Jacki Bruniquel Art and Photography

10/06/2026

This is what 50ish & Flourishing looks like.

A woman in her power.
Joyous.
Free.
Unapologetically herself.

A sneak peek from s 40ish & Flourishing shoot.

It was a breath of fresh air having this effervescent, radiant soul in my studio.

I am so grateful for the women who have been drawn to walk this journey with me. Through this project, I have had the privilege of meeting some truly exceptional humans.

And perhaps this is a little glimpse of what is to come...

There is now just one spot left.

Thanks to

03/06/2026

I shot my 32nd 40ish and Flourishing shoot on Monday but I am still celebrating the BIG 30

Huge thanks to all of these ladies who have joined me thus far. I am so inspired by all of you and feel so blessed that this work has introduced me to all of you exceptional humans!

You have all held my hand through some crazy times and I am so deeply grateful for your bravery and open hearts!

Big thanks to who has been with me for most of these sessions!

There is now just one spot left!

28/05/2026

27/05/2026

Did you get my latest emailer?

This week I am celebrating something that feels incredibly special to me... I recently photographed my 30th 40ish and Flourishing portrait session.

What makes this milestone even more meaningful is that this campaign unfolded during one of the hardest seasons of my life. There were Hashimoto’s flare ups, a frozen shoulder, a breast cancer diagnosis and a double mastectomy. Yet somehow, through all of it, I still managed to create something deeply meaningful.

But more than anything, this has been about the women who stepped in front of my lens.

Thirty extraordinary women.
Thirty different stories.
Thirty women who chose to be seen.

Most arrived convinced they were awkward in photographs or needed to lose weight before stepping in front of a camera. What they discovered instead was that this experience is about so much more than photographs.

It is about quieting the inner critic.
It is about honouring ourselves.
It is about celebrating the women we have become.

Watching the transformations that happen during these sessions has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.

There are now just 2 spots left before 40ish and Flourishing comes to an end at the end of Winter 2026. After that I will be moving onto something entirely new creatively.

If something inside of you has been stirred by this campaign and your heart keeps whispering about doing it... this is your sign.

Send me a message and let’s chat.

25/05/2026

This time last year I was running around like a headless chicken trying to get all my ducks in a row before going in for surgery. I was absolutely terrified after being given a cancer diagnosis, especially after having sat beside a close friend on her death bed. I felt overwhelmed and strangely disassociated at the same time.

My shoulder was so frozen I couldn’t drive or sleep without pills. My nervous system was on fire, Hashimotos had flared up again, I had zero physical strength and I was running on cortisol instead of real energy.

A year later I had one of those moments that stopped me in my tracks. I went to gym in the morning and then headed into the ocean for a surf with my 80 year old dad.

My soul was full of stoke. I felt deeply alive and energised.

Everyone experiences cancer differently. For me it has been a rollercoaster. Along the way I have faced my mortality over and over again, but I have also come face to face with both the light and shadow parts of myself.

I feel like I have been cracked open in a good way, but damn... it has not been easy.

Things feel different now. I am the same person, but I am not.

I don’t have life figured out. I have less tolerance for small talk and I am far more conscious of where I place my energy. I am learning to accept this new body of mine and I have realised that unconditional self love may be my greatest lesson in this lifetime.

I would not wish a cancer journey on anyone. I am also not a fan of toxic positivity or the idea that we should always search for silver linings in traumatic experiences. But I do believe it is important to pause sometimes, take stock of how far we have come and consciously bank the moments of gratitude.

Today I am doing exactly that.

Thank you for all the love and support along the way.

24/05/2026

is not someone you easily forget. Her energy is high vibe and all in. She has an insatiable curiosity for life and seems to fit more into her days than most people. Whenever I chat to her she is off on some new adventure or filling her cup with something interesting.

She has lived many lives in one. She is a mother who spent many years working in marketing, became a photographer in her forties, has a gift for creating community, and is a creative who collects stories. These days she works as a marriage celebrant, guiding her clients on a meaningful journey before they even say their vows.

Sandy loves new experiences and one of her reasons for doing the 40ish and Flourishing portrait experience was simply to know what it would feel like to be photographed by me and to see how I would capture her. As I said... endlessly curious!

Her love of the beach and being in the ocean inspired a backdrop of deep jewel toned sea colours.

It was such a pleasure creating this series for you, Sandy!

23/05/2026

I haven’t introduced myself for a while, so here I am.

My name is Jacki, but my friends call me Jax. I am endlessly curious about people. If I wasn’t a photographer, I think I would have been a psychologist. My favourite part of my job is showing someone an image I have captured of them and hearing them say, “I can’t believe this is actually me!”

Most people look in the mirror and see flaws, whereas I am looking at their best features, the light, and how to translate their energy into something tangible. I think that is what makes me the kind of photographer who captures people in their best light.

I am an Enneagram 2, the considerate helper. This came as a shock to me because I was convinced I would be a number 4, the intense creative. But the more I have learned about the Enneagram system, the more it makes sense. My driving force has always centred around people.

Earth school has handed me a few massive lessons lately, and I have found myself on a path of awakening.

I believe authenticity is the only way to be. I am not a fan of fake flowers or fake people.

I love deep conversations and diving far below the surface. The ocean is my playground and quiet meditation is my reset. Travelling makes my heart happy, and when life feels hard, I turn to creative projects to process my emotions.
Long road trips, starry nights, freediving, pods of dolphins, the sound of a kitten purring, a cup of rooibos tea in a blue mug, surfing with family or friends, cooking up a feast for my favourite humans, and freshly washed Egyptian cotton sheets all bring me joy.

I have a deep love affair with the Karoo and this photo was taken during my recent solo retreat into its stillness to celebrate my 49th birthday. There is something about the wide open spaces, the silence and the endless horizons that feels like medicine to my nervous system.

Most of all, I am deeply grateful for the people who have stood beside me and who I am lucky enough to call my chosen circle.

21/05/2026

Sally may be soft spoken with a heart of gold, but she also has an adventurous streak that has seen her riding motorbikes, scuba diving and travelling all over the world.

She loves the colour purple and is an animal person who finds joy in sitting on the floor with her fur babies or spending time with friends and family.

Like so many of us who reach midlife, sallyb_newlife has a story to tell and chose to gift herself the 40ish & Flourishing portrait experience as a way to self actualise and discover who this newer version of herself is becoming. She had never done a photoshoot before, so stepping in front of the camera was a brave act and an opportunity to see herself through another lens.

It was an honour to have you in my studio, Sally. I so enjoyed my time with you.

20/05/2026

I’ve been thinking a lot about the future of portrait photography and AI.
My work is centred around creating tangible photographs that live beyond the digital world. Iconic portraits that hang on walls. Coffee table albums that become part of a home and are paged through for years to come.
I love making images that people see every day because I believe photographs quietly remind us that we belong. That we are loved. That our people are our tribe. These images become visual anchors for memory, connection and gratitude.
But lately I find myself wondering about what will happen as AI becomes more and more woven into our lives.
Will people want AI generated images of their children growing up? Or will there be an even deeper longing for authenticity and real moments as artificial imagery floods our feeds?
Will photographers adapt completely? Instead of creating experiences and documenting genuine connection, will we one day sit behind screens typing commands into machines and generating imagined moments instead of capturing real ones?
What will it feel like to grow up in a world where photographs are no longer rooted in lived memories?
I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think people will crave real photography more than ever, or do you think AI will fundamentally change the way we preserve memory?
On another note, I will be heading up to Joburg in the spring and am opening up a waitlist for family portrait sessions. If you would like me to photograph your family and create artwork that lives beyond the screen, please send me a message.

18/05/2026

.natalie and I have a lot in common. We are both recovering perfectionists on a path of self love, self awareness and self acceptance. Like me, she has spent much of her life pushing herself beyond her own limits. She is a giver who finds joy in making others happy, being of value and showing up in service to the people around her.

We did her photoshoot on her birthday, so it became a celebration of the woman she is becoming whilst still honouring all the versions of herself that have shaped who she is today.

The Natalie she is stepping into is no longer the woman who ignores her own needs. She is a wise soul and a sage who is embracing her feminine softness and finding joy in a simpler life surrounded by nature.

Thank you, Natalie, for trusting me. I so enjoyed my journey with you. Huge thanks also to