Photography

Tips: Photographing the Chinese Tea Ceremony

Since we’re all still in Chinese New Year mood, I thought I’d share some tips (from a photographer’s perspective) regarding the tea ceremony that happens at every Chinese wedding. Hope it helps you plan for your tea ceremony!

1. Please prepare a list so you are well organized during the ceremony. You don’t want to accidentally miss that aunt who travelled all the way from Ipoh to attend your wedding. It also enables the ceremony to run smoothly as the next person can prepare their gifts and ang pow before it is their turn.

2. In the past, we’ve photographed a tea ceremony with a large group of about 100 people. And that was only one side of the family! Instead of taking 2 hours for the session, you could speed things up by preparing additional seats – while one couple is being served tea, the next couple is already seated on the 2nd set of chairs, waiting for their turn! One couple we photographed actually created a semi-circle of about 10 seats. Everyone was seated, and the couple made their rounds in an orderly manner.

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Family Portraits: James, Dea & Aaron

There are days when you see a cute baby and think… gosh, I think I am ready for kids, like now! Aaron is one such kid. He’s got such a great personality and a beautiful smile. A smile that can melt your heart instantaneously. I kid you not. James and Dea live overseas and I am glad I managed to meet their tight schedule for a little photo shoot in KL. Thanks Anna for recommending them to me!

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Amanda, Ivan & The Pang Family

Climbing over fences. Water bomb parties. Watching movies. Eating Mamee snacks. Silly school theatre productions. Watching Oliver the musical. Literary & Debating Club activities.

Some great childhood memories just last a long time. And some great friends last a lifetime. Even though you might only see each other once every few months, or once a year…it doesn’t matter, because every time you get together, it feels like old times again. Amanda is one of those childhood friends who totally fit the bill. Since our primary school days to secondary school and onwards… we grew up together, saw each other through the ugly years (when I still had braces!) and through all the hardships a teenager would normally go through.

Mance, thanks for all the fun memories from our days in Malacca… I wish I could be there on your wedding day, but unfortunately, that date has been booked by another client months ago. I am glad that I managed to photograph your family portraits and some casual shots of you and Ivan though! Nice meeting Ivan for the first time, but we definitely have to sit down for a proper chat over a meal soon! Maybe after your wedding?

Hope you like the photos and slideshow!

[flv:http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2011/slideshows/amanda-ivan.mp4 http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2011/slideshows/amanda-ivan.jpg 704 400]

Grace Tan In For Photographers, Musings, Testimonials, Tips + Ideas, Wedding Films & Videos, Weddings

Behind the Scenes: Alvin & Melissa

I always have good intentions to do more behind the scenes videos of our shoots, but as with all good intentions, it sometimes remain as intentions when not followed through with action. On a day to day basis, we have so much work to do in terms of photo touch ups and album design that editing videos like these take a back seat. In fact, I have a number of videos that we’ve shot but not had time to edit. :(

So I am glad that we managed to complete this edit, thanks to the ever hardworking Weiming. He shot and edited this video entirely on his own. Amazing work! Thanks Weiming for making me look good in video (though I cringe when I hear my own laughter).

To view the photos from Alvin & Melissa’s shoot at Carcosa, click on this link!

Do let me know what you think of our little video!

[flv:http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2011/slideshows/alvin-melissa-bts.mp4 http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2011/slideshows/alvin-melissa-bts.jpg 704 400]

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Pre-Wedding: Eric & Jennie

Photographer: Grace
Hair & Make Up: Michelle Touche
Wedding Gown: That Special Occasion
Flowers: My Bridal Florist

It’s such a great honour when another photographer chooses to hire us as their wedding photographer. It’s also quite stressful, cause they have certain ideas about what looks great, and with their x-ray vision, can probably tell if I’m making a mistake. :) But thankfully, Eric is super easy going and went with the flow… and Jennie, well, she is used to being in front of Eric’s camera.

Eric is a destination wedding and portrait photographer, having set his footprints in Australia and Indonesia. Currently, both Eric and Jennie live in Jakarta, but last month Eric and Jennie traveled to KL; he had planned to attend CM Leung’s photography workshop and during the same trip, be photographed by us!

Since their flight was scheduled to arrive in KL the day before the shoot, that meant we had very little time to organize everything. Multiple emails were shot back and forth before the wedding. They chose the location, we organized the flowers and the make up artist. After their flight landed on Saturday afternoon, they headed straight to That Special Occasion and found a beautiful gown for Jennie.

We had an awesome time wandering the streets of KL, and it was great that we had so much help! Together with my assistant, Diane, Eric & Jennie had brought their entire family along! Eric’s sister Elsa was shooting some behind the scenes photos, and Jennie’s parents were there for moral support! Now this is a different sort of family holiday!

Eric & Jennie, thank you for your confidence in us. It was so easy talking to and photographing the both of you! I can’t wait to fly to Jakarta next year for your wedding… it would be my first trip there, so am excited about it! Perhaps I can spare some time after to go shopping as well. :) Hope you like these images!