Defining moments.

"Let your experiences define you, shape you, and make you the photographer you want to be." 

-Jasmine Star 

I wanted to admit to you something. When I started to learn photography in 2009, I told myself that I'm never goin' to spend a penny to attend any seminar or workshop in photography coz why spend  one when there's a big free source of information out there and just be patient to ask Mr Google, right? Hehehe But then also, I couldn't just afford it yet. However, when there's a rare opportunity of a free online workshop --- yes, unbelievably FREE! --- I wouldn't wanna miss it especially if the instructor is the person who's made mountful of influence to many aspiring photographers like I am.

I hope you've heard of Jasmine Star by now. I keep blabbing about her on my previous post and I went all star struck (you can't imagine how i jump off my chair that time haha) when she left a comment on my blog. Am I vain? Well, maybe I am and I don't care. Ahahah 

So anyway, for the past few days, I had the unimaginable and priceless experience of learning from her via CreateLive Show. My world felt like it stopped as I was following the show. It was about 5 amazing days of epic event where Jasmine covered a real time wedding photography coverage (from preparing a wedding shoot to finish!) and in between that she had all the amount of energy and courage to open herself up and although my style now is different from Jasmine's but she shared her work ethics, branding and everything else that any photographer can learn from. Just imagine how all stressful it must have been for her with all INTERNET watching her every move and listening to every word she said and she even admits that for real in the internet, goes to show she's just being true to herself and keeping it real! That's one of the many things I picked up from her --- K.I.R (Keeping it Real!)

And like her, I prefer shooting more in natural light where I am more inspired to compose my images. My weakness is low light and strobing is the last thing in my mind. I do have few favorite strobe artists (if that's what you call them) and I really have my hats off them. But given circumstances perhaps, I got a basic flash experience but to shoot entirely with flash will never be my favorite thing. Well, not really 'never' haha. You get what I mean. I thought I'd let that out in the open for everyone to know. =) 

That's a screenshot above from Day 1 of the webinar. She talks and resonates powerfully. I can even still hear her voice on my head in between my thoughts. Ahaha =)

So yeah, I'm sending off my undying THANK YOU to Jasmine Star for being such a total blessing and way beyond inspiring and I've said it over and over again how she's become my SUPERHERO. It's never enough to really describe her. One thing for sure, she's just fired me up with more courage to pushing myself in becoming a better photographer, coz seriously, there's tons tons tons of things to learn yet. 

*i'm gonna just tear up right here, right now so excuse me! haha* 

p.s. First photo above is a pile up of old minibooks I rummaged that only cost 50-freakin-cents each ahahaha and the lil camera on top is actually a pencil sharpener gift I got for my bartday from a good photographer friend Vanessa. Loveee love love! 

{E-Session} Joel & Canice - P R E V I E W

You probably have read my previous post the other day. The day after when I had all my body aches after a shoot --- to be honest, I can't even remember how I survived lugging around an almost 2kg camera on that day hehe --- why? coz I rented a 24mm 1.4g to give it a swing and see for myself if it works for me. I ended up using it the entire shoot somehow and was all hyped up using it (while I let my second shooter/dear husband use my 85mm 1.8). I had to work around a few angles though to adjust on my compositions since I've been used to that 85mm in the past shoots and although I have started falling in love with the 24mm, I still find my 85mm my most favorite portrait lens. *wink* Wait, am I talking non-sense to you? Lol.

So anyway, forget about my aching hands while shooting --- I was just all adrenaline-rushed again while taking snaps of this really cheerful couple. And how I knew Joel and Canice was thru a friendly referral from Kaye & Lance (<--the 2nd client I have officially shoot in Nov 2009! super thanks guys!). Joel sent me an email as soon as they've found the rest of my portfolio and although I did feel a little anxious coz they're the first local Chinese couple I'll ever shoot that time, I was still beyond thrilled!

There so much to post about this e-session SOON.

And what's even more thrilling is I'm shooting their wedding in October!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I think it's an understatement to even say I'm seriously stoked. 

*ocean-wide grin*

♥♥♥

{Bump Love} Jeandy

Ladies of Light, Ladies of Darkness, and Ladies of Never-You-Mind,

this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl.

Help her to help herself, help her to stand,

Help her to lose, and to find.

Teach her we're only as big as our dreams,

show her that fortune is blind.

Truth is a thing she must find for herself,

precious, and rare as a pearl;

Give her all these, and a little bit more,

Gifts for a Blueberry Girl.

-faved quotes from Neil Gaiman

If you've been following my work for a while, you must have seen Jeandy from my previous shoots. I had such marvelous chances of taking a portrait project of her during my early months of learning photography and an anniversarry shoot with her husband that rocked out and got featured at Rock n Roll Bride. Hoorayyy!

And now, just look how amazing this is going to be to take part of her growing belly love. And guess what? She's due for delivery in just a few days (or it could be tomorrow?!). Yeyyy! We actually took this few and spontaneous bump love shots last July, just few days before she went back home to Cebu to prepare for a grand showtime. And we are all praying for a safe delivery and anticipating so much joy to see a healthy pretty blueberry girl soooooon. =) 

And we all know the blueberry girl's going to have her Dad's coolest and prettiest curls, huh? =)

Awww... Love!!!! ♥

Like how Jeandy fondly reads books, she's prepared the first book she's gonna read to her lil girl soon.

And look how adorable those cute purple faery wings are.... =)

Congratulations again guys!
We're just all so thrilled for you!

-

Taken in July 2010

Pasir Ris, Singapore

Behind the Scenes

I woke up today with all the body aches from yesterday's oh sun shiny fun shoot with a really cheerful couple. And oooh, I can't wait to post a preview of their e-session SOON. For now, I'm glad it's a monday off for me and i'm just sitting quite lazily (but working on my pending edits) on our sofabed and it's almost like I just don't feel like moving a muscle. *grin*

So here I am, I thought I'd post a few of the behind-the-scenes from my previous shoots coz:
1. I wanna just share the laugh of it with yah all. =)
2. I thought you might find it useful to learn some silly agile moves. haha
3. The ever reliable husband, my second shooter, did a good job of catchin' me on act.
4. A scary thought came across that there might come a time I can't do some of this one day IF I get preggers you know. lol
5. And if ever I get to shoot and work with you, at least you get the idea ahead that I'll practically do my very best to be your 'superwoman' behind the camera hahaha and I'm sure we can get along well. *grin grin*

Here's one back in November 2009....my first ever client shoot... *wink*

Expect that all the passengers in the bus were glaring at me...haha

Don't ask me what was I staring at. Hehe

And this one just recently, last Aug 14 2010 which I posted in Facebook. 

'Thanks to Yoga!, huh?' Haha

 Seriously, the things you don't know you can do for photography huh?

posted last Aug 22, 2010 

And if you'll noticed below by the way, 

I'm wearing my d'cam bag I got for my recent bartday from my bff Yvonne.

And you guessed it right!!!

No matter what, in every possible way, I vow to wear it every time I shoot now. Haha

Although I'm still wishin' I get a shootsac soon!!!!

You know at one time, I actually wanted to wear a faved boho dress, but I realized it's gonna be hard when I'm tryin' to climb or crawl around huh? So, my rugged shorts/jeans keep me just comfy and agile enough while at it.
p.s. i purposely put the couple in blur below to surprise you yet hehe

Now here he is... the husband who's behind this all.

Acting innocent huh? lol.

Hope you all are having a great start this week! 

Spreadin' la la la ♥♥♥!!!

{E-SESSION} PAULO & JANIS - USS PART 2

For a moment, let's forget that I had that moodswing yesterday.... *tounge out*

(In case you missed it, Part 1 was here.)

I've been itchin' to post the sequel ..finally here it is! (I'm sorry I kept some of you waiting, have I?) ....now let me take you back to that ever-so-fond memory of dining retro-style, slurping and kissing and purely rockin' 'round the clock, huh...are you with me?  Ready.....on my count.....

**** insert magic swoosssh sound of Blast into the Past ****

In retrospect, Janis and Paulo... oh i love!!!! so much!!!

(insert blooper: applause to anyone who notices me through the glass...hahah..wasn't that obvious?)

I wish I could take this juicy jukebox home with me.....

Slurp slurp slurpin' ....lovin' lovin' lovin'.....

Want a bite??? *nom nom nom*

Hello, I wanna have this for my kitchen!!! can i can i? 

And did you know I died seeing that jukebox? =) 

p.s. My second shooter, a.k.a, the husband took this shot by the way...oh I so like!

And look what we have found outside the diner....

Thu-thu-thunnnnder----birdddd babyyy!!!!

(p.s. another shot by the husband here..yey!)

So, are you taking us for some retro-luvin-ride, Pau??? ;p

Oooops, looks like we got a some fixin' to do, huh? 

We couldn't drive around the thunderbird obviously, 

so who's stoppin' us while we dance in the middle of the street? 

These two are seriously one of the coolest fun lovin' people, I'm so grateful I've met them.

I'm all just grinning ear to ear now...

I had so much fun shooting that day and I'm starting to really miss them. =)

And I can't wait these two get married early next year. 

Their kind of love is the kind that lingers thru and it makes you just giggle. 

Really. 

♥♥♥

Taken last May 30, 2010

Universal Studios Singapore

Moodswings.

"But why think about that when all the golden lands ahead of you and all kinds of unforseen events 

wait lurking to surprise you and make you glad you're alive to see?" 

— Jack Kerouac

The gushin' rain outside our window woke me up sooo early today.
But I felt this really throbbing pain in my chest and to keep these inner demons away, I needed to write. *sniff*

And while I try painstakingly write, I blast off the speakers and turn on my jdorama playlist.

Don't get me wrong though, I do have other stuff goin', really goody lovey exciting stuff.... like...
    - my website is on it's lil revamping (rescue-ing) stage and i have a good friend/web developer helping me out
    - piles of happy edits to do yet that keeps me giddy
    - 'officially' shooting wedding(s) soon, before this year ends! wooooh! <--- this is the part where I can't almost sleep thinking about hehe
    - i'm collaborating with my faery buddy Govinda on a really wonderful creative project coming up that we can't wait to get started with it! *wink*
    - i'm redesigning my own 'official' business cards (ooops i know by now I should have them ready huh?)
    - packing up for BALI in November with friends (and hope to meet the medicine man! haha)

So you see, there're much things to marvel at in the coming days....but today, it feels like being stuck between "a rock and a hard place." I just remembered those exact words from Jasmine Star and I'm just somehow caught up with a boggling question on my already chaotic head, only I know, time can tell soon how it will turn out for me.

So yeah, I am on my moodswing today.

Tomorrow I might delete this post or....the heck, move on (fast!), Josephine!

{E-Session} Orlan & Lenlen: Yukata!

I had all the giddiness when Lenlen wrote me an email sometime last year in October and even more had adrenaline rush when we've decided they're gonna be wearing their favorite yukata, aside from a tandem biking session idea. Yosh!!! And being anime addict and japanese drama lovers as I am, we found ourselves sharing the same craziness. If only we had enough time and resources, they would have wanted a real cosplayin' shoot hahaha

And nevermind our weary but happy feet and all the sunburnt we got during this shoot, it was just all giggly fun workin' with these couple.  They just got happily married last August 15, 2010 and so that's why it took a long time yet to post these crazy-fun shoot (taken last January 15, 2010) to the public since they wanted to surprise the rest of their family,too back home.

And Oh, I've been so jealous with Lenlen being sooo cute with her dress! I'm soooo getting my own yukata set soon,too! =)

The pinky promise ...kawaiiii!!!

Luvin' these sunset shots taken by my dear husband/ever reliable assistant. *wink*

Now I'm starting to miss working with these two --- did I get a hint we're shooting a post-nup soon guys? Ahahahah *wink wink*

Go-kekkon omedetou gozaimasu, Orlan and Lenlen!

Wish you both all the love all through the years! ♥♥♥

---

Taken last January 15, 2010

Japanese Garden, Singapore