Running a Business

Suzyana Ong In Misc, Running a Business, Tips + Ideas

Retouching: What kind of editing do we do?

If you’ve ever wondered why photographers can’t send your photos instantly right after the shoot, this is because the photos need to go through a few processes before reaching their final result! When we shoot, we shoot in a format called RAW, which is not suitable for general use. So first, after the photo shoot is completed, our photographer will transfer the photos to the computer and select the best ones. Next, it gets transferred to an editing software, where our editor would do a basic colour correction on every photo and then export it in JPEG format. We often have clients ask, What do we mean by basic colour correction? Does it include removing pimples, wrinkles, eyebags, etc… Unfortunately, these requests fall under extra editing requests, as they require a longer time and effort to edit. If we do this for every photo, you may not receive your photos within the promised timeline!

Basic Colour Correction

Colours in RAW format are usually lifeless-looking, but it is still the best format to further process in post production. So it’s absolutely a must that we bring some life to the photos! A basic colour correction is essentially adding and balancing out the brightness, colours (saturation), colour temperature, highlights, and shadows of the photos as well as cropping out excessive backgrounds to make the images look more centred. A few toggles here and there will instantly make your photos look more vibrant and captivating!

Have a look at the before (left) and after (right) samples here!

Extra Editing

We do offer extra editing services for those who wish to have a “picture-perfect” photograph. This service usually comes FOC when you order framed prints and albums with us. Alternatively, you can add on this service for your favourite selection of images at a minimal additional fee.

Extra editing includes:

Skin smoothening
Removing skin blemishes
Minimizing eyebags/dark circles
Minimizing wrinkles
Removing flyaway hair
Removing any background distractions
Removing any scars/wounds
Face/Body slimming
Minimizing double chins
Whitening teeth
Make-up retouch (add blush, lipstick, etc)
Minimizing creases on clothes

We hope this helps to clarify our editing services. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any more questions!

Bin Bin Tan In Misc, News, Parties & Events, Running a Business

2023 Year End Reflections

We don’t remember days, we remember moments.

This quote is at the forefront of our Stories’ Lifestyle website and is one that speaks deeply to our team. At the core of it, our job has been to immortalise your happy moments through photographs and videos. This year we went beyond that by engaging with community and creating experiences for families to make new and unique memories together.

Here’s some of the moments we remember from this year!

Engaging with community at the Ibu and Makchic Events

We were happy to be invited to both events held by Ibu and Makchic this year, two organisations whose work we love dearly. At the events we created a mobile studio setup and took complimentary family photos. It was really nice to be able to give the event goers a little momento to bring home with them and to give some families who may not have stepped into a studio a chance for a professionally taken family photo!

Father’s Day Beach Adventure

We worked with educational program organiser Mad About Education (“MAE”) to create a unique Father’s Day experience where families spent a morning in Pantai Kelanang where we engaged in some play activities, explored mangroves and of course, took family photos! The event was such a success we got requests for similar experiences immediately. (Psst.. we’re in the midst of planning more of these, so stay tuned!)

The Flight of Imagination

And finally.. our proudest creation of the year! I’m sure you’ve heard of personalised children’s book where the text is changed to reflect the child’s name. Together with the team at Makchic, author Kimberly Lee and illustrator Munsya Rahman, we created a one of its kind personalised photo storybook experience where not only are the names personalised, so are the pictures in the book – replaced with photos of your own family. The process in taking the photos and having them be a part of a book, not to mentioned to actual unboxing and seeing your images will be an experience your family will treasure forever!

Looking back, we are so proud to have all of you along for the ride as we continue to create memories worth making. We look forward to seeing all of you again in 2024!

Oh! Don’t miss out on the promotion we’re running for The Flight of Imagination Book Experience! Click on the button below to find out more.

Take me to The Flight of Imagination

Our founder, Grace Tan, has also written a year-end reflection on our business website. Do check it out here!

Grace Tan In Life, Musings, Running a Business

Living your dream life

The way ahead looked murky. It was 2008, and I had just officially started my photography business. It seems like only yesterday that I bought my first second-hand camera, naive and uncertain about what I truly wanted in life. The only certainty I had was that I wanted to take beautiful images and that I wanted my life to make a difference in other people’s lives.

Somehow, I stumbled into the world of weddings, and that journey took me to beautiful locations all over the world across different continents, including amazing journeys in Bangladesh, Turkey, and Holland. I ended up capturing so many memories that remain as fresh in my mind as they are in my clients minds. I saw these couples grow into small families and their relationships strengthen, and I continued the journey alongside them through the years. Why am I sharing this story with you?

You see, the 15-year anniversary of Stories had a humble beginning. It started with a small dream. A little girl who was terrified but made a decision to be brave and step out of her comfort zone. Despite her insecurities and weaknesses, she decided that nothing would be too hard if God was by her side.

That girl 15 years ago would never have imagined owning a studio and working with eight other talented creatives on meaningful and purposeful projects. She would never have imagined that she had the capacity to hire people, inspire them to chase after their own dreams, and create life-changing work.

But she did. That little girl is me.

Success to me isn’t just about the numbers on an Excel sheet; it’s also about how many lives I’ve impacted. To the people I have photographed, I am a legacy builder. I help connect people to an experience with their loved ones that they will remember forever.

To the people I have hired, I am a dream-maker. So many of the people who have worked with me over the years did not start out skilled. They were like me—someone with a dream. I am so blessed that I have been able to be part of their story too.

What about you? Do you have a dream too? What would it take for you to be brave and step out?

You have one life. Why not spend it doing what inspires you, grows you and has an impact on the world around you?

Sarah Lim In For Photographers, Life, Musings, Running a Business

Reflections of the Year 2020 by Grace

I never expected 2020 to turn out the way it did. The Wawasan 2020 vision I had as a teenager was quite different to what I realised this year, but if there’s one word to describe the year that went passed, it is gratefulness. We launch into 2021, going into our 13th year of business. We’re going to be ‘teenagers’…no longer the child we were when we first started out in 2008.

Grace Tan In For Photographers, Musings, Running a Business

A Photography Workshop on Storytelling & Branding with WPM

I was recently invited to conduct a session on Photography: The Art Storytelling & Branding at Women Photographers Malaysia’s first-ever workshop! It was hosted at Citizen M Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, gathering about 20 of us from different backgrounds – the organisers, participants, our talents, and fellow photographers – all who shared one common interest: a love for this art.

It felt good to be connected with these photographers – some were already full time photographers, others were considering on making it as their career, or were hobbyists and even students who want to learn more.

When I was planning the workshop, I knew I wanted to run it in a way that was more than just a theoretical session. For me, it was important that participants could go back with real thoughts that would challenge them where they are, at whatever stage they might be at.

So I was really glad when many came up to me after the workshop to tell me what they experienced and learned in just three hours. Here are some other feedback message I received: