christmas

Give Thanks for Everything

What an amazing year 2013 has been. Personally, I just turned 1 year as a mom, and that has been such a beautiful journey. Having a child reminds you to cherish the small things everyday, and to make time for people who matter.

Krysta-bday

Yeah, work’s been good, we now have 5 full time staff in the team, have photographed and filmed 65 weddings/pre-weddings and 34 lifestyle portrait clients in 2013. We have also completed quite a number of corporate shoots under the Integricity Visuals brand. While some may not consider this as a lot, I truly give thanks for what we have been given. God has never left us in lack and we have always been content.

I love working with the amazing team of people at Integricity. I love our family culture and how everyone cares for each other genuinely. Life is about relationships…and working with awesome people makes my day!

Have a wonderful Christmas season as you cherish important people in your life, while remembering that all good things come from above!

1312106_iGroup_CmasCard_b

Grace Tan In Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Maternity, Portraits, Promotions, Studio

Christmas Special: Creating Memories

2013Christmas-studio-promo

Our Lifestyle Portraits promo is now back, but this time, it’s even better than ever!

Book a portrait shoot for yourself and a friend (or get 2 shoots for yourself… the more the merrier!) during the month of December 2013 and you’ll get a special rate of RM500 for an outdoor lifestyle portrait shoot or RM380 for a studio shoot (per shoot). Then block a shoot date between the months of January till March 2014. Here are the details:

Lifestyle Portraits: Outdoor
1 hour photo shoot by one of the Stories photographers
1 location within Klang Valley
Limited to 8 people
35 images (printable up to 8R size)
12″ x 8″ matte photo print
RM600 for one shoot or RM1,000 for two shoots

Lifestyle Portraits: Studio
1 hour photo shoot by one of the Stories photographers
Limited to 6 people
25 images (printable up to 8R size)
12″ x 8″ matte photo print
RM480 for one shoot or RM760 for two shoots

Terms and Conditions:

Shoot dates subject to availability between the months of January – March 2014 only. Book early to avoid disappointment.
An extra fee of RM100 is chargeable for weekend and public holiday shoots.
Each additional person is charged a rate of RM30 (not valid for studio shoots).
Add RM150 to select Grace as the photographer.
Additional hours of coverage at RM400 per hour.
Do note that our studio is on the first floor of SStwo Mall and is accessible by stairs only.
Lifestyle portraits consist of maternity, family, newborn, individual and casual couple portraits.

Email us at hello[at]stories.my to make a booking.

Grace Tan In For Photographers, Life, Musings, Running a Business

A Grateful Christmas

Stories is part of the Integricity group

It’s true, God’s love is extravagant. God has blessed us abundantly, even more than what I could have imagined. My heart is overflowing with thankfulness…I see the business flourishing, and I know God definitely had a hand in it. Every year, I make it a point to reflect about the year that has passed, and to give thanks for good and bad experiences. In 2010, Stories turned one, and now, we’re two!

Last year, I gave thanks for the 38 wedding & pre-wedding clients that we photographed in 2011. This year, the number of clients increased. Collectively, the Stories team photographed 58 different wedding / pre-wedding clients and 30 other clients for lifestyle portraits & events. On top of that, we had a great year with a number of different corporate projects as well.

Our team grew as well and we now have a strong team of 7 core members with other supporting members. Everyone worked really hard this year and I am thankful for such a wonderful team.

Grace Tan In Promotions

Santa’s Sock

Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love listening to Christmas carols that remind me of Jesus’ birth, receiving and giving presents, and spending time with friends and family. This Christmas I haven’t really had much time to do all of the above as I have been rushing to complete and deliver work to clients after the peak wedding season of 2010. Yesterday, I came down with some flu-ish symptoms but took heaps of Panadol, vitamin C and my mother-in-law’s home made concoction for sore throats – the snakegrass pill (don’t ask me what it is really!). Topped off with a yummy dose of tong yuen (I love those glutinous rice balls!), I am all better already.

I am constantly grateful about what I have in life. God has been good to me all these years, and this year is no exception. I have written a full blog post reflecting about the year that has just passed which will be shared next week. I am so grateful for the clients that have come through my doors, shared their lives with me and given me the privilege of capturing their life through my lens. And for all my blog readers and Facebook supporters who have encouraged me with their words.

Sooooo…. I’d like to give away some pressies to you… And since it is the end of the year when most people are away on holidays or traveling… these pressies are handpicked for you! (you can use them on your honeymoon too!)

1. iTunes gift cards (USD$25 each) – I am a geek and like to share the geeky-ness. You can use it to purchase songs, apps for your iPhone/iPad, and stock up on games like Angry Birds for your trip! I have two of these to give away!

2. Spider Podium – A stand for your iPhone or as a little grip for your small compact camera. Use it in your car, on your office desk, or just bend the legs and attach it to a chair. This is so that you can have an alternative tripod for your mini camera (sorry it won’t hold the weight of a DSLR) or just increase your cool factor.

3. TSA Locks – Keep your items secure when you travel. Something practical and can be used in ANY country in the world. Two to give away too.

4. Microbites – When traveling, something like this is really handy. Especially if you are on a backpacking trip across Vietnam or Cambodia! You will always have a spoon/fork/knife with you.

5. M Rock camera strap – While on holiday, you also need a trusty camcorder or camera strap. It’s lightweight but strong!

So, how do you get these gifts? All you have to do is leave a message for me… Share what you love about the Stories brand and one area we can improve on. You can comment on this blog post, on the Stories Facebook page or on Twitter (@StoriesMY).

I’ll select the seven best answers and will be randomly selecting the gift for you. Entries will be accepted until 31 December 2010. Merry Christmas!

Grace Tan In Casual Portraits, Portraits

It’s a MadWorld out there…

Life, as they say, is unpredictable. One day, you could be traveling to work, as usual, stopping by the local bakery to buy your favourite muffin, and the next day, a tragedy like 9-11 happens. In a world where catastrophe happens on an almost daily basis, how are we to make sense of it all? Have we become numb to the things that are going on out there?

Or do I only care about where I will be having dinner tonight… sushi or Italian? Whether to buy Coach or LV? Which movies to watch, what to do after work…?

I know that it’s impossible to lead a completely self-less life, but I am constantly challenged to do things that matter in life. Whether it is volunteering to take photos at a HIV institution, cleaning people’s homes after the tsunami, or just feeding an old lady in a home… I believe that every action counts.

And so, the message in MadWorld really resonates with my soul. This amazing dance & song choreography, performed by talented individuals is the joint production between two churches – SIBKL & DUMC. The production raises this long debated question… “What indeed is the worth of our souls?”

The energy and passion that is in this production is truly inspiring. I know for a fact that the performers have sacrificed hours and hours of their time practicing for this production, debuting this 3rd of December in DUMC. The event is open to all and entrance is free.

A month ago, the performers, creative team, band members and many others gathered in an abandoned house in KL for a photo shoot. It was a challenging shoot for me, as I had to evoke the right kind of emotion through the images, which would be used for all marketing materials and brochures. Check out the poster below for the performance times, or visit the official MadWorld website.