nevertheless, we recovered and carried on with our shoot – all of us with sand in every orifice and crevice imaginable!

After a quick stop at the cement dam and windmill we all piled in the farm bakkie and took a little drive to a few other spots on the farm.  What a beautiful, peaceful part of the world.

Thank you to the lovely Bothma family for their kind hospitality.  Jean-Marie and Chris, what an honour to document another chapter of your beautiful journey through this Karoo Family Photo Shoot.  Thank you!