Dream.Life.Wedding

It's a bit surreal, dream-like, and my wife thinks nothing much of it because "it doesn't look like a wedding picture".

However, I love this picture. I wish I had a wedding like this.

(Not with my current wife....since she thought nothing much of it).

I am a Contrarian

It's been a while since I last shot a wedding that was dominated by the directions of a videographer. You see, I am a documentary photographer a la journalistic style but it's a challenge if the proceedings of a wedding have to be adhered to a script. The possible end result is the "players" in the wedding are really "acting" (hence, not real anymore) and their real emotions will not have an outlet to be channeled out. (There was an instance when I was focusing on the curious and bewildered look of a boy during the gatecrashing when the videographer pulled him away from the scene because he's not part of the script!)

I won't be surprised if most, if not all of the weddings covered by the videographer having the same look, same edit, same cut, same everything. I must admit sometimes photographers also produce same set of images regardless of how unique each individual wedding is.

However, I must say that videographers like them can really crack some funny (and corny) jokes that never fail to elicit smiles and laughters from the "players". In a way, there won't be any dull moments when they are around. And the video highlights can turn out hilarious, if that's your cup of tea.

So what do I do?

By being a contrarian. I'll shoot when the videographer is directing (albeit try to do it from a different angle) and I'll shoot like crazy when he say's "CUT!". I guess that's how I am trying to make my photos look less like a series of freeze-frames from his video.

Silver Lining

There has been so much bad news on the economic front that I have been very engrossed with the recent news of more hardship, bankruptcy, credit defaults and a possible first post-war depression.

I was an economics major back in university (not a good student, though), and I have maintained my interest in this discipline even though I am not in the line. These things about deflation, Keynesian fiscal expansion, increasing money supply, corporate bailouts and the consequences. These are all jumping right out of textbooks and coming alive! How I wish I am back in school now. The lectures and tutorials will be so much more interesting!

Well, not that I am not sympathetic towards the current turmoil, but we are indeed living in exciting times; to be able to witness a perfect economic storm brewing in the horizon.

But, at least, the silver lining behind the dark clouds is that people are at least still engaging photographers to capture their precious moments, recession or no recession.

Recently, I just had the pleasure to document little Ann-Shae's 2nd birthday party at Ritz-Carlton. It was fun because her parents were old time clients who got married back in the days when Alkaff Mansion was still in business (that's where they got married). A reminder I am getting old.....do I really have to shoot a clients' 30th wedding anniversary before reality truly hits?

Rare Commodity

Blame it on my narrow social circle, but I've never met a magistrate until Carolyn. Images of Justice Bao immediately conjure in my mind but Carolyn is nothing like him. Fair and pretty, not to mention cerebral, she and Alvin (who is a looker himself) make such a good couple. I feel there is much mutual respect between them. Often, we can sense how deeply in love a couple is, but there is another equally important and more sustainable but rare commodity in a relationship----RESPECT. No matter how loving a couple is, love can't last if respect is absent. I'm no Dr. LOVE, but I do practice it myself in my marriage.

Every morning, I have to pay respect to my wife. That's how I can last till now.