Friday Night Rants

I'm lying down on my bed, typing this at 9:55pm.

Aiming to fall asleep by 10pm.

So early, you say. Who sleeps at 10pm on a Friday night, you say.

Me.

I do.

Because I went to the gym, showered, washed and dried my clothes, cleaned my room and did 3 hours of revision.

I cannot wait for Christmas. 

And yes, I miss taking photos.

I was going through Tealily Photography's website a while ago and then I realised just how much I miss being behind the camera, capturing a couple's smile as they look into each other's eyes, a mother tenderly holding her child and a girl freely expressing herself through art.

I do ask myself sometimes, I often wonder if I will ever become a photographer one day.

Or will my future profession be of what I am majoring now, Human Resource Management.

Or will I be a bus driver.

Okay maybe not, my passengers may not make it to the destination.

Okay, it's 9:59. I'm going to try to sleep now.

Goodnight.

The Sweetest Thing.

     While having lunch with a dear friend of mine, she asked "What's the sweetest thing Leroy has done for you?". I thought about it and while thinking through, I found myself recollecting some of the sweetest memories with this guy. Now, I don't usually posts things about us on this space but I think this guy deserves a special shoutout :)

While we were both having lunch on my birthday, he casually mentioned "Hey, check your email and see". With question marks all over my face, I took out my phone to check my mail to which I saw....

     So, it turns out that this guy sent a "newsletter" birthday card. Oh, and if you're wondering why there is "what the heck" on the photo in the email. That's because that was my exact response when he once  surprised me with a box of cereal a few months back. It was an unfiltered & immediate response because I definitely did not expect anyone to buy me a box of cereal despite the fact that I am an avid lover of cereal. But don't worry, the response was a happy and surprised one  even though it may not sound like it.  I also told him that the box of cereal made me much happier than a bouquet of flowers :P

        And yes, we also got to watch Daniela Andrade live a few weeks ago. It was almost impossible for my heart to not get melted when I heard her sing live. *swoons

 Check out his crazy good design!

        This week was slightly tougher than the usual. Apart from the back to back classes and the usual assignments, there were also difficult people to handle. Lol. And so while I was doing my work on Tuesday morning, I received an email.....

A quiet guy but oh boy, this guy really knows how to surprise me at times :) 

Coffee?

5 subjects enrolled for the semester

10 assignments

Bloomberg Offsite Internship Program 

English Coaching Program

Student Council

No. Joke.

Foundations

As I think back of the many people whom I know was once "on-fire" for Christ, they are now no longer to be found in church. Different people with different stories and different reasons as to why "God" is something which no longer exists in their dictionary.

My thoughts racing through my mind, I heard a still clear voice saying "You know Lene, at the end of the day, it all goes back to the foundation. The foundation of things is so vital in the growth. Whether the plant falls or stands firm, it all depends on the condition of the foundation"

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear - Matthew 13: 1-9.

"Okay..", I said. "So I guess it's really important to have a good foundation right? To make sure that it is properly rooted etc."

"That's not the only thing, Lene".

"It's not? What do you mean?"

"Another thing about foundations is that no one else can really see the condition of the foundation. It's really between them and God. Only God knows if you are properly rooted in depth or not, not those around you. What others can and will see is the outcome of it, whether or not the fruits grow bountifully, they will see the product of it"

He never promised a life with no troubles and sorrows, but His promise for us all is that we will never have to fight it alone. Despite the different seasons you encounter in your life, your foundation will keep you grounded. It will not wither away, it will not be chocked by the "thorns" in your life, and it will grow a hundredfold.


Question of the day: What is keeping you rooted?

Zoe and Kevin - Pre-Wedding Photoshoot.

Here's a new post on the blog, one that is close to my heart :) For some of you who may not know, Zoe is my high school buddy. Together with another partner-in-crime, Daniel Boey, the three of us have spent quite some time together back in our schooling and college days. Our usual catch up sessions over Blackball desserts, it is without a doubt there were so many wonderful memories with these guys. What I loved most was that the three of us were always there for each other - to lend a listening ear, to give a tight hug, to pray, to laugh at each other and of course, to cheer each other on.

Zoe was a bright student in school (she still is!). Juggling between the different roles and duties she had in school, Zoe has always been a role model of which many looked up to. This dear friend of mine will soon enter into a beautiful new chapter in life with her man, Kevin. Someone pop the champagne! Zoe, I'm so happy for you. Not only am I happy that you have found the love of your life, but my heart also rejoices because I know that you have found someone that has brought you closer to the love of Christ in this relationship :) 

This photoshoot comprises of 3 different locations in Kuala Lumpur. All photos were taken on the same day. Despite the time constraint and the hot Malaysian weather for the Sydney lovebirds, these guys were still so natural in their own loving way, which you will see in the photos to come. Thank you for allowing me to capture these special moments for you both, Zoe and Kevin. 

Here's to an exciting journey ahead for team KoZe!

Where Have You Been?

It's been a while, like a month while (Ha, get it. Like my last post was just one month ago. Ok). Time definitely flew by so very fast because we are now officially entering the seventh month of the year.

But anyways, I have a few things to say :-

1. Good sleep is so important. It really does wonders to your energy level, complexion and mental health.

2. This is only my 5th post of 2016, which is about half of the amount of posts I have at the same time of last year.

3. To which some of you may ask : Why? Why have there been so very few updates lately? Where have you been?

There are a few reasons to answer the why. Firstly, June was one crazily hectic month for me. Juggling between studies, student council, and English online coaching program that I'm involved in all at the same time was not easy for me. Most of the time, I had back-to-back appointments while working on assignments with a campaign to plan and execute. There were days where Leroy and I would FaceTime (our daily routine since we started this long distance relationship) and I would be so tired that I have almost no energy to even talk about my day. Thankfully, Leroy has been understanding and patient with the situation :)

Which leads to my second reason. I also realised that when my mind is constantly running on the things I need to complete and the approaching deadlines, there seems to be very little room for creativity. I find myself no longer setting aside some time to look at other photographers' works or even at my surroundings.

A few days back, Leroy and I FaceTimed, and he said "Are you still into photography? Cause I realised that lately, you don't seem to talk about it as often as you did anymore".

They say that if you do what you love, you will eventually be good at it. I personally think being good at something is not the same as loving what you do. Some people are just naturally good in music even though they don't really enjoy playing the piano. And that is why I believe that there is true life satisfaction when you do what you love, and you do it with excellence. 

After Leroy's question, I then asked myself. Is photography something I love? Is photography something I am good at? It is without a doubt that I love photography. And I know that because despite the long nights of staying up to edit photos, standing under the hot Sun while shooting, and coming back home where I feel like my legs are almost detached from my body, I still choose to do it again.

Now, is it something I am good at? That is the question I am still searching :) I have received a fair share of encouragements from people around me in regards to the photos I have taken but when it comes to answering this question myself, I still think of the answer. Till today, I still cannot seem to give an answer to it because I know that if I say that I'm not good at this, the next question would be; Am I willing to be good at this? Am I willing to work hard to be good at this?

In midst of still discovering the answer to the question, I encourage you to ask yourself this "What do you love?". The next question to this would be "Are you good in doing this thing that you love?". If your answer is yes, I want to congratulate you :) If your answer is no or you're a little unsure just like me, my next question would be "Do you want to be good at this? Are you willing to work and fight hard to be good at this?". Because passion alone will not guarantee much in life, it takes dedication to make it work.

On another note, I recently had the opportunity to be apart of an outdoor engagement shoot with my long-time buddy, Zoe and her fiancee, Kevin. The love birds flew all the way from the land down under just for a short trip to Kuala Lumpur. Here's a sneak peek photo which I will share more on the next post:-

Till next time, people!

At Home Sessions with The Chins.

And BAM, it's June already.


Hello, people!

It's been a while since the last update but here's a quick update on a At Home Sessions with The Chins. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to shoot for this family of 3 in their lovely new home. I believe that this At Home Sessions is a relatively new concept to most Malaysians but allow me to do a short summary of what this session is all about. 

The At Home Sessions revolves around the concept of capturing the daily life of yours and your loved ones at the comfort of your own home. From making breakfast for the family on a Saturday morning to capturing the kids doing their arts and crafts and even just the ordinary routines of getting ready to head out. This is something that has been long introduced in the western countries as some photographers also call it as a Day in the Life session. I just love to see some of the amazing works done by some of my favourite photographers (Hola, Tealily and Jennifer Tai?!).

This particular session is a little different as it also has a mix of maternity shoot in it, and that's only because Euodia is gonna pop anytime. now. Okay, enough of talking and let's get straight to the photos!

And did I mention that Euodia is gonna pop anytime now?!

I hope 2016 has been a great year for most of you thus far! I know that 2016 has definitely been an interesting roller coaster ride for me, hopefully I will have the time to sit down and update all of you on the amount of hair loss and pimples I have popped what I have been up to hey :)

Till next time!

Sri Pelita International School Concert 2016

My super long semester break has come to an end which only means that I finally for now have time to update all you curious and concerned readers on what I have been up to. Because one post alone is not enough, (well the truth is because I really don't want to bore you) I decided to share on a recent event photography project I was involved in. Yes, event. 

Now my photography style/preference has always been more inclined towards family and couple photoshoots. So yes, I was nervous to take this up in the beginning. Thoughts raced through my mind as I was considering whether or not to take this up.

"What if the concert lights are too dim?"

"What if the photos don't turn out as they should be?"

" What if I miss "the" moment in the event?"

Then I realised that those weren't my actual concerns. What I was actually concerned about was the willingness to step out of my comfort zone. To shoot even when I don't have the authority to set the pace just as I can when it comes to photoshoots, to shoot even when the lights don't appear the way I wished, and to shoot even if I may "miss the moment". Quoting from the recent KungFu Panda 3, "If you only do what you can do, you'll never be better than what you are". Hence, I decided to take it up. 

Ranging from 4 up to 17 years old, Sri Pelita International School provides the opportunity for students to develop multiple intelligences such as interpersonal, naturalist, linguistic, spatial and etc. This helps to develop students who are high in both IQ and EQ. Every year, teachers and students come together for the anticipated musical concert and this year's concert was held at Dewan Sri Pinang. 

It truly was an honour to be apart of this concert. Here are some of my favourite shots taken from the event, enjoy!

Before I end this post, allow me to give a HUGE shoutout to some very important people. Firstly, I wanna thank Joyce Lam for extending this opportunity for me to be apart of this :) You truly are a blessing, woman.

Second, I want to say THANK YOU to Isaac Huang for taking up this task alongside with me. You were not only a great help but also an encouragement for me to push myself further, thank you again Isaac :)

To Uncle James Ling, thank you so very much! I truly appreciate your help throughout this journey.

Last but not least, thank You Jesus for making all things possible :) For helping me in stepping out of  my comfort zone. There is still so much more learn and improve but I thank You for Your grace that is my strength.