Hi guys! It's a friday night and guess what? I'm not out partying with my friends, but I just came home from a very long and tiring shoot! So...

Decided to do a little post today about photography assisting. It's something that I enjoy doing from time to time, helping other photographers out with their shoots and stuff like that. I think it's fun! I get to see how different people work, and see what works for them and how it can apply to my own shoots as well. I get to play with their equipment and get to go behind the scenes in places that most people normally don't go to, and see what most people normally don't get to see. Oh, and I love that the pressure is off me, but I still get to enjoy being part of a team and working in a set.

When I'm assisting, I usually try to read the photographer's mind, try to get things ready before he even asks for them. His usual tools, or if she wants a change of lens, setting up the next shot while he finishes the last, stuff like that. I usually spend the first couple of times assisting a photographer observing, just to find out what type of photographer he is. Though, sometimes there are just photographers that I can't read, for example, I have no idea whether or not he wants to adjust the props himself, or he'd like me to do it. Or what he is trying to achieve by asking me to do things that don't seem to make sense.

I'd love to assist more photographers! Please drop me a line at bizarreness@gmail.com if you're interested in hiring me as a freelance photographer's assistant. I have a quite a bit of experience, and know how to handle most lighting systems. :)

What the video to find out a little bit more! Or you know, just laugh at how horribly tired and death-like I look.



On a much sadder note: After five years of assisting countless photographers... I broke my first bulb today. I feel so utterly bad! I'm usually really careful with equipment, so this just made me frustrated at myself for letting that happen. Live and learn, I guess!

Hi guys! Thought I'd just do a blog post on my love/hate relationship with Photoshop. The love: I've been using Photoshop ever since Photoshop 5.5. Yes, 5.5, and not CS5. I was still in primary school, can you imagine? I love it so much, and I find that doing retouching, especially on people, is actually very relaxing and therapeutic. I'm weird, okay? I know that.

It does require a whole ton of patience though, case in point, I spent the last three odd hours accomplishing this:





I know it's not perfect, but I'm just saying - if I spent that much time on this image doing just that, to make it perfect you seriously need a lot more time than 3 hours.

Now, I'm not a master in Photoshop or anything, but I have been using it quite a while now so I know my way around it. It's tiring and tedious to do something like that, and my hand physically hurts after spending good quality time with the program. What I really, really don't like is that people tend to assume that Photoshop is fast and easy and a quick fix for everything - stray hairs, bad make up, etc etc. Yes, Photoshop can fix those things, but seriously, if during a shoot you spend five minutes ironing your clothes versus twelve hours in Photoshop trying to remove the wrinkles in your dress... which would be more productive?

To all my brides: most of you don't need extensive retouching, trust me on this. And with the lighting that I shoot for your AD and ROMs, it's more flattering than harsh, so you really don't have to worry.

Okay, back to my beloved, yet hated Photoshop.

Let me tell you something, Corliss and Royston are the cutest, funniest couple at an ROM I've shot so far! Oh my goodness I laughed until my stomach ached! I think the pictures will speak more for it than anything. When I was editing the photos, I remembered what went on and had to chuckle to myself in the middle of the night. How silly, right?

Some details to kick start:

















Look at that pretty bling!






I love Corliss's smile! Doesn't she just look so pretty?







One more of her beautiful smile!






While waiting for the ceremony to start, Corliss, Royston and one of their friends decided to have a little bit of fun 'playing wedding'! What do I mean?





Roles are switched around! Corliss might make an excellent Justice of Peace in the future! Ever think of it as a retirement plan? :P




Time to kiss the bride!







Now it's time for the real ceremony!








Having trouble answering the JP's questions! Was it supposed to be 'I will'? Or was it 'I do'? Wait, what am I supposed to be saying...?












I love this photo! "Are you sure this ring can fit...?"







"Maybe I need to push harder!"







Saying the most important words to each other...










And finally married!








And... lastly, Royston got "punished" for only kissing Corliss on the cheek... Poor thing!






What an enjoyable ROM! I can't wait for my next one... which is later today! Speaking of which, I better start getting ready... :)

Something is brewing! Stay tuned to find out what is it...

On another note, I'm always at a lost of what to wear to weddings! I take pride in looking presentable when shooting my client's wedding, I mean, it's really not very nice if your photographer turns up wearing berms and a ragged old t-shirt, right? It's totally disrespectful to the client! However, the clothes that I have are either too uncomfortable for me to run around the whole day in, or are too... manly.

My usual uniform is a nice t-shirt, or blouse, dark jeans, and depending on whether it is in a church or ballroom, a jacket or blazer. I'm just... getting a little bored of it. Time to go shopping, I guess? :P

Hi Everyone! Wedding season is kicking in now, so I'd expect the posts to be lesser than usual. Like they're not little enough, right? Yes, yes, chide me, I deserve it for not blogging as much. I thought I should update you guys on what I've been working on in the non-wedding months!

I've been working with Steph from kittymao.com, who is a fabulous make up artist, to create interesting and edgy make up looks! You guys should totally check her out, she's pretty awesome!

Here are some of the looks that we've been doing on various gorgeous models!



















We are having a makeover package for anyone who wanted to feel pretty! Please email bizarreness@gmail.com if you are interested.

I shall end off with a picture of Ms. KittyMao's skills on me - those of you who have actually seen me in real life know that it takes mad skills to make me not look like death because of the weird hours I keep. :P




Hugs and kisses to all who come by my little web space, and till my next post, good bye!