Tony & Clarissa - S'Winter

Hello again! Here's the third installment of Tony & Clarissa's engagement photoshoots. We aim to have one every season and this one is our "S'winter" version.  

So we were supposed to have a winter photoshoot but by the time I came back from my three-week Indonesia vacation it was already March. Naturally, the spring melt was underway and we were left with leftover snow and puddles. Thus the name "S'winter" as this photoshoot was taken at the end of winter and the beginning of spring.  

The location was Gairloch Gardens. In this shot, you can't even tell that it is winter (lol). 

Initially, I had big doubts about this shoot because of the lack of snow. However, as we progressed through the shoot I found myself finding different and unique angles than what I was used to.  

 As a result, this shoot had a more "artistic" feel to it compared to my usual style. 

The pose for this was suggested by Tony's best man, Ryan, who accompanied us on the shoot. 

I also noticed that I favor shooting my subjects on the right side of the frame (lol).  

 This shot has been done so many times but I love it regardless. 

Here you can see how much the snow had melted. 

But then...we found a patch of snow!

Clarissa's makeup by Jilly

Selfie-style. 

 No photos please, we're having a moment here :P

 Overall, I had a great time with these two!

Til' the next and last photoshoot!

I'd like to thank Tony & Clarissa for letting me photograph them. I can really see the progress I'm making through these shoots. It is also fun to see the two of them becoming more and more comfortable in front of the lens. A special thanks to Ryan P and Mikha M who was there behind the scenes to help carry gear + help me pose the couple!

-e.m.

Jakarta & Bogor

I've posted many posts about Indonesia lately and I realized that I haven't really summarized my trip for you. I am born in Jakarta, Indonesia and moved to Canada when I was eight years old. I don't frequently visit Indonesia because a) it is far, b) air fare is expensive, c) I've been in school. The last time I visited Indonesia before this trip was seven years ago. I think it was about time for a homecoming. 

I used my 40D and 17-40 mm F4L on my trip for the most part. I also shot in JPEG so I can maximize memory and edit quickly on the go with my iPad. However, I regret shooting in JPEG because you can really see the difference in quality after post-processing...

The weird looking apartment across my grandma's house in Rajawali, Jakarta Pusat. 

The rooftop area in my grandma's house. One thing that I really loved about Jakarta was seeing greenery and vegetation everywhere. 

My grandma during a sunny morning in Jakarta. 

Typical Jakarta front yard. They don't have much of a "lawn" here. 

Since I came to Jakarta close to CNY (Chinese New Year), it was interesting to see the preparations. CNY is huge here, let me tell you...it is like Christmas. Here my aunt is holding a milkfish (bandeng as it is known in Indonesia) she bought from a travelling vendor. It is apparently tradition in Jakarta to eat braised milkfish for CNY. 

One day while walking around in the BSD region, my brother found this lizard (which we believe is an oriental garden lizard) running around in front of a store. He caught it and released it in my uncle's garden where there's more vegetation for it to live in.  

This is the front yard of Central Park Mall in Jakarta. Yes, North America has nothing on Asian malls. 

Stray cats are abundant in Jakarta.  

The courtyard of Museum Bank Indonesia in Kota Tua, Jakarta. Dutch architecture here folks--Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony until 1945.  

In yer face. 

Typical canal system in Jakarta. You can imagine why it frequently floods here.  

A lot of the houses in Kota Tua are abandoned and some are said to be haunted.  

This is the "Kantor Pos Taman Fatahillah" which is the post office.  

Not sure what this building is called... 

I spy someone snoozing.

Museum Fatahillah (also known as Museum Sejarah Jakarta or Museum Batavia). 

Hey fellow photographer. When you get into the museum, you will be given a bag with flip-flops. You have to take off your footwear and wear the flip-flops they give you. I guess it's to keep the place clean. Beware of slipping because the shoes have absolutely no grip on them (lol). 

Poor Pooh bear--looks so lonesome.  

This museum used to be some sort of city hall during Dutch colonial days. It was built in the early 1700's. The areas underground were used as prisons, which I visited and was very, very eerie.  

This museum tells the history of Jakarta.  

Cafe Batavia. Very cool restaurant in Taman Fatahillah.  

The Indonesian food here is quite decent, especially the Soto Ayam and Soto Betawi. 

Here is Inez and her dad, in which I have to thank for showing me around Kota Tua :) 

Now we reach the Bogor part of this post. This is my family's graveyard. There are several people buried here including my grandpa and my great grandparents from my mother's side. 

Since it was nearing CNY, we decided to visit my grandpa's grave and pay our respects, clean up the area a bit. 

The left is the grave for my grandma when she passes. Notice her name is still in red (not painted in yet) which signifies that she is still living. 

Why hello there cat!

My grandma paying her respects to her mother and father. 

We placed flowers, fruits and candies on the grave.

Some plants being grown on the property.

This is a cempedak fruit. Not sure what it is called in English. It tastes like a jackfruit but has a softer texture. 

This is the man that takes care of the property. 

Well, that's all the pictures I have for my Indonesian homecoming, I hope you enjoy it. Since I have a legit job now, I might be able to go back and visit my family more often. Maybe next year? Til' I see you again Indonesia!

-e.m.