Phyo & David's Engagement Session

The sweetest couple ...

I had the opportunity to shoot Phyo and David in the heart of the City last month. Yes, I am very proud of myself for blogging in such relative closeness to the actual day of the photoshoot. Maybe I can finally break away from the curse of blogging my work half a year after it ends, haha.

Phyo and David were one of the cutest couples ever! They were ever so polite and so willing to do whatever it takes to get the picture. Before the shoot, Phyo actually sought my opinion for clothing suggestions and I told her lighter coloured clothings will always photograph brighter and "airy"-er. And both of them turned up well prepared in the cutest white dress and white shirt combo. Yes, if ever in doubt, wear white!

Posing talents...

The one thing couples asks me the MOST prior to booking, is always to ask whether if I would help to pose them or not. And my answer is always a resounding YES! Yes! I would help to pose my couples and I'd go as far as to say that is where I excel!

But for Phyo and David, even though they say they seldom take pictures together ( yes, man are usually not a fan of photographs) , they picked it up SO FAST!

Can you believe the picture above was the 3rd picture we took? I believe I only gave some very simple instruction and they RAN with it! I guess it also helps that both of them were very photogenic =)

Unexpectedly good location

The location was suggested by Phyo and I'd have to admit, I never thought the Marina Bay Sands area would be a location fitting of my bright and airy style. I've always been a fan of floras and forests so I had been very worried my style wouldn't translate well in a cityscape environment. Thankfully, the muted colours of the buildings and their light coloured clothings made the entire colour palette work.

Dawwww are they not just the sweetest? The love they have for each other and the sense of happiness they have just seeps into every. single. photograph! Every time I look at the pictures, I get a dumb smile plastered all over my face haha!

I am so honoured to have the opportunity to freeze these loving moments into static photographs. I love photographs like these that tells a story - their love story.

Photojournalistic shots

If you ask me what I like best about being a photographer, it would be capturing little moments of genuine emotions like these that nobody expects but means so much to the subjects in the picture. Yes, posed pictures are beautiful and necessary but when you get a beautifully composed and candid picture, you scored big!

I don't remember what happened here to tickle both of them but it was probably me telling them to laugh at how awkward they feel. Works every time =) y

Pre-shoot Recce

Yes even in this concrete jungle of an environment, I managed to find some greenery and boy was I thrilled! I found this patch of bushes / hedge underneath the Art and Science Museum when I did my location reconnaissance earlier. I always try my best to arrive at least 20 mins, often more, before a photoshoot begin to check out the location. I've even pre-scouted locations an entire week prior before.

And why do I do so? Because as a photographer, I know I am the director of the entire session and my couples or families rely on me to make the correct judgment call. The families or couples wouldn't know what or where makes a good photograph location but I do so it's my job to bring them to the place with the best lighting and environment that offers the most variety of posing options. As a photographer, it is my job to ensure the session flows as smoothly as possible and the couples have as little to worry about as possible.

I'm so glad we managed to get -some- element of the Art & Science Museum into the frame even though I think hardly anyone would recognise it haha.

Heat and Crowd ...

Gosh.... we took so many beautiful photographs that day.... Phyo and David did such a great job despite the heat! Yes, if you couldn't tell from the pictures, it was swelteringly hot and humid, you know, your average Singapore afternoon weather.

And did I mention that we took these photographs the first weekend after Singapore eased up the Covid social gathering guidelines? Yes, there was no more group size limitation and gosh the crowd was back with a vengeance! One of the first few messages I sent Phyo before the shoot was to give her a heads up that the crowd here is huge !

Blessed indeed ...

But I bet you wouldn't have realised there was a crowd everywhere because we got SO LUCKY! Every where we went, the crowd just always happen to dissipate. Like, they just, left and no one else came. We didn't have to politely ask anyone to scoot aside or anything because everyone just miraculously decide not to be where we were when we were there. I'm guessing the heat and time of the day helped.

Korean Drama location?

This place doesn't look like Singapore for some strange reasons. Does anyone thinks this look strangely Korean? It almost looks like a scene out of some K-Drama and I'm not sure if it's the place or how K-Drama worthy they both look hahaha.

Fitting the boat ...

Even though Phyo and David never told me they wanted the Marina Bay Sands to be in the frame, I had been intensely worried I wouldn't be able to fit the iconic structure into the photographs. It seemed like such a pity to be taking photographs in the Marina Bay Sands area and not include such an iconic part of Singapore in! The difficulty with capturing architecture is that as the building is so big and immovable, you really have to be in the correct vantage point in order to include it.

I somehow missed this tiny park during my scouting so was pleasantly surprised to find it during the session. Bonus point was no one else wanted to be there when we took these pictures so it looked like we booked the entire place ! We even managed to fit the Helix bridge in!

Finally more greens!

And then we ended our session at this beautiful little patch of greenery beside the Esplanade. I am so glad Singapore is such a flora friendly place and how we can get patches of gardens almost everywhere because that allowed me to give Phyo and David so much variety without having to go way out of path.

I had so much fun getting to know Phyo and David and this beautiful couple, despite their youth, has so much wisdom to share! Getting to know who they are and how they feel about certain stuffs was such an honour.

Was I anxious before the shoot? You bet! But time with this lovely pair flew by so fast and I really couldn't have asked for a more sincere, kind and polite couple to shoot with. Even though the heat and stress of shooting in such a bustling location was always at the back of my mind, the entire shoot was really enjoyable as we took our time to walk and shoot. Phyo even insisted on treating me to a cup of bubble tea (which I had been craving! Thanks Phyo!) after the session!

I hope I get to see this lovely pair again and I have nothing but the biggest blessings for their holy matrimony!

~ XOXO,

JACQUELINE