GEORGE BUSH SNR
A Secret Assignment
26/1/2009 0:24:15 | corporate event
When I was first offered this job, the details were scarce. The only information I had was that the job included taking group photos of up to 150 people and that they only wanted one photographer, not even allowing an assistant to attend. It would mean working by myself and arranging all the logistics for the shoot, including setting lights and organizing large groups of people.
Intrigued by the secretive nature of the job and having been given no details with regard to the location or time until the actual day of shooting, I accepted the job. On the day in question, I arrived at Ocean Terminal at sunset, bringing along my passport and ID as requested. I had no idea where I was going even as I was boarding a cruise ship. It wasn’t until the ship was leaving Hong Kong that I was told that President George Bush Senior was on board and that he would be the subject of my shoot.
During the time I spent on that job, I never found out the shooting schedule of the day until the morning. This presented a big challenge to me as a photographer, as I was not only taking photographs of Mr Bush, but also group portraits of large groups of people within a limited timeslot. With all the planning, lighting and logistics being my responsibility, the job posed a great challenge. I even had a bodyguard follow me as I worked so that he could restrict the number of photographs I took. It wasn’t until I finished the job that I was told that the reason for my not being able to bring an assistant was because the cruise had been so expensive and therefore only one photographer was allowed on board.
My greatest memory is when Mr Bush invited me up to take a picture with him, guaranteeing this to be a one-in-a-life-time experience that I will never forget.
|
|
Pregnant Mother & Child
Motherhood
25/1/2009 11:41:45 | pregnant portrait
Families are always a pleasure to photograph, especially those with young children. Shy of strangers but interested in the camera, they usually take a while to warm up to us, but after they get used to the flash popping, they have a great time in front of the camera.
These photos show a pregnant mother with her young son. The way they interacted with each other was very sweet and warm, their loving and playful relationship easily caught on camera.
|
|
|
KEVIN & MICHELLE / Japan engagement
Cherry blossoms
20/1/2009 0:20:29 | engagement
Cherry blossoms only bloom in the middle of April and only for a very short time, but if you’re lucky enough to catch them, they’re guaranteed to be a lovely sight. Pink cherry blossoms against clear blue skies; in that, you have a sweet, beautiful tableau in which to photograph a sweet, beautiful couple.
Kevin is an opinionated man, someone who searches for perfection in everything. His own sense of style and his many ideas during the shoot inspired us to create new concepts and broadened our horizons as photographers. I remember one particular shot that we had conceived that we, at first glance, thought might have been too difficult to pull off, but Kevin’s enthusiasm and ‘never give up’ attitude meant that we were able to work the idea into something tangible.
Kevin works in Japan, so he knows the country very well. Every time we suggested an idea for a photo, Kevin would do his best to accommodate us. We thank both Kevin and Michelle for their hospitality, their positive attitudes that led us to create a set of beautiful photos as well as a set of unforgettable memories.
|
|
|
CHRISTINE AND STEPHEN / Japan engagement
Smile, And The World Smiles With You…
16/1/2009 0:51:19 | engagement
Christine and Stephen are happy people. The concept behind their set of pre-wedding photographs was that they wanted their joy to be captured on camera rather than the customary shots of a bride and groom posing in full wedding attire. They wanted their photos to convey a sense of fun, reflecting their own characters.
Christine put a lot of thought into the wedding, which took place in the US. Having decided to use yellow as the colour theme of her wedding, she also decided to incorporate this in her pre-wedding portraits.
We’ve been to Japan many times – this particular trip with Christine and Stephen had us in fits of laughter for most, if not all of the time and we cherished every moment.
During the shoot, we did have some rain, but we still enjoyed the trip – and Christine and Stephen’s mood were so infectious that we didn’t let the weather affect us as we continued to shoot. It’s thanks to Christine and Stephen that we were able to produce a set of sweet, romantic photos with a sense of fun.
|
|
|
ANN AND RONALD / Hong Kong Wedding
The Cure For Boredom Is Curiosity…
11/1/2009 0:56:13 | weddings
An elegant bride meets a modest groom. Our first impression of Ann and Ronald were that they were a very quiet couple, sweet and completely relaxed with each other. Whenever they were together, however, they would talk non-stop, as if they were in their own world.
Their wedding took place at St John’s Cathedral, with the banquet held at the Intercontinental Hotel. Ronald very sweetly arranged a surprise for Ann that evening during the banquet, moving her to tears.
My favourite memory from that day was during the ceremony, involving the flower girls and page boys. It started off well, with them behaving perfectly as they walked down the aisle before the bride. It wasn’t until the very serious business of the wedding ceremony got underway that they started to get bored. I remember their cute antics as they played in the aisles, eliciting lots of laughter from the congregation and the many funny faces they pulled as the service continued.
|
|
|
STANLEY AND SUM LING – Prague
The City Of Romance
7/1/2009 0:37:25 | engagement
If you’re looking for romance and passion, look no further than Prague, where you’ll often find yourselves in the company of couples embracing along the cobbled streets.
In a city full of history, it’s no surprise to see lots of tourists during the day. Those who want the city to themselves, like us, have to start our day a little earlier than the usual sight-seeing crowd. Say, around 4am.
Stanley and Sum Ling, a couple with which the word ‘romance’ defines their relationship, had no problems with the early start. It was thanks to their willingness that Susan and I were able to shoot on Charles Bridge when the rest of the population was still asleep in their beds.
The first time I met Stanley, I remember quite clearly that he was carrying a blue-checked handkerchief. Just the fact that he was carrying it told me he was a caring, detail-orientated kind of guy; someone who would make a good husband… and would make Sum Ling a very happy wife.
During the days we spent in Prague, Susan and I got to know Stanley and Sum Ling better. We visited lots of places and took plenty of photos. Like us, Stanley and Sum Ling loved their food; in between shootings, we would eat lots of good food and drink lots of good beer and we managed to form a sincere friendship in those few short days.
For their wedding, Stanley and Sum Ling proved that their trip to Prague was as unforgettable for them as it was for us. Held at the Intercontinental Hotel, they brought the city and its penchant for romance to Hong Kong, from the themed décor to the many pre-wedding portraits they displayed around the hotel.
|
|
|
TIM AND RUBY / Greece engagement
Under the Mediterranean Sun
4/1/2009 0:34:21 | engagement
Close your eyes. Imagine bright sunshine, clear blue skies and white-bricked houses. Feel the breeze on your face and take a breath of fresh sea air.
These are some of the reasons Tim and Ruby chose Greece as the ideal destination for their pre-wedding portraits.
One’s first impression of Tim is that he’s one of the good guys. He’s very easy-going and a gentleman with it. It’s no wonder Ruby always has a smile on her face, when her partner always seems to have an infectious never-ending supply of happiness.
Even with the hot sun bearing down on us during the day, Tim and Ruby were always in a good mood, which made the shoot so much more enjoyable for us. Having spent so much time with Tim and Ruby, it’s not difficult to see how compatible they are and it’s thanks to their cooperation that the trip produced such great portraits that really bring out the love and laughter in Tim and Ruby’s relationship.
|
|
|
CATHERINE & LAWRENCE / Kenya
A Special Dream Come True
1/1/2009 0:28:30 | engagement
As photographers, the opportunity to shoot a unique collection of portraits is a rare dream. Susan and I are especially grateful to Catherine and Lawrence for giving us this chance to make our dream a reality.
Prior to meeting Catherine and Lawrence, the closest we’ve ever come to Africa is seeing parts of it on National Geographic. We’ve never thought about how it would be during a shoot.
Catherine loves giraffes. Even her wedding gifts had a giraffe theme that was designed by Catherine, who is a designer by profession. She and Lawrence are both active people and wanted their pre-wedding photos to bring across their playful side. It was easy enough to decide on going to Kenya to look for giraffes.
The first time we saw a giraffe, it was a little scary with its big head, tall body and a long tongue that was sticky to touch. However by the time we finished shooting, we ended up loving the giraffes and had become friends with them.
The challenge with this trip came with working with animals. A lot of time was spent waiting for the giraffes to cooperate as we had no way of controlling them. Not only that, but to have them interacting with Catherine and Lawrence made the whole experience doubly tricky.
|
|
|
|
