“Where is your dream destination?” I get asked this question by my couples all the time. Usually, it is simply out of curiosity. But Irene was different; she sought the answer and intended to really make it happen. The result? One of the most amazing we’ve ever done.

Answering her was not easy. Over the years, I have been so fortunate to shoot in the most beautiful locations in the world, many of which were at the top of my shoot list: Machu Picchu, Salar de Uyuni, Cappadocia, Porto, Cape Town, Ethiopia, and Morocco.

Irene, JB, and I share a passion for wildlife. After several discussions, we decided that we would shoot their pre-wedding in Kenya, given its majestic safaris and its rich culture. We all knew that not only would the pre-wedding shoot be amazing, but the overall experience as well.

We set out on a 10-day trip that was so much more than what we expected and hoped for. From the national parks of Mount Kenya and Lake Nakuru to the most amazing private reserve of Segera in Laikipa, every location was a luxury. I really must say thank you to Irene and JB for making this experience unbelievably grand on multiple levels. We had everything at our disposal for this Kenya pre-wedding shoot – manpower, vehicles, the best accommodation and food. It was a photographer’s dream.

Given all of that, imagine the pressure I felt to deliver! Despite the preparations and the resources, there were still many things that were out of our hands and we needed our experience and smarts (whatever little of it we have, LOL) for us to be able to come through. It was extremely difficult to work with wild animals. Everyday, there were new challenges but isn’t that the whole point of being in the Kenyan Safari? :)

I hope the effort and the passion come through in the photos of this two-part feature. We were there to create images that have never been done or imagined before. We are very proud to have been given the opportunity to do so. The greatness of Kenya, the beauty of its people and its wildlife have left me with a sense of humility and a newfound appreciation of the world.

In this first part, we bring you photos with Irene and JB amongst the imposing African elephants, with shots made possible through our experiences woking with wildlife (and a little bit of luck). Also, absolutely worth mentioning is that we were able to shoot with a stunning 1929-model Gipsy Moth G-AAMY biplane, the exact same plane used in the movie, “Out of Africa,” more than 3 decades ago. This aircraft is now owned by Segera where we unforgettably stayed for most of the trip; special mention goes out to Jenz Kozany for his absolute care and consideration while we were in Segera. I couldn’t compare it with anything else.

Please enjoy the photos.