Trip to London - Aberdeen - Edinburgh

Day 1 - Edinburgh

Day 2 - Edinburgh

Day 3 - Edinburgh

Day 4 - Aberdeen

Shot Brandon and Ceci's Pre-Wedding after their ROM couple of months back. After the ROM both of us became good friends and I always love to meet this couple as they are such a decent couple with simple dreams. Understand that Ceci's dream is not simple sometimes, simply because their love is not a simple one but it happened in a simple manner. Brandon and Ceci did not meet each other everyday because Brandon have to work in Dubai and Ceci loved her work so much and she decided to continue working in Malaysia. Initially we intend to have our pre-wedding session in Dubai, and we both discussed over the shooting arrangement in the desert but AirAsia had cancelled the flight to Dubai, we switched to Aberdeen and Edinburgh since Ceci's sister reside in Aberdeen. 

The process that everyone met up for this assignment is fun and exciting! Bradon flew all the way to Aberdeen and Ceci flew to Aberdeen first from Kuala Lumpur with her mom. And I flew to Aberdeen a week after. First took an AirAsiaX flight from KUL to Stansted, took a coach from Stansted to Heathrow, and followed by BMI flight from Heathrow to Aberdeen. A day after we took a few hours drive from Aberdeen to Edinburgh. Its tough and tiring but it all worth it. And Edinburgh is so pretty and unique. 

At first we planned our trip to Isle of Sky which is few hours away from Edinburgh but we decided to route our trip to Edinburgh city due to time constraint. Before I shot Brandon and Ceci, I wanted something memorable, silence, satisfaction, calming and contented. These key points fits all with Ceci's idealism which I want these pictures to last longer over time and it must serve the brewing mechanism because their wedding will happen a year after the pre-wedding shoot. It is hard for others to relate with the pictures but each and every one of them tells a story of Brandon and Ceci, I guess only both of them are able to understand from these pictures because these pictures are designed to click with their emotions and their love. 

Brandon and Ceci hired me for 2 days assignment but we all get so excited and we totally forget about the hours spent and I really enjoyed my time there. Just to make their trip well worth it. And I guess I've proven that pictures are priceless because it is a record of their love in a hidden manner. I am so happy for them and I felt so great that I've managed to fulfill their vision.

A day after the pre-wedding shot, Luey (Ceci's sister) had their small little family portrait with James (their son). 

Trip to Scotland

A Cool Surprise

Last week Kevin and Kiat Jia had their wedding in a traditional style. This time, when Kiat Jia thought it all going to be a classical wedding, there came the song "I gotta feeling" and everyone began to dance during the march in. Kiat Jia was stunned and obeyed with the changes. That was a fun western surprise that Kevin and the gang had planned, who wanted something that spoke about his lovable character. 

The First Wedding Ceremony - CK & Xu Chi Actual Day

CK and Xu Chi had their actual day wedding ceremony in Malaysia. This two couple knew each other during their studies in Japan and move over to Holland. Xu Chi from China brought her family over to Kuala Lumpur to witness the celebration. Lovely couple and really love the drop down window, we took quite a number of family shots with the bright sunlight from behind. 

Well, this is one of the toughest wedding I have ever been assigned. Issues were complicated. LOL. CK and Xu Chi engaged my service through his friend in Malaysia so his family does not know who am I. The day before I went to visit them, his family were very skeptical about me and wonder why my charges are above the average. To them, a photography service can be very cheap, they told me that some photographers holding a RM15,000 camera can also charge very cheap. I guess thats the way they understand photography, this is very common for many elderly people. Well, while driving back to home the night before the wedding day, I began to feel very motivated! And the next day I told myself that I want to show the elderly the difference a photography can portray, its about a different way of looking at memory. And since most of their family are doing photography business like studio shots for schools and such, I began to feel more motivated, LOL, reason being I know they will be able to tell the difference. And so during the wedding dinner, I was so enthusiastic to pass over my DVD slideshow to the MC. Well, my slides were the only slideshow to be displayed that night because CK and Xu Chi's pre-wedding pictures taken in Shanghai were unable to display due to low resolution. So my slides were repeatedly displayed. I was very glad to see the crowd smile and laughed while displaying the slideshow, some of them just couldn't stop looking at it. CK, Xu Chi and their family were looking at the slides, everything were paused in silence. And I walked to them and shake their hands after the slideshow. I was so happy to see the happy eyes that poured out from his mom. The moment I realized that I have given an impact to her, something that she will want to take home and remember. The mom looked at the pictures and gave a few nod and I know that my mission had accomplished. All my name cards were all finished that night because the restaurant and a lot of their friends from Malaysia, Holland and China were asking for one. Another happy day for me, I have given them a great present. :) I love this job, especially when there is a challenge. 

The Sentimental Reason - Louis & June Pre-Wedding @Fraser Hill

Thanks for Louis and June for trusting my works and they had their pre-wedding taken in Fraser Hill in Malaysia. Since Louis is the local in Fraser Hill we had the chance to shoot in numerous places, one of it is the well known Magnum Bungalow. Louis and June had been together for many years, all the while June's personality overtakes Louis, after went through numerous obstacles, June had decided to regress her domination towards Louis and finally look towards mutual understandings. The couple that had always being bitchy and fight for fun had decided to tie the knot. Even though June always like to make fun of Louis, deep inside her is filled with love and happiness. Louis is such a great guy. Congratulations to them, I am so happy that I can be able to shoot her pre-wedding. It was a tiring trip, we started our trip to Fraser Hill from 12am due to a wedding assignment ended a night before. It was a great experience, it was my first trip to Fraser Hill and we drove up in midnight, we reached up to the top some time around 2:30am and make up started around 5am. Louis and June showed me many places in Fraser Hill and I am really excited about the places for pre-wedding. Due to time limitation we only able to narrowed down to 2 locations. I will be back again!

Love of Invigoration - Kevin & Kiat Jia Actual Day

Shot one of the largest wedding dinner in my life today. With over 130-150 tables, I realized that on the positive side I could display my slides that night to almost 1500 people. I began to shoot vigorously during the morning session and make sure I have all the fantastic pictures to display. It all worked fantastic, first of all the ceremony was naturally an awesome one. Kevin and Kiat Jia knew each other very long time ago and began their love life at some point. I spoken numerous times with Kiat Jia, she has a unique personality, the moment you talk to her, you will began to realize there are so much about her. Kiat Jia is indeed an artzy bride, which is the reason why we survive in freelance photography industry, to fill the high pictorial demand in this market. Kiat Jia wanted everything perfect, she is truly persistent enough to ensure that it all will worked out great. Kiat Jia sent me the wedding rundown a week before and it shocked me, it is so detail that you can possibly imagine, even better than many weddings planners out there. My confidence came from understanding her and Kevin, with this in mind, I am definite that I can produce something out of the ordinary. Kiat Jia graduated in UK and Kevin in US. Kevin made his mind to quit his job in the States and pursue his decision to marry Kiat Jia. What a romance, which Kiat Jia enjoyed I guess. :) Sometimes love requires sacrifices, but with predicted risk of course, I am sure Kevin will do equally well over in Malaysia. He has his own way of handling issues and he is indeed a funny guy, a truly American way for what I observed :p. Nice one! Thanks for having me as your photographer, because only that you chosen me that I can prove that your decision is a correct one. LOL. Sometimes passion counts, but its all about giving. Love you both. I am sure you will remember me many years later. 

A Different Spa Experience

Another successful commercial photography for Rumah Tanjung Spa, this time is for their next branch located in Palace of the Golden Horses. I don't do alot of commercial photography but maybe this is the reason that made me being more creative. I and Sanja had research through many spa photography and we discussed about how can we attract people's attention to try out their spa. The last series we did was rather inert and filled with moods and moments. This time we plan to do something related to the experience of spa. I told Sanja the Manager that many spa photography focusses on reflecting the serene and tranquility, for their environment, I suggest for reflecting a joyful spa experience and not loosing the ambient. It took me a long while to find a true model that can reflect this idea and I am so glad that I have found Fann Wong to be willing to do the shoot for us. She is just lovely, simple, natural, and photogenic. I am so fortunate to be given the space for creativity. Imagine the settings and lighting, it took me a fair amount of time to make it possible, but this is something I would like to reflect for them due to its unique ambient environment. Love the batik that metaphor the word "Rumah Tanjung", and the smile for the experience. Imagine, a spa photo that filled with joy, who can ever resist not to try it out. LOL. Imagine, a picture can somehow retune the company's direction, and also a service they will have to reflect. First impression really means a lot and the elements that slowly build under their minds that might transform a company to something that you could possibly imagine. I will be shooting my 3rd and 4th spa assignment soon in Melaka and Singapore.

If you want to find out more about my past interview with runaway spa magazine, you can visit this link here.

Dennis Yap Photography listed in HIPLIST 2010'

Finally made the choice to list my works under HIPLIST 2010, hopefully this move can allow more Malaysians to understand my passion and work. A lot of time had spend on selecting pictures to be listed in the HIPLIST as I really want folks to know what are the unique elements that I have always been striving to reflect; not a photography about myself but a series of photographs that I have tried very hard to reflect the couple's person in total. I hope this small little contribution can bring slight enlightenment of what is the true reason of us hiring a photographer. Which is not to shoot something like in the magazine or fantastics poses but something to remember in their lives, this is somehow the original reason of why people hire a photographer right? All these pictures listed, they are, somehow, pieces of metaphors that I have been trying to expressed to bring out their journey of love. Its something that they won't allow to sit in their bookshelf and collect dust, reason being memories are there to be recalled.

The Knot of Summer Kisses

The Knot of Summer Kisses is something I created for Eugene and Doreen's Registration of Marriage (ROM) in Singapore. Eugene and Doreen are both very easy going couple who enjoy simplicity in life where they want their marriage as simple possible. I am not sure if they will held a wedding ceremony but they have no plans for this at the moment. I fully understood their intention and this is something what they wanted. I figured that their vision in marriage is not about how well they have their wedding, is how well they cherish each other and being happy. Thus, what I plan for this series is to be as memorable as possible as this might be the one and only ceremony. Will work my best out of it.

The Engagement Kiss - Shahrir and Natasha

Met up with Shahrir and Natasha many months back and get to know that they wanted something different in their wedding. As you may aware, most Malay Weddings are rather serious and proper but Shahrir and Natasha wanted something different, out of the ordinary. Therefore, they choose to have their engagement in beautiful Villamay Shah Alam. One of the most beautiful venue that I have ever shoot. There are so many location to shoot for in this little venue. Everything is so detail and I can feel that the owner of this venue really put their heart to make this venue an unforgettable one for any couple that have chosen this place. Very happy to shoot their engagement and I can't wait to finish up their pictures. Shahrir and Natasha both graduated in the state, this is Natasha's wish to have her engagement in Villamay. They know what they want and my job is to give them what they looking for, and also as a photographer, to shoot something that truly reflect their personalities.