Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Love Tattooed: Bobby & Elmira’s Pre-Wedding

Photographer: Grace
Location: FRIM, Malaysia & St James Tattoo
Hair & Make Up: Charlie from Michelle Touche team
Wedding Gown: Pretty in White

It was the love of tattoos that brought them together. Ever since young, Bobby loved drawing, and he always had a fascination for the world of tattoos. When he was 15, he tattooed his own hand at school while the teacher was droning on in front… he did it with the ink from his pen and a basic needle. Soon, his passion for drawing led him to mastering the art of tattooing. Some years later, Bobby met Elmira in Miri, where she was working at Bobby’s friend’s tattoo shop. One thing led to another, and eventually, romance developed.

Now, Bobby runs his own tattoo shop in Kota Damansara and Elmira helps him out at the shop. For someone whose name card says, “You suck if you are not tattooed”, he’s really a nice, chatty and friendly guy. :) I must say, his drawings are really amazing.

As for Elmira, despite the tough girl exterior in the shot below, she’s really a gentle and sweet girl.

All the best to the both of you for the future! Now if I ever muster the guts to get a tattoo, I’ll know where to go!

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Pre-Wedding: Noel & Hui Yi

Photographer: Grace
Hair & make up: Doris
Wedding gown: Pretty In White
White lacy umbrella: Crafio
Location: Pullman Hotel, Putrajaya

It was 4am in the morning. Hui Yi woke up to discover her eyes were red, puffy and swollen. It wasn’t because of the lack of sleep the night before. It wasn’t normal. But with the courage to carry on, and under the talented hands of Doris, the make up artist, Hui Yi was transformed. When I rolled around to Pullman Hotel at 7am, I didn’t even realize her eyes were swollen.

Thank God for amazing make up artists, and for clients who have faith in them and also their photographer.

Hui Yi told me before the shoot that Noel is quite camera shy. I reassured her that 80% of my brides tell me their grooms are camera shy or don’t really like taking photos. Most times I meet my clients before our photography session, but when they live overseas or time does not permit, I only get to meet them on the shoot day. In a short span of time, I have to build a rapport with my clients and get them to feel comfortable with me. It’s definitely a challenge but I do enjoy the process!

Noel travels a lot for work and so this meant that a long distance relationship was necessary. I do respect couples who despite the distance, manage to make the relationship work. It takes resilience, patience, and also lots and lots of love!

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

Protected: Portraits in Turkey: Edwin & Dawn

Grace Tan In International, Musings, Outdoor Weddings, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits, Running a Business, Weddings

Updates, thoughts on business and time

One of my clients recently asked me, how do I find the time to blog, especially when my days are filled with meeting potential clients, going for shoots, sorting photos, checking through album layouts and responding to enquiries? (and on top of that, move house, move office and actually have a social life?)

My response is simple… I make time for it.

When I think back about it, I am amazed as well. Of course, there are days when I am overwhelmed with the workload. Since I started running my own business 3-4 years ago, I discovered that time is such an important asset. Everyday is a rush to complete the backlog of work that somehow manages to miraculously pile itself on my desk. Before I know it, a day has gone by, a week, a month, a year… where did the time go?

I am still learning the art of prioritizing my time. There are certain things I know I need to do, and those things are high on my priority list. Blogging is one of them. I feel it’s so important to have fresh content on the Stories blog, that no matter how busy I am, I must make time to blog. In my mind, blogging = marketing the Stories brand. How can I neglect something as important as marketing?

So yeah… I make time for it.

Here’s a simple update to what’s been happening the past one week:

Noel & Hui Yi’s pre-wedding shoot in Putrajaya

I love Pullman hotel for pre-wedding photography. The ambience is beautiful!

Kevin & Katherine’s pre-wedding shoot in Nikoi Island, off Bintan, Indonesia

With an amazing beach like this, you can’t help but feel soooo blessed at having a job that brings you places.

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

An Audrey Hepburn inspired shoot: Bee Lee & Samantha

Photographer: Grace
Hair & make up: Michelle Touche
Location: Pullman Hotel, Putrajaya

When Sam contacted me about her Audrey Hepburn inspired pre-wedding shoot, I was ecstatic. You see, Sam’s a photographer too, and she knows what she really wants. Not just for her pre-wedding or wedding photos, but also in a man. From what I observe, Bee Lee compliments her perfectly. She’s excitable, he’s calm and collected.