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Bin Bin Tan In Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Maternity, Portraits, Studio

Our favourite props at the studio

As a lifestyle photography studio, we often get asked on whether we provide props for shooting. It’s so common, we’ve worked it into our questionnaire – asking whether you’d like any specific props for your session. We have a wide variety of these in our studio but here is a list of our favourites and why we love them.

1. Red and White Tent

Whether it’s for an outdoor or indoor shoot, our red and white tents are one of our most requested props. We can see why – it’s a great backdrop, can be modified to include other decorations and can be easily styled to match your own personality too.

2. Indoor Garden

Keen on a garden shoot but can’t deal with our heat and humidity? Good news – we have a variety of potted plants that we can use to set up a miniature garden theme for you. All this in our climate-controlled indoor studio ;)

3. Rocking Horses

Warming up for photos is something that can take some time for children. It’s difficult for them to sit still for an extended period of time, and they usually have a lot of pent-up energy that needs to be released. Our rocking horse encourages play and allows children to be themselves while providing excellent photo opportunities. It also makes for great interaction shots between siblings or family members.

4. Baby-friendly Props & Toys

Babies are even more difficult to shoot than children since they cannot yet be instructed. As a result, we usually let them freestyle while we photograph them in their cutest natural moments. Whether it’s little chairs for them to sit on, rugs for crawling or stepping stools, our baby friendly props will allow your child to safely be their baby selves. We also have an abundance of toys and books at the studio, so we’d be happy to pull something out of the cupboard when the little ones get restless.

5. Festive Props

The festive season always seems to bring out the family feels. We often see a surge in bookings around this time, likely due to the whole family being together. If you’re looking to capture the spirits of the season, let us know and we’ll set up your session with our festive prop collection. Any ideas for what you would like for a Hari Raya or Deepavali themed shoot?

6. Volkswagen Kombi

While technically not in the Studio itself, Smurfette is our prized Volkswagen Kombi that’s available for rent. It’s presence immediately lends a fun vibe to weddings and the photo opportunities with her are endless!

Chi Yin Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits, Studio

The Yearly Hari Raya Ritual: Alif Satar and Shadila Halid Family

Malaysian artist and actor Alif Satar together with his wife Shadila Halid and their extended family, made it a point to take their Hari Raya family portraits annually. It’s their family tradition to print out Raya cards every year. We love how they plan ahead of time, have their Baju Raya ready earlier and gather everyone together to have some fun before Raya. It’s the second time having this lovely family in our studio. It was wonderful capturing the nine adults and seven children having fun with one another. We love all the little silly moments and love seeing how they enjoy each other’s company. Why not adopt a family tradition like this in yours?

Chi Yin Tan In At Home, Family + Children Portraits, Portraits, Studio

Selamat Hari Raya from all of us!

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a huge celebration here in Malaysia. Part of our Raya traditions include taking Raya family portraits for different families. It’s always nice to see families dressed up in Raya outfits of the same colour, making time to be together in a photo session. Most of the time, we even get to enjoy some Rendang, Satay, and Kuih if we are at the client’s house.

We do have some returning families who make a point of returning every year to update their family photos. I love how we can journey with families like this, seeing each other every year and watching their children grow.

I hope you have had a great celebration and a wonderful time on this occasion.

Bin Bin Tan In At Home, Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Newborn, Portraits, Studio

What To Wear For Your Family Photoshoot

“What should my family wear?” is generally the first question most families have when arranging a family photoshoot. It’s a valid question! After all, your images will most likely be displayed someplace in your home, and you’ll want to make sure they’re not only beautiful but also timeless.

Based on our experience of photographing many families, here are some tips for choosing your outfits!

1. Coordinate, not match

Rather than having everyone show up in the exact same shade and style, consider instead outfits and colours that complement each other. Think cohesiveness rather than being “matchy-matchy”. Begin by choosing a colour palette of two to three coordinating colours and select your clothes that will fit into this colour scheme. Coordinating colours are colours that are found opposite each other on the colour wheel. If you’re unsure about which colours complement each other, this handy tool from Canva can assist!

2. Consider Colour Shading

If colour coordination feels too daunting, go for multiple shades of the same colour instead. You can’t go wrong with a light natural palette – think earthy tones and hues of cream, grey and blue.

Having different shades of the same colour doesn’t just mean going light and dark. Shades of green, for example, could include olive, mint, turquoise, and even teal. Throw in a bit of neutral colours like white and grey to mix it up and you’re good to go!

3. Have Variety

Discard the all tee-and-jeans look and replace it with a variety of khakis, skirts, and even long dresses. Allowing this range will let each family member dress in a way that reflects their unique personality and will result in far more interesting family portraits.

4. Don’t be afraid of prints, patterns or even bold colours

While you can’t go wrong with solids for everyone, including a pattern or print in the mix can assist to draw attention to your images. A splash of colour can also do wonders. When styling with prints and patterns, it is important to note that not everyone should be such styles. With aesthetics, typically less is often more. A good idea is to have majority of the family in neutrals with only a few members in pattern or colour.

5. Textures and accessories are your friend

Choose garments with a range of textures and fabrics such as lace, tulle, chambray, knits and others to add depth and character to your images. Layers and accessories can also be used to apply textures. Not only can these help pull your look together and assist with outfit coordination, they can also be used as styling props in the photoshoot – think a jacket slung over a shoulder or a tulle skirt being twirled around.

6. Be yourself

Ultimately, your family photos should represent who you and your family are. Don’t dress like someone else just because you saw an amazing outfit idea. Being comfortable in your chosen outfits and enjoying your projected look will help you love your photos more.

To enquire more on our packages, contact us here.

Grace Tan In At Home, Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Portraits, Studio

How to Have a Successful Family Photography Session with Pets

We invite all family members into our studio, including pets! Photographing pets can be quite challenging. They belong in the same category as the “terrible-two-toddlers-who-does-as-he-pleases.” Instead of getting frustrated that your pet (or your toddler) doesn’t behave the way you hoped, just go with the flow and take their lead! Whether you are shooting in our studio, your home or outdoors, here are some tips that would help create a better, more successful family photography session with pets.
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