Been operating on 4-5 hour sleep lately…it’s going to be a dash to the finishing line for all the projects we are rolling out. So staying up late and getting up very early is the norm. The bonus of doing that is I get to see what I usually miss out: daybreak. Sabah, especially Kota Kinabalu, has the most gorgeous daybreak. If you peep close enough, you can see South East Asia’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu at the far left. I was enthralled and in awe. Someone so much larger than me is in control. As a lighting and photography freak, there was no way anyone can light a scene light this. Imagine the lighting diagrams, the among of light (perhaps 1 billion watt seconds), the CTO filters required, setting up the foreground and background… Yet scenes like these take place daily in different corners of the world. Isn’t that amazing to know that despite all my best efforts, all that I do pales in comparison to the work of the Big Guy upstairs. It is humbling & sobering.

Food for the table. Food for the soul. I have been thinking very much about the latter. What do I really love shooting that I would do it for free, as a gift for my soul. I love musicians. At best, I am a mediocre guitarist but I love listening to music & concerts. My growing audiophile CDs collection is a testimony to my passion. I buy music off iTunes Store but I still like collecting CDs.

And I digress. I would love to photograph musicians. Apart from my apparent love for music, I am probably driven by a certain amount of admiration for their talents. They have something so amazing that I do not have. A stroke of the strings with their five fingers, they create beautiful melodies that soothe, move, enthrall and charm so many.

Came across this trio at a wedding in Kuala Lumpur last weekend. In four years of shooting weddings, this is by far the best band I’ve come across. It was a feast for a music fan. I have never heard richer music coming from just a guitar, percussion set and drums. They blew me away. Get in touch with Albert Sirimal if you want them for your reception or events. Here are some shots of the band.

3rd man of this amazing trio

I will be working with some musicians in the coming weeks. Looking forward to share with you some of the pictures. They will be gifts I give myself and food for my soul.

Signing off the post with a dance from Ashwini & Sudrashan’s wedding I shot last weekend.

I have never entered a new year with greater gusto and optimism. We are taking on so many new ventures simultaneously…not because we are over committing but because the window of opportunity is open. We must work while it is day time. When night falls, we will rest. For everyone on the Louis Pang Studio team, October 2009 to February 2010 is a time to work.

Here is a picture from a shoot I did last week…high key pictures seem to be the flavour of 2010 for me

Let me give you a sneak peek on what we are working on…

A presence in Kuala Lumpur
So many of our clients have come from this amazing city. We want to take great care of you guys with a permanent setup. It’s a cool place where you will be pampered the Louis Pang way. That’s all I can say for now. Expect to be wowed!

World Tour DVD
A project that spans two years, five weddings & across four continents. It is the first education DVD for photographers produced in Asia by an Asia-based photographer. I am truly excited about this. It’s been a marathon to edit, script, record voice over, do post production, author and finally send for production. We expanded it from 60 to 130 minutes of total content. January 2010 is the final leg of this two-year marathon and we sprinted towards the finish line, fumbled a bit because of our inexperience…but the finishing line is in sight. We are days from mass production. YAY!

If you have pre-ordered this DVD, you will receive it by 21 February.

Guerrilla Lighting Guide
Lighting is always the most important part of photography, whether we are using available or artificial light. Flashes however is always trickier because in the blink of an eye, the flash fired and was gone. Where did it hit? How was it shaped? What was the character? Sometimes, we don’t see it. Lighting is like a stubborn monster in an action movie. You thought you’ve got everything figured out and had it finished off…but it came back, alive and kicking, with a new problem that would haunt you for weeks. The more we learn about lighting, the more there is to learn about it.

The Guerrilla Lighting Guide, is a handy & straight forward reference to photographers. It shows the finished shot, the lighting diagram, and my thought process behind the shots. I hope that by sharing my success and failures, it will illuminate your photography.

Organizing workshops for seminars for over 350 people
Man, this is challenging. While we are loving it, being able to bring Joe McNally to Kuala Lumpur & hosting so many of you, it is also stretching our small team. It’s all good. What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. We have over 350 people coming from 9 different countries. WOW! We want you to have an awesome time with us.

Ok. I gotta get back to work, while it is still day.

You can have a private lunch with Joe McNally or me. Yes, one on one lunch + mentoring. You can ask any questions you have on photography, lighting, marketing or career as a photographer. All you need to do is outbid everyone else on eBay.

This is an auction and all proceeds go to providing accommodation for children undergoing cancer treatment in Kuala Lumpur at the Children’s Home of Hope by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia.

Lunch will take place at 12 noon, Tony Roma’s at Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur on February 7, 2010.

To bid for a lunch + mentoring session with Joe CLICK HERE.
To bid for a lunch + mentoring session with me CLICK HERE.

Come on guys…let’s spread this news. Give hope and celebrate life!

I will be speaking and judging at Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) annual convention in Las Vegas in March. This is made possible by several generous sponsors whom I would like to acknowledge here.

Asukabook: These exquisitely printed coffeetable books from Japan have been my main albums since I started my business four years ago. These books set me apart from my competitions. The strict quality control, consistencies and customer service just won us over. The end product speaks for itself…scooping multiple awards for innovation and high quality. I am proud to be given the privilege to work together with a company of Asukabook’s stature.

Think Tank Photo: I have been big fan of their rollers and bags. Bought the first Think Tank roller & modular belt system 4 years ago–all the way from the US of A. (Nobody carried them in M’sia then). Again, what great honor to be associated with such quality brand. Doug Murdoch, CEO of Think Tank Photo, is probably as down to earth a man as you can find. Thanks Doug for your support.

As a photographer, working together with my sponsors are very meaningful to me. They carry products that I have trusted and happily paid money for. These products & services have helped my business and craft as a photographer. I am happy to endorse them unreservedly.

Love shooting bridal sessions. We can shoot unhurriedly to get our shots technically strong and emotionally rich. Yes, I can do that on the wedding day as well, but I would be lucky if I could get an hour alone with the bride and groom. With a dedicated day just for bridal shots, we can do a lot more.

Let me introduce to you Lee Suan & Calvin. Boy was I excited to shoot them…from all the emails, phone calls and our first meeting, I knew right away we would enjoy each others’ company. The shoot started from Raffles Hotel in Singapore and ended in a private yacht cruise in Johor. Check this out…