My Little Precious Chloe

So what does having a newborn in the family means to me as a photographer? Loads of fun time taking pictures of my little precious Chloe of course.

Haha.. well, it is definitely more than that. Prior to the arrival of baby Chloe, I had always asked myself if I was capable of caring of my baby while concurrently juggle the photography business - it was a fear that had lingered with me till the day baby Chloe was born.

On the 8th of August 2014, when I finally saw our little princess Chloe for the first time; this first time gave me an experience I will never forget - the sensation of being overwhelmed by an immense sense of joy causing me to burst into tears. 

Suddenly, all that fear that I had harboured prior to seeing baby Chloe became a source of strength. Perhaps you may call this fatherly instinct that I knew I had to be strong to provide and protect not only baby Chloe but my lovely wife Sharin. This is also the source of strength that pulled me through the many sleepless nights in the past couple of weeks.

What I can say is that the arrival of baby Chloe has given me an even deeper sense of responsibility towards my family and my business. What better way than to make my baby Chloe a part of daddy’s business - be daddy’s model of course!

Here are some photos of my little precious. Hope these photos will give you the inspiration to not only love your children and family more but to take out your camera and start documenting the loved ones around you.

Happy shooting everyone!

Imagination to Reality - Maggie’s Maternity

Ever dreamt or thought about an outrageous story / theme you wanted for any photo-shoot? Or the yearning of having YOUR very own story recreated into pictures for keep? Well that’s exactly what transpired during this maternity photo-shoot for my sister-in-law Maggie.

For Maggie, all she wanted were the simplicity of a few classic baby belly photos but I managed to come up with a few ideas from my imagination which immediately resonated with her.

In my humble opinion, there isn’t a limit to our imagination. Hence you should always communicate with your photographer prior to the photo-shoot and leave the process of making your own imagination into a reality to the professionals.

So, what’s YOUR story? 

Would You Please Wear My Cutesy Helmet Mr. Cool?

My Elmo Story..

Cliche But I Like!

Baby J’s Newborn Photoshoot

Since the inception of Kelvin Luffs Photography, there have been many ‘firsts’ opportunities given by our lovely clients who believed that we will capture and preserve precious memories for them.

So here’s our humble experience from the recent newborn photo-shoot.

After receiving the confirmation of this assignment, my partner (wife) and I felt super excited - in that this was the first of its kind of photo-shoot for the company and it was also a good time to put all that researching, learning, reading, practicing and shooting into good use.

As soon as the excitement subsided, reality dawned upon us that we were under-equipped in our baby props. Thankfully, my partner/wife was great at sourcing and found plenty of knitted material suitable for newborn shoots. So during the time leading up to the eventual shoot, we had acquired basic equipments, like beanbag, a small selection of throws, hats, headbands, wraps, crates and baskets for this shoot.

It was through countless of reading, researching and friends of ours giving birth that we understand that newborns are delicate and must be handled correctly. Although this was our first time handling a newborn, we were cognisant in the suitable temperature for most babies to be comfortable, cognisant with using white noises to keep baby deep in slumber and we were cognisant on how to handle baby safely and gently. We also checked with the mummy on baby’s feeding schedule so as to work with baby’s feeding time. I’d say that since every assignment is different, being knowledgeable and well-prepared is the key to any successful photo-shoot.

In addition to knowing what makes baby comfortable, it is also good to know that newborns are beautifully squishy, floppy and bendy under 14 days old which, coupled with being deep in slumber, makes them excellent for gently posing them into adorable positions that parents love. However I wouldn’t recommend doing the newborn shoot after 2-3 weeks - thats when baby start to develop muscle mass which would make them lose flexibility, which is key to making posing possible.

Here are some useful information for mummies looking for a newborn photo-shoot - The average session for any newborn shoot can range from 3-4 hours. Everything can happen within the session Except the photographer taking photos - WHY? Well, in a typical session, the time for the actual picture taking would probably range from an hour to and an hour half. The rest of the session will involve setting, cuddling, reading baby, soothing for sleep, changing diapers, cleaning up poop and golden shower, feeding and lastly gentle posing. It is without a doubt that the baby runs the show during each shoot.

Do enjoy these adorable photos of Baby Janelle.

Let's not forget the wonderful parents of Baby J!

Have a great week ahead everybody!

Her Maternity Edition

Some may say that pregnancy is a rather scary aesthetic ordeal as major changes take place in the woman’s body. 

The common laments would be that “I’m just too fat”, “I’ve developed thunder arms and thighs”, “I won’t look good being this bloated” and so forth. These are just some of the reasons that a handful of pregnant mummies develop a resistance to being photographed.

Well, the above was exactly what I experienced when I brought up the subject of doing a maternity photo-shoot for my wife. I must say that she didn’t really liked how she looked at all due to water retention she’s experiencing late into her pregnancy. 

So as her husband, I constantly reassured my wife that she is beautiful in every way and that I truly thank her for going through all that hardship in carrying this little wonderful bundle of joy for the whole 9 months. Although I cannot help her carry the baby or bear the pain of child birth, the least I could do is to create everlasting memories of her during this phase of life. It is also my way of encapsulating her beauty during pregnancy.

So eventually she agreed to it and here are some of the photos of my lovely wife during her pregnancy.

A couple of days after the shoot, I had to ask my wife the following questions: - 

Qns 1.     How did you feel when I told you that I’d like to do a maternity shoot for you?

Reply:     Totally reluctant as I do not like to be photographed (even more so after all the weight gain) and I was not confident in front of the camera.

Qns 2.     How did you feel when you’re doing the shoot?

Reply:     There were some "back-breaking" moment as I was already heavily pregnant but there were fun moments too! I was especially excited to take the foodie photo because I get to eat some of my favourite food after the photo was taken. Overall it is an enjoyable session in the comfort of an air-conditioned studio.

Qns 3.     How did you feel after you’ve seen the photos?

Reply:     Lightings were perfect, photos came out really nice. Anyway my hubby knows how fussy i am and he managed to do an excellent job.

Qns 4.     Do you have an advise you’d like to give to people who are thinking of getting their bump edition photos taken?

Reply:     I would highly recommend doing an outdoor shoot if time permits. I personally chose to have my shoot in the studio because I know I would not be able to bear with the heat and still smile / look good in front of the camera. As for the tummy,  week 33 - 35 seems to be the "right" size - Anything later, the tummy might look really big in photos. I felt my week 36 tummy is slightly “overwhelming” in size. Lastly, it is inevitable that our bodies will change but be confident - Do a maternity shoot, enjoy yourself and let the photographer do the rest.

Qns 5.     For those mummies who are reluctant to get their maternity shoot done, what would you advise them?

Reply:     Every mummies-to-be is different and every pregnancy is different too - Having a maternity shoot helps capture those beautiful memories of having that little life inside of you.

Lastly, communicate with your photographer on the concepts you'd love to have in your maternity series. That'll give the photographer time to conceptualise the idea to get you exactly what you need.

Here are 2 of my wife's 'Must-Have' photos during her maternity shoot: - the Classic Pose with Flower Petals and the Favourite Food During Pregnancy picture.

Tyke & Toys!

To the Dad of this handsome kid, there is always a sense of urgency to pass along his enthusiasm for two wheels and there's no better way than to get the kid on the motorcycles and in pictures!

I can understand the enthusiasm because - Riding motorcycles is one of the best pastimes on the planet!

Make a guess, which model will this kid choose (Scooter / Ducati)?

Do enjoy these photos!

Think you've got a cool toy and would love your newborn / kids to compliment it, just drop me an email at info@kelvinluffs.com to discuss more on your desired concepts.

A Baby Belly Rendition

It is always a joy to be photographing mommies-to-be and I believe that anyone would agree with me that pregnant ladies seem to exude a beautiful glow of radiance and an unfathomable sense of confidence just like this lovely couple Angela and Han Rong.

As a photographer, it is truly a privilege to be given these wonderful opportunities to create beautiful visuals for my clients especially on such a milestone in their lives. 

Here are a few pictures of Angela and her hubby from the recent shoot.

Friends Don't Quit

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
                                                                                                              -Khalil Gibran

 

We are all aware of the importance of having friends. There are friends for just every occasion / events be it going out for coffee with, friends we shop with and much more. Despite having a friend for every occasion, having a best friend is definitely one of the best gifts in life. 

That’s why to me, it is always great to have a good circle of supportive best friends because they play a humongous role in ones' life. Being around good friends aid in building and shaping one’s character and the person he/she is today. It is also through all of the struggles and disagreements that will inevitably create strong bonds within a group of individuals who all want the same thing in life: to live a successful life and be surrounded by successful people.

These girls have known one another since secondary school days and they each portray the traits of what a best friend should be doing - giving comfort to one another, having tonnes of fun, joy and laughter with one another, openly talk about topics that no ordinary friends would talk about, and much more. These girls are so connected that nothing in my opinion can ever break their bond; definitely worthy of our admiration.

Anyway, here are some pictures from the Friendship photo-shoot recently concluded.

And.... 10 beautiful best friends makes a Big Heart!

The Bump Edition

Some say that a mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside the belly. When that tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and that playful kick reminds her that she is never alone.

Here's a picture of Janice, a beautiful Mommy-to-be in a calm and tranquil state - 

As a professional photographer, I would highly encourage Moms-to-be to have their maternity photos taken.

Here are a few simple reasons why you should: -

  1. Pregnant ladies exude a glow making them beautiful.
  2. Your belly is growing, so should your confidence.
  3. The Memories, Emotions and Feelings.
  4. You can have FUN!
  5. It takes 2 to bond. Right Dads and Moms-to-be?
  6. Hiring a professional photographer doesn't need to be expensive.
     

Here's another picture of this gorgeous Mom-to-be - 

Corporate Photo Shoot.. and More!

Having a home studio opens up a world of portraiture opportunities and the corporate shoots are just one of those.

At Kelvin Luffs Photography's studio, we offer our clients privacy, a comfortable separate changing room next to the studio and an air-conditioned studio to conduct the shoot.

We offer the following shoots at Kelvin Luffs Photography studio:

  • Corporate Team Photo
  • Corporate Individual Photo
  • Beauty / Make-over Photo
  • Maternity
  • Infant / Toddler 
  • Family 

So if you're looking to have the above-mentioned shoots taken, look no further because at Kelvin Luffs Photography, we stand ready to create outstanding visuals for you and your family. 

Here's a sample of a corporate team shoot taken recently in the home studio
 

For the 2 Wheelers Aficionados

For the avid thrill-seekers who are hungry for speed, I'm glad to say that the Ducati 1199 Panigale would definitely be THE ideal bike to satisfy THAT thirst for speed.

Anyways, got a call last Monday from the owner of this smokin' hot & sexy Ducati; to have his bike's pictures taken so that he could add to the collection of bikes on his wall.

Went down to R69 Ultimate Detailing (where this Ducati was sent for detailing) to have the pictures taken for this bike. Many thanks to Joel for lending us the location for this shoot.

That said, I heard that this bike might be for sale. Let me know if you're interested and I'll hook you up with the owner.

For those who appreciate a piece of American art and history, here's a Harley Davidson with a custom airbrushed native American Indian Chief on the fuel tank. 

Heard that the owner actually got his tanks airbrushed in USA - that's just how much an aficionado would go to get the best lookin' art for his ride.

Man this custom paint-job is sweet! Look at all that chrome - "Blink blink!".

Project DR-Z Suzuki.

"Travelling in a car is like watching a film.. Riding a motorbike is like starring in it."
Anonymous

Had the opportunity last weekend to photograph this sleek looking supermoto by Suzuki. 

It's quite a pity the owner of the bike had part with this lean mean machine. But as the famous adage goes "Once a rider, Always a Rider".

Blogshop Shoot

Concluded a shoot for AfterTwelves last weekend. Boy it was one heck of a fun session. Time literally flew by in the blink of an eye.

I always love good laughs with whoever I'm doing the photo-shoot with. Laughters usually bring about less mundane atmosphere; clients and models become less tense and the photographer can better capture the desired expressions of the models during the shoot.

So to me, getting the job done is the priority. Ensuring that my clients be comfortable, relaxed and happy during the photo-shoot is essential too.

Anyway, here's a snippet from that day's shoot.

AfterTwelves - Taken By Kelvin Luffs Photography(e).jpg

Just in case you're wondering, clothes from AfterTwelves usually range from UK size 12 and beyond but they are starting a new line for UK size 10 as well. So do check them out at www.AfterTwelves.com!

How Can I Make It Better?

In my recent photographic assignment, my task was to cover a company's Chinese New Year dinner at Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore. The organiser mentioned that this wasn't going to be any ordinary sit-down dinner but one that would let their staffs dance their night away - imagine the challenges any photographers would face i.e. Low lighting conditions, White balance issues (Powerful flood lights emitting a myriad of colours) and so forth.

If you've seen any photos from your company's D&D or corporate events, those would usually make good keepsake photos but otherwise mediocre in my humble opinion. That is exactly why being a professional photographer, I am constantly thinking of how to move away from mediocrity to being stellar in what I do by regularly questioning myself on "How can I make my pictures better?" and "How can I make a difference by being different?". 

So I assessed at my gears, thought hard about it; that was when I realised that perhaps introducing some sort of a kicker light to the rear of the dance floor and stage would created some sort of separation (by hair light or lighting flare) between the subject and the background which would eventually create more interesting pictures.

Anyway... I do regret that no photos of the event would be posted as the organiser has requested that no photos containing their staff be published anywhere in public. I have acceded to their request. 

Hence, here's a collage of 4 pictures showing my lighting set-up with Jack & Rai rehearsing for the main gig.

Lighting Set Up for Event @ Kelvin Luffs Photography.jpg

Equipment used during event - 

  • Nikon D4
  • Nikkor 28-70mm f2.8 lens
  • Nikon Speed-lights SB-900 (2 off camera, 1 on camera)
  • Pocket Wizard Mini TT5
  • Pocket Wizard Flex TT5
  • Pocket Wizard Plus X

 

Happy Lunar New Year!

From us at Kelvin Luffs Photography, here's wishing everybody a Happy Chinese New Year. May the year of the Horse bring to you and your family an abundance of Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity. Most importantly, may all your endeavours this year be smooth as silk.

 

在新的一年里, 祝愿大家 :

1) 幸福快乐 (Happiness)

2) 年年有餘 (Prosperity)

3) 岁岁平安 (Safety)

4) 心想事成 (Get what you wish for)

5) 万事如意 (Smooth endeavours)

 

2014-01-30 - Greeting - Kelvin Luffs Photography(e).jpg

The Pocket-Must-Have-Wizards

As a working professional, I am constantly on the lookout for ways to produce creative pictures without physically corrupting the environment's original elements.

So, in my quest to search for ideas and answers to my unanswered questions a some years ago, I chanced upon a photographer named Joe McNally over the internet. Joe opened my eyes to a world of photography I had never known. His method was simply - Light! 

Here's a quote from Joe McNally himself on light..

 

I have always thought of light as a language. I ascribe to light the same qualities and characteristics one could generally apply to the spoken or written word. Light has color and tone, range, emotion, inflection, and timbre. It can sharpen or soften a picture. It can change the meaning of a photo, or what that photo will mean to someone. Like language, when used effectively, it has the power to move people, viscerally and emotionally, and inform them..

 

Through the countless research I made, the conclusion was simple - to improve on one's flash photography, all we need to do was to use the flash OFF the camera instead of ON the camera (for users of DSLR cameras with hot shoe). But to do so, one would require some sort of trigger / sensor for the flash to communicate with the camera so that they can be operated simultaneously. The obvious choice was the Pocket Wizard radio triggers.

I love these devices and would say that it's definitely worth the investment. These devices practically opened up a myriad of creative opportunities for me to venture into just like the 2 pictures in my previous blog post under Kee Kiat & Melissa's Romantic Love Affair.

Here are the awesome devices I'm presently using for my shoots.

Pocket Wizards@Kelvin Luffs Photography.jpg

Oh, just in case you're wondering if I work for Pocket Wizards or they paid me to say something about them, nothing of such sort. I simply enjoy using these devices made by them which propelled my skill set upwards and I thought it'll be good to share. 

Have a wonderful day ahead!