Grace Tan

Grace Tan In International, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Portraits in Gold Coast, Australia: Jamie & Ann

Photographer: Grace, assisted by Alex
Videographer: Net Productions

Years ago, Ann was told to chase after Jamie. Literally. On the soccer field. She had never really played soccer before, so she didn’t really know what to do. Ann was told to just follow after Jamie and run after him. The fun never stopped. After many encounters and long chats, Jamie finally asked Ann over MSN whether she thought there could be more between them than just friendship. Ann, being the creative person that she is, decided not to give him a direct answer there and then. She was in Melbourne then and Jamie in Brisbane, so Ann decided to answer him by baking cookies.

Yes, cookies.

In the shape of letters.

And even then, it wasn’t a straightforward answer. Jamie had to unscramble the letters to make a sentence. But when the cookies arrived in Brisbane via post, some letters were broken, so he had a really hard time making out the words. Jamie was breaking out in cold sweat as he tried to make sense of the words. “Stupid”? It was just too difficult.

Eventually, Ann sent him a photo of the cookies with what it was supposed to say…

“Yes I’d love to”

Ann styled the shoot and brought all these props that you see in the following images. She had sourced for them in Melbourne, and it traveled all the way to Gold Coast for our shoot! All I did was choose the best location for the shoot, direct & pose them, and take the images. :)

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Love Crosses Boundaries: Arvin & Zuzana

Photographer: Grace
Location: Dusun Garden Fairies
Hair & Make up: Angie Ng

Two different cultures, two different worlds. But one common language: Love.

And if you didn’t know how to say “I love you” in Tamil and the Slovak language, here’s a tip for you…(you have to watch the slideshow to know how to pronounce it). Arvin and Zuzana crossed cultural boundaries, found love in Malaysia and are now married!

Arvin and Zuzana came up with a creative idea for their pre-wedding photos – to use props and lyrics of a song so that the slideshow has a deeper meaning! Together, we discussed ideas about what kind of imagery to go with the lyrics of the song. I had never done anything like that before, so I was all game for it.

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Portraits with Asther

It was years ago on a beach in Tioman Island when I first got to know Asther and her boyfriend Francis. Back then, she was a dive instructor and Alex was going through his advanced dive course. Francis and Asther were fun to be with, completely humble people and really easy going. When they got married in 2007, I photographed their wedding in Kuching. I had just ventured into wedding photography back then and they were one of my earliest clients. A memory I can’t forget from that their wedding was how Francis and his heng tais were forced to eat live and fat, squiggly sago worms before he could be granted access to her room.

Now, Asther has expanded her portfolio and job scope; she is a mother and established photographer in Malaysia. She recently contacted me to photograph some profile shots of her and her daughter Haley.

Asther, thanks for the years of friendship… I am so happy to see that your business is doing so well. You are one super talented woman. Catch up with you again soon!

Grace Tan In International, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Teaser: Jamie & Ann

I love it when my brides go to great lengths to get a shot. By far, Ann is the most well-planned bride I’ve ever met. She even went to the extent of renting a canoe for her pre-wedding shoot! More to come later!

Grace Tan In Life, Musings, Relationships

My return to Brisbane

It’s been 11 years since I graduated and left Australia. Brisbane holds many fond memories for me… 3 years is a considerable amount of time to spend in a country. Today, I landed in Coolangatta airport and traveled by train to Brisbane city. Proudly, I showed Alex where one place relates to another, where my university was, and related stories about how I used to travel around by bus and car, and even driving to Sydney and back from Brisbane in my old 1985 Honda Civic. Yup, my friends and I made it without the car breaking down.

Seeing my old room in my uncle’s home where I used to stay for 3 years made me a little sentimental. It’s funny, I think I recognize the 3 plastic gerberas that are sitting in a vase in that room. I am sure those were the flowers I left behind 11 years ago. Gerberas were my favourite flower then.

After our first meal in Australia (dim sum at a Chinese restaurant, haha!), we went to visit Jeta Gardens, a retirement and aged care resort that is based on eastern values and philosophies. My uncle sits on the board of directors and ever since we heard about it, we knew we wanted to visit the place.

In Malaysia, if you talk about going to a retirement home, there is a stigma involved. Most people would feel guilty about ‘abandoning’ their parents at an old folks home. No one wants to be left behind at a place where they sit, stare at the 4 walls and await their ‘time’. At Jeta Gardens, there is a completely different mindset. People who come here are at various stages of their life. They see this place as a resort, a place where their needs can be met, a place to socialize and make new friends, and to be independent. Some of the elderly who live here are really able-bodied. They can drive, are fit and full of life. Then there are those that need 24 hour care.