Musings

Grace Tan In Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Musings, Portraits, Running a Business, Studio

Janet’s Story: Beyond Epilepsy

I first heard about Janet through her mother, Joyce, at a BNI meeting I was attending. Joyce showed one of Janet’s paintings, which was translated into a beautiful top of the same design. As I got to know Joyce, I also got to know Janet. Janet went through many challenges as she was growing up… she had uncontrollable seizures due to epilepsy and was diagnosed as intellectually and developmentally delayed.

Despite her challenges, she displayed determination to succeed in life. In 2011, she started her own business selling artwork, home baked cookies and fashion wear using her paintings as her main design. After years of hard work, Janet also graduated with a Diploma in Small Business Management in 2017.

She dreams of being financially independent by growing this business and to be recognized and accepted as one of us.

Janet’s achievement in life has really inspired me! It goes to show that all things are possible if you truly put your heart to it. (backed by an amazingly supportive and entrepreneurial mother!).

If you would like to support Janet in what she does, please visit her website to view the products she has for sale. All the best to you in your journey, Janet!

Credits:

Photographer: Grace
Hair & Make Up: Pearl Tan
Location: Stories studio

Grace Tan In Beautiful Everyday, Casual Portraits, Musings, Portraits, Studio, Tips + Ideas

How to Prepare for Better Profile Headshots

Very often taking some professional headshots sits low on one’s to-do list. Little do people realize that a good headshot is a powerful way to market oneself. Whether you’re a model, business owner, lawyer or a fresh graduate, a professionally taken profile picture will make you look even better on your website, LinkedIn, social media pages and brochures.

Besides choosing the right photographer who suits your style and who knows how to bring out the best in you, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the best images. Remember, first impressions count! So, spend a little time preparing for a stress-free session. You won’t regret it.

1. Hair and Makeup

Whether you’re male or female, a little grooming will not hurt. For makeup, start natural and only apply eyeshadow and lipstick just before the shoot. Try applying lip balm to keep lips soft. You may bring along some makeup for touch ups, plus a hairbrush and hair products to tame any unruly hair before the shoot. For men, shave right before you leave for the shoot so you’ll have that clean-cut look.

If you can afford it, hire a makeup artist so that your makeup and hair will be professionally coifed for that perfect headshot! Continue Reading

Grace Tan In International, Musings, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits, Tips + Ideas

Planning your dream pre-wedding shoot

Exotic locations are a hit when it comes to having breathtaking images to show at your wedding. However, there are certain things to look out for when one travels to a foreign land for some pre-wedding photos. Here are some tips to help you so you don’t end up disappointed with the whole experience.

1. Do your research about the locations you intend to shoot at and the season at the time of the shoot. Summer months may be crowded and you’ll have to get to tourist attractions in the wee hours of the morning to get the shots you want! Or if it’s during the winter months, you’ll need to know that the sun sets much earlier and you may have to rethink your outfit. Take into consideration the distance between each location and how long it’ll take to get there. Allocate sufficient time based on your plan and add on additional days for the shoot if required. After all, you’ve gone all the way there already!

2. Bring along your own makeup artist and gowns as you’ll have the flexibility of arranging your shoot sessions according to your itinerary and look beautiful in your outfits instead of just casual shots in your travel clothes. Also, remember that language can be a barrier if you go somewhere exotic and find yourself struggling to communicate with your makeup artist. We’re pretty sure you won’t want to add any unnecessary stress.

3. Be prepared to walk so bring along a good pair of walking shoes! When you’re not posing in your heels, you’ll need proper shoes to walk around in. Some locations may require some maneuvering to get the best scene so carrying your heels may be wiser than wearing them all over the place. There’s also a chance you might get chased out of a popular tourist spot during a shoot. Most locations require some sort of permission for a shoot, but sometimes even that gets revoked! Just take it with a pinch of salt and move on to the next location.

Our advice is to set the right expectations before setting off on an exotic pre-wedding photo shoot. Having a sense of adventure and flexibility will help make the whole experience more fun and less stressful. And looking relaxed and happy will certainly make prettier pictures!

Credits:
Pre-wedding photography locations above (top to bottom): Turkey, Bali, Thailand and Malaysia

Grace Tan In Beautiful Everyday, Family + Children Portraits, Life, Musings, Portraits, Relationships, Studio

Love Someone With Autism

Did you know that 1 out of 68 children are affected with autism? Autistic children face various challenges in life. We partnered with The Hope Project, the non-profit arm of Early Autism Project Malaysia to create a video about autism awareness.

So what is autism?

Autism is a lifelong development difficulty that affects how an individual relates, communicates and interacts with other people as well as how they perceive the world around them. In essence, they face deficits in social communication/ interaction and have restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour or interests. It is a spectrum disorder in which their symptoms and severity vary widely across the core characteristic symptoms. This means, while all individuals with autism share certain similar difficulties, these symptoms affect their lives differently. (extracted from EAP’s website)

If you would like to find out more about diagnosing your child, you can find out more information here.

Watch our previous video on how to create a successful environment for a photo session with an autistic child.

Credits:
Photography & Videography team: Chi Yin & Grace assisted by Abigail

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Life, Musings, Newborn, Portraits, Relationships, Studio, Tips + Ideas

Documenting the Different Phases of Life

How true it is that daily life filled with chores, workload and family concerns may seem long and tedious! However, when you look back at how fast the months and years go by you find yourself yearning for time to slow down. That baby you hold today will be a young man or woman in a blink of an eye. Here are some phases in life you’ll want to capture and cherish forever:

BABY STAGE

Whether it is a maternity, newborn or baby stage, it is usually a very special time for the parents. Documenting the natural glow and protruding tummy in the later stage of pregnancy can remind you of how you felt throughout the pregnancy. Capturing shots of your precious baby sleeping in her crib, breastfeeding her or those of a gurgling baby will remind you of the happy (and tough!) times as a parent in the early months. It is also a good opportunity to share the journey with your child when they are older!

TODDLER STAGE

This is the stage when your child starts to discover new things and experiences… like the joy of cooling off on a hot day with the water hose in the backyard, or doing hand-painting in playschool, maybe even digging in the garden with their plastic garden tools. Having keepsakes of them in the midst of these activities is what you’ll treasure later on when they have grown up a little.

PRE-SCHOOL STAGE

At this stage in life, your little one is developing in character and is capable of so much more. They’ll be selecting their own attire for the day, helping you make cookies, learning to cycle, going for piano or ballet lessons! The list is endless… and there’ll be so much to photograph.

PRIMARY SCHOOL & BEYOND

Time zooms by once they start school proper because life takes over and days are filled with ferrying them from one place to another. But don’t forget that even as they grow into teenagers, documenting moments like holidays and achievements will give you something to hold on to before they leave the nest to lead their own lives. As a parent, you’ll want to capture every milestone with your child. Sometimes, you may remember to whip out your handphone to snap a picture or two, but most times the moments just pass you by. It is a good idea to make it a point to get some proper shots of the family together, in various phases of life. You will not regret how it made you feel to be reliving those times again!