Photography

Grace Tan In International, Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits, Weddings

Highlights for 2009

I have much to be grateful for in 2009. Through the brand Wedding Story, the team has traveled to many different locations and countries for wedding shoots. It’s been an exciting journey for me, as I’ve grown in my photography career and as a business owner. I’ve lost weight, felt the size of my eye bags growing, but it’s all worth it. The joy that I experience from doing something I am truly passionate about is overwhelming.

Working out of passion instead of the call of ‘duty’ creates meaning in my life. It’s because I truly believe that in every wedding I photograph, I am creating a legacy of images for the couple. That when they look at these images, and remember the joy they felt on that day, it is all worth it. There is a purpose to it, greater than just taking ‘pretty images’.

I appreciate Kee Sitt, Sharon and my husband Alex for all their advice and for journeying together the past few years. Life is exciting, and I am sure that 2010 has more surprises in store for us around the corner!

Here are 2 highlights that I’d like to share with you. They are compilations of various weddings & portraits photographed in 2009.

[flv:http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2010/slideshows/Stories_WeddingDay.flv http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2010/slideshows/wedding-highlights.jpg 700 394] [flv:http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2010/slideshows/Stories_Portraits.flv http://www.stories.my/wp-content/uploads/2010/slideshows/portrait-highlights.jpg 700 394]

Grace Tan In Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

My Family Portraits

Ever since I started shooting portraits professionally about 2 years ago, I never really did take any proper family photos of my own. It’s kind of strange. A lot of photographers tell me that they have thousands of images of other people, but very few of their own. One professional photographer who has been in the business for more than 10 years told me… “I don’t really have images of my children taken with my DSLR. Most were taken with a compact camera. After a shoot, I don’t feel like carrying a huge camera during family events.”

I feel the same way. During events with friends or family, I don’t usually bring my DSLR. I just want to spend time talking to people and connecting with them. On top of that, I don’t even own a compact camera. It’s either the iPhone or Canon 5D Mark 2.

Recently, my aunt and uncle who lives in Melbourne came back to Malaysia. During this trip, my 2 aunts from Malacca came up to KL as well. And so, rather randomly, I suggested we do a photo shoot together. And amazingly, everyone agreed! This shoot felt really significant to me. It’s true. Taking photos as a family brings you together.

My dad is already 77. He has Alzheimer’s which has no cure. There aren’t that many years left where we can be together as a family, having such an opportunity like this.

It’s worth it.

My family, minus my brother Raymond. Just in case you’re wondering who shot our portraits… well, it was a combination of myself, Alex and Shu Wan. :) Oh, and we didn’t try to colour coordinate. It was by coincidence that my mom, dad and I chose to wear red.

My dad and his two sisters.

On the right, my aunt and uncle from Melbourne.

I told my dad to smile, and he did this…

And then I told him to kiss my mom, never expecting it to really happen… He was a little shy. :)

My parent’s amazing maid, Parmi, who is super duper reliable and loves my family as her own.

My sister Lina and myself, and of course, my husband Alex!

One more for the road…

Hehe, kinda cheesy but cute.

Finally, tapao-ing my sister’s shoe bench back into the car.

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Engagement Portraits: Siva + Sumitha

The thing that strikes me about Sumi is how infectious her laugh is. She is so bubbly and always joyful. I am sure that is one of the reasons Siva is drawn to her! A few weeks before their engagement shoot, I met up with them at Starbucks in the Curve. Only one sandwich to be shared between the both of them for dinner. “Gearing up for the photo shoot & wedding” they said. Wow, such resilience.

Even though it rained half way through our shoot, Siva & Sumi’s spirits remained high. We continued the shoot in the rain, and in complete darkness, even after the sun had set. I love doing really impromptu things like this with my clients. Makes life more exciting! At the end of the shoot, Sumi said, “This is sooo much fun!” Well, Sumi, I had a really awesome time too. Looking forward to your wedding in March.

A quick change of outfit (at the Dataran Merdeka carpark toilet!) and a new location…

It started raining when we arrived at FRIM. Luckily the make up artist had this really cool strawberry umbrella in the car…

It’s so cute, I wish I could claim the glory and say that I planned it all. :)

In between intermittent rain, the sun came out for a short while – maybe 10 minutes?

And then the sun set, and it rained again…

This is where it got really interesting…

Since it was already raining, why not just go ahead and get wet? With so little light to play with, I decided to manoeuver two cars (Siva’s and mine!) into the best position for the shots below… (and Shu Wan holding one video light next to them)

Definitely a memorable shoot! Anyone else up for a shoot like this? Possibly wrestling in a mud pool? :)

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Sadi + Purny

After traveling to Bangladesh in April for Ali & Farhat’s wedding shoot, I’ve had multiple inquiries about flying the team to Bangladesh for other weddings. I’ve learnt so much about the Bengali culture these past few months and found out that there a number of Bangladeshis who live in Malaysia! (even Integricity‘s office has one working there).

One day, I received a call from Purny. She is a Bangladeshi student in MMU and is engaged to Sadi who also studies at MMU. Their wedding is in January 2010. Though they didn’t fly me to Dhaka to cover their wedding, I had the privilege of shooting their portraits here in Malaysia.

Can you believe that this was taken in their backyard in Putrajaya? If only Putrajaya wasn’t so far, I wouldn’t mind waking up to this kind of view every day!

Grace Tan In Portraits, Pre-Wedding & Engagement Portraits

Ashley + Candace in Singapore

Ashley & Candace maintain a long distance relationship, with Ash living in KL and Candace in Singapore. Before I even met the both of them, Candace told me over email that she wanted to hire us to shoot her wedding and her pre-wedding portraits in Singapore. Ash and Candace are a very funny couple. They’re creative (of course, since Ash is a graphic designer!) and willing to try out fun things. It was my first time shooting in Singapore. One of the things I really love about Singapore is the amazing architecture they have. So modern and funky!

This 1st January I’ll be photographing their wedding in KL and then off to Krabi for another photo shoot with the both of them and their friends.

Here are some of the images from the Singapore shoot.

Played a lot with shadows on this shoot.

There was quite a bit of drama on this shoot. Since Ash doesn’t really live in Singapore, and Candace doesn’t drive in Singapore, they got a little lost on the streets, trying to pick me up, AND also getting to our first location. During the shoot, Candace’s gown got a little dirty after a little ‘incident’ on the rooftop garden when Ash accidentally stepped on her gown during a difficult pose. :) After Marina Barrage, Candace wanted to change into something a little more casual, but her gown zip got stuck! It took Ash a lot of yanking to get the zip down again!

Brides, this is something that can definitely happen to your wedding gown! Kris of That Special Occasion mentions that gowns with zips tend to be more problematic than gowns with strings or buttons. Something to consider when you’re choosing your bridal gown!

Good thing Ash and Candace have such a good nature – the zip issue didn’t upset them one bit!