Maternity

Grace Tan In Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, For Photographers, Maternity, Musings, Portraits, Tips + Ideas

Tips on How to Survive an Outdoor Family Shoot

It is common to receive an enquiry requesting for a two to four-hour long family shoot. People tend to have the impression that you get more out of longer sessions. However, that is usually not the case. At Stories, most of our Lifestyle packages are an hour long. Some people seem to think that’s too short but do remember that if it involves children, you’ll be surprised that a single hour can seem like forever to them! I tagged along on some family sessions and here’s why I think an hour is really good enough, especially for an outdoor shoot in our beloved country.

1. Humidity
Even if it isn’t a terribly sunny day, you can be perspiring within five minutes of starting the shoot! On one of the shoots, the perspiration showed through the dad’s dark blue shirt. Fortunately, his wife had insisted he bring along an extra shirt to change into! Mum and child were neither not spared from the icky feeling of sweat. Can you imagine spending three hours posing for photos feeling like this? Believe me, an hour is just right. We all love our country but not the humidity.

TIP: Always bring along some extra clothing and a small towel for outdoor shoots. A hand fan can be very useful too.

2. Timing of shoot
If you’re a local, you’ll know that our tropical weather is quite unpredictable. Due to the heat, outdoor shoots should take place in the early mornings or late afternoons. However, certain months are prone to rain in the evenings so if you plan for an afternoon shoot, it could end up a washout. The other thing about being surrounded by greenery is that it’s perfect for creepy crawlies and mosquitoes to come out and play! You won’t be able to enjoy your shoot if you’re being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

TIP: Check the weather forecast nearer to the shoot date and speak to your photographer about contingency plans. Bring along some insect repellent too!

3. Attention Span
Children are usually quite excited at the start of a shoot but that initial excitement fades very quickly. They don’t like being told what to do, where to stand or where to look! Most of the time, young children start getting fussy even before the hour is up. Tantrums are common when children get tired and an hour will seem like too much to ask from them.

TIP: Bring along some snacks (but nothing too messy!) for your child. Food usually helps to change their mood. We also usually start the photo session with the large family photo so that we get the safe shot done!

Now if you were thinking of doing an outdoor shoot, don’t let the negative aspects frighten you. Come prepared and you will have an enjoyable experience, plus beautiful photos in the park to last a lifetime. But if you’re toying with the idea of having a three-hour family shoot in the park, maybe you should reconsider shortening it. An hour really is sufficient.

Grace Tan In Boudoir, Maternity, Portraits

Boudoir & Lifestyle Maternity Portraits: Steph

Steph is an established lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Singapore, a dedicated mother and a friend. I got to know her years ago, and though we only connected over 2 or 3 face to face conversations, she is the kind of person that makes you feel as if you’ve known her for years. In those short moments together, we chatted about life, the challenges about running a photography business and being a mom at the same time. I feel as if I have found a kindred spirit in her.

Steph is now pregnant with her 3rd child, and I am so pleased to have the honour of photographing her maternity portraits. It was such a pleasure meeting Martin too, who has such a warm and easy going personality. Looking forward to seeing the little one’s photos soon! Lots of love from Malaysia.

Grace Tan In Maternity, Musings, Portraits, Tips + Ideas

The Secret to Beautiful Maternity Photos

Every pregnancy is a journey of self-discovery for the mother. No matter how many times you have gone through it, the experience is never the same. Recording every single milestone of this beautiful journey can be an exciting project, which you can share with your children in time to come.

There are mothers who are a little shy and insecure about looking frumpy in their maternity photos, but fear not! Here are some tips for you to achieve beautiful pregnancy images. Of course, if you can hire a professional photographer to shoot your maternity pictures, that would be ideal!

1. Timing

If you’d like to keep a record of your baby bump growing, try to take the same shot with the same angle every month so that you can compare the size as your belly grows. Alternatively, if you are hiring a photographer for your maternity photos, the best timing to shoot would be around the 7th month as you are still energetic after your 2nd trimester. You can still choose to wait a little longer if you want to photograph a larger belly, but don’t leave it till the last minute!

2. Outfits

Choose outfits that accentuate the shape of your belly, or even expose it. You can opt to wear a short tube top paired with a skirt, a body fitting dress, or a sexy shirt, unbuttoned at the bottom. Sexy lingerie does the trick too. Don’t hide your protruding belly… it is what makes pregnant women so beautiful!

3. Good lighting

Keep it natural. Take photos next to windows or in areas that has lots of natural light. Avoid taking photos in fluorescent or down lights, as they create an unflattering, yellow-coloured cast on your belly. If there isn’t much natural light in your home, your house porch will do the trick!

For an outdoor shoot in the park, try not to head out when it’s too hot. The best timing would be in the morning before 9am or late evening after 5pm.

4. Props

Perhaps you might want to incorporate some props into your photo shoot, like letters that spell your baby’s name, cute little shoes, or the ultrasound scan. It’s a great way of personalising your photos.

5. Pamper yourself

You need to know you’re beautiful even thought your body looks different while being pregnant, despite the swollen legs and probable weight gain. Before your photo shoot, treat yourself to a nice bubble bath and get a makeup artist to give you a makeover. If you feel beautiful, you’ll exude confidence through your images!

Maternity photos can be a special way to help you cherish the moments as it unfolds.

If you are interested in doing a maternity shoot, contact us here to book one! Our studio is well-equipped with props, comfortable furniture, clean changing rooms, and lovely natural lighting.

Grace Tan In Casual Portraits, Chinese Weddings, Church Weddings, Family + Children Portraits, Indian + Punjabi Weddings, Malay Weddings, Maternity, Outdoor Weddings, Parties & Events, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits, Weddings

Getting to know Smurfette, our prized VW Kombi!

Some things just get better with age. They develop character. They become more endearing and turn into a true gem. That is how we like to think of our Kombi. And because she’s so special to us, we’d like you to get to know her a little better too.

She’s in excellent condition considering her age. To keep her looking young we’ve dressed her in bright blue, earning her the name Smurfette! She loves company and is most comfortable with not more than eight friends at a time. She also knows it’s not cool to arrive at a party all sweaty with messed up, wind-blown hair so she ensures you enjoy the ride with an air-conditioning unit fitted in all the right places. She can be a bit loud, but she’ll be the life of the party!

Due to Smurfette’s age, she has her very own driver for all her escapades. We also make sure she’s fueled up so she has the energy to last throughout your event! Even though we know how much she likes to party with new friends, as her guardians, we have set some boundaries for her own safety (and everyone else’s!). For example, she’s not allowed to attend functions beyond 200KM of Kuala Lumpur, much to her chagrin because she’s a real party girl. However, we feel longer journeys take a toll on her and we don’t think you’d appreciate a cranky party pooper.

Limitations aside, Smurfette has already been to quite a few events. She’s been spotted at pre-wedding shoots, ferried brides to their weddings and even played a role in corporate events around town. How’s that for an old grandma like her? She loves meeting new people so if you’d like to get acquainted with her, just get in touch with us. We’d love to set up a date for you.

Need more info about our kombi? Head on here.

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Maternity, Portraits

Vintage Chic Maternity Portraits: Diana

Darryl and Diana tied the knot a few years ago and had Kate shortly after, but they didn’t get a chance to take maternity or newborn photos then as she was born premature and sent to the ICU. But look at how she has grown! She will be receiving a baby sister soon, and I can’t wait to meet her as well during our newborn session. During our session together, I was warned that Kate may not take too easily to strangers, but thank God she liked my smiley face. :) I love how this set of images turned out.