I recently had the opportunity to style and photograph a series of refreshed (and brand new) products by Sun Lim Garden – a local producer of really tasty dried snacks.

From spicy cashews to salted almonds, healthy mixes (or wolfberries and baby almonds) to milk pistachio nuts, this shoot was incredibly fun (and rather tasty to boot – hey one does have to understand the product before being able to showcase it in its best form)!

Here is a sample of the images that we created on the day. These will be used for their new product packaging and in their PR efforts over the next few years.

And this my personal favourite shot of the shoot… for one thing, the colours really pop, and I also like the garlic coated peanuts.

Special thanks to Shumin for tips on where to source the props from! )

In Noel’s bag:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8L
• Canon EF 500D Closeup Filter
• 5 in 1 Reflector (168cm x 102cm)
• Wireless shutter release (5D Mark II)

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So a few months ago I did a maternity photo shoot with Aurélie & Alex… and a few months later, I was delighted to be invited back to photograph their newborn, baby Lucas

At only eight days old, I was a little concerned that he might be a little on the wee side to be my model… but after a sluggish start (lots of eating and the you-know-what – that happens after eating) he warmed up to me and the camera shutter… and from then on, things went swimmingly.

A big shout out to Aurélie who is one of the most patient people on earth, and to Alex for changing Lucas every half and hour (he was a little peeing, pooping, burping and farting maching)… oh and for helping me hold the reflector every now and then too.

Here are some highlights of the day.

Okay so this is his ‘grumble bum’ face… guess he didn’t appreciate being woken from his nap!

This is where he started ‘spacing out’ again… it’s tough being a superstar baby model, but someone’s gotta do it.

Congratulations again to Aurélie & Alex on  turning  two, into a very happy three!

I’ve promised them that I’ll return in a few months to get a few photos of Lucas when he’s a little bigger. Looking forward to that shoot already!

In Noel’s bag:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• EF 24-70mm F/2.8L
• EF 16-35mm F/2.8L
• EF 50mm F/1.2L
• Collapsible reflector

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I was invited back to UPS to photograph the Managing Director of UPS Singapore, Greg Carstens.

Greg was really fun to work with, and kept chatting all the way through the shoot – which made for fun, but tricky shooting.

Here are a few of the images that we managed to create:

Thanks to the entire UPS team for inviting me back to photograph Greg. Looking forward to the next shoot with them!

In Noel’s bag:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS USM
• SpeedLite 580 EX II
• Light stand and umbrella

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Was quite surprised when I received a call from Heiko a week ago asking if I was available to shoot his wedding.

I was recommended to him and his fiancée (Jessica) by someone I had worked with previously – thank you (you know who you are) – and after checking out byNoelYeo.com, he got in touch.

Even though it was short notice, I managed to shuffle my schedule around and accepted the assignment.

Jessica and Heiko decided to not to do a full pre-wedding shoot, opting rather for a short shoot just before their solemnisation and dinner. The following images were captured in less than 1 hour in and around the National Museum of Singapore.

Despite the oppressive heat and the fact that they had less than an hour before guests started arriving, both Jessica and Heiko were incredibly calm and co-operative. I guess that’s what happens when you’re deliriously in love with each other.

We even managed to get a few shots of Jessica alone in and around the Museum – while Heiko was busy getting all the guests settled in.

Here are some pictures of the Novus restaurant and bar that the dinner took place in.

Next up on byNoelYeo.com, Jessica & Heiko’s solemnisation, reception and dinner.

Noel

In Noel’s bag:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS USM
• EF 24-70mm F/2.8L USM
• EF 50mm F/1.2L
• SpeedLite 580 EX II
• SpeedLite 480EX II
• SpectraLite Bounce Card

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A fellow photographer friend of mine, Jérôme Meyer ( aka thinklad on Flickr) was invited to shoot the wedding of Laurence & Arjen – a beautiful couple who have been in love for about a decade. From the photos you can see that they’re still very much in love.

As it was one of Jérôme’s first official photography gigs – and because I always wanted to shoot with him – I offered to be his backup on the day. I think it worked out really well, the night before we had dinner at Rocks: Urban Grill + Bar and prepped for the full day of photography. Jérôme’s lens of choice is the 50mm F/1.4 (yes he’s a Nikon user but we won’t that against him – joke) so I opted for the divine Canon EF 70-200 F/2.8L IS USM so that I wouldn’t get in his way too much.

note: The EF 70-200 F/2.8L IS USM is fast becoming my most used lens – despite me having dropped it down a flight of jagged, muddy stairs in Cameron Highlands, it still takes extraordinary photos… but back to the couple.

So Laurence & Arjen had just half a day to get their pre-wedding photos, followed immediately by their solemnisation, reception and dinner. So with fingers crossed for good weather, we set off at 10am for the following locations: the Botannical Gardens, Raffles Hotel, the Old Supreme Court, Cavenagh Bridge and The Fullerton Hotel)

Here are the highlights of their pre-wedding photos with a series of Lightroom 2 presets and optimisations.

I have a great deal of respect for Arjen, traipsing around the humid Botannical Gardens at 11am in a 3 piece suit. If I were in his shoes, I don’t think I would be nearly as chirpy.

We then happened to drive past the Raffles Hotel… it was there that Arjen proposed to Laurence, so after some last minute swerves by the maxi-cab driver, we pulled up for an impromptu shoot at where this journey began.

Off to the Old Supreme Court Building…

Then off to the final leg – along the Singapore River, Cavenagh Bridge.

By this point we’d been shooting in the full afternoon sun for about 3 hours and I all four of us were totally wiped out. But a we wrapped up the shoot… Laurence runs into The Fullerton (followed closely by Arjen), down the flight of stairs, up to the Koi pond in the basement, and sticks her fingers into the water. Both of them are in hysterics, giggling like school kids, and that was it – the perfect way to wrap up an exhausting but amazing shoot.

While the couple retreated to their homes to freshen up, I ducked home, emptied my CF cards, got my kit ready for the solemnisation, had a shower, then promptly fell asleep on the couch for a 45min nap (if you do the same don’t forget to set the alarm!)

Next up on byNoelYeo.com, Laurence & Arjen’s solemnisation, reception and dinner.

Noel

In Noel’s bag:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• EF 70-200 F/2.8L IS USM
• EF 24-70 F/2.8L USM
• 4x Water Bottles
• 1x big stack of napkins

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A magnificent wedding by all standards, the garden ceremony was held at The Lawn at The Raffles Hotel in the presence of relatives and close friends.

I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to work with Bridgit & Alan, and share part of their happiness.

It was also an opportunity for me to really stretch the legs on my new Canon EF 50mm F/1.2L USM lens.

I have to say though, that Bridgit must be one of the most effervescent brides I’ve ever come across.  The moment she rounded the corner of The Lawn, she was smiling from ear to ear and pretty much didn’t stop giggling the entire way through.

You can see that it even started affecting the groom and the maid of honour too (her sister).

The tea ceremony was interesting…

On the one hand you had Alan’s parents who took the whole affair very seriously, whereas Bridgit’s parents just laughed and had a ball – I’m surprised I managed to get this solemn shot in between the smiles.

Mr and Mrs O’Soonovan were then official!

With the official business over, first fix the hair, then the bride received some much needed champagne.

While the children seemed to understand that there was an ‘adults’ thing’ going on, nothing was going to stop them having fun – I think we found ourselves a new Singapore Idol (see kid with mic), a real showman.

Photos with family and friends – you can tell from their expressions that everyone was having a brilliant time.

The bride and groom with all the girlfriends (and one extra person – how’d he get in there?). What a gorgeous group of individuals.

And that wraps up Bridgit & Alan’s wedding.

I spoke to the bride today and she commented “You know, it was hectic leading up to the day, but it all went by so fast… and I wish I could do it all again”.

Now when a bride says that she wants to do it all again, you know it was a great wedding!

Noel

In Noel’s bag:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• EF 50mm F/1.2L USM
• EF 70-200 F/2.8L IS USM
• Canon SpeedLite 580EX II
• Self-constructed bounce card with ink-jet paper and an elastic strap

Next up, Blankanvas‘ first anniversary party extravaganza – photographed byNoelYeo.

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- if you navigated directly to this post, you might like to check out:

Part I - “Good, Bad & Simply Stunning : The Singapore Zoo (Primates)”

Part II – “Drop-Dead Ferocious: The Singapore Zoo (Felines)”

The first two images were taken in the Snake exhibit, which means incredibly low light, and glass in between you and the subject.

Thankfully I had my new Canon EF 50mm F/1.2L lens and was able to create these dreamy images with incredibly shallow depth of field.

The remainder of these were shot using the same gear as the previous shoot:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• EF 70-200 F/2.8L IS USM
• EF 2x Extender

Now we move onto the plains of Africa… or somewhere with elephants, zebra, and erm a lone flamingo.

And that concludes my excursion to the Singapore Zoo.

It always amazes me that for a modest country like Singapore, we’ve got one of the top Zoos in the world. Guess that makes us pretty lucky – even if I did have to fight hordes of people to get my shots.

Next up, look out for highlights from Bridgit & Allan’s wedding at the Raffles hotel.

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(Photo Excursion on Tuesday, 29th December 2009)

Thought it was a good idea to make a photo-trip to the Singapore Zoo the Tuesday after Christmas… that is, until I got there and realised half of Singapore (and their kids) thought likewise.

From a queue that stretched to Changi, and kids that cried everytime they glimpsed my helmet-head… it seemed a poor start.

Thankfully, my mate (the super talented) George Leong of Creme Photography joined me in the queue and we started talking shop to pass the time.

He’d helped me to rent the Canon EX 2x Extender II from The Camera Rental – for $20 (not too bad I say). We purchased our tickets (basic admission – no tram nonsense for us) and away we went.

After 4.5hours of walking around and shooting non-stop – that’s called passion – I was totally wiped out.

Here are some of the images that jumped out at me when I was reviewing the ‘film’. Have split this post into different categories so I’ll start with some of the most interesting and vaired creatures…

Primates

~ The (Pint-Sized) Hunter ~

~ And that’s gossip! ~

~ Cheeky Monkey ~

Some of them had such expressive eyes it was a little unnerving.

~ Hangin’ around ~

~ Reaching for the stars ~ (or lunch as it were)

~ Safety ~

… and one of my favourite images of the day:

Baby Orangutan: “Zzzz zzzz….. mmm… morning mom… jeez how high up are we woman???”

Stay tuned for: “Reptile World” & “Ferocious Felines” coming soon to byNoelYeo.com

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First shoot was for 7 of their key personnel – the remaining 3 to be shot next week.

Standard 2 light setup with grey backdrop, minimal retouching.

Sample images below.

~updated 9 Nov 2009~

Completed the shoot and final images ready for Actis!

Was great working with the entire team – Thanks to Ms Preeti Seshadri and Ms Jennifer Hoe @ Actis.

Noel

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