Weekend As if it was A Dream (Pt.2)

Sunday.....went to work in the noon. As usual, went in and made sure that everything was well working, and looking good before the wedding starts. Shot two weddings before the big wedding came in, the one that I was waiting for. I met the couple a few times before the wedding, spoke and explained about how I do my work, was even suppose to shoot them before at a different location days before the wedding but my schedule was too tight, (was away for two weeks =p )

I was busy cleaning the place, making sure all the candles were placed where they should be, and then guests started arriving, the couple came in and the I was sorta "giving orders" here and there to make the place better, last minute I decided to change some stuff here and there that at a point some guests asked if I was the director of the place, haha, I guess the attire I had on makes it looks like I am. On the other hand, my boss was wearing shorts and slippers, didn't know why he did that, but he did.

So the wedding started, and all went well, but I wasn't quite pleased, I tend to have high expectation, and this couple I wanted to make it extra special. After the wedding, I didn't have the time I need and usually have to do my photoshoot, the usual weddings start late and all. After the wedding, my couple asked me to join them for the reception haha, I said I might join, so they rushed off and I clean the place a little, check my equipments if they are good for another few hours and off I went, to their reception. I got to the restaurant and fired away while I enjoyed myself! The shoot was free, but they will be paying me extra for the effort.....just went last minute without boss's knowledge =p , it's all good. Will be taking the couple out for more shoots in near future, and you shall be seeing their photos too!

Actual photo would be posted when I receive it =)

An interesting weekend that just pass like it was a dream. (Pt.1)

Been working non stop after two week of traveling day, night, day after day, weekdays and weekends. Still ever happy to work, at home or work.

Then came the weekend, had a special photoshoot for this lady who came by the chapel. But wedding was called off. so there were credit with us, hence the special photo shoot. So anyway, I got my boss to bring me help, the other photographer to make things look more professional. I was suppose to arrange this shoot right after my trip, but had forgotten about it.....till she called again, gosh! Was I embarrassed....so yet again, I plan my location, called here and we had to do it 1 day before she leave California for good =(

We meet and instantly felt like old friend meeting up after a long absense. She came in with her family and friends, we had to change location at the very last minute, the beach was beautiful, but too windy, and sand was just being blown, bad for camera and my subject wasn't that all comfy with it. So I made calls for suggestion of other nearby locations, we agreed and so they hope in to my car and meet the rest at the park. Rather simple park, people picnicing, playing games and all. So we sorta split into two groups and started shooting. I was lucky enough to have my wireless transmiter come in from HK that very morning, so so happy, so All the while I was using my wireless flash + softbox for the photo shoot! People started laughing from the beginning to the end, it was just fun and....most of them were cold haha. Shooting from all angles, we finally had the group shot and decided to go ahead and head back to the chapel for more shoot after the dinner.

I never got to shoot what I'v already visualized in mind before hand. Never got to do my favorite silhouette shot by the beach, sorta my "ziu pai" my speacilty! But we went down to the beach again and desperate did some shot!



Viola! Now that's inspiring!
Rarely get inspired by me own work =)

Will be shooting more!

Happily Stressed!

Wohoo, so I'm stressed up with work, yet happy about it =p

Ever happy to go work and shoot shoot shoot couples getting married, pose them and everyone end up being happy, including me, ha ha ha all the way home...

Switch the computer on and load them photos, organize them and then do post production. I'm happily doing yet, I get stress out of it.....i guess it's all due to datelines.


Constantly procrastinating with a smile.....stressed smile!

In the second week now, V a c a t i o n

So I just got back from a road trip last night at Twelve midnight, it was more than 12 hours driving since we started out journey from San Francisco, took the 1 highway, of course we did many stops and hence the amount of hours spent. We didn't even finish the 1 and decided to get out to a major highway, more lanes, straighter roads for a quicker journey.

The 1 highway is a costal highway where one would be driving along the pacific from up north to the south of California, I'm guessing it covers other states too? Not going to get into details now, just a lil update here and there, officially a tone darker....looking not at all good =/

Here's a lil sneak preview =p

In regards to.....

.....what I've posted on Dec 5th 2008

It's official, I'm the official/In house photographer for the wedding chapel. I'm also doing videos too, from time to time, my boss seem to like my video very much, apparently I have the eye for doing videos too WOHOO.....that's also why I'm kinda stuck in between, I'm starting to like video alot, my views have been, the way I see things have been more for video than photo now.

Told my business partners that I'm so into video now that I might make the switch haha, just as I've become the main photographer for the studio/business then jump over to what they are doing? They will kill the crap out of me! L o L

I guess I'm very much influence by my two partners, how they do their wedding+music videos, like it so much that I'm doing the same, we happen to have the same kind of eye for this photo video thing, came from the same school too!

Anyway, from today onwards, It would be alot of re-cap from those days that I haven't blogged.
Kept wanting to share, but no where the time to do so on the net, everything is still in my mind, fresh and not, I will try to get back my momentum to do so here.

Till then, "will post for food!"

L o L

hhhmm....? How?

Having a lil mix feeling from work today....
just heard something from the office, wasn't really official or is it?
I just need to hear it all in a proper way i guess.
Got a wedding to photograph tomorrow, will get a better picture of what's going on.

Nov 27th 2008 - Thanks

Thanksgiving...


...was a week ago. Daniel knew i was alone, so he invited me over to join his family for a meal. The day before at work, he found out that i was alone...
that's how it all started!
The usual me, I told him I'll let him know the day of is I decide to turn up, depending on my mood. Life's been rather slow and down lately, so I've been moodless at work at times too, just put on a smile and start shooting photos, after that, i'll just pack that smile =/

THIS POST IS SUPPOSE TO BE A HAPPY ONE!

Anyway, the next day Dan called me in the morning, boy i was still in bed, told me the time, and his places is near my work place, told me to come, still, I told him I would let him know....Again he called and said there was a change of time, earlier, and there were two parties/dinner, asked me to join in. That is when I decided to just go to his place with a bottle of wine!

There I was, taking a slow drive to his place, met up with his family members and just started socializing!! A VERY rare sight of me haha actually.


Dinner time, as a guest, I was seated at the front of the table, honored yet embarrassed, then it was for each of us to GIVE THANKS!? Wow wow wow, I've never really done that before, nevertheless, i was nervous, as I had to go next, so on and so forth. The FOOD was GOOOOOD!!!

I felt warm, in the company of this lovely family, delicious food and great company!! Small, Simple and very Personal. Made new friends, with the same interests - Photography & Cycling, so half the time I was giving Dan's niece like a crash course in photography.

Daniel's mom said in spanish "I like him, he's good looking" in front of me and her grand-daughter...me looking blur and just smiling, her granddaughter had to translate, man oh man i was bright red! She was one of them who prepared most of the food that evening!! Ahem ahem, i'm being like by so many around me, why am I feeling lonely? People at work loves it when i'm at the Chapel, working or just chilling.

Had a rather long chat with Dan after everyone left, from business to personal matters, yet again, he was pushing the idea of me getting married in the US, even mentioned that It would be free to get married at the Chapel (where i work) and he would be doing the photos for free bla bla bla, the things is , i'm not desperate to that extend - yet. Then we also got to know each other more, exchanging ideas and he gave me advice on LOVE!

It was a wonderful gethering!

My first Thankgiving dinner with a local family

On the same day of S & K vs M & L, i shot another couple cause their camera broke down at the chapel, just a few shots here and there after the wedding.

After the wedding, they asked me how much would it cost for those shots, knowing me, i automatically shake my head and said it's FREE, and i said it's a courtesy service since it wasn't their fault that their camera broke down, i did asked them if they would like to buy one of the photography package though, tried but it didn't work haha.

So my boss came and ask me why was i photographing the couple and i told him their situation. He gave me a big smile saying ""Nice work!"...... i think he thought i was giving them free photo shoot as in the whole hundred over shots at the chapel! L o L

Few days back i got an email from the wife, thanking me for my help, or shall i say, for my services? She was so happy that I have helped them take some photos and not ruin their special day. But i replied asking who she was haha, in a joking manner.

Anyway, got another HUGE tip on Sunday, was called in to back the chapel up as someone accidentally double book weddings, and my boss was sick, not to mention the main minister called in sick too, was actually preparing for the worst. Me and the weekend photographer planned everything well on how to take care of couples but at the end of the day.....some couples came in late, and another one decided to reschedule for an unknown reason....phewww....so i took care of the last couple, one of my co-workers gave me the key to lock up and so i had all the time i want to photograph the last couple haha, hence the LARGE tip! She also asked me for extra services (out of the chapel) HELL YA I'll so it!!! It was so funny that all her kids, 5 of them each had a disposabla camera with them, so through out the whole wedding, you can hear them winding their cameras after each click, sad to say, i only thought them how to use the flash after the whole wedding =(

I was actually supppose to be doing my FIRST engagement shoot by the beach that very Sunday, but the weather on Saturday was so bad that i decided to call off the photo shoot, according the the weather channel, the weather was suppose to be as bad as Saturday, so the shoot is now postpone to Dec 7th!.........the weather on Sunday actually turn out much better than Saturday, hopefully, the rain tomorrow and the next few days will help ease the weather and all the haze!!


Thanks for reading my looooooooong arse story without photographs!

this Couple VS that Couple

Two Korean couples came in at the same time today, M & L was scheduled earlier but had miss their flight, they flew in from NYC they live in LA. K & S is from NYC but came in to get married here, so he can get the marriage license before he can have his BIG ceremony in NYC. Both the brides happen to rent the same dress, one couple is already married, just wanted to have their photographs taken. It was rather busy and confusing for me at first, but Daniel and I manage to help them with the whole plan.


I met M & L first, so i took them in with me since they are already passed their schedules photo shoot, i took them into the dressing and got them to change. Not knowing that K needed the same dress for their wedding, so i had to quickly conduct M & L's wedding so i would get the photos i want and need that's included in the photo package. bla bla bla and i concluded the wedding. (They were married once that's why i so-called conducted the ceremony). Then M quickly change so i can hand the dress over to K for her actual wedding!


Since L needed to have some guests for their ceremony, he invited K & S to their wedding, in return, M & L were guest of K & S's wedding. Both the grooms spoke in their language and worked things out to help each other. So the ceremony begin, instead of exchanging rings, K & S exchange matching watches! Apparently their designer friend got it for them, she was at present too, with her Nikon shooting away, it was said that she's a big time fashion designer in Korea? Anyway, so i continue with my routine, shooting during and after the wedding. Once i was done, i then went back to M & L to proceed with the shoot, since they bought a bigger photo package, that requires me to deliver more photos.



M & L vs S & K



M & L very really into each other when they kiss, there were times i had to turn away, and try to give them their privacy, every time i tell the mo kiss, they just went for it left and right, so lovely!! or is it yummy?! =P As for S & K, their kiss was barely opening their mouth, i guess the bride was shy hehe, but still ,they were lovingly kissing!


M & L came from NYC, but lives in LA. S & L lives in NYC, but they came in to LA for this.
Both the couples needed guests for their wedding, so they helped each other by attending each other's wedding ceremony, small and simple. Both brides rented the same dress, even though it was slightly bigger than their size, we made it happen perfectly.


While sending S & K off, K took out a HUGE tip and handed it to me with a big smile! He was just so happy and thankful of me helping them! This is the second time getting a tip from a couple, both same amount hehe.

Back to M & L, this is actually a special rush order by them, they wanted to print out pictures today itself so they an make a wedding album for tomorrow, so after the photo shoot, i sat down and talk to them a little to come out with a best solution, time was running out, the photo lab closes soon and i still had to do some post production while another wedding was about to start, who also required my services....i told them i can get it down latest by 10pm and even then, they offered to take me out for dinner after that. I told them other time would be better, my priority right now it to get their photos ready, so after i was down, i handed them the files for them to make their printing selection and off i headed for the next wedding, thank goodness they were late =p.


I have to say, it was really a fun day to work, although hectic and lil confusing, i had fun with both couples while shooting, they both have similarities and they both offered me something after the shoot! I gave them my contact, hoping to hear from them regarding their pictures and hopefully, i'll b able to "recruit" them for an engagement photo shoot for each couple!!! Times like this i would surely miss!



i wish i could post pictures of them here, maybe i will? (PICTURE POSTED)

Interesting day!

The chapel called me at 1230pm,asked if i can get in for the 3pm wedding, and they called again at 2pm to hopefully get me in ASAP for the 2pm wedding, thank goodness i was all set and ready to leave at that point. Traffic was good so i got to work in 15 minutes time. The wedding ended up starting half an hour later then i got in.....=/

I was kinda worried that the 2pm wedding would affect the 3pm wedding - which will be a Msian couple!!!

I sat through the Msian couple's wedding, took some pictures cause the weekend photographer finally came in. Had good chats with the guests after the wedding and the groom's mom invited me to their wedding dinner!! After the photo shoot was over, the groom realized that he left his car keys in his mom's bag who left a while ago. What a coincidence, that i was invited to the dinner, so i gave the couple a ride, pick my sis up and off we head to his home so they can change for the dinner. Small crowd, only two tables, very simple n family oriented, just the way i like it. Good food i have to say, yesterday i had two different instant noodles for dinner, and today i had countless course meal for dinner YUM YUM! On the way home, i dropped the couple off at the chapel after dinner so they can collect their car.

How interesting i initially wanted to photographer this couple but decided against it to join my mates (Videographer) for two different weddings which got canceled at the last minute....and the chapel called me in last minute today to shoot this couple.....wow, if it wasn't for this, i would be at home....trying to think what to cook, life's boring like that people.

Pretty soon I'll be collaborating with the groom's sis, who is a makeup artist for photo shoots that could help us build out portfolio!! Till then, more updates soon!

GOOD FOOD! ALL we Msian's here talk about is FOOD =)



Mumbling away when there's some alcohol in my blood

It's been 31 days!

Yes, for those who are curious, i've been working in a wedding chapel, Officially started on the 8th of August 2008 - 08.08.08

On my first day, my shift was from 7pm- 12am on that very day! Five weddings during that shift, yup, one wedding every hour, that's how we run it, wedding by the hour!

It seems weird because 080808 seems like such a long time ago but i mentioned that i've only worked or 31 days so far. Well, i'm more of the weekday photographer, sometimes i do go in on the weekend as backup. I don't work on a regular basis unlike those 9-5 jobs from Mondays-Fridays, I go in as i wish! L o L , only joking, i go in only when there's wedding scheduled for photoshoot. Not every couple who gets married there requires photography service, so sometimes i don't need to work. And sometimes a few weddings are split into many hours apart, so i just hand around, help make the place look better, attend to customers bla bla bla.

MY job only requires me to take pictures throughout the wedding ceremony, and some studio-like shots after the wedding, that's our specialty.

But.....

...what i also do at the chapel during free time :

Help the boss with his flowers! Yes, he arranges flowers every week, he gets them fresh from the flower market in efforts to make the chapel more "lovingly" sweet! Hence the way i smell when i get back after work, lilies!!

I also help with some tiny paper work from time to time....wedding certificates etc.

And do make an effort to just clean up whatever mess i find (house-cleaning).

Often times i do help my co-workers to do some of their work, mostly photo related, like attend to couples that would like to view their pictures that were previously taken during their wedding, or help place chosen photos to be sent out to the lab for printing or even help couples select their photos.

Sometimes i do walk couples through the chapel on what will happen during on their wedding day, show them around the chapel, explain to them about photo packages and so on. Sometimes i just can't care less about anything..... =p

After work, of cause i'll have to deal with post-production of what i shot in the chapel, it usually take me about 10 days of less to get them done, it can be fun, it also means i'll be spending loads of time in front of this computer.....i guess my job requires me to take work home ay.

The pay, by standards is pittance, but i've just calculated....and i was amazed no doubt!

My boss, Daniel is actually a fashion designer, he is just helping take over the business from his parents due to medical reseaons. For those who watched the 1st and 2nd season of Project Runway, you might be able to recognize him.


Do visit www.wednow.net for a clearer idea of the wedding business we do!

ps: some pictures in the website were shot by mE!!! It's up to you to guess which ones =p

5ive!

It's now the 5 of us here, and it's complete - as a family! =)
But it's going to be a short one where we are all together, Jean's got to leave for school up north of LA, and parents will be leaving next week....at least we got together for a great occasion.


FIVE is always a good number, it's the amount of members in my family, it's my house number and it's my favorite number! It's just sad to see everyone leaving again....although this five of us will once again unite in the near future!

Ho me in com ple te

2 + 2 = Almost 5ive!!!

Yet again, this apartment could be called HOME...soon!!!
What a lovely sight, we've been having visitors from Kajang since early August, never thought we will have so many different groups of visitors over.

Home Sweet Home!!