Photography

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Law Family Portraits

Julia is a dear friend who shares the same faith, (almost) same passion in scuba diving – she is definitely more passionate on this one, and is someone who is fiercely loyal when it comes to friendships. I truly appreciate all the years of sharing our hearts out, our makan sessions, and fun trips with the cell group to Taman Negara etc.

It was a beautiful sunny morning when we headed out to a nearby park for some family portraits. Her family hadn’t done something like this for years… so naturally Julia was a little hesitant about how the photos would turn out! I totally understand that if you’re used to taking photos in a studio with a tie-dyed background, these kind of portraits would be something out of your comfort zone. My first ever professional family portrait was taken when I was 21, so yeah, I know how it feels!

But everyone had a blast, and Julia’s family was easy to photograph. It was entirely our pleasure, Julia. :)

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Grace Tan In Church Weddings, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

Christian wedding at Holiday Villa: Desmond & Sheila

“I was the first one to confess to him, I was the first one to ask him to marry me… I was all out for this man.”

Sheila was one determined girl. They had been together for 15 years, through a friendship that started online during their college days. And what a friendship that has been. One that developed a deep sense of trust, and a huge faith in God that He would make things work between them. Desmond is one who takes his commitment to marriage seriously. It is a serious covenant between a man and his wife, and with God.

I think that is such an amazing quality, one that every woman looks for. Someone who would commit their life to you till ‘death do you part’ and mean it totally and utterly with all their heart. That there are no exit doors, no ‘what if’s’, or perhaps we should think of it as ‘commit till we can’t take it anymore’. No, this is a man who commits to his vows with his entire soul… and what a sense of security it is for any woman!

Their faith in God has brought them through many ups and downs, and I am sure their marriage relationship will be tested again in the future (as with ALL marriages)… but I am absolutely certain that this is one couple who will work hard to make things work no matter what.

And that is what a marriage is.

Enjoy this entertaining video filmed by Felicia, Wee Liem & Delvin, and the beautiful photos by Johan and Ben.

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Grace Tan In Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Whimsical balloons and turning 30: Gladys

“Many a time, life is about self-discovery and it is a continuous learning process. I wanted to celebrate just that by capturing moments of my life approaching the BIG 3-0 this year. Looking back 10 years ago, I have perhaps been quite clueless about myself although I thought I knew what I was doing. I would let people shape me with their opinions. However, as time passes, I have grown more comfortable in my own skin, believed in myself and gained more confidence. Each one of us has our own strengths and flaws and we should all embrace these as that makes us unique. At the same time, I always believe in improving yourself and pushing your own boundaries. Like they say, the sky’s the limit.

My family also plays a monumental part of my life, especially my mom. She is one of the strongest women I know! Since the passing of my dad many years ago, she is the pillar that holds our family together. I know it has not been easy raising the 3 of us single-handedly. Even though we are all grown-up now she still worries about our everyday meals and safety when we are out. Therefore, celebrating my BIG 3-0 would also mean giving gratitude to my mom for all her years of love and patience.”

Gladys

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Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Family Portraits: Brian, Rita and little Lauchlan

I first got to know Brian through my sister Lina, as they share a deep passion for the outdoors and all things adventurous. I know that Brian is really good with his hands… in fact, a lot of the furniture at his home was lovingly handcrafted by him, including the cute little wheelbarrow / wagon you see below! Lauchlan is a really lucky boy! Then I got to know Rita. Lauchlan is her fourth child but what amazed me was that she delivered him at the age of 50! I truly admire her strength and tenacity in running after a small child at this season of her life (who coincidentally, is one month older than Krysta).

She is a truly dedicated mother, and she dotes on little Lauchlan. For a few months, Krysta and Lauchlan attended swimming classes together at a private home. We all enjoyed singing to Old McDonald’s, Humpty Dumpty as the little ones learnt to dip underwater and enjoy the pool.

I was privileged to have photographed their family (and Rita’s extended family!) one day at their home. Thank you for inviting me into your home, and for your friendship. I believe Lauchlan will grow up one day to be a dashing young man, with a heart as big as his mom, and an adventurous spirit like his dad.

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Weiming In Chinese Weddings, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

East Meets West, and some chickens: The Wedding of David & Michele

The bride Michele says…

We like to joke and tell people we met on the internet, as that often gets a reaction. The truth is we met in London while working for a bank. The All Blacks from NZ drew us together. We wanted a truly traditional Chinese wedding, and since Dave reckons he is half Chinese, so only a quarter of him needs to juggle between Western and Eastern traditions. Considering that he is top notch in mahjong, can handle sambal petai, all of our Chinese delicacies, and my crazy Chinese cooking, he’s doing pretty well. We have yet to train him on the lovely durian, but I believe with time, he will be fully assimilated. Resistance is futile, my dear…

It was great to relive the moments as the photos made us realise how much of the day we did not see. It made us grateful for our friends and family.

The photographer Weiming says…

The first thought I had was… we have the same surname, how cool! The wedding was held in Seremban and Nilai, with guests from all over the world. It was full of emotions… with lots of laughter, hugs and kisses. David and Michele are extremely accommodating. I mean, David was even willing to take some portraits under the hot sun with his suit on. (By the way, it was photographed at 1pm under Malaysian sun) Family and friends were really involved in the wedding, and Michele’s gown was even designed by her cousin. What a personal touch!

The cinematic film below shows what an amazing day it was and how much fun we all had on that day. We love the personalised vows as well!