A Wedding photographer's journal

Observation.

2011-10-23T21:53:00.002+08:00

It will be my 7 years as a photographer. I really can't believe it! I'm doing this for almost 7 years and I thank God for taking care of me all these years despite many people tells me that without a full time job as your secondary support. I can't sustain. I remembered the first few weddings, one word to describe. NERVOUS. So I did lots of research to get myself prepared for client's big day. One very interesting word that I saw a photographer said and I remembered until now and this is the word stays on how I approach every job. Is this word Observation. I love to observe that's why I love photography, to stop and keep what I observe and these are the documents that will reminds me of what I saw and heard.

Photo above - he is so cute, keep on asking the bride "Angpow leh? Angpow leh?" :)

Esther 70's birthday@Albion Bukit Bintang.

2011-09-28T12:05:00.003+08:00

The 3rd year

2011-08-23T18:30:00.000+08:00

It is the 3rd year, Love this place.

Mid Valley City.

2011-08-11T23:41:00.002+08:00

Just right after a meetup with a buddy talking about his wedding :) manage to squeezed in some time to shoot this. Love it.

Canon 60D.

Sky.

2011-08-02T14:58:00.003+08:00

Taken in Kuala Lipis. One morning.

Lately I've been busy checking out some tech stuff online.. I admit I really hate to check on tech stuff, it turns out to be more and more complicated every time I have the chance to look through the specifications that a particular electronic stuff and for my instance.. a Camera.. Lenses.. it cause drowsiness to my head.

In the end, it depends if you are a person that loves to photograph. if not, the thirst of getting the latest will consume you. Trust me. I saw many of them. I just got a Canon 60D. I owned a 10D, 20D, 30D(Still with me-first camera)40D and finally a 60D and I'm so happy with this camera. Good enough to do what I required, But I still love my old 5D. 7 years old technology but still gives me beautiful pictures. So I guess you have to ask yourself a question when you want to get a DSLR. "What do I want to do with it"

The picture above taken from my Canon 5D with a old 1980s 35mm prime lens.

Bailey

2011-07-29T11:47:00.002+08:00

Bailey is their family member. trust me.

Toys

2011-07-25T13:08:00.003+08:00

If only we still remember we are kids once. When we just love to explore our surroundings with a simple heart. Nothing to fear, just play, tired? just go and sleep...

The older we grow, the more sophisticated our thinking become, on how to please everyone until we forget who we are once.

Frank&TaiChing(Avillion Port Dickson)

2011-07-21T23:57:00.001+08:00

Jhim & Sue Ann (Next)

2011-05-29T11:34:00.002+08:00

Coming UP!

Kids

2011-05-22T23:13:00.001+08:00

Yeah, am back after almost 2 months gone from blogging this... very busy and life changed to very much better direction of course :)Just came back from Kuala Lipis for a bridal shoot session with Alan & Joanna(will promise to blog soon enough)and I can't describe how blessed I am to have interesting clients that gave me unexpected challenges in getting their wedding photos done.. this time round... we went to a rubber & Cocoa estate as our location! TONS of mosquitoes!!! as I say... interesting... here I meetup with some friendly locals that will not hesitate to show you around, to describe in details on how to get to a certain place.. to love to have their photos taken... and even their food portion is bigger! I might not make lots of money as a photographer in fact, we photographers struggles.. but the experience is priceless...

As I'm on my way to Kuala Lipis, many things came into mind, I asked myself this "do you want to shoot something that your client can keep for years or what your clients wants"? I have clients that dictate every single shot that I took... I have clients ask "huh? stay close again ah? you can do something else or not? like I don't smile?" personally.. no offense... Chinese will looks like communist when they don't smile alright! :) questions waging war in my mind... in the end, I made a conclusion. That some people only looks for the "experience" on getting their important wedding photos done and some really cherish photos that can last(photos that last doesn't requires you to do Titanic pose for e.g.) you just have to be who you are and smiles looking at the camera, unless you tell me that you are not into the getting married thingy, the you can forget this blog and click to others... :)

I'm not interested on getting cool out of the world shots from you, Just be who you are.

Really, after 5+ years into wedding photography... I'm not there to get your photos for expanding my business... wins this or that... I just want to get you photos that you can keep. Not a wedding shoot experience.

Oh yeah!!! the photo of the kids above! LOVE THIS LOTS!!.. its been a long time since I had such feel in taking photographs.. it happens in the morning while waiting for Joanne to get herself ready for the shoot, outside the house while admiring the morning sun.. bump into a bunch of kids playing chase chase.... holding my camera, suddenly a girl appears from her house back door "uncle, pai wor pai wor(means take my photographs in mandarin) as usual.. I took it :)

Promise you guys the next post, it will be a wedding shoot post. Patience.... :)

Alan&Alexa - Preview

2011-04-01T11:36:00.001+08:00

Coming soon shots from Pangkor Laut :)

What matters.

2011-02-18T19:27:00.003+08:00

Been looking for photos from my hard drive to browse while downloading the ROM photos that I took this morning. Found photos that I took while traveling to Japan for a shoot, it is taken from the street of Harajuku in Tokyo and I love this so much. Snapping photos is what I like, I like being alone with my camera and snaps whatever triggers me to... where ever I go, I will try to snap something that one day I will appreciate it, be it a photos of people, photos of objects... I will try my best to snap photos that matters to me. Frankly speaking the above Harajuku shot is taken as a sample for my following shots... :) but it leads me to remember something, walking through the street and how I ended up in a sushi restaurant... haha :)

As a photographer, I always reminds myself on taking photos that matters, be it to me or to others, a photograph taken must worth something to someone, a document that we can keep and to be remembered, Don't you think so?

PS: Yeah, I'm taking lots of photos of my daughter now, because she matters to me :) I even created a personal blog for 3 of us!, you can find the link here http://thepngsjournal.blogspot.com/

Phillip & Wai Yee

2011-02-16T10:09:00.002+08:00

Yep. I'm back hahaha! after a long break, a really long one... just to let you all know that I'm not abandoning what I'm doing ya, just some readjustment of life after my princess (Kristen) came into the world! I'm back in the scene.. just an upload of one of my favorite shot at Penang! enjoy there will be more to come and do excuse me.. got to attend to my princess!

Its going to be a year.

2010-11-18T11:08:00.001+08:00

Lovely.My wife.

Chow & KerXin

2010-11-12T13:56:00.001+08:00

Up!

Travel

2010-11-08T12:52:00.002+08:00

Just to post a photo for you guys to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking here! just stuff to clear for you brides! :)

Jason&Ada (Next)

2010-10-27T01:07:00.001+08:00

Kenny & Yew Teng (Cameron Highland)

2010-10-21T23:20:00.002+08:00

Time of the day

2010-10-19T10:07:00.003+08:00

Taken during last friday event... more coming soon. Love this!

Full Time.

2010-09-21T10:17:00.004+08:00

I never love traveling alone, especially when I have to leave my pregnant lady back home, the idea of driving alone for almost 4 hours on the road doesn't fancy me, lately I got many who question me on "how many years I have been doing photography"? "4 years" I said. They asked "full time"? and I answered "yeah, full time" and usually they will give me the kind of look without a word and finally they asked "how do you do it? how do you survive"? For you guys that would like to know what I did before I took this as my career, Well, many, I worked in a race track before as a time keeper,a mechanic, a sales person (Medical+kitchen equipment) sales and sales and sales.. it is out of the mundane routine that I have everyday came in my first camera, an Olympus C740 with 10X zoom!, "YES, I can go take some photos" I told myself that and there goes the rest.. it is never in my plan that I wanted so much to be a "Wedding photographer" how to break into the market+work with some big names and come out alone someday and be famous! well known! tell everyone how wonderful life is as a photographer, (I wonder is it that wonderful? if it is, why I can still see photographers putting others down? not willing to share their knowledge?) that's what I knew.. few days ago someone said to me in a wedding "Louis, you really don't care what happened outside in the market hor? I answered "Nope, I only cares what I need to do now" the conversation ends there.

The photo above took while on my way back from Cameron highland via the old road, discover there is another Boh plantation other than the one near Brinchang, the trees captured me while I try to maneuver through the winding narrow road uphill... decide to stop, get down and snap it. :)

Kenny & Yew Teng (Next)

2010-09-19T23:56:00.001+08:00

Michael & Cheryl (Alor Setar)

2010-09-16T23:23:00.002+08:00

Jazz

2010-07-29T00:01:00.003+08:00

It is around 6pm this evening while I was driving through the Smart Tunnel, south bound. Well, It is out of the decision of taking out my whole bag of camera this afternoon... Listening to a song by Jacky Cheung's new album. Kinda Jazzy, pass through the tunnel + saw these lights + take out my camera + SNAP! yeah, I'm all alone in the car.. = Love it.

Thank You

2010-07-24T12:58:00.003+08:00

Last week we went to IKEA to get some stuff.. yeah, we are preparing, anxious, nervous, worried, scared, happy and whatever you want to call it! hard to express our feelings right now.... wife.. thank you :) (oh yeah, we shot this while in IKEA, doesn't have their permission tho... hahaha, like Hooi Ling alway says, WHATEVER!)

Jerry&YingLai

2010-07-22T10:10:00.003+08:00

Some total awesomeness.