Jerry & Carmen is not stranger as Carmen actually had attended all of our photography workshops. And before that I actually met Carmen long time back during my assignment in Singapore. And one day Carmen had called me up and so we all met up in a small little cafe in Bangsar and in the end they booked us for all of their wedding occasion from pre-wedding to couple portrait in their high school and to wedding day, and I was honoured to secretly shot Jerry's personal picture for his proposal. To me, this couple is fantastic, they were very nice and sincere, it is very easy to mix around. They are one of the most considerate couples in the list. While getting to know them a little more, both Jerry and Carmen had actually gone through a long term relationship since high school, where Jerry used to deliver lunch box for Carmen in school. However, Carmen's background was also unique, with many stories to tell and many stories were known between me and them only, it is a very personal relationship. Since both of them had booked me for all occasions, I planned to make each session a different one with unique stories and concentrations. There are simply too many stories to tell and so I broken them up to a few pieces and this pre-wedding we had is one of them. For this pre-wedding session, I made it a little serene, not so much concentration on the Japanese theme itself but the ideals that inflicted within them during the shoot. Things that is balanced, equal and calming. Something for the future of their relationship and for many years to come. In Carmen's eyes, Jerry is a great gentleman with great patience and understanding, while in Jerry's perspective, Carmen is the one that he can give up anything for.
Carmen was working in a foreign exchange company holding quite a high position and she was inspired by my vision and she had also quit her job and started her own wedding planning services, I was surprised and still could not believe that she made such a move but I guess she wanted to pursue a different venture.
A day before the shoot, we just hang around with each other, visited many places around Kyoto, just to have fun and enjoy the day, it was quite a relaxing day and they were very nice that they have taken care of us in many ways. Even during the shooting day, we all did not feel pressure at all, we just enjoy the nice weather just treat the day out the most memorable day ever. Too bad we did not intend to cover the red gates as Carmen said that it look very scary hehe. And now awaiting to cover their school day portrait soon, that was the place where everything started.