singapore maternity photographer | a family maternity session
Cate was nearly a week away from her due date when she approached me for a photography session. Already having contractions, she was running out of time for a family maternity session while she was pregnant with their third and final child. As luck would have it I had an opening the very next evening and the Singapore rain held off for the day! We headed out the East Coast Park and in just over an hours time we ended up with a wonderful mix of photographs from individuals of the kiddos, family shots, fun shots, and of course a few photos where Cate just looked simply stunning.
It was another session where one of the parents was uncertain over how one of the children would "perform" during the photo session (most parents including me feel this way). The worry was quickly put aside as both children simply had a great time. From the giggles, running, and kissing mommy and her beautiful belly we were able to get the best out of everyone. And the results I have to say are wonderful. The kids show so much emotion in these pictures. Their emotions portray the love they all have for each other and simply add to their amazing mother's glow.
Thank you Cate and family for spending the evening with me to create these very special images of this amazing time in your life.
the Singapore project | Singapore's Marina Bay and More
Evening photography is quickly becoming a favorite of mine, especially in Singapore where the day heat and night time lights just push you to want to be out later in the day. An evening photo session of the renowned light show of Marina Bay was exactly what I had in mind this night.
I ventured out to Marina Bay just over a month ago to photograph the typical sights and attractions - the Merlion, the Marina Bay Sands skyline, the Singapore Flyer. I walked the full view of the Marina Bay taking the customary photographs, but what I was doing lacked inspiration. It seemed as though I was just photographing what others had photographed hundreds of times before. I had no special vantage point, no secret angle. It was just me snapping photographs. The was nothing special about it. I wasn't creating art I was just taking pictures of it. Now I still believe there are some good photographs, but it wasn't quite the vision I was after.
As I took my eyes off the main attractions and wandered a bit off the beaten path, I began to notice some hidden treasures as well as some interesting people that gave me much more of the artistic compositions I was looking for. Then I guess that was exactly my goal of my Singapore project photo walks, not just to photograph the obvious but to find the hidden beauty in Singapore. From the concrete to the human, here is the beauty I found in the Marina Bay this evening in October....
singapore maternity photographer | this is my dream
I can't believe it's taken me a month to post these images to my blog. All the anticipation, the preparation, the photo shoot, the processing... I think until now the words just hadn't come.
The vision of this photoshoot came to me one evening nearly three months ago. Driving in a taxi downtown for a dinner at Koi Sushi (our favorite Singapore restaurant). We drove past the Singapore Flyer on the ECP like we always do, but for the first time I looked past the lights of the Flyer and noticed Marina Barrage. Marina Barrage is one of my favorite places in Singapore - the breeze, the view, the kites. It is an absolutely magically place (especially on a late afternoon with the kids). Until now it had never dawned on me how gorgeous the view must be at night... assuming there was absolutely zero artificial light at Marina Barrage. As I looked out my taxi window this fateful evening the answer was right there before me. Marina Barrage is PITCH DARK in the evening making it the perfect setting for an evening photoshoot capturing Singapore's Marina Bay skyline ablaze in all it's lit up glory. So the dream (and the planning) began.
I pulled out my umbrellas, my flashes, my pocket wizards. I searched for the perfect model. I tested, I planned, I envisioned. Fast forward nearly two months and the time had come. I walked out on the Marina Barrage rooftop that night and was in awe of the vibe. In was PITCH dark and the view was absolutely unbelievable. The reflection of the skyline in the water was breathtaking and such a welcomed surprise. There were enough people there to make you feel safe, but allow us total flexibility in where we wanted to photograph. It was a photographers' clean slate with an amazing backdrop.
The photo shoot itself lasted an hour to an hour and a half. Cate was the model of all models, standing patiently as I shone bright lights in her face and continuously adjusted the lighting. It all seemed to fall perfectly together, the pieces of the puzzle fit and the results were exactly as I hoped for. In my dream I envisioned the magnificence of the Singapore skyline juxtaposed AND complimenting the innocence, beauty, and glamour of an expectant mother. That is exactly what turned out. The two fit together perfectly, neither distracting from the other but working in harmony to reflect the others' glow. This is my vision of maternity photography in Singapore. For all the transient families it is the perfect memorial of your adventures and life in Singapore and for the residents it is the perfect way to honor your country and the life you have created here. I can't wait to see what's next and who I get to photograph.
If you are interested in artistic maternity photography, please contact me, Carrie Cheng at [email protected]
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the Singapore project | the Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum
A retired Air Force neighbor of mine recommended we visit the Air Force Museum. It didn't take much encouragement. In my effort to dig deeper into all that is Singapore we set off to explore the nations Air Force history. The goal of the RSAF museum is to serve as an information source documenting the history of the Air Force and to foster the interest of Singaporeans in the Air Force. From it's outdoor gallery of air crafts and missiles, to the historical gallery of artifacts and the missiles control center (which kids can play with, of course) the museum sparks the interest of children yet has everything an adult would want to see. Finish it up in the theater with the 10 minute movie and your good for at least an hour of entertainment. I could have stayed their longer for more pictures and a bit more in depth reading, but with kids in tow and the hour getting late, I saved that for a later date.
From a photography standpoint, there is definitely an awesome display of machine power to find interesting angles on. Standing dead center underneath an plane or looking a thousand pound missile straight in the eye ...
Like these images? You can purchase prints by selecting any of the images above.
the Singapore project | lantern festival
Chinatown, 10:00 PM, the Singapore project takes a look a 2013 edition of the annual lantern festival.
Late September in Singapore marks the time for the annual Mid Autumn Festival and the festive adorning of the town in lanterns – the iconic symbol of the festival. Following the contemporary tradition of spending time with friends and honoring the moon, I headed out in the moonlight to Chinatown with my husband to capture the beautiful lanterns aglow. (If you want to learn more on the lantern festival, there are several interesting theories on the origin of the Mid Autumn Festival in the wikipedia).
The combination of the illuminated lanterns with the roaring buses made for some vibrant and captivating photographs. If you like the photographs from the Singapore lantern festival, you'll enjoy the ones from the Thai Yi Peng Festival.
Next up, Mooncakes?