If you were at the recent University Malaysia Sabah convocation, you may have seen pretty Thara Zainal. She was the first one to receive her scroll that Monday afternoon, the one who won the Royal Education Award (in Malay, it’s “Anugerah Pelajaran DiRaja”) AND the one who made a speech during that 6th convocation session that weekend.

“I was excited and nervous at the same time – to be the first one entering the Chancellor Hall, and the first to go on stage!” Thara gushed.

You see, she was the first to enter the hall because she’s the outstanding one of her batch. Of the 4,336 receiving their scroll that weekend, just 49 graduated with first class honours and only 5 were from her faculty (including her).

The feisty business degree holder knew right from the start that she wanted to graduate with first class honours, “But it was quite tough because I have my own weaknesses. I didn’t even make it into the Dean’s List during my second semester.”

She was determined though and took it as a challenge to do better the next semester.

While Thara says that her family & her loved ones motivate her to do her best, she attributes her success to mum Tulip Noorazyze, who is the Director of Quality Improvement & Corporate Social Responsibility at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, “I idolize her in every single way because she is my superwoman. And also my supermum!”

Thara’s doing her Masters in Business Administration in University Malaysia Sabah now. Peering into the looking glass, she sees herself working for about 10 years before pursuing her PhD, “I want to share my knowledge to the society, maybe be a lecturer.”

She’s such a happy & brilliant young woman. We’re certain she’s going to beat all odds & make all this happen because “…you have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…” – Dr. Seuss in his book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”,

They burst out laughing! And of course, Aaron had to repeat it, “Will you marry me?”

When a marriage starts with a good hearty laugh like that, you JUST KNOW it’s going to be great all the way!

But I get ahead of myself so let’s rewind.

Brynda is a lawyer working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia & Aaron works in an IT consultant in Melbourne, Australia. Their paths crossed when she went to Melbourne on a mission trip with her church members.

They stayed in touch when she got back to Malaysia. The more they talked, the more they realised how much they enjoyed each other’s company.

So, one beautiful day in December a couple years ago, Aaron sat Brynda down, whipped out his acoustic guitar, played & sang her a song he had composed for her (you heard right, ladies. A song he COMPOSED for her) & asked her to be his girlfriend.

Many moons later, he played and sang another song he had composed for her (“I wrote it…very early one morning”) but this time, he asked her to marry him….

Fast forward to this weekend … Brynda will walk down the aisle in her church, looking resplendent in her trumpet-cut, embroidered organza gown. She’ll say “I Do” before her God, her family & her friends and become the beautiful Mrs. Brynda Teh.

Our prayer for you two is that Brynda will always remain “gorgeous…tender-hearted” to Aaron, and that he will continue being “Godly, gentle, faithful …(there’s a lot more)” … for the rest of your lives together. Congratulations!!

(Below) Aaron & Brynda had dinner at Ferdinand’s, Magellan Sutera Resort, Kota Kinabalu, on the night he proposed. They wanted to return to the restaurant for this pre-wedding shoot. Very apt.

And finally,….

We’re inviting families to our studio in Likas Square this November 24 & 25 (Saturday & Sunday) to celebrate the year-end holiday, the Louis-Pang-Photography way.

Here are what we’re giving away:

Gift #1: FREE portrait session for each family group & 18cm X 13cm framed photo, AND
Gift #2: if you sign up this weekend, the 60-minute portrait session is FREE!

And here are the details:
Date: November 24 & 25, 2012, Saturday & Sunday
Time: 12pm-6pm
Venue: 1st floor, Likas Square Commercial Center (right next to the only escalator in the building)

There’ll be smiles, laughter, some jumps & live entertainment! Due to popular response, please expect long queues. We ask for you to be patient & gracious.

Terms & conditions for Gift #1:
• at least one parent in each group photo,
• 1 framed 13cm X 18cm photo per group (while stocks last),
• each person is limited to 1 photo shoot this weekend,
• event’s special promotions are only applicable for new sign-ups on Nov 24 & 25,
• you DON’T NEED a ticket / pre-booking for the FREE session, just come to Likas Square & queue up, and
• if you’re one of the lucky 10, please remember to BRING your VIP Access card to get on the Express line.

Terms & conditions for Gift #2:
• to be eligible for a full refund of the RM300 session fee:
– portrait session must be conducted by February 25, 2013,
– portrait session can be rescheduled to a later date, no later than 1 month from the first booked session.
• RM300 session fee entitles you to a 60-minute portrait session, valid for up to 6 months from the booking date, and
• session fee will be void 6 months after the booking date.

So we’d love it if you can support the new Sabah Children’s Cancer Society by putting cash into their donation box this weekend.

Initially founded by a group of parents whose children were receiving treatment in Sabah Women & Children’s Hospital in Likas, Kota Kinabalu, this society was officially registered in April this year & launched the very next month. It is chaired by Datin Betty binti Perdo and its committee consists of parents of oncology children & volunteers. Dr. Ong Eng-Joe, Paediatric Hemato-oncologist of the Sabah Women & Children’s Hospital, is adviser to the society.

Its main objectives are:
* to provide care to the children suffering from cancer & their families,
* to help reduce the hardship faced by these children,
* to provide support for their families regardless of race or religious beliefs and
* to promote research and public education in the prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer.

Since its inception, the society’s organised several activities for the children: joint birthday & Hari Raya parties, a visit to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park & a fun camp sponsored by InnoSabah. There was even a (gulp) visit to the dentist’s!

All these activities were funded by contributions from generous individuals and organizations so the society welcomes all the financial assistance they can get. “The public is also welcome to become members of the support group for the oncology children and their parents,” said Datin Betty bin Perdo.

Last month, the 22nd Borneo Safari, a 4X4 off-road challenge, supported & highlighted the society through a particularly heart-wrenching story of a car-enthusiast father whose 5-year-old daughter lost her battle to cancer.

Below are a couple of photos are courtesy of the Society. Write to the Society sabahccs@gmail.com if you want to find out more about what they do and how you can contribute to their efforts.

A visit to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

A concerned parent listens intently to the dentist

(Photo credit: Sabah Children’s Cancer Society)

Here’s a quick run-down of the entertainers from Sabah we’re showcasing this weekend:

The Mojinas
Daniel & Gina Mojina will kick off Saturday & Sunday off with their famous guitar & vocal duet.

If you think you’ve seen the brother-sister duo, you probably have. They’ve performed at all the five-star hotels in Kota Kinabalu (& at several other cities in & out of Malaysia). The latest lucky resort to host them is YTL Hotels’ newest – and only one in Sabah (so far) – the Gaya Island Resort.

And if you’re a jazz festival fan, you couldn’t have missed them at the Kota Kinabalu & Penang ones last year. The Mojinas performed as part of their five-member band Elixir on centre stage at the KK Jazz Fest.

Gina & Daniel’s lives revolves around music: they give private lessons in the mornings (Gina teaches vocal, classical piano & keyboard while Daniel’s forte is the guitar) and at night, they magically transform the events that they perform at: from private to corporate functions, from weddings to birthday parties, from hotel lobbies to famous sunset bars.

Contact: “ELiXiR (Sabah, Malaysia)” on Facebook.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75QhIItMRwo (thanks, JiwangHui955)

Joanna Funk
Talk about a career change! She was a bond dealer first and then, a financial sub-editor for 16 years in London before returning to Sabah. She has lived in London, New York, France and Singapore. Lots of changes in her life but the one constant is music.

Back in Sabah now, Joanna Funk devotes her life to music. She’s the person behind SabahSongs, a wonderful blog about people working in music in Sabah (fun fact: joanna has put all the stories from SabahSongs into a book that will be launched next month! We’ll keep you updated when it’s available for sale). And she’s the pianist & singer in a band called Klasik Elastik that performed at the Jesselton Hotel.

Joanna will be performing with Sophie Van Aerde, a French violinist (the other half of Klasik Elastik), on Saturday from 1pm – 1:45pm. Joanna will perform solo on Sunday afternoon.
Video: http://sabahsongs.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/klasik-elastik-bella-italia-jesselton-hotel-youtube-video-classical-music-violin-piano/

Annabel Tiu
The gorgeous Annabel takes over the stage from 2pm to 2:45pm on Saturday & Sunday. The cello & piano (they rhyme!) teacher from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, usually performs with friends at corporate events, resorts & restaurants. Seen her singing at weddings? Yup, Annabel has performed at many weddings.

Annabel made her debut festival performance in Sabah 2 years ago & has been performing at every Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival since then. She’s also performed at the Sunset Music Fest at the Tip of Borneo, Kudat, Sabah.

Contact: Annabel can be contacted through her Facebook page.

Appy Tots
I understand his name is short for “Happy Thoughts”

Performing since 2001, this young man’s a “veteran” of all our entertainers this weekend. He’s performed at many corporate functions in Kota Kinabalu & Kuala Lumpur, his latest ones being at Miss Earth Sabah Finale Night 2012, Harvest Festival 2012 & Sutera Harbour 7K Sunset Run 2012. He also gives private vocal lessons – in case you’re interested in performing for our next Christmas event!

Appy is performing at 3pm to 3:45pm on Saturday & Sunday.

Contact: Appy is signed under the local label, Noisy Lions. Please contact his manager Mr. Arthur Lee at 016-888 1026 for more information about Appy.

Orkes Akiuku – Sabah Ukulele Group
The unlikely & humble ukulele is the last craze to hit the international music industry these days. I’m not sure if it’s the happy twang or how cute the instrument looks, but everyone’s talking about it. Especially Orkes Akiuku.

Founded in 2009 by Satria Utama, the Orkes Akiuku group was formed to spread the love of ukulele. “We want to show people how easy it is to learn the ukulele,” said Bob Mudy.

The group has performed at lots of festivals including the Sunset Music Fest at the Tip of Borneo, the Sutera Harbour 7K Charity Run & HitzFM 1st Birthday Invasion. Just this year, they released their first album and donated part of the earnings from album sale to KASIH, a shelter home for single moms & kids affected & infected by HIV/AIDS.

Orkes Akiuku is performing on Sunday only at 4pm to 4:45pm.

Contact: Orkes Akiuku’s Facebook page or Mr. Bob Mudy at 014-2008740.

Magical Clown Adin
Last but not least, we’ll have magical clown Adin! From balloon animals to magic tricks, Adin will entertain the young and old at the end of both days. He’ll start at 4pm on Saturday & at 5pm on Sunday.

Contact: Adin Entertainment’s Facebook page

Among the most popular customs continued till this day are the “Wedding Door Games”. But oooooh, it’s not as benign as it sounds, you know?

I Googled “Chinese wedding games” and words like “hilarious”, “fun”, “crazy”, “complete madness”, “noisy” are mentioned in several of blogs and sites. Never seen one in action before? Look for “Chinese Wedding Door Games” on YouTube.

Briefly, this is what happens during a Chinese wedding. The groom comes to the bride’s parents’ house to pick her up. He brings her to his parents’ house where they serve the elders tea, as a sign of respect (the guy’s side of the family first). Then, they’ll go back to the bride’s house to serve her elders tea. After that, they’ll all head back to his house for the celebration. Of course, there are many variations of that now.

Where do the games come in? When the groom goes pick his bride up from her home. (That’s why this part of the celebration is called “Pick Up The Bride” in Chinese.)

The man doesn’t come alone, he brings reinforcements in the form of his best buddies and his brothers. The bride doesn’t greet them at the front door neither. HER besties, her sisters, her girl cousins do. And they don’t make it easy for the groom to get to his bride, who’s usually hiding behind closed doors. The groom and his entourage has to do a series of fun and sometimes, downright painful, things. Like singing on top of their lungs (easy-peasy). Like eating wasabi & bird’s eye chilli sandwiches. Like getting their legs waxed. Like getting dressed up as women or popular cartoon characters. Like a game that involves a raw egg and getting it in one pant leg and out another. The more sadistic it is, the more the girl’s family will enjoy watching it. That, I suspect, is the general idea behind these games – sadistic entertainment. But oh, the fun! And the laughter! And the shouting.

After all that (because some elderly folks limit the games to just 30 minutes. Awwwww…), the girl’s besties, sisters & cousins will ask for some form of “bribe/ monetary blessing” before the groom finally gets to see his lovely blushing bride. At this point, some good bargaining skill is required. In the end, an agreed amount of cash (presented in a red packet) is paid to the girls and FINALLY, the groom goes scot free!

I read that the custom of teasing the groom and his buddies originated from good intentions. In the old days, Chinese marriages were arranged by the parents. The wedding day is often the first meeting for both bride and groom. Games like these help break the ice. And maybe, some ribs.

Whatever the reasons, we always have a riot of fun when we look through photos like these at the office!!

Let the games begin! (below)

…while the bride waits patiently in her room. Missing the fun, I say! (Bride Evelyn looks so serene & beautiful here)

In fact, you may have worn her before. Her dress, that is.

She’s one of the wedding dress designers at Pretty In White, the hugely popular bridal boutique in Selangor.

Louisa insists, “My job is not as glamourous as you think it is. But I absolutely love it.”

For as long as she can remember, Louisa has always wanted to be a designer. For any arts. She found out quite early that she loved to create & design, “I’m always fascinated with things around me, they inspire me.” So off she went to pursue her dream – obtained her degree in Arts, majoring in fashion from the Paris American Academy, worked in Paris for Anne Valerie Hash and as backstage dresser for Elie Saab.

Bright lights of Paris couldn’t keep her there though. Louisa came back to Malaysia and did a stint at That Special Occasion before moving to Pretty In White.

Known for the trademark finishings on her dresses (“I love to do my own crystal finishings.” So do we!) and her hair with bright highlights, Louisa said her job keeps her tremendously busy. With the coming wedding, though, she has had to find time.

“I’ve always wanted a simple wedding with close friends and family. But with more family involved in the planning process, it’s no longer a simple wedding!” she laughed. And the planning DOES get a little complicated because she’s based in Kuala Lumpur while the wedding is set in Kuching, Sarawak.

Louisa is marrying her childhood-love, Khavines. They grew up together in their hometown Bau back in Sarawak and she said, “He makes me normal because my work can get crazy. Does that sound right? (giggle)”

They’re getting married in a lovely cathedral in Kuching this December. After the mass, they’ll drive to Bau (where Malaysia’s first woman Olympic medallist Pandelela Rinong is from too), a small town about half an hour from Kuching, for the wedding dinner.

Throughout the day, Louisa will, of course, wear her creations. I’d love to see what she’ll wear!

When Joanne was planning for her wedding, she admitted, “Finding my dream gown was really difficult. I wanted a plain simple elegant gown with light delicate fabrics but it was hard to find one in Hong Kong with a reasonable budget.”

When she had to fly from her home in Hong Kong to Sabah for her pre-wedding photo shoot with us, she dragged this heavy puffy gown with her, “It was obviously not my ideal gown but I had to go along with it, I guess.”

Frustrated with her search, Joanne had a light bulb moment – why not start my own bridal boutique? A registered dietician & trained professional make-up artist, enterprising Joanne recognised the need to provide for brides looking for a gown that was simple & sweet.

WiwiWed was “born” in April 2011 in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Joanne said, “My husband Chris calls me ‘WiWi’. He wanted my name in our boutique’s name so… that’s how ‘WiwiWed’ came about.”

“Every bride needs help finding the right gown to suit her body shape. I’m here to help with that and I offer advice on the right eating habits,” Joanne figured. The boutique has served brides from all over the world, “We have had brides traveling from Australia just to find their ideal gown in our store because the gowns we offer are exclusive.”

Joanne searched the globe tirelessly to find designers who share her taste in bridal wear to feature in her bridal boutique. Today, if you wonder into WiwiWed’s website, you’ll find wonderfully dreamy & romantic gowns from couture names like Caroline Castigliano (UK), Nicole Spose (Italy) and Yolan Cirs (Spain). These brides: Vivian, Michelle, Noel, Tiffany & Tapby did.

p.s. Congratulations to the new parents, Joanne & Chris, on the birth of your new baby girl!

Tiffany’s sexy gown is a peek-a-boo number that shows off her leg (below)…

Tapby chose this dramatic gown (below)…

A look at the details on the back of Michelle’s dress (below)…

Noel really liked this soft, dreamy gown (below)…

And finally, who can resist this dress with its ruffles that Vivian chose? sigh…. (below)

You see, 21-year-old Adam followed every single Olympics 2012 fencing match closely in his home in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. He watched the fencers move, watched how they played. He noted, these guys are not using strength, they’re using strategy. Good strategy.

And Adam’s thinking, I WANT to be in Rio for the next Olympics.

In 2011, Adam Nicholas Lindbichler finished among the top 80 at the World Fencing Championship in Catania, Italy. That makes him… wow, one of the top 80 fencers in the world!

When he returned home, local papers ran an article entitled “Adam Makes Sabah Proud” and gushed, “The sabre fencer, who was making his debut in the competition, stamped his mark by outshining some of the more senior teammates with his feats.”

Back from that major win, Adam did not rest on his laurels. His day today begins with grueling training early every morning.

Early. Every. Morning. Very. Early. Every. Morning. (arrrgh)

He’s even more determined to go to the next Olympics now because when he was watching the fencers in the 2012 games, he was thinking, “I know those guys! I fenced with them in Italy. I should be there!”

But the road to the Olympics will not easy. Adam has to compete in as many competitions as he can. Each win will score him points. The players with the most points will be qualified to represent their country in the Olympics or any other international games.

So let’s support our local athletes. Don’t waste talent like Adam’s or any young persons out there. They need sponsors, their associations (Adam’s attached to the Sabah Fencing Association) need funding to send the athletes overseas for competitions, or to practise with foreign athletes on par or better than them. Adam’s mentor, local veteran coach and president of the Sabah Fencing Association, Mr. Alex Sham (contact number +6019-880 3338), said he believes Adam can go very far and supports Adam’s Olympics dream.

If we all work together, we’ll make one young man’s dream come true. And perhaps, one day, we’ll finally bring home that elusive Olympic gold medal…

p.s. We were so excited when Adam agreed to come in to do this fun shoot with us. He’s a great sport (oh joy! a pun!) and he’s really determined (…to slice that apple. And he did, perfectly sliced the fifth one. We had bought 24!). We can see why he’s ranked top 80th in the world.

Louis Pang Photography’s “Our Love Story” contest begins today, introducing you to our new senior photographers, Shen Yeo & Danny Chew. We’re inviting all couples who are planning their weddings – who’s got their wedding dates fixed – to tell us your love stories. You stand the chance to win an exclusive Pre-Wedding Photo Shoot worth RM4,500!

Choose from these TWO categories:
- Category Shen &
- Category Danny.
Senior photographers Danny & Shen will shoot the pre-wedding portraits in their respective hometowns, Penang & Kuching.

Ready to enter? It’s easy!

4 easy steps to join this contest:
Step #1:
Write your love story in no more than 500 words, telling us why you want to marry each other,

Step #2:
Attach a photo of yourselves,

Step #3:
Choose your preferred photographer, Danny (Penang) or Shen (Kuching)*. Then answer questions about your choice photographer found on our Facebook page, posted on October 18, 2012.

Step #4:
Email your contest entry to friend@louispang.com with subject title “Our Love Story contest” by closing date, November 19, 2012, 5pm. Include your full names, one relevant home address, handphone numbers & email addresses.

WHO can enter?
* Applicable to unmarried couples who have set a wedding date,
* persons 21 years old & above,
* just one entry per couple in this contest, and
* applicable to couples who do not have existing contracts with Louis Pang Photography.

WHEN is the deadline?
This month-long contest runs from October 18, 2012 to November 19, 2012, Monday, 5pm sharp (Malaysian time).

WHERE’s the pre-wedding photo shoot?
One winning couple will shoot their pre-wedding session in Kuching with Shen. The other couple will shoot theirs in Penang with Danny.

Prefer another location? See note “Photography Session Destinations” under “Terms & Conditions”.

Terms & Conditions
*PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION DESTINATIONS
Winning couple who chooses Danny will have their pre-wedding session shot in Penang, Malaysia. The couple who chooses Shen will have their portraits taken in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The winning couple will bear their own travel & accommodation expenses to the shooting destinations.

If the winners would like to shoot in a different destination within Malaysia, they shall pay specified additional charges that include travel, accommodation & surcharge for the photographer. The prize is not applicable for photography outside Malaysia.

2. CONTEST SPONSOR
As contest sponsor, Louis Pang Photography is not responsible for lost, late or misdirected mail; printing errors; server unavailability; or computer or any other electronic or telecommunications malfunction. All entries become the property of the contest sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.
 
3. ELIMINATION:
Any false information provided within the context of the contest by any participant concerning identity, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, ownership of right or non-compliance with these official rules or the like may result in the immediate elimination of the participant from the contest.
 
4. WINNER SELECTION & NOTIFICATION:
Judges at Louis Pang Photography will read all the entries and pick their favourite from each category. Results of this contest will be announced on our blog, Facebook and Twitter on Friday, November 30, 2012. By claiming the prize, you give us the right to acknowledge you as a winner on our Facebook page and company website.
 
5. PRIZE:
Each grand prize is worth RM4,500, inclusive of:
* A 4-hour pre-wedding shoot, with either Danny in Penang or Shen in Kuching,
* 1 gorgeous 10” X10” 20-page album from Japan,
* a DVD slideshow, and
* use of an exquisite wedding gown for the photo session.

6. VALIDITY OF PRIZE
Prizes must be claimed & utilized by June 30, 2013.

7. ADDITIONAL RULES:
a. The contest sponsor reserves the right to withdraw or terminate this contest at anytime without written or prior notice.
b. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You are providing your information to Louis Pang Photography and not to Facebook or any other social media platforms. The information you provide will only be used for Louis Pang Photography’s purpose to promote on its website and Facebook page.

Danny is a KL boy who fall in love to a Penang gal, Hooi Chai while they studied at University Malaysia Sabah. They got to know another Sabah lass, Li Yet who later married my brother Willie. So when they came to Sabah to attend Willie’s wedding and we met. Back then, Danny weighed 5kg less, a young engineer, crazy about photography, with lotsa spare time. Always a deadly combination. I had a spare Canon 580EX (another long story) that I sold to Danny at a cut rate price. Just thought it was nice to help an up and coming photographer fulfill his crave for better photography. Danny attended the first ever photography workshop I taught.

A geek and techno expert he is. Every time I meet Danny he would show me new cool apps for iPhone. From Intel to Motorola, Danny climbed the corporate ladder very quickly. Currently based in Motorola in Penang, he is working on some super duper, ultra secretive radio systems that he’ll get killed if he gave away any details. So I asked no further.

Every time I visited Penang, Danny and Hooi Chai would take me out for food. Yes, that’s the other thing Danny and I are crazy about. He introduced me to all the sinfully delicious food until our doctors banned us from Gurney Drive’s famous McTucky. They also brought us yummy durians. Some of them, air flown to Sabah. Jasmine and I are very blessed by their love and friendship. Danny assisted me in a lot of shoots in Penang and KL. His talents and ability were very evident to me as we worked together. I am also impressed he has a work rate and passion that matches his talents. No tasks were too small for him. There were too many shots I couldn’t have pulled off without his input and hard work.

I photographed Danny & Hooi Chai’s pre-wedding session as a gift to them. Little did I know then Danny would one day join the Louis Pang Photography family.

Weeks after I met Danny at my first workshop, I met Shen in my second workshop. A genuinely nice chap with a firm handshake grip, that was my first impression of him. He is a “hungry” photographer, a keen learner. I don’t know any photographers who spent more money and time learning photography. We stayed in touch via FB and SMSes. Being a Manchester United fan as well, Shen and I have A LOT in common. We cheered and consoled each other, depending on the Red Devil’s latest fate.

Shen’s best kept secrets in the photography circle is that he is an investment banker/regional manager of a large financial institution where he oversees millions changing hands everyday. It is a little known fact because he does not behave like a big shot with an ultra size ego. Whenever we meet for meals, he would ask about lenses, cameras, flashes, radio triggers, printing, fine art papers and retouching. And I would ask him where to put my pennies.

Shen has won a number of international awards, including 1st & 3rd place at WPPI. He is also a very keen print maker who never stop talking about colour management & fine art printing. To see such enthusiasm for photography when he does not need it for his livelihood, only tells me Shen is truly in love in photography and doing his best.

My recent conversations with Shen shifted to a new topic, his 16-month old daughter Faith. Shen’s eyes light up whenever he talks about Faith.

I am deeply honored to have two passionate and fine photographers joining our team. Does it mean I have less to do now? No way! In fact my responsibilities have grown. I have direct creative input into every wedding album we produce. I am also organizing ongoing training with Shen and Danny so we continue to grow technically and creatively.

Someone said, “If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, you go together.”

Below: Shen with his girls, Faith (middle) & Alicia.

Below: Louis’ pre-wedding portrait of Danny & Hooi Chai.

view Danny & Shen’s photos here

This group of young turks were the organizing committee of the SLA annual dinner. As the official premier sponsor of the event, we were responsible for their official group photo. Oh boy, did we have fun or what.

Always love a challenge. Being the first time I met everyone, I had to figure out how to arrange, group and pose them. It wasn’t straight forward. You have to consider height, shapes, personalities and blend them together. Glad I didn’t group anyone who wanted to kill each other.

Technically, this is pretty straight forward. Main light almost right in front, just above eye level, about 45 degrees point down. Then two side lights from the back. With so much black in the frame, we need enough light from different directions to bring out the details and definition.

Check out a short behind-the-scene video. Lawyers turn your eyes away from the screen!

Why, they’d ask. You see, a photo captures the child at that one moment in his/her life. She may be two and love Dora The Explorer. The tween boy is currently fascinated with his new drum set. Your little one-year-old’s favourite toy may be pots and metal scoops.

A few years down the road, these children will move on to other things – my guess is computers and the phone – but the art pieces you took at Louis Pang Photography years ago will always remind you of the time when the kids were little, when your life was different.

That’s why you should bring your children’s favourite toys.

That and because toys are colourful & they liven up the photos. They also help put the little ones at ease when they’re in an unfamiliar place.