The Dream in Action

Photography is a business, but it serve as a platform to accomplish greater goals - to contribute to the society, to inspire new generations, to extend the relationships of one another, to bring back our true self, and to stimulate more great people for many generations to come. Making the world a better place.

Today I made a birthday wish, my wish was hoping that more younger generations can be inpired from my small little vision. If you asked me what kind of vision I have, my answer will be from my work, my slideshows, my hard work, all in my life and pictures. Its a little hard to be specific, it is equally challenging to address as well. One need to be sensitive to discover that. Though I have a lot to say about it but I will reserve it for next occasion. I can't seemed to sleep tonight because there are simply too many things to do and I need to sit down and see where shall I start from. For this year I have cut down 30% of my capacity in order for me to achieve it and I know time is running out and I need to make full use of it asap. I will keep you updated. :)

Love Chrystalization - Eddie & Julia Church Wedding in Singapore

​After Eddie and Julia's pre-wedding in Malaysia, finally its their wedding day in Singapore. Both of them are true lovers for God that is why this day is very significant both of them. I still recall what the pastor had said to Eddie and Julia, that a marriage is not just the wedding day but its a everlasting commitment, and Eddie and Julia agreed so, Julia gave Eddie a happy look, truly satisfied with what they have gone through with each other. Both of them are indeed like the happiest couple of the day, the joy that expressed from both of their heart, rejoice together with the Lord. Me and Eddie had quite a long story from engaging my service until the wedding day, and during their wedding dinner, Eddie's superior had spoke about Eddie's character that he is a person that will never try to judge you or even make you feel unhappy, Eddie will try his best to make you feel good by all means. I really agreed with what his superior had spoke about Eddie and I believe it is a great virtue to learn from him, because in life, it is really hard to make everyone happy at the same time. 

Recalling Memories - Marcus & Yien Wah Wedding Day

​Yien Wah is the sister of one of my old friend back in college, a wedding day tea ceremony that is filled with joy and laughers, while Marcus from Germany get to experience the totally new experience. Marcus was a little nervous at first but end up quite enjoying the whole wedding day ceremony process. It was a blessful day to witness one of the best tea ceremony organised. The tea ceremony started by Yien Wah's elder sister pouring the tea, explaining the reason for the tea ceremony and such, and it all happened beautifully.

Yien Wah is living all the way in the US now and seldom get to visit home, and now she is making up in her old bedroom, which the family preserved its originality for her while she was away, and I just love to capture her together with the picture of her mom and dad getting married, I believe this picture will give significant meaning over the years. This family were filled with joy and emotions. And ended making a few fall with tears while looking at the slideshow.

Chorus of Endurance - Robin & Becky Pre-Wedding in Penang

​Both Robin and Becky are doctors working in the UK, while Robin's family live in the South Africa, when Becky contacted me she had so many memories to be captured in Penang, one of it is her old family house abandoned on top of the Penang Hill, and another particular is the St Francis graveyard to express the serenity. Finally I found someone to capture some shots at the graveyard which I intended a while ago but nobody actually wanted that. We have so much in common in terms of how the shoot is run so Becky booked me for a 2 days shoot to cover all the locations she wanted to leave behind. 

The Chorus of Endurance is a theme created for both of them to celebrate those important moments together, in return it serve as an endurance in their love. It's like the Everquest game where the warrior requires endurance for further battle. Both couple are cheesy and love the camera so much and they can show any loveable moments ​in front of you, so natural and real. While celebrating 2 full days of intensive sessions, we ended our final destination at the graveyard, to signifies love last forever after death, its just like how the bible describes "To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness."
 

Memoirs of Adagio - Jerry & Sheryl Pre-Wedding @Korea

​Both Jerry and Sheryl are lawyers by profession, when you hear about the word lawyer most might think they are somewhat nerdy and stiff but actually both of them are filled with emotions in the heart. Had spent a great deal of time communicating about the wedding shoot, reason being (I did not tell them) both of them having a high expectations about the outcome of the pictures, and to me, expectations will actually kill the authenticity of the shoot. Both of them living in Singapore, and it is much harder for me to abolish their fear because most of them actually very concern about how their friends comment about their pictures, leaving them without freedom to express their true self and understand what important things to leave behind the pictures . Some of you that reading this might wonder what its it about. Well, to be brief, you know in school, our education had failed to educate us the 2 most important thing in everyone's life, first is teach us how to fall in love, and the other one is to be free. And in turn, I have to end up educating the couple how to be free and love freely. I know both of them have tried very hard and for Asians I understand is difficult but I am very pleased with their attitude and positive thinking.

Jerry is an emotional man, when you hear how he speak, it is indeed very deep in his feelings, feelings more than words can tell because he may be not very expressive. While Sheryl, who used to be Jerry's superior at work, Jerry did have a big courage to date his superior hehe... Sheryl is indeed a lady  with a very strong character, filled with corporate bossy personality, yes I tried so hard to kill her corporate manner before the shoot which I felt also one of the thing that will kill the authenticity LOL. Well really focus on this Korea trip hehehe... well sometimes we manage to kill this much and we have tried to do our best. Sheryl loves Korean drama, she watch the Korean series until she know how to speak a little Korean, and she does look like Korean by the way. 

I am glad that we managed to capture so many nice shots, now waiting for her sister to get married hehehe.... thanks Jerry and Sheryl, so many encounters have gone through, its all memorable, and once in a while I do recall those memories. ​

I'm pleased that Wedding Notebook had featured us in this series, you may read about it here:​

http://www.theweddingnotebook.com/love-stories/a-cuppa-coffee-in-korea/​

The World We Share - Song Hui & Mei Yee Pre-Wedding in Penang

It was nice to cover Song Hui & Mei Yee's pre-wedding, both of them actually went through a long term relationship and spend their most of the time in Sydney and now settled down in Penang. I still remember Mei Yee told me that Sydney is a city for lovers and they built a strong relationship back then. Thanks to Pei Pei who introduced this couple to me. There are a lot of elements that spoke about the meaning of love and love is not just simply about smiles and laughters, but also include many elements such as missing and sacrifices too. When Mei Yee went back to Penang to settle down, Song Hui quit his job and followed Mei Yee back, to Mei Yee, Song Hui is a guy who understand her most, and he is a man with a lot of patience. There is indeed a higher element than love, after a couple had spent their time with emotions, love has upgraded to something more greater, which is life itself. Both of this couple enjoy sharing their life together, a world that is more greater than love, it is a relationship. That's the reason I created a theme for them. They are such a nice couple; Mei Yee is a bride who has many worries and Song Hui is the man who able to comfort her, giving her the strengh she needs. However, I noticed that Mei Yee has a higher potential inside of her when I listened to how she talks. One day, Mei Yee actually text me and commented that we have something similar, which is the way we see our work. And one of Mei Yee's friend who is one of my couple for the coming Melbourne pre-wedding trip, she commented that there is something different in my pictures, her friend told me that the pictures I portray has some form of a inert beauty, a beauty expresses through joy. She were unable to tell me the exact meaning of that feeling but somehow I know what she is talking about. :) 

Thanks for having to cover your pre-wedding, it is indeed my pleasure and I will never forget both of you, our time spent together in Love Lane and Lone Pine. And not to forget, the nicest food ever tasted there. hehe. All the best to both of you.

Love,

Dennis Yap

Tears and Laughter - Marcus & Kelly Wedding Day

​It's been a wonderful day for both Marcus and Kelly, both of them are my friends in real life. Know Kelly for many years back and during their ROM I offered to cover a little of their day and I still remember Kelly told me "I'm so glad you are here." She just has the amazing sincerity and charm inside her, and thats how many true friendship revived. I still remember they went to Taiwan for their pre-wedding shoot with another Bridal House and ended up I'm offered to re-do their editing lol. 

This wedding of Marcus and Kelly is a touching one, I can feel inside her heart that many events began to appear in her mind before Marcus reach to her room. It's also a family thing for Kelly, life has been hard but the event is just beautiful. Thanks to them for having me.​

Love is Fun - Mark & Yuen Wei Pre-Wedding

​Love is Fun! Yeah, the first time I met this lovely couple I was like wow~ Mark love to sing and act while Yuen Wei simply easy going and cheerful. While mark loves his guitar I told Yuen Wei that I got an idea for them, at first we wanted to proceed a portrait shot in Broga but realize the trip is going to be tough LOL. And we finally settled with Awanmulan, where Yuen Wei will have her hens night there. This couple simply do not require any of my guidance, the moment I told them that they can simply do anything, their eyes were like telling me "Oh Really???", and they did all sorts of crazy and fun stuffs LOL. Laughed all the way, thought there are hungry and tired moments :p. They had it all, from jungle to waterfall, trash the dress in the swimming pool, mountain view, and road rise @.@... and Mark loves aircraft so we went for some shots in KLIA lol. Yuen loves the padi field look so we went to this small little bushes for some shots, its all pretty awesome. In turn they get all the pictures they wanted, with their own personality and adventure hehe...

Life Comfort - Alex & June Wedding Day in Singapore

​Alex and June are both very nice couple, the first time I communicate with June it was quite a relaxing conversation, and Alex was one of the nicest guy I have met. The day I arrived Singapore, June and Alex got me in a very nice room, I was surprised that the hotel had prepared a bottle of champaign and some chocolates, I think they got me into the bridal room lol. My first impression with Alex was this guy is really huge and muscular, after get to know him and found that he is actually quite bold, sensitive and confident, well suited June's personality as June should be quite gentle type of girl. June and Alex had a baby before the wedding day, was very unique to cover a wedding with a baby sleeping beside her. The morning when I got into June's room and ready to cover her big day with a videographer, June commented that we are very on time, I was curious about her comment and noticed that the make up artist have not arrived, hmm... we waited a little longer for the make up artist to show up and for the first time, it didn't. June were very stressed and nervous and we all tried to calm her down, the whole wedding schedule got delayed for more than 1 hour. Her phone was not reachable and she had to call all over to a photographer who went to China for assignment from a Bridal Studio in Singapore but end up nil joy. Suddenly a girl with the same name from China showed up did her make up, but it was a little difficult to cover her by then because she hardly ever smile anymore. But later after Alex arrived and end of the day, I finally see her joy, and Alex gave her the comfort she wanted. Thanks to Alex and June for having me, I hope to see both of you again someday, sometimes I did recall the moment we had together, and hope you love the pictures. :)

My letter to Wondermilk - Shops in Kuala Lumpur needs a new understanding

Hi Wondermilk,

I'm very upset with your reply. Frankly saying I was surprised. I'm not trying to argue here but there are shops that are glad to offer a space for normal people who wanted to leave their memories for themselves, as your reply you have made it impossible for people to do so. I'm not sure about the non-closure charges, for a normal people, without notifying wonder milk can simply walk in, have a coffee and use their DSLR to shoot their friends in your facilities, and they are not being told to stop. I'm just curious, what are the difference between us and them? Because we have asked wondermilk (just because we are nice) and wondermilk want to insert a commercial interest in our proposal. You need a clear policy between commercial and personal interest. 

We seeing your company is started to grow recently, this policy clearly has disappointed many of us. But, you are not the only company I'm sure, but I hope these companies can look further ahead because they are indeed your loyal customers, some people met new friends in wondermilk, some people fell in love, some people had such a strong memory behind which I guess you have successfully created the space for these occurrence to take place, but you also need to honor them, giving them opportunity for them to leave their memory behind. You made them having a good memory in your shop, and finally they decided to get married and you charge them Rm600 just to tell them that you should have a fair share in their memories? This is bad. I'm not sure you able to get what I am saying. 

Regardless if its a gown or a casual wear, if its for personal interest your company should offer it free for public, because your company should do some good deeds for them because you are serving them right? Unless we put your work for commercial value, wondermilk can simply sue them if you see it, not a big issue as well. However, depend how your organization see it, inviting commercial shots (depend on your vision) can simply increase your noise level for free too, free marketing, more customers, more income, more expansions. To me the return is huge. 

Or is it because of me, I'm Dennis Yap, a professional photographer, thats why you want a fair share from the couple? Well, I'm just fulfilling their goals, they are the ones that you need to serve. I'm just talking on their behalf. 

Regards,

Dennis