When you reach a certain age, meeting friends from your youthful days are pretty rare. Several years ago, I met my junior from polytechnic while teaching photography at ITE. She was working there as well.

Then in recent times,, I witnessed one of her important milestone in life when I was the photographer to her beautiful newborn baby. Months and days past, her little girl grew and we met once again due to photography.
She was back again in my studio for her family photoshoot, happily holding her adorable little girl with her husband. I was glad that my modest studio could be a part of her family’s memory, though they had opted their family photoshoot at the studio because of a very practical reason, the cool cool breeze that blows out from my air-conditioner. Studio photoshoot is indeed the better option when you do not want to battle with the Singapore weather.

“Ah girl, do you remember that we went to this lamp post looking uncle’s studio for your baby photoshoot?” I imagined a conversation like this could happen in her family in the future.

Below are some images to share.

Makeup by Yukiko Lim (www.yukikolim.com)

Regards,
Darren (123 Photography)
Email: info@123photography.com.sg
Website: www.123photography.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

The start of the Singapore dream was sowed and ploughed by the generations before us. All their sacrifices and perseverance were motivated by a simple hope, that is to build a better life for their family and future generations.

50 years have passed. Our nation has prospered, our families have prospered, thanks to their hard work and sacrifices.They gritted their teeth and weathered through the tough challenges to lay us, the future generations, a solid foundation to build our own dreams on.

Now what they want most is some quality family time with the ones they love and worked hard for. Let us show them our love and appreciation by treasuring our family bond and preserving those happy moments with ever-lasting images.

123 Photography is very grateful to our pioneers and we would like to show our appreciation with a special package for our pioneer generation and their families.

SG 50 Pioneer Generation Special* ($480) (Usual Price: $700)
– 2 Hours of Photography Session (Home/Outdoor/Studio)
– 10 x S8R Digital images + Print
– 1 x 24″ x 16″ Premium Ready-to-hang Canvas
– 1 x Makeup & Hairstyling

*One of the family member must have a Pioneer Generation card.
*Up to 6 pax
*Valid to 31st December 2015

Regards,
Darren (123 Photography)
Email: info@123photography.com.sg
Website: www.123photography.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. -Abraham Joshua Heschel

Recently, I was awarded an honourable mention from International Photography Award (IPA) 2013. I am sincerely grateful to be included and feel especially encouraged because the honourable mention was for my work with “Project Give”, a dear and meaningful project to me.

Last year, Yong How and I met Rae from “Project Give” for the first time. I was making casual conversation with her like any usual day when you first meet a new acquaintance; never did I expect it to become a start of an experience that would be so fulfilling. Rae had shared with us about “Project Give”, a project she initiated after she had received kindness from others while taking care of her child with special needs. Moved by her cause, we felt that it is only right for us to give back to the society too.

Acknowledging our intention, Rae came up with the idea of us taking photographs of families with children of special needs. Through photography, more people will come to understand the living circumstances of these children with special needs and their families. We both thought it was a great idea. Photography is our passion, and to use our passion to help others, I can’t think of anything more satisfying.

Under “Project Give”, we took pictures of three families with children of special needs. During those time spent with them, I realised that when you give, you really do receive. It was a familiar phrase we heard, but you only truly believe it when you experience it yourself. I participated in the project wanting to give back, but I found myself getting something back at the same time. Not only that I felt great helping them, I learnt many things from them. Things like hope, sacrifice, determination, commitment and love that I thought I already knew.

Having received so much from Project Give, I hope that more people would be encouraged to offer their expertise to help those families in need. I am sure you would receive much more in return.

Regards,
Darren (123 Photography)
Email: info@123photography.com.sg
Website: www.123photography.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

One may wonder what “Project Give” is all about. “Project Give” is started by Rae, who wanted to pay it forward after being blessed with tons of kindness her family received while taking care of her child with special needs, especially from the staff of KK Hospital. I had the privilege to know Rae last year, and volunteered my photography services after being inspired by her.

During a charity event photo shoot with Yong How (my colleague from TOP Photography who is also the founder of ‘3 Little Pic’), we met up with Rae who came up with the idea of having photos taken for families with children of special needs. We loved the idea and after much planning, we had the chance to do so for 3 families early this year.

Sad to say, one of the child passed away last week. Our only comfort is that we helped preserve some fond memories of him for his family to remember him by. We offer our deepest condolences to the family.

The experience has got us to slow down our pace and look at what is the meaning to life. Life is unpredictable, treasure your loved ones, treasure your good fortune and health, not forgetting those who are in need and could use a helping hand.

To know more about Project Give, please visit www.facebook.com/projgive. If you would like to contribute your services, do feel free to email rynare@gmail.com.

Below are some images to share. Photos taken by Darren and Yong How

Regards,
Darren (123 Photography)
Email: info@123photography.com.sg
Website: www.123photography.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

Having family portraits taken has been a practice that’s been around for a number of centuries now. What was once a privilege of the aristocratic families in the past, is now a tradition for countless families all over the world. It doesn’t matter if you’re part of a big brood or just a small family of three. Family portraits make the perfect memento to keep through the years.

Although taking the family photo may seem like an easy task, you’ll be amazed by the number of different factors that come into play just to be able to create the perfect shot. If you think family photography is easy, you might want to think again. Here are just some of the challenges that family portrait photographers have to deal with when taking family photos.

Composition
One of the challenges of taking good family photos is figuring out the right composition of your family photo. You need to compose the shot in a manner that will not only engage the viewer, but look aesthetically balanced as well. One foolproof technique that many photographers use is to position family members in an imaginary triangle to naturally draw the viewers’ eyes into the photo.

Poses
Another challenge that many photographers face when taking good family photography is finding the right pose. Sometimes it can be quite difficult to get people to pose in a way that doesn’t look stiff or staged. Don’t be afraid to play around with creative poses and you might just get a winning shot.

Cooperation from everyone
Lastly, there’s also the issue of getting everyone to cooperate, especially when there are young children involved in the shoot. Let’s face it, it can be quite stressful having to deal with young children in a photo shoot as it takes a special kind of photographer to get them to smile and laugh with everyone in the photo. The only way that you can get through this challenge is be patient and maybe have a few tricks under your sleeve. Go out of your way to make your subjects feel more comfortable during the photo shoot and cooperation is sure to follow.

Trying to capture the perfect family moment can have some very interesting turns, but once you see the final product, you’ll then realize that all that hard work was worth it. Look up helpful hints from professional photographers to learn more on how different photography styles. With enough practice and a bit of creative thinking, you’ll be shooting family photography like a pro in no time.

Photography is glad to be chosen to create Trea Scott’s family portraits, as a memento for their life here in Singapore before going back to Australia for good. The request was to have Singapore skyline as backdrop as well as places depicting the essence of Singapore. After taking the various preferences and factors into consideration, Marina Barrage and Club Street were chosen.

Coincidentally, the makeup artist that was assigned, was later discovered to be a good friend of Trea, what a small world.

Below are some images to share.

Makeup by: Yilee

Regards,
Darren (123 Photography)
Email: info@123photography.com.sg
Website: www.123photography.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

If you want family photos that really recreates the dynamics of your family, then it might be time to do away with the idea of “posed” shots. Gone are the days when family photos had to look serious and stiff, because now, your family photos can be as fun and colorful as you want it to be. Sure there are still a few photography basics that you need to keep in mind to be able to compose good shots, but as most professional photographers will tell you, it’s much easier to get good pictures with fun photo sessions. If you want to make family photography an experience for the whole family, then here are a few tips to help you out.

Play around with different concepts
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box if you want to make family photography fun. Play around with creative concepts that can help express the different personalities of the family members. If you have to use costumes or props, don’t be afraid to go all out. Just remember to not let the concept get too out of hand because you’ll still want to keep the look cohesive to be aesthetically pleasing.

Present a relaxed environment
Next, make sure to shoot family photos in a relaxed environment. If you’re not quite happy with the set in the studio, you can try taking the shoot outdoors. Look for a quiet park where the family can feel relaxed for cheerful sunny pictures. Or if the family feels more comfortable in their own home, then you can develop your concept from there. The point is to shoot photos of the family where there won’t be too much stress or else it will show on the prints.

Be candid
Last but not the least, you might also want to give candid shots a try. Instead of asking them to pose, have the family members talk to each other about their happiest memories of being together. Then take your shots inconspicuously and see what comes out. Sometimes, the only way to get great pictures is to ignore the camera completely.

Fun family photography need not be a cause of stress, especially if you have ingenious ways to get your subjects to open up. Always remember that the secret to great family pictures is to take photos of your subjects at their happiest moments. Just be creative, relaxed and let them do their own thing.

There are two kinds of images that you will aim to achieve when doing family photography. These are the posed type and the kind that will come off as natural. While some clients may request specifics when it comes to this project, there are also some who would allow you to be the boss and just tell them what to do.

Studio Setting

If you are aiming to take portraits of your subjects, it is best that you use a studio setting. In this kind of venue, you have complete control of everything, including the lights and other effects that you want to attain on your shots.

The ease of the shoot will depend on how cooperative your subjects on this family photography project will be. Here’s a peek to the pros and cons of this kind of setting:

1. The setting could be quite intimidating for our subjects. You cannot expect them to relax in front of your camera. You have to help them find their angles where they will look perfect, without sounding too bossy, which may only add discomfort on their part.

2. The hardest thing to achieve in a studio setting is a natural smile from your subject. You just have to place yourself in their position. They are being made to pose and smile in front of the camera, which can really feel awkward, no matter how young or how old your subjects are.

You have to make them feel that the camera is a friend. It would help if you will talk to them about the things that they are fond of or try telling them of stories that you’ve had experienced on your job. You have to make them feel at ease. Through this, the smiles will come out all natural as you proceed with the shoot.

3. The good thing about this is that you are not bounded by time. You can patiently wait for the perfect shots to be achieved because you have complete control of the setting and ambience.

Outdoor Setting

It would be easier to get natural smiles on your subjects when they are outdoors. Here are some more of the pros and cons on this kind of setting.

1. The creativity is easier to attain when your subjects are outdoors. You just have to let them do what they want to with the setting and environment that they are in. Your task is to simply wait for the right smile, right pose and capture all these on your pictures.

2. The main disadvantage in this kind of setting is that time is limited. You have to complete your shots before the sun sets if you are aiming for a day effect. You have to get done with the tasks before the rain falls or the weather changes, which will affect the effects on your photos.

Just like any other kinds of photography, family photography can be quite challenging. It is best that you are equipped with the right materials and you know what to do in case something that you did not expect happen during the shoot.