first time | a + a part 1

*this post will be like damn wordy, so prepare yourself
lol

ok..so today mark the first time of quite a few things
today i is,

first time really try to take care of a pet
f bought a turtle coz she kinda needs a turtle pic for one of her client's logo requirements
then she asked me to shoot a bit
so after that we don't know what to do with it
so i adopted it

first time went to do those very religious thing,
u know those auntie uncle stuff where they believe you can ask "guang gong" a.k.a kuang te kong in hokkien, stuffs and then you shuffle shuffle those stick stuffs and then one will come out and then you go see the number and then ask another uncle at one corner of the temple then he'll tell you what the number means ?
yeah...
i did that today
first time
and understanding this kidna thing,
i put myself into believing into it real hard
coz due to some very personal circumstances of decision making stuffs regarding what's to come i've come to the point where i'm really just too afraid ( scared of making the wrong choice ) and thus, left it all to.....
god.
so what how's the results ?
didn't get my answer,
the stick that come out from those shuffle thing i did shows number 51
went to ask the uncle
he said
"super damn good"
long story cut short
he said
whichever decision i'd take, will both be extremely good
so in the end, it's still up to me -.-"

also
today
first time
half official half not
i covered a wedding dinner in medan
my very first being stefen's cousin but then i wasn't really "did" most of the events by itself
today however,
kinda covered around 80% of the event
still adapting to a very different kinda of wedding reception here in medan though
so pictures might not be as appealing as i've hoped it would
everything from the start went in a flash
everything just moves so fast
i barely had anytime to dig out a few tricks
and i barely had anytime to put a personal touch of my style yet
again
still adapting : /
one more thing was,
i also barely knew the couple
having met them only during the dinner itself
the groom was extremely friendly though which put me a little bit more at ease
nevertheless, i still felt quite a lot of restrictions as i don't know them a bit more
had requested for a meeting before hand but then they got no time
+ this wedding for me to cover was also damn very the last min
confirmed it only like 2 days ago =.="
long story cut short again,
restrictions = i don't really dare to move to where i really think would provide the best composition and settle for the so - so kinda angles only
anyway,
a picture speaks a thousand words
share 8000 more words with you guys today d :)

a wedding in medan
is still pretty much traditional
photographically speaking
most of the shots i've seen were mostly more formal
and here,
not only do you have to satisfy the couple
the parents are pretty much the one you should prove your skills to too
coz in medan
gossips spread like wildfire
once an aunty labelled you as a bad photographer = you'd more or less be chopped with that sign everywhere
and the hardest thing that makes satisfying them very hard is that
most "old" parents (those above 50) are still very much "old" fashioned, traditional
meaning
a photo will be good if everything is bright
everyone can be seen sharp sharp
no chop head style
dun need to care if got harsh shadows from the flash
dun need to care if got shadows under eyes all
as long as the pic
sharp
bright
everyone smiling
everyone can be seen
doesn't show that they're old
doesn't show that they're fat
u is a good photographer
at least
i have this kinda feeling (from what mum has always complained about my pictures -.-")
(like, why no head one, why this one blur one, why black and white one..etc etc)

another thing is
the way the reception goes
are quite different than singapore
while in singapore you'd have the couple having their first dance
here, you'd have the couple having their first kareoke in front of everyone to collect ang paos
and during the 3 (usually 7pm - 10pm) hours long dinner
you'd be entertained with performances
dances and kareokeing from relatives, friends and local artistes

i reached at 6pm+ today at Selecta, one of medan's most famous restaurants dedicated for wedding dinners
here, a photographer's first taks are to snap the decorations of the place
so i went to snap snap also d


the "stage" for the performances and the "red" table where the couple and their parents sit during the dinner






the very hugely lovely decorated wedding cake




after the decorations, the photographer is expected to go shoot these congratulatory "hua pan in hokkien" literally traslated to be flowery wood that's placed along the streets and within the restaurant's building


this one's from my dad's spare part business
yes, they invited us, and i went as their photographer -.-"




after that
it's the most boring part of all wedding dinners
the what i call "khan ciu time (hokkien again) or shake hand time"
here, the couples along with their parents will sit and wait for guests to arrive near the door and shake their hands thanking them for the presence and guests will congratulate them face to face
this part itself, compromises the first hour of the wedding dinner already
usually guests will start arriving at 7pm
and the wedding reception will only begin at 8pm
meaning, food will only come at 8+


waiting for the guests





one of the first guests





then more arriving





this is a scene outside the restaurants
usually, two tables and chairs will be set up along the path to the door
as can be seen lor
will have girls sit there one
and these girls are usually the couple's sisters / very close relatives sit
what they do there ?
ask guests to sign in the guests book
take their ang paos (yes, most quests are expected to give ang paos)
then put in the a very nicely decorated "box"





a very random shot
got bored of shooting the guests coming in
and coz they got another more official photographer shooting already
i just anyhow snap d

ok la
more than 8000 words already
more tomorrow