I am so stoked to see my name published on WPPI newsletter this month which also featured all the winner prints from the 2008 8×10 second half print competition. I finally see the print that beats “I Stand Tall” & “I Stand Alone” for first place in the Bride or Groom Alone category. Nice work Sharon. Would love to meet you at WPPI 2009.

Every time I look at the winners list that includes big names like Ryan Schembri, Bambi Cantrell & my new idol Lito Sy (Asia’s most awarded wedding photographer), I am honoured to be amongst the winners. I have always wanted to compete against the world’s best and WPPI print competition offers that. Where else can you pit yourself against the giants of wedding photography: Joe Buissink, Jerry Ghionis, Yervant, Marcus Bell, Bambi Cantrell, Ryan Schembri, Cliff Mautner, Susan Stripling? Heck, if I finish second to any of these names, it is still a HUGE honour. It’s a bonus if I manage to top them in any categories!

Lito, I’ll see you at the top! It is so hard to keep up with your winning streak!

Every Thursday night for the last 13 months, the LPS team is the official photographers for the Blue Note Cover Girl night. Female patrons are randomly picked for a makeover followed by a 10-minute portrait session with LPS. Blue Note is a great place for party and hanging out but not if you are the photographer who only had 10 minutes to photograph each cover girl!

My traveling schedule has not permitted me to shoot there more often. I think it was at least six weeks ago that I last shot there! Tonight, I worked the venue hard, trying to squeeze something out of a place that I was overly familiar with. My weapon of choice: D700, 85mm f/1.8, Lower ID video light.

This equipment combination is perfect for Blue Note. It is fast to setup, easy to visualize (what I see is what I get) and it helps me nail the focusing in a dark area. All the shots were done with one single video light except the picture of Esther. Perhaps I should write a book on single light portraiture because I do that A LOT (either with video light or flash). LOL! Here are the results…

Kim. She has a sweet smile. Really the girl-next-door type.

Susan. At this point, I was really inspired to use reflection.

Shirley. She is Susan’s sister. Her tatoo inspired me to shoot something emo and attitude-ish. The video light was positioned directly above her.

Esther, the school teacher. I never had a teacher this hot. I made used of the tungsten light from the ceiling and bounced it back with a white chair place right in front of Esther. TATA, my clam shell light setup courtesy of Blue Note! I make use of every piece of furniture, nooks and corners

Finally, Bianca. Video light pointing down 45 degrees from the left. It was placed very near the wall to create the accent light that brought out the striking red colour of the wall.

“Why don’t you relocate your business to Kuala Lumpur?” This is a question I get A LOT. Sometimes I wonder that given a bigger stage and based in an even bigger city, I could perhaps achieve more. I tried very hard to like Kuala Lumpur but it just isn’t my kinda city. I had nothing against big places. Spent five years in Toronto and I LOVED it.

Today, half an hour after my flight from Kuala Lumpur landed in Kota Kinabalu, I got home (can you believe how convenient it is), pulled away the curtain and I saw this. This is one of many reasons I LOVE KK. The more I travel, the more I realize what a paradise KK and Sabah is. I am not going anywhere. I am here where my home is, where my heart belongs…

Wedding fairs are also great places to meet people and make new friends. I just got to know a great singer Janet Lee. Wow! What a songbird. I have been bugging her for the last hour or so that she should really make her first album soon! She is good! Here are some shots I made using Janet’s Nikon D70s. If you need 5-star performer for your big day, check out Janet.

Jasmine and I are exhibiting at Cyberview Lodge’s Wedding Fair right now! Thanks to Cyberjaya’s free broadband, I am blogging LIVE. Kris just unveiled Wedding Malaysia 2009. It is heartening to see how Kris had brought together independent professional wedding vendors through the magazine and events over the years.

Louis Pang Studio is very privileged to join That Special Occasion and Pretty in White to bring bridal photography services to our fans in Peninsular Malaysia. We have dedicated dates during which we photograph in Kuala Lumpur and its vicinity.

Here are some pictures LIVE from the Wedding Fair, courtesy of Zach.

Kris unveiled the cover of the latest edition of Weddings Malaysia.

Kris and Cyberview Lodge’s GM Shaheen Shah.

Dennis, me and Jasmine, Kris.