From a Photographer's Heart --- in one wedding photography

Thanks to Sunnysan for sharing this article with me and I found it is "cool"...

"We are humans first, photographers second. Humans feel, and by certain standards, it is what defines us separate from animals. And then we shoot what we feel. I think a lot of photographers “forget” that they are human, and get consumed by photography. That is the biggest wrong any photographer can do, is to let photography get bigger than, well, humanity.
--- different photographer/viewer will have different perception of angle view and it is very subjective question or answer to define how the beauty of it ---

You walk into an empty church full of flowers and ribbons. It is a beautiful sight and you just have to shoot it, not just because it is beautiful, but also because the bride would certainly like a record of the money she spent. So you stand there for half a minute composing the best shot of the interior.
Suddenly this really adorable little girl in her cute flower girl white dress comes out of one of the pews and runs towards you with the biggest grin on her face, and you realise it's because she saw the mother of the bride behind you, her favourite aunt, whom she hadn’t seen for 2 years, and this aunt always buys her lollies (not that you would know this). You have no time to recompose, and you snap the SAME shot that you did seconds ago. Think about the power of such an image, and you didn’t have to do anything different. That is what defines a powerful image. Same place, same settings, same light, same composition, RIGHT TIME. Your “photographer mentality” was to shoot an interior shot, but being human, you know instantly that her joy can’t wait, but the interior can.
Being human is easy, we ARE human. Take heart in the fact that there are little girls everywhere at weddings, but for this particular little girl 20 years later, she will remember this moment with such joy, or if she was too young to remember, she’d be fascinated by the story of the image told by her aunt. Imagine, you were that little girl.
---When in shooting, it will be great if you can imagine yourself as that character and the result is something out of your expectation...good example from the author ---

There are two things that I feel defines a great photographer. One is dedication. Dedication is a very broad word to include the amount of time and effort needed to train in the craft. Reading articles, asking questions, browsing the net and magazines, seeing/analysing/copying(!) other photographers' work, shooting, re-shooting, making mistakes, learning from mistakes, editing, re-editing. all these, and many other things in the aim to create better images, and getting more experience. Weddings certainly calls for more than photographic skills, you have to learn to deal with all kinds of people, you have to conduct yourself professionally, but not coldly. You have to be firm with pricing, and contract details, yet be lovable, personable and approachable. You are the person that the couple will see the most of, besides each other, on the wedding day. You are so many things at one time.
---Art is something priceless where it can be infinite value to you or even zero value to you also...all depend how hard-work you putting on it...How do you appreciate the work of art... ---

After the wedding, you have deadlines to meet, images to edit, albums to complete. You have other jobs to get, close and/or deliver.
---This is some hidden scene from the end user. The photographer work is never stop here by following the end of the ceremony but it will only be ended when the final output is delivered to the end user and the moment of the end user ENJOY the work. ---

In your business as a whole, you have costs to manage, equipment needs and replacements, repairs/servicing, insurance, rent, suppliers, quality control, business development and marketing. --- $$$ again, photography is really an expensive hobby but you are enjoy it then will do...---

This all requires dedication. all this can be trained, and together with time and experience, will bring such a photographer quite far, but not far enough.

The second thing that makes a brilliant photographer, is talent.

I have yet to figure out if talent can be trained. I am inclined to say no. You have it, or you don’t.

Talent is the reason why two photographers can have an exact same path, but one has so much more powerful images than the other.

Talent is the reason why he is always “lucky” to be able to get those shots. I have at times said for a photographer to learn, memorise, and know the full meaning of the word “serendipity”. Somehow, a talented photographer seems to have serendipity as his twin brother.

I have this simple analogy on how to describe talent. Most of us are used to the phrase “we are good at what we like doing”. I like driving cars, but i don’t think i could be a formula 1 driver. Perhaps, the statement of “we like doing what we are good at” is more apt. In this statement, dedication is akin to what "we like doing" (that’s why we dedicate ourselves to it) and “what we are good at” is akin to… talent! It starts with that.

You might be assuming that I have talent, or I found my talent in photography, and that is why I like doing it, because the more I do it, the better I became at it and it makes me want to do it more (remember, I like doing what I am good at). If so, your assumption is true. As proud as this might sound, I believe I am talented in photography. it is actually, believe it or not, dedication that I sometimes lack! Laziness being my bane. Thankfully, that can be trained!
---"LOVE it" is the key word to bring you to the success.No matter what are you doing in your life...without it, you only able to hold it for "3minutes"---

I want to end with a statement that I have been known to make, either in speech or in writing, and this is perhaps the most convicting statement that keeps my passion alive at present:

The reason for my life, is photography. It has kept me alive, and is the reason why I continue to live happily. (I might change this statement if I ever get married, but as of now, this is it…)
--- You are the man!!! support you!!! ---

But if it's all too confusing or melodramatic, there's only one thing to remember, really;

You are human first, photographer second." --- personally I like this statement.---

extract from Jonathan Ho (one of experience photographer from WPN)
http://www.wpn.sg/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=2

Pre-wedding of Ivan & Alice

Taken June 28, 2008. Sunny Day.
Congratulation to Ivan & Alice from KL.

Check out some original output photos that captured that day and more is still in processing. Waiting...

Chew Jetty

Bank Street

Jelutong IJM Paradise

more to come....