Pregnant Mummy Photo Shoot – Series IX

I received a sms last weekend from a mummy, asking me why her pregnant photo was not posted on this blog despite my earlier promises. Only then I realised I have completely overlooked the last batch of photos supposedly to be posted, which I thought was posted earlier. Alas, my careless mistake.

The photos have now been posted with my sincere apologies to the mummy as this was entirely my fault. Honestly, I have no qualms with the mummy writing and asking me about their photos. In fact, I should feel proud as she is actually anticipating for the photos and unfortunately I have failed her.

This is truly an experience that I can relate to my earlier story posted in Series VIII.

To the mummy who called, again, thank you sincerely for reminding me to finish my work. As you can see, it is not only you that I owe such duty, there are others too.....

在上周末收到了一位妈咪的短信，问我为何还没把她之前拍到的照片放上网。我才恍然大悟，察觉到自己的失误，还以为把应上网的照片都摆上去了。

我现把这些“失落”的照片放上网，还要对这几位妈咪致万份的歉意。说真的，我要感谢那位妈咪的来言， 使我明白和体会到她对这些照片的重视，还有更深一层的明暸到我上一篇的，即第八系列的留言。

对那位给我短信的妈咪，我再次的感谢您的提醒，使到我能把这次的工作圆满完成。其实，我不止有亏于她，还有其他几位妈咪呢。。。。。

Pregnant Mummy Photo Shoot - Series VIII

While attending a portraiture class last Saturday, the teacher from Taiwan, Mr. Lim Sheng shared with us a life experience that he encountered recently:

Not long after the Taiwan earthquake in 2009, came a couple insisting him to take their wedding photograph. Mr. Lim was surprised when he realised that the husband-to-be, which was actually a friend, make such a request. This was because he knew that this friend is a photo journalist and never like the idea of taking wedding photograph. Out of curiosity, Mr. Lim asked him why the change of heart.

To this, the reporter told him a story:

During the aftermath, the reporter was busy taking photos visiting the disaster areas and sending the photos to his newspaper for reporting. By then, he was already numb with what he saw in this catastrophe. Soon, he noticed there was a little girl, aged about eight, standing lonely staring at a stockpile of collapsed debris. Sensing the photogenic opportunity, he sneaked over and started to take shots.

The shutter clicks alerted the little girl that someone was nearby and she turned around and asked the reporter : “Uncle, someone has just took away my parents from this place. Can I trouble you to pick up something for me in the drawer that was hiding underneath the roof？”

Seeing that there was not much risk in stepping over the debris and doing what the girl requested, the reporter opened the drawer.

Do you know what was inside the drawer？

There was nothing precious, just a pile of family photos. The little girl will from now on rely on this to think about her parents.

And because of this, the reporter has since decided to take wedding photo with his fiancée.

As human, we always regret not doing things earlier when something happened. Similarly, when we looked back at a photo taken a while ago, our feelings and composure will certainly be different as the photo was a reflection of time, what we have been through, a capture of emotional experience. This is especially true with family photos and we should cherish all the moments when we can have a group photos with our loved ones.

As what I have always said: “A Photo, A Sweet Memory”

上星期六在上人像摄影课时，台湾来的人像摄影大师林声老师跟我们分享了这一个故事：

在去年台湾发生了大地震不久后，来了一对要结婚的夫妇指定要老师为他们拍一册结婚照。老师刚开始时有点惊讶，因那丈夫本身是一个摄影记者，对传统的结婚照有相当大的抗拒。接着在沟通时才了解到背后的原因。

那时发生在地震时，身为摄影记者，他一整天都忙着把灾难后的情景拍下交差，自己眼泪也流干了不知多少篇，感觉也开始麻木了。 就在那时，他留意到一为大概八岁的小妹妹，孤零零的对着一对废墟。看到了这个机会，他就跑过去对准她拍了起来。

卡察了几声后，小妹妹也发觉到他的存在，就转过身对他说 ： “叔叔，刚刚有人已把我爸爸妈妈从塌下的楼搬走了，我可以请您帮我到前面那塌下的屋顶里有一个抽屉拿回电东西给我行吗？”

衡量了安全状况后，他就小心翼翼的踩着乱堆到了那抽屉，把它打开。

您猜到那里有什么吗？

其实，那并不是些什么值钱的东西，而是一堆家庭照。小妹妹以后就靠这些好不起眼的照片回念她罹难的双亲。

就是这件事，那摄影记者就决定了要把那新婚的感觉拍下。

我们常常在事发后才后悔某些事不事前做好，往往是欲哭无泪。同样的，一张照片在若干年后回看时，感触，心情肯定是不同的，尤其是给家人看时。所以在我们大家有机会时，千万别忘了给自己及家人多留点纪念，别亏待自己。

也是我常说的：一张照片，一个甜蜜的回忆。

Pregnant Mummy Photo Shoot - Series VII

Read a newspaper article when I got back from outstation recently and realised it was regarding a mummy that I shot earlier and was flabbergasted with her story. Apparently, this mummy had underwent three major surgeries – lump removal from her breast, varginal hygroma and cardiac valve recovery. Despite the obstacles, the optimistic mother has managed to overcome all and now even delieverd a healthy triplets to the family. During the earlier shooting, I have actually noticed the scars on her body and we have talked about it. However, she just mentioned her experience lightly and did not seem to be too overly bother with it, something that I now admired even more. There was another thing that caught my attention – when I asked whether she is bothered by the scars and would like those to be removed via post editing. Without hesitation, she rejected and emphasised that those scars would stay with her. Compared to some of the clients that I encountered previously, she was indeed a lot more rational and sensible. I have now created an album dedicated to her and share with all, as a show of respect for her courage. Equally, I am honoured to be involved in undertaking such a photo shoot assignment with her family.

匍从外埠摄影回家，在报章上看到一张很熟悉的面孔，惊觉到是不久前给她拍摄过的怀孕妈咪。细读了报导后，更惊叹她整个怀孕过程的高风险度。据述，这妈咪在怀孕时曾动过三次大手术 - 乳房肿瘤手术，子宫水瘤手术和修复心瓣膜手术。可是乐观的她勇敢的面对了这些危机，现在还为家人生了三胞胎！

较早拍摄期间，我注意到了她身上很明显的三个疤痕，也谈了起来，没想到原来背後有着这樣的一个故事。现回想她之前的清描淡述，我也很佩服她。

还有一件事使我印象深刻; 当我问她对那几个刀疤是否介怀，需在那些照片作后期处理，把它消除时，她很快的拒绝了，并强调我要把它保留。比起我之前我遇到的一些客户，她理性的多。

我这次特地为她作了一个专册放上网跟大家分享，表扬她的勇气。

如有兴趣，您们可以根据以下的网址读到有关她的故事：

http://search.sinchew-i.com/node/495747?k=梁詩敏

能够为她家人拍了那一册照片，也是我的荣幸。

Pregnant Mummy Photo Shoot - Series VI

Frankly，I enjoyed the time spent watching the selected photos with mummies. There are two reasons for such.

One, I can improve myself technically based on their feedback, especially on my lighting techniques, understand the dos and don'ts on lighting style and angle(s) that are a definite no-no for woman. I called it the 'Siberia' angle – everybody knows where it is but nobody wants to go there.....

What interest me the more was to understand their feelings during the photo shoot over such a short span of time communicating with them.

Many of the mummies will ask and remind me to take 'beautiful' shoots of them during the process but no one seems to know what 'beautiful' means nor the courage to give me 'beautiful' postures. Hence，most of them will sigh upon watching their photos, regret for missing some of the poses they would do if given a second chance.

An equally fascinating observation was that some of the mummies will insist that I show them photos of other mummies, then without fail, most of them will admire how beautiful those mummies are and almost without fail, then question me why I could not make them look equally pleasing.

Well, seriously, at this junction, there is nothing I said will help the situation as the outcome will be a self-inflicting one. I can only grin.

Personally, to take a nice long-lasting shot (I confess that I do not know how take beautiful photo of people), there are many factors at work; the most important being the coordination and understanding between mummy and the photographer, not to mention mummy's emotions during the shoot.

Some of them understood fully what they wanted, put aside their normal-self, did something unconventional, be someone different during the process. When this happens, most of them will be very satisfied with the results and I am happy for them too as I have help fulfilled their wish.

In contrast, if they feel this is not what they have wanted it to be at the end, then let's hope they will not repeat such mistakes in future shooting and hope for a better result. As a photographer, I cannot guarantee full success, can I?

Else, it definitely has to be me….. simply not good enough for them.

I will have to constantly self-evaluate my techniques, be honest to my self and not simply put the blame on my subject and forget to look at at the mirror.

说真的，我个人很享受跟妈咪看照片的过程，原因不外有二。

其一：我可以根据她们的回馈去了解和改进我摄影，尤其是打光的技术，明白到什麽样的灯光和角度是女人的‘死穴’，无论如何都不能用的。

而我最感兴趣的是在和她们这短时间沟通时，去尝试了解她们在拍照时的心情。

很多妈咪在拍照期间一再强调要拍得美，可有说不出美的定义，做不足‘美’的动态， 看照时唉声叹气，后悔当时不‘大胆’一点的把姿态摆起来。

最有趣的是有些妈咪硬是要看别的妈咪拍的照片，然后几乎全都会赞美她们拍得比自己的好看的多，然后回头问我为什麽她们的更好，是不是我偏心。

其实，在这情况下，我说什麽都是没用的。我讲什麽都会被看作是借口，自我辩护。只能傻笑。

个人认为，要拍一张耐看（我自认不会拍一张美的）的照片，是需要多方面的配合；最重要的是妈咪和摄影师的沟通，配合和妈咪拍照时的心态。有些妈咪知道自己要拍些什麽，在拍摄时把身段放下，作一些平常不会做的一些小动作，把它拍下留念。看照时她们自己也会满足的笑，在加下如果有丈夫在旁的鼓励，那就更美好不过了。我也会沾了她的光，为她高兴。

反之，如果觉得效果不好，那么自我检讨一下，下次拍照时避免重犯，希望拍出来的成绩会更标青。

不然，那就真的是我的问题了。。。。 功夫不到家。

我自己也要不时自我检讨， 对自己老实点，别老是怪别人不行，而忘了照鏡子。

Pregnant Mummy Photo Shoot - Series IV & V

In conjuction with the impending Chinese New Year celebration in my home country, I have now put on a supposedly two series of photos for all to enjoy.

And also would like to wish all a

HAPPY AND PROPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR AHEAD!

GONG XI GONG XI!!

趁着新春的喜气，一次性把两个系列的照片给摆上网给大家欣赏。

也藉这机会跟大家拜个早年，恭贺大家

新年快乐

万事如意

恭喜恭喜！！