Back in 2006.
Worrying that the wooden structure would break under my weight and the restaurant manager would scream.
When I looked through the wedding photos for this post, it didn't feel like half a decade has whizzed past.
I first learnt of Albert Chua through SingaporeBrides forum.
That forum is an excellent source of information for all brides-to-be.
I did not do any pre-wedding shoots.
I don't believe in it. The Husband is so glad about it.
That forum is an excellent source of information for all brides-to-be.
I did not do any pre-wedding shoots.
I don't believe in it. The Husband is so glad about it.
I liked Albert's work and his undeniable passion for photography and not the money.
Albert liked that my wedding is sort of unconventional.
Albert liked that my wedding is sort of unconventional.
So he was to be my wedding photographer eventually.
With no pre-wedding shoot done, you can just imagine the amount of trust I placed in Albert for my actual day wedding pictures.
With no pre-wedding shoot done, you can just imagine the amount of trust I placed in Albert for my actual day wedding pictures.
What I never imagine is that 5 and a half years later, the very same easy-going man will helm a TFL photoshoot of my very own manufactured bag!
I mean, he's a ex-Straits Times photographer with 25 years of photography experience!
Why would he do a photoshoot for a blogshop?
Not like TFL is a big blogshop.
I'm pinning it down to pure luck.
Lucky that I was Albert's customer and he's really generous enough to lend TFL a helping hand, amidst his busy schedule (he's often overseas doing pre-wedding shoots).
Lucky also that Albert is on the Husband's Facbook a/c, so we didn't lose touch with him.
Have to give face & credit the Husband because he reads my blog when the moon turns blue.
My desperate prayers got heard! =D
When I told Albert I didn't think that we would work together again after my wedding,
he said, "Nowadays one need to know... Insurance Agent, Financial Consultant, Lawyer, Family Doctor, Photographer ..."
Lol.
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| Photos from half a decade ago! |
he said, "Nowadays one need to know... Insurance Agent, Financial Consultant, Lawyer, Family Doctor, Photographer ..."
Lol.
2 months ago, even before the tote shipment arrives, I have my eyes set on Forty Hands Cafe.
It is not a delibrate decision to opt for cafes but so many cafes out there have such interesting backdrops for shoots.
I was very certain that a chic bag like this latest Millie Cross Tote would look fabulous in a modern setting like Forty Hands.
Now, the bad thing about being very certain about a concept is it induces a stubborness that cannot be shaken off until the concept comes to fruition.
Anything that vaguely threaten this concept from realizing will send me into shrieks of panic.
Randomly, when I was showing the above photo to Jo, telling him about the place,
I said, "Eh, from this photo, Harry (the owner of Forty Hands) looks quite cute."
Jo replied, "Huh, don't know can't see clearly. So how, Madam? This time you want to 親自上陣 (do the modelling yourself)?"
-___-
When it comes to photoshoots, I plan weeks ahead.
It is always a huge challenge and a lot of to-and-fro to get everyone's schedules to meet.
Photographer, model, shoot coordinator, cafe owner's permission...
The wait of agreeing on a fixed date is torturous and when it's finally settled, you will find me on cloud nine!
I'm really so thankful too to Forty Hands for giving us the go-ahead! =D
Another thing that I totally did not expect was roping Francesca in for the photoshoot.
I once had a criteria not to use new models for outdoor shoots.
New as in, first time doing a photoshoot with TFL or the piggies.
There was once the piggies waited 45 minutes for a new model to turn up and there was no news from her whether she was late and coming or not.
Imagine if the guys have to wait so long for the model!
What if we miss the photoshoot timing allowed by the cafe and the cafe chases the crew out?
What if my photographer gets annoyed and calls off the shoot?
Then, what is going to happen to my bag launch??!!
Really cannot afford to risk.
But I broke that rule of mine with Francesca.
I was very eager to get her in for the photoshoot.
It turned out to be a very worthwhile decision! =D
I was telling Fran that no eyeshadow/fake eyelashes are required.
Blusher on cheeks, eyeliner/mascara to open up the eyes and lipgloss
I have never been to any of TFL's photoshoots.
I leave it to Jo, my shoot coordinator and the photographer to run the show.
And silly me forgot to pre-empt Fran that there would be no girls around during the shoot!
Fran, on the other hand, was real sweet about this! Thank goodness! =DD
Much of my research on location shoots is done online. It will be impossible to comb all the possible locations at one go physically. Blogs are so useful!
Although I try to be as comprehensive as possible for the shoot compositions, it is still very much up to my crew to be creative on the spot.
I think this is why sometimes Jo complains of being stressed out by me.
He's always worried that what happens on location will turn out to be a disappointment for me.
When Jo & Albert reached Yong Siak Street last Tuesday, they were surprised at how much this quaint Tiong Bahru area had transformed.
The cafe was bustling with customers.
They thought, "Die already, how to shoot like that?"
To think I was so naive to want the shoot on a Saturday previously.
Harry said that was a bad idea.
Remember, don't be tricked by the photos, thinking the cafe is empty!
Jo was so delighted when they managed to grab a sofa seat!
Plenty of space, got door handle to hang the ironed clothes, comfy area, great location for the shoot too!
And guess what's the seat number?
Lucky number 8!
I am taking it as a sign that the Millie Cross Tote is going to be the bestseller of the bestsellers! =DD
Actually among all the bags I have launched this year, Millie Cross Tote is the one I have the least confidence in.
Personally, it is my favourite-est of the bunch.
I like my bags to be big and with a bit of character and edge.
And I think Millie Cross Tote falls into that catergory.
But most local girls might not like their bags that way.
When I saw the sample, the guys in my house loved it!
Okay, not exactly the most encouraging sales statement but at least a high chance that the other guys will like it too!
There are customers who tell me that their purchase decisions are partially influenced by what their boyfriends/husbands say.
Oh man, TFL needs to work harder to win some guy fans now!
It was quite a headache for me to plan the outfits, courtesy of the piggies, as I felt the pressure to show to my customers that this tote was really very 'wearable' and not out-of-the-league kind of bag.
I also threw in TFL's Peter Pan Booties, because there are some customers who love the cute shoes but are unsure of their versatility.
I sure hope the photos will help!
Albert briefing the model before the shoot commenced.
Spot the pair of sunnies on Albert's hand?
It is a very retro-looking pair that I bought from Cotton On for only S$5, specially for the shoot!
Really very chic!
During the shoot, Albert was just calling Fran "Girl, girl!"
"Girl, your hair is a bit messy."
"Girl, face to the side a bit."
"Girl, you turn here a bit."
 |
| Credit: ladyironchef.com |
Now, the bad thing about being very certain about a concept is it induces a stubborness that cannot be shaken off until the concept comes to fruition.
Anything that vaguely threaten this concept from realizing will send me into shrieks of panic.
Randomly, when I was showing the above photo to Jo, telling him about the place,
I said, "Eh, from this photo, Harry (the owner of Forty Hands) looks quite cute."
Jo replied, "Huh, don't know can't see clearly. So how, Madam? This time you want to 親自上陣 (do the modelling yourself)?"
-___-
When it comes to photoshoots, I plan weeks ahead.
It is always a huge challenge and a lot of to-and-fro to get everyone's schedules to meet.
Photographer, model, shoot coordinator, cafe owner's permission...
The wait of agreeing on a fixed date is torturous and when it's finally settled, you will find me on cloud nine!
I'm really so thankful too to Forty Hands for giving us the go-ahead! =D
Another thing that I totally did not expect was roping Francesca in for the photoshoot.
I once had a criteria not to use new models for outdoor shoots.
New as in, first time doing a photoshoot with TFL or the piggies.
There was once the piggies waited 45 minutes for a new model to turn up and there was no news from her whether she was late and coming or not.
Imagine if the guys have to wait so long for the model!
What if we miss the photoshoot timing allowed by the cafe and the cafe chases the crew out?
What if my photographer gets annoyed and calls off the shoot?
Then, what is going to happen to my bag launch??!!
Really cannot afford to risk.
But I broke that rule of mine with Francesca.
I was very eager to get her in for the photoshoot.
It turned out to be a very worthwhile decision! =D
 |
| TFL Multi-Pocket Carrier in Sunburnt Orange |
Blusher on cheeks, eyeliner/mascara to open up the eyes and lipgloss
I have never been to any of TFL's photoshoots.
I leave it to Jo, my shoot coordinator and the photographer to run the show.
And silly me forgot to pre-empt Fran that there would be no girls around during the shoot!
Fran, on the other hand, was real sweet about this! Thank goodness! =DD
Much of my research on location shoots is done online. It will be impossible to comb all the possible locations at one go physically. Blogs are so useful!
Although I try to be as comprehensive as possible for the shoot compositions, it is still very much up to my crew to be creative on the spot.
I think this is why sometimes Jo complains of being stressed out by me.
He's always worried that what happens on location will turn out to be a disappointment for me.
When Jo & Albert reached Yong Siak Street last Tuesday, they were surprised at how much this quaint Tiong Bahru area had transformed.
The cafe was bustling with customers.
They thought, "Die already, how to shoot like that?"
To think I was so naive to want the shoot on a Saturday previously.
Harry said that was a bad idea.
Remember, don't be tricked by the photos, thinking the cafe is empty!
Jo was so delighted when they managed to grab a sofa seat!
Plenty of space, got door handle to hang the ironed clothes, comfy area, great location for the shoot too!
And guess what's the seat number?
Lucky number 8!
I am taking it as a sign that the Millie Cross Tote is going to be the bestseller of the bestsellers! =DD
Actually among all the bags I have launched this year, Millie Cross Tote is the one I have the least confidence in.
Personally, it is my favourite-est of the bunch.
I like my bags to be big and with a bit of character and edge.
And I think Millie Cross Tote falls into that catergory.
But most local girls might not like their bags that way.
When I saw the sample, the guys in my house loved it!
Okay, not exactly the most encouraging sales statement but at least a high chance that the other guys will like it too!
There are customers who tell me that their purchase decisions are partially influenced by what their boyfriends/husbands say.
Oh man, TFL needs to work harder to win some guy fans now!
It was quite a headache for me to plan the outfits, courtesy of the piggies, as I felt the pressure to show to my customers that this tote was really very 'wearable' and not out-of-the-league kind of bag.
I also threw in TFL's Peter Pan Booties, because there are some customers who love the cute shoes but are unsure of their versatility.
I sure hope the photos will help!
Albert briefing the model before the shoot commenced.
Spot the pair of sunnies on Albert's hand?
It is a very retro-looking pair that I bought from Cotton On for only S$5, specially for the shoot!
Really very chic!
During the shoot, Albert was just calling Fran "Girl, girl!"
"Girl, your hair is a bit messy."
"Girl, face to the side a bit."
"Girl, you turn here a bit."
I bet if I ask Albert now, he won't remember my model's name!
Maybe he only remembers them as the Girl at the coffee cafe, the Girl at the cake shop...
Haha!
In case you're wondering, he didn't address me as Girl at my wedding shoot.
Maybe because I'm not that young. -__-
Long black, flat white, cappucino & banana bread for the team before the shoot.
They said the coffee were great & so was the banana bread.
Jo brought back a tau sar pau from Forty Hands, which was quite yummy too!
Notice the stack of 3 books in the photo?
Jo forgot to bring books as props and borrowed from Albert's studio.
End up the bigger books were so heavy that even Jo couldn't take it.
The crew only got to use the small novel instead.
Spot it in the photos later!
A pretty photo of Fran with Millie Cross Tote in Black.
I like this shot very very very much! <3 <3 <3
So stylish!
Wanted to create a workwear look for the tote.
The piggies didn't have what I wanted, so I dug into my wardrobe and found this chocolate pencil skirt that I bought from FEP at least 4 years ago but barely worn.
The chocolate reminds me of the colour of Forty Hands signage. How apt! =D
I have tons of clothes in my wardrobe of at least 5 years old but still looking new.
Maybe next time I should blog about them. At least let them see the light of the day once in a while. =D
And to get the shot above...
Jo, couldn't you take a better photo of Albert?
Aaah, much better!
I had at least 20 shots of Fran standing at the door, from different angles.
I wonder how long they hogged the entrance. =P
Jo was the de facto timekeeper.
During the shoot, he would be reminding Albert that the crew needed to move on.
Because if they stayed at a spot for too long, they might inconvenience the cafe's customers.
And Albert would be saying, "Let me get one more shot! Just one more shot! I wasn't that satisfied with the previous ones!"
Perfectionist at work. =)
Knee-length pencil skirt! I just love this look lots with the Millie Cross Tote!
Oh, mustn't forget to credit! The white flutter-sleeved shirt is from PolkaDotPigs!
Okay done, aaah, I love the pencil skirt look! <3 <3 <3
If I'm not wrong, I think you can put A4 documents either vertically or horizontally into this tote!
Great when you're rushing and you just want to chuck things in!
Jo's subsidary's role was to hold the light for Albert.
Pity no one can snap a photo of that. I would love to see it!
When Jo's on the phone, Albert would be holding the light himself.
Sounds very tricky to me.
That should be an even more interesting photo to see!
You won't be able to see the mustard belt clearly in this photo.
I bought it from Chamelon, surprisingly!
I was going up and down the esclators for a good 10 minutes, pondering whether I should get it and if it would just a waste of money.
Now looking at the photos, I'm glad I did!
Chamelon has almost every imaginable colour in their selections!
Fran was sharing with me how she felt TFL's outdoor photos resembled Zipia's.
Another model was also saying that the photos looked Korean/Japanese.
我左看右看，上看下看。
No matter how I look at it, I can't see the similarity though.
My models are all locals, in a very Singaporean setting (cake shop, coffee shop), wearing clothing, shoes & donning bags from local brands.
Neither did I set out trying to emulate Korean/Japanese style.
So how did the photos end up looking similar?
Oh well, I hope my customers like the photos!
That's the most important! =D
I was puzzled when I saw this photo.
Asked Jo, "Eh, why do you all ask model to stand at back door? Nice meh? Smelly or not? Don't torture model leh! Later next time I can't get her for photoshoot anymore."
Jo then leapt into a full description on how great they felt that spot was and it was clean & not smelly at all, etc etc etc...
Nice to know that Forty Hands keeps the back area clean too. =)
Nice to know that Forty Hands keeps the back area clean too. =)
The crew also snapped some new pictures for TFL's previous bags.
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| TFL's Triple Pocket Hobo |
Albert liked the big handwritten menus at this spot. So do I!
Though I couldn't help noticing at how flat their paus were.
Yes, I know they are supposed to be like that.
It's just...not so often I see flat paus. Haha!
When I first saw this shot, I couldn't stop exclaiming to Jo, "Aaaah, why did you ask model to wear the geeky specs? So hard for me to find a pretty face, then you go put a pair of specs to hide her face?!"
Jo kept saying, "But it's nice! Really cute! And nice!"
Alright, they do look good. =P
 |
| TFL's Double Pocket Satchel |
You might have already seen these photos at TFL's site.
For ages, I have been wanting to do a shoot at Books Actually.
Way before they moved to Yong Siak Street.
Way before I have the idea of doing shoots at interesting cafes.
The bookshop is just opposite Forty Hands.
I emailed them once. No reply.
Jo called them up and the conversation went something like this:
Jo: "Hi, we're an online boutique for ladies bags! We like the setting of your shop very much. Can I know if it's possible to do a photoshoot at your shop?"
Guy on the other line: "Which fashion magazine are you from?"
Jo: "Oh no, we're an online store, not fashion magazine."
Guy on the other line: "Sorry. It's not possible."
Jo said the guy sounded quite firm on his stance.
No room for negotiation.
Seems like they only allow fashion magazines in for shoots.
They do have such a quaint exterior, don't they?
So I got the guys to get some shots of Fran walking past the bookshop.
Shall not go in, must not go in, actually cannot go in, oh well!
Come to think of it, so far Flor Patisserie & Forty Hands are the ones who have kindly allowed the TFL crew in.
Both the owners are non-Singaporeans and friendly to interact with.
Only regret for this shoot is I miss out asking Harry for a shot with the model, like we did with Mel & Chef Yamashita at Flor.
Both the owners are non-Singaporeans and friendly to interact with.
Only regret for this shoot is I miss out asking Harry for a shot with the model, like we did with Mel & Chef Yamashita at Flor.
Hopefully if I ever ask another place by a local for permission, things will work out. =)
The launch will be coming up in the next 1-2 days!
Hope to 'see' you then! =))
A big thank you to Forty Hands Cafe!
Do head down to try their coffee and brunch, if you have not been there!
Check out their Facebook updates too!
And another big thank you to Albert for his wonderful help!
If you are keen to engage him for your wedding, pop by his website to view his happy clients' photos.
Or follow Everafter Pictures on Facebook!
Last but not least, thank you to the big-hearted piggies at PolkaDotPigs for the gorgeous clothing on Francesca! =))
Remember, the pencil skirt is mine though!
Remember, the pencil skirt is mine though!
78 Yong Siak St
#01-12 Tiong Bahru
Tues & Sun: 8:30am to 6:30pm
Wed & Thurs: 8:30am to 10pm
Fri & Sat: 8:30am to 11pm
Closed on Mon.
Mobile: 91452101
Studio: Blk 261 Waterloo Street
#02-03 Singapore 180621
*behind Singapore Arts Museum*
Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu
