I am pretty sure every Asian parent would be envious of this little kid, with her huge, gorgeous blue eyes. She looks so much like a doll and her smile can turn any blue day into a sunny, happy one. It’s days and sessions like these that keep us energised and excited. We love candid moments like these too… they are all part of the fun, and make a session memorable.
As a photographer, I have this innate desire and need to document my life. There are some important people, places or events that encompasses an essential part of who I am and the life I live. I believe that this process of documenting life is really important and I encourage you to think about your own life and how you can capture these moments because they become little windows into a memory that you once held dear.
1. Your house
It may seem trivial to take a photo of your house from the outside. But when you move and settle into a new home, you might find it hard to remember if there was a rose bush by the old gate or if your door was wooden or glass because those memories will fade. Just by looking at a picture of your old house on the outside can actually bring a flood of memories to mind of the times you spent pruning that rose bush and the barbeques you had on the porch.
My family home in Malacca where I spent my growing up years. This was the final goodbye as we packed the house to sell it in 2011.
2. The inside of your home
Just like the outside, you’ll want to remember the interior of the place you called home. Maybe one day your kids will want to see their old room, or the doorframe where you had their height measured every six months; and maybe even have a laugh at the type of furniture you had. They might even remember the time they spilled juice all over that carpet! They will be images that have far more sentimental value than you’d expect. This is one of the reasons I love photographing families in their own home, mess and all.
How true it is that daily life filled with chores, workload and family concerns may seem long and tedious! However, when you look back at how fast the months and years go by you find yourself yearning for time to slow down. That baby you hold today will be a young man or woman in a blink of an eye. Here are some phases in life you’ll want to capture and cherish forever:
BABY STAGE
Whether it is a maternity, newborn or baby stage, it is usually a very special time for the parents. Documenting the natural glow and protruding tummy in the later stage of pregnancy can remind you of how you felt throughout the pregnancy. Capturing shots of your precious baby sleeping in her crib, breastfeeding her or those of a gurgling baby will remind you of the happy (and tough!) times as a parent in the early months. It is also a good opportunity to share the journey with your child when they are older!
TODDLER STAGE
This is the stage when your child starts to discover new things and experiences… like the joy of cooling off on a hot day with the water hose in the backyard, or doing hand-painting in playschool, maybe even digging in the garden with their plastic garden tools. Having keepsakes of them in the midst of these activities is what you’ll treasure later on when they have grown up a little.
PRE-SCHOOL STAGE
At this stage in life, your little one is developing in character and is capable of so much more. They’ll be selecting their own attire for the day, helping you make cookies, learning to cycle, going for piano or ballet lessons! The list is endless… and there’ll be so much to photograph.
PRIMARY SCHOOL & BEYOND
Time zooms by once they start school proper because life takes over and days are filled with ferrying them from one place to another. But don’t forget that even as they grow into teenagers, documenting moments like holidays and achievements will give you something to hold on to before they leave the nest to lead their own lives. As a parent, you’ll want to capture every milestone with your child. Sometimes, you may remember to whip out your handphone to snap a picture or two, but most times the moments just pass you by. It is a good idea to make it a point to get some proper shots of the family together, in various phases of life. You will not regret how it made you feel to be reliving those times again!
Posing is more than just placing people in a specific position and having them hold still. It is about using your skill (and a few tricks) to help your subjects look their best in your photos. Here are 3 simple tips that will help you get better, natural and more authentic family portraits.
Watch the video for more information!
If you are looking for a cosy environment for your family or maternity portrait sessions, our studio is the perfect space for it. We are based at Oval Damansara, Jalan Damansara, which is just along the Sprint highway next to Taman Tun Dr Ismail. Another landmark would be Glo Damansara mall, which is a stone’s throw away. If you are coming from KL city centre, it takes about 20-30minutes by car.
Here’s a few reasons why we love our little nook so much:
1. There’s just so much natural light!
While we have the backdrop and lighting for a more formal corporate shoot, we tend to use a lot of the beautiful natural light streaming through our ceiling to floor panels. It is perfect for family sessions with babies and young children. We can use our black out curtains and sheers to control the quality and quantity of light that comes into our studio. Our natural light studio looks best between 9am-4.30pm on a sunny / cloudy day.
2. It feels like home
We have arm chairs, sofas, bean bags and mattresses to make the space feel so cosy, almost like home. We even offer snacks, water, coffee or tea to ensure you have a comfortable session with us. While we do not require you to remove your shoes, our studio is cleaned regularly so that hygiene is maintained. If you need a steam iron, a hair dryer, gel, facial blotting paper or wet wipes, we have it all. We even have toys and bubbles to entertain your little ones when they get antsy!
3. We have various background options available
Our walls are painted white, brown and we have a white brick wall available as backdrop options. If required, we can set up seamless white or grey backgrounds for shoots that need it. While it might seem ‘plain’ to some, our style is to keep everything minimal and classic.
4. Need to make it more colourful with props? Yes, you can!
If you would prefer a more ‘set up’ look for the session, you can bring your own props or utilise some of the items we already have. For example, we have a child size tent, rocking horse, paper flowers in various shapes and colours, chalk boards, vintage luggage bags, Scrabble letters and more. Just share with us some thoughts about the theme or look you want to achieve, and we can contribute ideas to make it happen. Alternatively, we can recommend decorators that you can hire to style your shoot!
5. We can accommodate a large group
Our little nook is approximately 400 sq ft, so it can accommodate large groups as well. We have photographed up to 26 adults and children in our studio before! It just takes a bit of coordination and lots of patience from everyone as we work through the groupings. We also have a separate overflow space where family members can relax while the session is ongoing.
6. Easy access
We have 2 entrances to our studio, one through the lift from the main lobby if you need wheelchair access and the other directly from the carpark at zone F. We can reserve a parking lot for you at our carpark so it makes it convenient for you. The entrance from the carpark is our main entrance and it leads you through our shared office space with our other colleagues from Integricity.
We invite you to make an appointment and visit our studio if you would like to have a look at our space, or book it for your next family, maternity, couple, newborn or corporate headshot session! Have a look at some sample photo sessions taken at our studio.
