Singapore Wedding Photographer · Intimate & Solemnisation Weddings
For chill, laid-back couples: candid, natural photos without the fuss — no gatecrash, no stiff posing, no long wait. Just the two of you, your favourite people, and room to breathe.
From $1,000 for 2 hours with Timo, Principal Photographer · All images in high-res
Why couples book us
Others take 1–2 weeks for pre-wedding galleries and 3–6 months for actual-day weddings. We deliver while the day still feels real — next day and next week.
What we photograph
From $1,000 · first 2 hours
Intimate solemnisation (ROM), church weddings, lunch receptions and small celebrations — covered quietly, candidly, and calmly.
$1,000 · 2 hrs | $1,500 · 3 hrs
A relaxed walk with cameras, not a production. One or two outfits and locations that mean something to you — photos back the next day.
From $1,000 · 2 hours with Timo
Not a stiff studio portrait. Two unhurried hours with your people, as you are right now — because this season won't wait, and neither do we.
Honest fit check
No hard feelings — we'll happily point you to someone who loves that style.
Saturdays: church 2:30–4:30pm is non-negotiable, so Saturday shoots are case by case — ending by 2pm or starting after 5–6pm usually works. Weekdays and Sundays are wide open.
Recent work
Tap any card for the full gallery on CloudSpot · More on Instagram.
How booking works
Use the Contact page, email [email protected], or DM us on Instagram — whichever works for you! Tell us your date, rough timing and what you're planning.
We reply with honest availability (including the Saturday timing check), the exact price for your hours — the same numbers on the Pricing page — and answers to anything you're unsure about.
We keep you calm and regulated, photograph it as it actually felt, and deliver: pre-wedding & family galleries the next day, wedding galleries by the end of next week.
Home · About
About · The Good Citizen · Your role model photographer
Most of us remember growing up with lessons on how to be a good citizen — or 好公民.
They were simple, yet valuable principles: be considerate, take responsibility, do the right thing even when no one is watching. Those lessons stayed with me.
At a wedding, being a Good Citizen looks a little different — it means moving quietly, anticipating moments before they happen, and carrying the weight of the day so the couple doesn’t have to.
A wedding is more than an event to be captured. It’s a day filled with nerves, expectations, family dynamics, and meaning. Our role isn’t to manufacture moments or pull you out of them — it’s to protect them.
We work calmly, intentionally, and with care for the people in the room.
So you can stay present.
So you can breathe.
So you can remember not just how the day looked, but how peaceful it felt.
And yes — having stood at the altar ourselves, we understand the anticipation, the weight, and the quiet prayers that come with saying “I do.”
This is what The Good Citizen stands for: showing up faithfully, doing the work well, and serving the moment with integrity.
The OG Good Citizen, Timo is the founder and principal photographer at the brand. Having shot images for half his life, and weddings for a large fraction of that, speed and quality is the guarantee he brings to the table.
When not out shooting or sitting at the table blitz-editing your images back to you in record time, you can find Timo working with AI tools to create apps that make life better!
And because Timo edits fast and delivers faster, you'll be scrolling through your gallery while your flowers are still alive! Pre-weddings and family sessions come back by the next day. Weddings, by the next week. That's his honest guarantee!
Stephanie, our trusty associate, radiates beauty inside-out. Tested and proven with clients coming back with raving reviews, Steph is our Family Time Capsule expert, cause who else but a mum would know how to get a family to dance in the palm of her hands?!
Steph is a bonafide good citizen as she's also involved in many nonprofit organizations besides being a proud wife, mum to one (so far) and pawrent to two.
Home · Weddings
Actual-Day Weddings · Solemnisation · ROM · Singapore
Solemnisation, church weddings and small celebrations, photographed as they actually felt. No gatecrash, no stiff posing — and no 3–6 month wait.
From $1,000 for the first 2 hours with Timo · then $400/hr · Gallery by next week
Planning one of those? Tell us anyway — we'll point you to a photographer who loves that style.
Most simple weddings fit one of these shapes — we'll confirm against your run sheet.
| Coverage | Covers | Price with Timo |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | Solemnisation / ROM only — ceremony, family photos, couple portraits nearby | $1,000 |
| 4 hours | Ceremony + lunch reception, or getting-ready + ceremony | $1,800 |
| 6 hours | The full simple day — prep, ceremony, portraits and reception | $2,600 |
| 8 hours | Longer days with two venues or a fuller reception programme | $3,400 |
Golden hour gives you roughly 30 minutes of the softest light of the day. See today's exact windows, how good the light will be, and whether rain or haze is coming on our Golden Hour planner →
Church on Saturday 2:30–4:30pm is fixed for Timo, so Saturday weddings are case by case: ending by 2pm or starting after 5–6pm usually works. Weekdays and Sundays are wide open. Send your timing via Contact for a straight answer.
Yes — 2-hour solemnisation-only coverage is one of our most-booked options at $1,000 with Timo. Ceremony, family photos and a short couple session nearby all fit comfortably.
Our couples almost all say this beforehand! The easy answer? It’s not your job to worry about looking good in front of the camera. It’s ours! We guide you, while you be you, and watch the magic happen!
Only for larger guest counts or two places at once (e.g. both partners getting ready separately). For most intimate weddings, one calm photographer is plenty — we'll tell you honestly either way.
Home · Pre-Wedding
Pre-Wedding Photoshoot · Singapore
No production crew, no stiff posing. A relaxed walk at places that mean something to you, gently directed — gallery back the next day.
$1,000 · 2 hours (1 outfit / location) · $1,500 · 3 hours (2 outfits / locations) with Timo
With Associate Steph: 2 hours $550.
With Associate Steph: 3 hours $800.
Where you met, where you walk, or simply somewhere beautiful — Greens, Seascapes or the Urban crawl. We’ll work with you and land on the best spots to get the best shots.
Gentle direction, lots of candid in-between moments. Sunrise and golden hour are favourites, but we'll work around your schedule.
All images in high-res with standard edits, in your personalised gallery the next day, ready for your wedding display, invites or just to enjoy.
Our Golden Hour planner shows today's exact windows, a quality score from NEA's live forecast, rain and haze — and the spots that fit your look.
Many couples book pre-wedding + actual day together, so the same calm presence covers both — and you already know exactly how relaxed it feels. Mention both dates when you enquire.
Then you're exactly who this shoot is designed for. It's a walk with gentle direction, not a modelling session. Most couples forget the camera within ten minutes.
Yes — sunrise and golden hour give the softest light and quietest locations. Tell us your preferred timing when you enquire and we'll plan around the light.
Home · Family
Family Photoshoot Singapore · Family Time Capsule
Two unhurried hours with your people — at home or a place your family loves — photographed naturally, not posed in a studio. Gallery back the next day.
From $1,000 · 2 hours with Timo · From $550 · 2 hours with Associate Steph
Kids change in months. A Time Capsule freezes this exact chapter — the triple bundle lets you watch the story grow across three sessions.
Timo $1,000 · then $400/hr | Steph $550 · then $200/hr
Timo $2,700 (worth $3,000) | Steph $1,400 (worth $1,650)
Play, snack, wander, cuddle. We photograph your family doing what it actually does — wiggly toddlers and camera-shy grandparents very welcome.
Two hours means breaks, feeds and meltdown pauses are built in. Nobody is watching a clock; calm is the whole method.
Your full gallery arrives the next day, ready to send to grandparents while the moment is still warm.
At home, or a place your family genuinely loves — a park, Gardens by the Bay, your neighbourhood. Familiar places make for honest photos, especially with young kids.
Timo is Principal Photographer; Steph is our Associate, trained in the same calm, candid approach at a lower rate. Pick by budget and whose availability fits.
Book three 2-hour sessions upfront at the bundle price ($2,700 with Timo / $1,400 with Steph) and schedule them across the coming seasons as your family changes.
Home · Pricing
Pricing · 2026 Ratecard
The actual numbers, on the page. Work out your day below, then check your date. Every booking includes all images in high-res with standard edits.
Pick one, two or all three — the total is the shoots added together.
Extras if you need them: second photographer $300/hr (min. 3 hrs) · split-day $700 · before 7am start $700.
| Photographer | Weddings & Pre-Wedding | Family Time Capsule |
|---|---|---|
| Timo — Principal | First 2 hrs $1,000, then $400/hr 4 hrs $1,800 · 6 hrs $2,600 · 8 hrs $3,400 Pre-wedding: 2 hrs $1,000 (1 outfit/location) · 3 hrs $1,500 (2 outfits/locations) | 2 hrs $1,000, then $400/hr Triple sessions $2,700 (worth $3,000) |
| Steph — Associate | Pre-wedding: 2 hrs $550 · 3 hrs $800 | 2 hrs $550, then $200/hr Triple sessions $1,400 (worth $1,650) |
Yes, for the hours and photographer you pick — it's built from the same 2026 ratecard above. Only the listed extras (second photographer, split-day, pre-7am start) add to it, and only if you choose them.
Because “DM for rates” wastes your time and ours. If the numbers fit, the conversation can start at the good part: your date, your plans, and whether we're the right fit.
The published rates are our honest rates. The best value on the page is the Family Time Capsule triple bundle — $2,700 instead of $3,000 with Timo, $1,400 instead of $1,650 with Steph.
Home · Golden Hour
Golden Hour Singapore · Shoot Planner
The best light lasts barely half an hour on the equator. Today's timings, a quality score from NEA's live forecast, rain and haze — and the spots that suit your shoot.
All times are Singapore time (SGT). Golden hour means the sun between 0° and 6° above the horizon, computed live in your browser for Singapore (1.35°N, 103.82°E). Weather and air quality are live from NEA via data.gov.sg.
Golden Hour · Today in Singapore
Quality is scored from NEA's forecast for that window, checked against live conditions — fair or partly cloudy scores high; showers, thundery weather and haze drag it down.
Rain & haze check · NEA live
NEA's outlook for central Singapore, plus the haze reading that decides whether the sky will be crisp or milky.
Source: NEA 2-hour & 24-hour forecasts and live rainfall stations, via data.gov.sg. Singapore showers are local and fast-moving, so treat this as guidance, not a guarantee.
Fetching the latest PM2.5 reading…
Source: NEA PM2.5 (1-hour) via data.gov.sg — the official Singapore readings behind IQAir's Singapore figures. Bands: Good 0–55 · Moderate 56–150 · Unhealthy 151+ µg/m³.
Shoot planner
Pick the light and the look — only the best-matching spots are shown, from 23 spots (13 sunrise, 13 sunset).
Only best matches are shown. In rain, coastal spots drop down; under heavy cloud, elevated spots move up. Tap “Open in Maps” to navigate.
This is what we do for every pre-wedding shoot — then your gallery is back the next day.
Canterbury Road is a majestically beautiful sunset location — and one we won't be back to in a hurry. Read why in The magic of Canterbury Road, and why I won't be back in a hurry →
Home · Kind Words
Kind Words · Reviews
The same themes keep coming up: calm, photos that feel like them, and delivery faster than expected.
“Steph was friendly and made the photoshoot really chill! She did her prep work well and the photos turned out really nice!”
“If you’re here trying to decide if you should book The Good Citizen, then let me tell you the answer is: YES. We had only 15 minutes to take couple portraits right after the solemnisation, but Tim was great at making us feel really comfortable and guided us really well on how to pose. We received all the photos back in slightly over 24 hours — even our family and friends were shocked by how fast it was!”
“If you’re here reading this, stop reading and just go and book The Good Citizen. My other half despises taking photos with a passion — Stealthy Timo snuck in some unbelievably dreamy photos that captured us with no forced poses, no awkward stiffness. Both Timo and Steph made us so comfortable, which shines through in every shot.”
“Timo is stealthy — he catches all the great angles and interactions. He is efficient and lightning fast with delivery: our shoot was on Sunday and he delivered the photos on Monday night! He is a master at posing and makes you feel comfortable. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
“Timo is a friend we’ve always trusted and also a very professional wedding photographer. He made us feel comfortable throughout the day and was great at helping us with poses, while capturing so many natural, important and candid moments. He was also incredibly fast and efficient — the photos were edited and delivered really quickly.”
“We were blessed to have Tim as our wedding photographer 5 years ago. Five years on, we can affirm and vouch for every single positive thing that’s been said about him and his skills — he was all that 5 years ago and he still is now. Thank you, Timothy, for all the photos that still wow us as we look through them for our 5th wedding anniversary.”
“Timo is a superb photographer! He knows the right angles and moments and captures them so well. He’s super skilled and has the ability to assure us, teaching us good poses, and engaging even the little ones. Turnaround time came out very fast and we got the photos within the same week!”
“Stephanie was awesome with managing my family’s photoshoot — she made an effort to memorise the kids’ names so she could direct them easily, and she was also very personable with the rest of us! We’re a big family (8 adults + 3 kids), so it’s not easy managing a big group. The photos turned out great and we managed to enjoy ourselves despite the heat and humidity!”
“Tim is extremely professional, even with handling my child — he is flexible and manoeuvres the session around my little one. He is patient, accommodating and the family photos are amazing! I’m so in love with them! Highly recommend for family photoshoots!”
“We engaged Tim for both the pre-wedding photoshoot and the actual day wedding — he was very fun to shoot with. He got us to shoot in a lowkey but very cool location, so the pre-wedding shoot and the photos were such a vibe! What I also really appreciate is his artistic direction. And like others have mentioned, he works lightning fast.”
“Had so much fun working with Tim during our wedding! He was always there to guide us and direct us to pose so that we don’t feel awkward. He managed to capture moments that were candid yet authentic, and so many precious moments we didn’t expect to see again. Tim feels like a friend you’d be comfortable with.”
Recent work and day-to-day stories live on Instagram — the closest thing to a live portfolio.
If calm, candid and fast sounds like your kind of wedding, tell us your date and rough plan — we'll reply with availability and your exact price.
Home · Contact
Enquire · Check Your Date
Send this in and we'll reply with a straight answer on availability and price. Email or Instagram DM work just as well.
Prefer email? Write to [email protected]. Saturday date? Add your start and end times — it helps us answer on the spot.
Date, shoot type, rough hours and timing — two minutes, tops. Instagram DM is just as good as email; most couples reach us there.
Honest availability (including the Saturday check), your exact price from the Pricing page, and answers to anything you're unsure about. No obligation, no pressure.
Booked couples get the calm version of the day — and the fast version of the gallery: next day for pre-wedding & Family Time Capsules, by next week for weddings.
Maybe — Saturdays are case by case because church (2:30–4:30pm) is fixed for Timo. A Saturday shoot ending by 2pm or starting after 5–6pm usually works. Include your start/end times above and we'll answer on the spot.
Completely. Pick “Not sure yet”, give us the date if you have one, and describe the day in a sentence. Helping you shape it is part of the job.
In your private online gallery — delivered in high resolution, easy to view, download and share with family. Pre-wedding & Family Time Capsule galleries arrive the next day; weddings by next week.
Home · Apps
Our Apps
Tools for the everyday Singaporean
At The Good Citizen, we don't just think about making fantastic images that you'll remember for life, we're always innovating and creating ways to make your life a little easier as well. After all, we're more than just photographers. We're good citizens first.
Check crowd levels before you go anywhere. Super family-friendly!
Version 1.2.1 · iOS & Android
Golden hour forecasts for photographers, couples and families
Version — iOS 1.0.8 · Android 1.0.0
Your indecisive food companion. Not sure what to eat? We got you.
Version 1.0.0 · iOS
Daily Spiritual Discipline Timer
15 minutes to transform your day
Version 3.6.0 · iOS & Android
An Olympic Weightlifter's productivity app
Version 2.3.6 · iOS & Android
About The Weightlifters' Backroom →
Golden hour forecasts for photographers, couples and families
Planning a photoshoot in Singapore? WeatherOrNot tells you exactly when conditions are perfect. Check real-time rain radar, 4-day NEA forecasts, and golden hour quality predictions — all in one beautifully simple app. Whether you're a professional photographer or planning a family outing, know exactly when to shoot (or stay home).
Our free Golden Hour page runs the same idea in your browser — live golden hour timings for Singapore, a quality score from NEA's live forecast, today's rain and haze outlook, and a planner that matches sunrise or sunset spots to the shoot you want.
WeatherOrNot is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Last Updated: May 16, 2026
WeatherOrNot ("we", "our", or "us") is a weather app designed for photographers in Singapore. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our mobile application.
No Account Required: WeatherOrNot does not require registration or login. We do not collect any personal identifiable information.
Coarse Location Data: We collect your approximate location (city/region level, not GPS coordinates) to provide local weather forecasts and rain radar data. Location access is requested on first launch. Device Information: We collect limited device information (device type, operating system version) for advertising purposes through Google AdMob. Advertising ID: Your device's advertising identifier is used to serve relevant advertisements.
Weather Services: Providing accurate weather forecasts, rain radar, and golden hour predictions for Singapore. Location Services: Determining your region to show relevant local weather data. Advertising: Displaying non-intrusive banner ads through Google AdMob. Analytics: Understanding app usage to improve user experience.
No Data Storage: We do NOT store your location data, weather preferences, or any personal information on our servers. Local Cache: Weather data is temporarily cached on your device for faster loading. This cache is cleared when you close the app. No Cloud Sync: Your data is NOT synced to the cloud or our servers.
Purpose: Fetching official Singapore weather data (forecasts, rain radar, temperature). Data Shared: None (we only receive weather data). Privacy: NEA data is publicly available.
Purpose: Displaying banner advertisements. Data Collected: Device advertising ID, device type, operating system. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Ads Shown: Banner ads only (no interstitials or pop-ups). Personalization: We use non-personalized ads only. Ad Strategy: Light and non-intrusive (photographer-friendly).
Why we need location: WeatherOrNot requires approximate location to show you relevant Singapore weather data and local rain conditions. How we use location: Determining your region within Singapore; Showing localized weather forecasts; Displaying rain radar for your area; Calculating golden hour times for your location. Location privacy: We use COARSE location only (not GPS precision); We do NOT store your location on our servers; We do NOT track your movement history; We do NOT share your location with advertisers; Location is only used for weather data retrieval. You can control location access: iOS Settings → WeatherOrNot → Location → While Using the App (recommended).
We do NOT: Sell your personal information or location data; Share your location with third parties (except NEA API for weather data); Store your location history; Track your movements or create location profiles; Collect personal identifiable information (name, email, phone); Access your contacts, camera, photos, or other sensitive permissions.
WeatherOrNot is suitable for users of all ages (4+). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The app requires location access but does not store location data or collect any personal information.
Control Location Access: Enable/disable location permissions in iOS Settings. Opt-Out of Ads: Use your device settings to limit ad tracking (iOS: Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Limit Ad Tracking). Delete App Data: Uninstall the app to remove all locally cached data. No Account to Delete: Since we don't collect personal information, there's no account or data to delete from our servers.
Location data is never stored on our servers. Weather data is fetched in real-time from NEA. We use industry-standard practices for app security. HTTPS encryption for all API requests. No personal data transmission to external servers (except AdMob for ads).
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by: Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy; Displaying a notice in the app (for material changes).
We comply with Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Location data is used only for weather services and is not stored. We do not collect personal identifiable information.
Singapore's Food Decision Randomiser — Stop arguing, start eating.
Choose your mood, spin the wheel, get your answer. 20+ authentic Singapore food options from chicken rice to Korean BBQ. Includes "Fast and Pray" mode for the truly indecisive.
Eat What Ah? is available on the App Store.
Last Updated: May 16, 2026
Eat What Ah ("we", "our", or "us") is a food decision app that helps you pick restaurants and cuisines in Singapore. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use our mobile application.
Custom Restaurant Entries: When you add your own favorite restaurants to the app, this data is stored locally on your device only. Food History: Your spinning history is stored locally on your device for your convenience.
Device Information: We collect limited device information (device type, operating system version) for advertising purposes through Google AdMob. Advertising ID: Your device's advertising identifier is used to serve relevant advertisements.
App Functionality: Providing the core food randomizer and history features. Advertising: Displaying relevant ads through Google AdMob. Analytics: Understanding app usage to improve user experience.
Local Storage: All your custom entries and history are stored locally on your device. We do not have access to this data. No Cloud Sync: Your data is NOT synced to our servers or the cloud. No Account Required: The app does not require registration or login.
Purpose: Displaying advertisements. Data Collected: Device advertising ID, device type, operating system. Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Ads Shown: Banner ads and interstitial ads. Personalization: We use non-personalized ads only.
We do NOT: Sell your personal information; Share your data with third parties (except AdMob as described above); Track your location; Collect personal identifiable information (name, email, phone); Access your contacts, camera, or other sensitive permissions.
Eat What Ah is suitable for users of all ages (4+). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Delete Your Data: Uninstall the app to remove all locally stored data. Opt-Out of Personalized Ads: Use your device settings to limit ad tracking. Access Your Data: All your data is stored locally on your device and accessible through the app.
All data is stored locally on your device. We use industry-standard practices for app security. No data transmission to external servers (except AdMob for ads).
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.
We comply with Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Since we do not collect personal identifiable information, PDPA obligations are minimal.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us: Email: [email protected]. Website: www.thegoodcitizen.sg. Address: 185 Jelebu Road, Singapore. This privacy policy is effective as of May 16, 2026 and applies to version 1.0 and all subsequent versions of Eat What Ah.
Daily Spiritual Discipline Timer — 15 minutes to transform your day
Bible 5-5-5 is a spiritual discipline timer that guides you through 5 minutes of prayer, 5 minutes reading Scripture, and 5 minutes of silent meditation. Perfect for Christians building a consistent devotional practice. Features worship music, Bible integration, streak tracking, and journal prompts. Start your daily quiet time with God today.
Bible 5-5-5 is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Need help with Bible 5-5-5? Email us at [email protected]. We typically respond within 24–48 hours. You can also download the Support guide (PDF) →
Bible 5-5-5 guides you through 15 minutes of daily devotion: 5 minutes of prayer (with optional worship music), 5 minutes reading Scripture (opens in YouVersion), and 5 minutes of silent meditation (Selah). Each phase has its own timer with gentle transitions.
Yes! Bible 5-5-5 Pro lets you customize each phase duration (1–30 minutes). Free users have the standard 5-5-5 timings. Go to the Settings tab to adjust your timers.
Music plays automatically during the Pray phase if you have a track selected. Check Settings → Music to choose a track, and make sure your device's volume is up, your device isn't on silent mode, and that you've allowed audio.
Go to Settings → Restore Purchases. Make sure you're signed in with the same Apple ID you used for the original purchase. If issues persist, contact us at [email protected].
Community features let you add friends, see their daily check-ins, and encourage each other. To use them, you need to create a free account or sign in with Google. Your journal entries and personal data stay completely private — only your check-in status is shared.
Go to the Friends tab, tap "Add Friend," and search by their username or email. They'll need to accept your request before you appear in each other's friend lists.
Friends can only see your daily check-in status (whether you completed your devotion) and streak count. They cannot see your journal entries, prayer notes, or any personal data.
Go to Settings → Account → Delete Account. This will permanently delete your account and all associated data, including your friends list. Journal entries stored locally on your device are not affected.
Your journal entries are stored locally on your device and never leave it. If you create a Community account, only your username, email, friend list, and check-in status are stored securely on our servers.
Go to Journal → Share and select the entries you want to export. You can export as PDF or text, and share them via email, Messages, or save to Files.
How Bible 5-5-5 handles your information — on-device data, optional Community features and third-party services.
You can delete your Bible 5-5-5 account and all associated data at any time.
Questions about the app? Email us at [email protected].
Effective Date: July 25, 2026 · Last Updated: July 25, 2026
Bible 5-5-5 ("the App") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application. The App's core devotional features work entirely on your device. Optional Community features (adding friends and sharing progress) require an account and use secure cloud storage, as described below.
Journal Entries: Text you write during the Revelation phase is stored locally on your device. Settings & Preferences: Your timer durations, music preferences, and notification settings are stored locally on your device.
Account Details: If you choose to use Community features, you sign in with Sign in with Apple or Google. We receive your name and email address from that provider to create and secure your account. We never receive your Apple or Google password. Community Data: Your display name, friend connections, invite codes, and the progress you choose to share (such as streaks) are stored in our cloud database so they sync across your devices.
Usage Data: We do not use third-party analytics to track your behavior in the App. Account Identifiers: When signed in, a unique account identifier is generated to link your account and friend connections. We do not collect advertising identifiers (IDFA) and do not track you across other apps or websites.
Device Data Stays Local: Journal entries and app settings remain on your device unless you use a feature that explicitly syncs them. Community Sync: If you sign in and use Community features, your account, friend connections, and shared progress are stored in Google Firebase (Cloud Firestore) so they are available across your devices and visible to friends you connect with. No Advertising Tracking: We do not use cookies or advertising trackers, and we do not sell your data.
When you connect with someone using an invite code, they can see your display name and the progress you choose to share (such as your streak). They cannot see your email address, your journal entries, or account details you have not chosen to share.
Journal entries and settings stored on your device remain until you delete the app or clear the data manually. Community data (account, friends, shared progress) is retained in our cloud database until you delete your account.
You have the right to: Access your device data (stored locally) and your account data; Delete your account and all associated cloud data at any time from Settings → Delete Account. This permanently removes your account, friend connections, invite codes, and shared progress from our cloud storage and cannot be undone; Delete your local data by deleting the app or clearing app data; Opt-out of notifications via your device Settings.
Bible 5-5-5 is rated 4+ and does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Device data is stored using your device's secure storage. Community data is transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) and stored securely in Google Firebase. We use industry-standard practices for app security.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us: Email: [email protected]. Website: www.thegoodcitizen.sg. © 2026 The Good Citizen. All rights reserved.
To delete your Bible 5-5-5 account and all associated data, open the app → Settings → Delete Account. Or email [email protected] and we'll delete it within 30 days.
A productivity app for Olympic Weightlifters
The Weightlifters' Backroom is a serious training tool for Olympic weightlifters and their coaches. Log every set the way lifters actually train — snatch and clean & jerk complexes, make/miss on every rep — and let the app build periodized programs that deload, taper, and peak you toward your meet. Link with your coach to share your training, follow the program they write for you, and get feedback as you lift. Built offline-first; your training lives on your device and syncs with your coach when you want it to.
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use (EULA) for The Weightlifters' Backroom.
Read the Privacy Policy & Terms →
Still need help? Email [email protected].
The Weightlifters' Backroom is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Open the Session tab and tap Start Session. Add your lifts — snatch and clean & jerk build as complexes (e.g. power snatch + squat snatch), and you mark each rep as a make or a miss as you go. Squats, pulls, and accessories log by load, reps, and sets.
The app generates a periodized block from your 1RMs, days per week, and weeks to your meet — with automatic deloads and a peaking taper. Coaches can also hand-build a program lift by lift. Tap a program day to start logging it with the prescribed work pre-filled.
Coaches: open the Coach tab and tap "Generate invite code", then share it. Athletes: go to Settings → "Link a coach", paste the code, and agree to the sharing disclosure. One coach per athlete; you can unlink at any time.
While you're linked: your sessions (including reps, loads, and makes/misses), your stats and personal bests, your upcoming meet, your training status, and any notes you exchange. Your coach can assign you programs and — if you're mid-session — watch your training live. Unlinking stops all of this immediately.
Sinclair lets lifters of different bodyweights compare total (snatch + clean & jerk). We use the IWF 2021–2024 coefficients, and show a Masters-adjusted figure if you're 35+.
Your training is stored on your device. When you sign in it also syncs to your account, and if you link a coach it's shared with them. If you never link a coach, nothing is shared. See our Privacy Policy for full detail.
Settings → Danger zone → Delete Account. This permanently removes your account and all your cloud data (profile, stats, programs, sessions, notes, links) and erases your on-device training. It cannot be undone.
No for your own logging — it works offline. Coaching features (linking, program sync, live view, notes) need a connection.
The app is free to download. Coaches subscribe to a plan priced by roster size (the number of athlete "seats"); solo, self-coaching users subscribe after a free introductory period. Athletes are free — if you're linked to a subscribed coach, you're never charged. The exact price, period, and any free-trial terms are shown on the purchase screen before you buy.
Subscriptions are billed by the App Store or Google Play and renew automatically. Manage or cancel any time in your store account — iPhone: Settings → your name → Subscriptions; Android: Play Store → Subscriptions. Cancelling stops future renewals; your current period runs to its end. Switched devices or reinstalled? Tap Restore Purchases on the subscription screen. Refunds are handled by Apple or Google under their policies.
Email us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you.
Contains our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use (EULA) for The Weightlifters' Backroom.
Effective Date: July 9, 2026 · Last Updated: August 13, 2026
Your training is stored on your device and, when you sign in, in our secure cloud (Supabase). We do not track you across other apps or websites, show ads, or sell your data. If you link a coach, the training data below becomes visible to that coach. You consent when you link, and you can unlink at any time to stop all sharing immediately.
Account information — email address and password (handled by Supabase Auth; passwords are never visible to us), a user identifier, and an optional display name. Training & fitness data — sessions (lifts, loads, %1RM, per-rep makes/misses), estimated 1-rep-maxes and personal bests, bodyweight, Sinclair score, assigned programs, upcoming meet date, and training status. Notes — messages you write or exchange with a coach; optional session notes. Subscription information — if you buy a subscription, your app store (Apple or Google) processes the payment and we receive your subscription status (which product you hold, whether it is active, renewal/expiry), keyed to your user identifier, via our subscription provider RevenueCat. We never receive or store your card or bank details. We do not collect location, contacts, browsing history, advertising identifiers, or card/bank/financial information.
To run the app (store and display your training, compute stats, program your training) and, only if you link a coach, to power coaching features. We do not use your data for advertising, cross-app tracking, or profiling, and we do not sell it.
If you redeem a coach's invite code, you create a link with that coach. While the link is active, your coach can see your profile and personal bests, your sessions (including reps, loads, and makes/misses), your latest stats and Sinclair, your upcoming meet, your training status, and notes exchanged with them. Your coach can also assign you programs and set your training status. You are shown a clear disclosure and must agree before the link is created. You can unlink at any time. Unlinking immediately ends the coach's access, enforced by database Row-Level Security that checks for an active link on every request. One coach per athlete at a time. If you never link a coach, none of your training is shared.
Your training is kept locally on your device and, when signed in, mirrored to our cloud backend Supabase (database, authentication, and real-time services) as a data processor on our behalf. Access is controlled by Row-Level Security: no user can read or write another user's data except a coach reading/writing a linked athlete's shared data while the link is active. Subscriptions are processed by Apple or Google (the seller / merchant of record) and managed on our behalf by RevenueCat, which stores your subscription status keyed to your user identifier. Payment details remain with Apple or Google — not with us or RevenueCat.
Your data is retained while your account exists. You can delete your account from within the app — this removes your profile, coaching links, session summaries, live-session data, notes, and training status from our cloud (cascading deletion). Data kept only on your device is removed when you delete the app or use in-app "Erase all data".
You can view and edit your profile, stats, and meet date in the app. You can withdraw consent by unlinking your coach, or delete your account to remove your data. For anything you cannot change yourself, contact us below.
The App is not directed at children under 13. If you are under the age of majority in your country, use the App and coaching features only with the consent of a parent or guardian.
We use authenticated access, encrypted transport (HTTPS/TLS), and database Row-Level Security. No system is perfectly secure; please use a strong, unique password.
We may update this policy as the App evolves; material changes are reflected by the "Last Updated" date above.
The Good Citizen — [email protected] — Singapore.
Last Updated: August 13, 2026
This End-User License Agreement ("Agreement") is between you and The Good Citizen ("we", "us") for use of The Weightlifters' Backroom mobile application ("the App"). By downloading, installing, or using the App, you agree to this Agreement. If you do not agree, do not use the App.
We grant you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to use the App on devices you own or control, for your personal, non-commercial training and coaching use, subject to this Agreement and the app store's terms.
You are responsible for your credentials and for activity under your account. Provide accurate information and keep your password secure. You must be old enough to form a binding contract in your country, or use the App with a parent/guardian's consent.
The App lets athletes and coaches link by invite code. Linking shares training data as described in the Privacy Policy above, with your consent, and can be ended by unlinking at any time. If you use the App as a coach, you agree to use athlete data solely for coaching that athlete, to keep it confidential, and to comply with applicable laws. You are responsible for the training guidance you provide.
The App is free to download and includes free features. Some features are offered through auto-renewing subscriptions, purchased and managed through your app store (Apple App Store or Google Play), which acts as the seller and processor of that payment. We never see or store your card or payment details. Coach plans — a coach with one or more linked athletes subscribes to a plan priced by roster size (a set number of athlete "seats"); it unlocks the coaching features and does not charge the athletes. Solo — a self-coaching user (no active coach link) subscribes after a free introductory period to keep full access. Athletes are free. An athlete with an active, subscribed coach link uses the athlete features at no charge; you are never billed for being coached. Auto-renewal: Subscriptions renew automatically for the same period at the same price unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged within 24 hours before the period ends. The exact price, currency, billing period, and any free-trial terms are shown inside the App on the purchase screen before you buy, and may vary by region and over time. Managing and cancelling: Manage or cancel in your app-store account settings (Apple: Settings → your name → Subscriptions; Google Play: Play Store → Subscriptions), not inside the App. Cancelling stops future renewals; the current paid period runs to its end. Free trials / introductory offers: Any unused portion of a free period is forfeited when you buy a subscription that includes that content. Trial eligibility is set by the app store (generally one per account). Restore purchases: If you reinstall or switch devices, use Restore Purchases on the purchase screen to recover an active subscription tied to your app-store account. Refunds: The app store is the seller, so refunds are handled by Apple or Google under their policies, not by us. Except where required by law, subscriptions are non-refundable and there are no refunds for partial periods. Changing your plan: Coach plans and Solo live in one subscription group, so upgrades/downgrades (e.g. as your roster grows or shrinks) are handled by the app store, including proration; a downgrade generally takes effect at the next renewal. If your plan no longer covers your roster, coaching features for athletes over your seat count may be paused until you add seats — training data is never deleted.
Important. The App provides training-tracking tools, automatically generated programs, estimated 1-rep-maxes, Sinclair scores, and similar calculations for informational purposes only. It is not medical, physiotherapy, nutritional, or professional coaching advice, and is not a substitute for a qualified professional. Weightlifting carries inherent risk of serious injury. You lift at your own risk. Consult a physician before starting any training programme, and stop and seek help if you experience pain, dizziness, or injury. Automatically generated programs and load suggestions are estimates based on the numbers you enter; they may not be appropriate for you. Use your own judgement (or a qualified coach's) before acting on them. Any coaching guidance exchanged between users is the responsibility of those users, not us.
You agree not to: use the App unlawfully; attempt to access data you are not entitled to; interfere with or probe the App's security other than as permitted; reverse-engineer except as allowed by law; or upload content that is unlawful, harmful, or infringes others' rights.
You retain ownership of the training data and notes you enter. You grant us the limited right to store, process, and display that content as needed to operate the App and its coaching features (including making shared data visible to a coach you link). See the Privacy Policy above for details.
We may update, change, or discontinue the App or any feature at any time. Cloud features require a network connection and depend on third-party services (including Supabase); we do not guarantee uninterrupted availability.
The App is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy of calculations, and uninterrupted or error-free operation, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, or for any injury, loss, or damage arising from your use of (or inability to use) the App, including reliance on any program, calculation, or coaching guidance. Where liability cannot be excluded, it is limited to the amount you paid for the App (if any).
You may stop using the App and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate access for breach of this Agreement. Provisions that by their nature should survive (e.g. disclaimers, limitation of liability) survive termination.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of Singapore, without regard to conflict of laws rules. Disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Singapore, except where mandatory local consumer law provides otherwise.
The Good Citizen — [email protected] — Singapore.
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Story time with The Good Citizen, catch the latest ideas, thought-processes and journeys with Timo!
12 July 2026 · By Timothy Sim
WeatherOrNot - The answer to the rainy day and ambiguous weather conditions
13 April 2022 · By Timothy Sim
What happens when crazy meets crazy? Maybe the wackiest couple who’ve vibed with me from pre-wedding to actual day? Read on for my journey with Kiew Yuan and Victoria!
3 November 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Rain or shine, greens or skate. We made magic with Xinghe and Ada at their pre-wedding shoot!
16 September 2021 · By Timothy Sim
How careful do you plan your pre-wedding? Daniel and Sabrina did to a tee. And we loved it!
27 August 2021 · By Timothy Sim
What do you do when you lose your first child? With a lot of love a community surrounding them, Keith and Sarah had the hope to carry on. Meet Jemima, the promise after the storm.
20 August 2021 · By Timothy Sim
They said they'd never find a partner within their circle, but God decided to troll them. The rest was history.
26 July 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Simple weddings with little fanfare? Yay, nay? We look at Clifton and Vera’s simple yet intimate wedding and reflect on the day.
30 June 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Zander and Stephanie had a cosy, intimate solemnisation in the comfort of Zander’s parents place. We added a little twist to it!
22 June 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Styled Shoots made simple. A collaborative shoot with The Good Citizen, Amanda Lee Weddings, Autelier Makeup and Carrie K. Jewellery.
16 June 2021 · By Timothy Sim
With one week to their actual day wedding, Gary and Gillian’s friends sponsored a pre-wedding shoot for them. We signed, sealed and delivered.
4 June 2021 · By Timothy Sim
How lucky can you get for your wedding? Ask Christian and Jen.
25 May 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Let’s talk about how memories are important today. Think of them as creating a time capsule for your family for the future!
19 May 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Even playgrounds can be great pre-wedding locations for photography!
29 April 2021 · By Timothy Sim
You are what you read
20 April 2021 · By Timothy Sim
What do you do when you’ve planned for your pre-wedding shoot but it’s pouring cats and dogs? We talk about that today on this blog post :)
15 April 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Canterbury Road is a majestically beautiful sunset location, but I won’t be back there in a hurry.
13 April 2021 · By Timothy Sim
8 April 2021 · By Timothy Sim
6 April 2021 · By Timothy Sim
Repeat after me: Post-Wedding shoots are a thing. Not convinced? Ask Daniel and Kylie!
Over the decade of shooting. The single-most devastaing thing to see on a day of shoot is the weather forecast pointing all signs to rain, and the clouds begin to gather over your intended shoot spot.
In some cases, you bite the bullet, switch locations - head back home for a cosy shoot
Or find a quick backup indoor spot to hide away from the rain like we did back in 2011.
Having seen this scenario play out so many times, improvisation has become part of how I think when it comes to each shoot. Keep calm, think of an alternative or otherwise look to reshoot as the worst case scenario. I even remember rediverting a whole bridal party shoot to an underground carpark and it turned out pretty nice too!
In some cases, just to get THAT golden hour, I remember a couple and I postponed a shoot 4 times because of the rain, and finally deciding to just go for it anyway on the fifth regardless the forecast, only to be rewarded by the most golden of glows! Oh but what i’d do to be able to predict the quality of the golden hour!
Other times like these, i remember we also had couples who would say “Let’s just ROLL!”, decking themselves, boots on and braving the rain. Those were magic moments too!
But ultimately it got me thinking, what if I made a tool for everyone to be able to not just forecast the weather, but be able to tell the quality of the golden hour for the day? And that friends, is how I spent the better half of this year building an app that not just fellow creatives, but families and couples alike could use to predict and plan their shoot ahead. In fact, even anyone who just wants to know where to go to enjoy the golden hour gets to as well!
I hope this app helps you moving forward! I’ve got a few other apps built for some specific niches but beyond weddings and families, i’ve always believed that The Good Citizen has always been more than just pictures. Our whole ethos has always been to help and to bless! You can check out the app in our apps section, or simply click on the icon below to take you to WeatherOrNot’s app page.
WeatherOrNot
Now available on the Apple appstore and Google Play store
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You know how important it is for couples to vibe with their photographers to ensure that they know each other well to not just bring out their personalities best and to remove any form of apprehension? Yeah, I remember meeting Kiew Yuan and Victoria over zoom during the Covid-19 downer period. In fact, I don’t even know how we found each other. But what mattered is that we vibed right off the bat from day one over our call.
It didn’t seem all right when we made it to our pre-wedding shoot though. We started slightly late at our morning slot in what I personally remember Vic saying were “wardrobe issues”, but oh boy they looked tense. But if I may add that it’s perfectly normal to have a little tension in the morning, even I sometimes get grumpy too when I have to get up at an unforeseen hour to make the sunrise worth it for all of us frankly! But that’s why I like taking a good 15-20 minutes warming up with some basic poses and getting everyone into the vibe.
Honestly speaking, I only later found out that they had a little tiff the night before. But within minutes we got all warmed up (yay to dynamics!) and got right into making some solid images in that time we had at the National Gallery!
Most people like starting from the bottom and then make their way back up to the roof. I like to work the other way around because of the soft hues I get from the morning glow of the sun. Regardless, that’s one of the things I enjoy so much about wedding photography in Singapore; we’re all so diverse and anything works in different ways each of us interprets it with our styles!
One of the really fun things about meeting prior to shoots is getting to know each other. Yuan and I vibed together over our love for reading mangas (I even got a few really good manga suggestions that I still enjoy reading til this day), so taking that into consideration, I casually asked “Hey what if you guys did the Naruto run?”. Being the crazy couple they were, Yuan and Vic were all game. I’m certain nobody - and I mean nobody has ever done a Naruto-run in the National Gallery. Guess there’s a first time for everything!
As we eventually ended our time at the place, I knew their actual day wedding down the road was going to be nothing short of a blast that I would enjoy through and through. I promise you, I wasn’t disappointed. Even with the little hiccups and plan changes along the way, like Yuan going down with the Co Co, or the change of starting location we took things in our stride and made it work.
Did I mention already that Vic is one of the unique few brides whom I trust to do their own makeup? With the enlistment of her closest friends who made short work of her hair, Vic went to town on her face. At points in time I even started wondering whose deft hands were painting her face too!
Quick cut scene to 1-Atico where Yuan was waiting for his bride - to be fair, it was my first time up here. WHAT. A. VIEW can I just say? I love the 360 degree view of practically the whole Singapore here. I spent a good few minutes taking everything in myself and secretly applauded Yuan and Vic’s choice and decision to do this at a lunch timing because man the views were to die for. Clearly I wasn’t the only one in agreement from the number of guests who found themselves glued to the windows when they arrived.
After peeling my eyes away from the mesmerising view, I started hunting for fun details (as I always do). Found this little nugget that tickled me greatly on the seat identifiers for late minute additions. Disclaimer, IYKYK.
As Vic made her way down and after we got most of the pleasantries out of the way, we made sure we had time for her to catch her breath, spend some time with her parents before marching down to the front to be given away to Yuan.
We didn’t have much time, but I stole a quick minute to grab a nice clean image for this queen so we could all remember her radiance and unique beauty. Worth it against that clean backdrop!
As we made our way down to raptuous applause, I felt the joy and elation the crowd felt as they saw Vic coming through with her parents. I stole a quick look over at Yuan too and the man was beaming ear to ear.
I really do love every wedding I shoot, I truly have found that like a fingerprint, no two weddings are the same. I hereby argue however, much to even Vic’s disbelief, that this was one of my favourites so far this quarter. Hands down. The dealbreaker? The vibe of everything from location, to people.
You know, I usually tell our couples to relax and pretend I don’t exist while I play the fly on the wall, but I don’t shy away from the occasional playing up to the camera moments too. They DO make for some wacky pictures.
As the day wore out to the end, Vic and Yuan handed me a succulent knowing my love for plants. I’m more of a Philodendron or Alocasia kinda guy, but til this day, the succulent sits neatly in the study, soaking in some lovely morning sun (yes, it’s still alive). As I took my new baby home after leaving these two cutesies behind, I knew this wasn’t going to be the last I saw of Yuan and Vic. When crazy meets crazy, the world explodes and implodes at the same time. But even though nothing happens on the outside, I count my life forever changed already on the inside with this encounter. Here’s to the next!
Loved this blog post? Enjoy the gallery down below!
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So, when Xinghe and Ada told me they wanted to include their skateboard and longboard in their pre-wedding shoot, i said YES like some kind of proposal happened. How often do you get some cool street kids in your pics?
Okay so maybe their skate skills are at the beginner’s stage but that’s STILL cool. Speaking of cool, it was a really cool day. We beat the November rainy weather by hiding in the flower and cloud domes of Gardens By The Bay. The best thing about having a pre-wedding shoot here is the great escort service by the amazing staff who care for you from start to finish for a meagre cost of $138 for the 2 hour slot. Would recommend any time!
Dressed in a red Qi Pao, Ada cast a strong contrast against the greens of the forest and the lines of the domes. It greatly helped that both of them were equally crazy as we dove in and out to explore and experiment against every backdrop possible. We even spotted another couple having their pre-wedding photos and said hey why not use THAT too?
Even as GBTB becomes quite the hotspot for couples and families to have their photos taken at, it’s always important to continue to explore and find quiet corners that represent the moment with what’s presented to you. I’ve learnt that while we can orchestrate the time and location to shoot, the variable of light and weather is never in our hands. It’s up to us as a wedding photographer to make the magic happen with our keen eyes.
Even as we trekked out of the flower dome, we caught a little special moment that happens only at the timing we exited, a sliver of light falling down on the stained coloured glass above casting gorgeous red and blue hues on the floor. Xinghe and Ada dove to the floor and we captured this! Even the staff following us swore she’d never seen anyone do it. First time for everything!
Great shots in the bag, we knew we wanted to get those skateboard shots nonetheless, with little time on hand, we decided to extend our 3 hours to 4 and boy it was worth it. Quickly popping over to Golden Mile Tower where it was quieter and immediate shelter was readily available should the storm clouds come our way, Xinghe and Ada made a quick change and drove over for a new vibe and out came the boards!
We rolled around, had lots of fun and even managed to strike a few quirkly poses before ditching the boards for some hunting of unique corners in this old school building.
As we wound down our session with our time coming to an end, we couldn’t wait to see all the images. They were so unique and just talking about it as we made our way back to our cars made me so excited to work on them. We even had some quick sneak peeks to stir our appetites and by the end of the night, it was all worth it staring at the hundreds of gorgeous frames that would forever immortalise these moments. The journey has only begun, because i’m yet to see these explosive couple again in December for their actual day. And boy I can’t wait to make even better images then!
Loved this blog post? Enjoy the gallery down below!
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When I met Daniel and Sabrina over a zoom call with wedding planner Michelle from Arches & Co., the pair immediately struck me as down to earth, and yet very very meticulous. They had many questions even while we got to know each other and chatted about the pre-wedding ideas they had.
One needs to know that when looking for wedding photography in Singapore, you’re faced with ample choices, numerous vendors and pdf after pdf of ratecards. So it IS important to ask many questions to understand if your photographer vibes with you and if the style is what you want. In fact, I remember asking these same questions to the various vendors I met while preparing for my wedding too! Having been there, I understood the concerns Dan and Sab had and wanted to ensure that they had the clarity to get what they needed while giving my all in the style of my shooting.
We hit off almost immediately and I realised how meticulous this pair was. In fact, they’re exactly what their instagram journey represents them - a CAREFUL COUPLE, always carefully researching their options! I’d see them recce-ing potential pre-wedding sites and even on their instagram page, wedding venues too. Such dedication!
Dan and Sab took on our 3-hour shoot and planned to the minute the locations in mind - A trip to the cafe, a nostalgic bus ride from their favourite bus stop and a scenic end at Lower Pierce Reservoir. Right up my alley! As we made quick work of the cafe, we headed out to ride on the bus. It’s always tricky when you’re doing shots on a bus. The erraticity of the bus arrival, time you take to shoot on the bus, and lastly, when to drop off, turn back and take the bus back!!!
It was also tricky shooting on the bus. Because we were cautious about Covid-19 regulations, we ensured that we were alone on the upper deck before quickly unmasking for the shot that we needed and not staying for too long once we had what we needed. A quick drop off after and quickly hustling across the road to take the bus back, we were… right on schedule!
As we stood at the old familiar spot of the bus stop where they made memories, i’m reminded of the beauty of pictures where your memories are made are always more genuine than taking them at picturesque places. It’s the journey of your relationship afterall that holds more value in pictures than a place that might look nice alone.
Some quirky shots in, we had some time to spare, so we grabbed some nice personable shots at the back of their car before making our way down to Lower Pierce Reservoir.
I remember staring at the weather forecast showing how it threatened to rain at the hour of where we were at at the cafe and then the next hour raining at Seletar. Sabrina had planned for a wet weather backup at Jewel in case, but knowing how carefully they planned the day, i’d have hated to see that all go down the drain to the rain. Weren’t we glad that it stayed sunny throughout. What a reward it was to see the golden rays beam on us with nary a dark cloud in sight!
Just when I thought that they were prepared, Dan and Sab pulled out a portable changing tent - yes you heard it right, a portable changing tent to change into their next gown and suit at the reservoir. Surely now i’ve seen everything. So I rewarded them by throwing them into the forest nearby for some browns amongst the greens.
As the evening wore on, we made a quick trek down the broadwalk to the sweetest opening that framed this beautiful silhouette. One of my favourites. I had to pull out my nifty golden Pertzval lens for this one too. Didn’t that turn out nicely?
As we made it back to our first spot, we pulled out the sparklers against the dying light. But why stop at one sparkler at a time? Why not four sparklers in each hand?
As we ended and trudged our way back to the car, i thought about how glad I was to have met this pair. Then again, i’m always glad to meet all my couples all the same, because everyone has an incredibly unique story to tell.
So… when can I tell YOUR story?
Loved this blog post? Enjoy the gallery down below!
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Keith and Sarah are long time regulars and friends. I’ve known Keith and Sarah for years and have documented their journey from marriage to parenthood.
Those were happier days, but there was a time when happier days weren’t so happy too. A short period of time down the road, Keith and Sarah were trying for a baby. I don’t know how to put it in words because I don’t think there’s ever an easy way to explain losing a baby. But that’s what happened. I can’t imagine their grief when it happened. Even as I type this with my opinions and thoughts, I feel a mix of emotions myself; deep sadness and some fear if it could one day happen to me too.
But these are strong and proud people I know. With their community, friends and family surrounding them, they found reason to hope again and the promise to try once more. I had the privilege of returning to document this journey once more.
As Keith and Sarah waited on Jemima with an uncontainable excitement, I too felt excited for the new life and the world she was going to be in with this amazing couple. Fiercely brave, intelligent and loyal, Jem would be in the hands of the best parents she would have. Keith and Sarah have so much reason to be proud of this. They’ve been soldiers!
At last she made it out and got through her first few months. We couldn’t be there to document because of the Covid-19’s pandamic heightened alert. But we made it in time to celebrate her first 100 days on this planet.
Jemima is special. I’ve not met a baby so far who right off the bat is okay with me carrying them. I know some people think i’m some baby whisperer, sometimes I wish I were too, but sometimes my nephew thinks otherwise (maybe he’s just being coy. When he’s at home, his mum catches him muttering my name under his breath. We don’t know why either i’m so popular with him). I couldn’t help but beam with joy upon meeting Jem. But I think you’d want to know her story too.
Jemima’s name means “Dove” a nice peaceful meaning, but Sarah explained that the real meaning behind the choice of the name dates back to the book of Job in the Bible. If you’re an avid reader, you’ll know the story, but for everyone else, I got you.
Job was an early character in the Bible whom God allowed to be tested by the devil for his faith and trust in Him in spite of any circumstance. The devil plagued Job with illnesses, destroyed his businesses when raiders took all his livestock and at the peak of his trials, the house that all his children were in collapsed as they were in one place, killing basically everyone and everything he owned and had in one fell swoop. There would have been so many reasons for Job to be depressed, curse his life and curse God. But Job stood on his trust in God and said that all he owned first belonged to God and if He gave, He can take away and Job would still worship God. Such a character is full of strength and maturity. I don’t think even I would have the capacity to do the same.
What does this have to do with Jemima then? Well, when the testing was over and God basically told the devil “u duno one la”, he restored everything back to Job twicefold. Even the children that he and his wife found hope to have again, he doubled and prospered. The first daughter’s name? Jemima. Brb, someone’s cutting onions nearby…
Keith and Sarah decided to call their first daughter Jemima. It couldn’t be more apt a name to call her. Today is the exact day that Jemima turns 100 days and we have the honour and joy of celebrating her life together. Jemima is truly blessed, and so too are Keith and Sarah. Because after the storm, comes the promise.
Loved this blog post? Enjoy the gallery down below!
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Let me start by telling you about the story of a girl and a guy who knew each other for a really long time but never had any interest in each other. They were in the same church, same lifegroup and had the same friends. But that was all it was for years; just friends.
As they reached a more independent age, they prayed to God for a partner and told the friends around them that they’d never find a partner in their circle because that seemed so ridiculous. But sometimes, God likes to troll us too. Said girl and guy suddenly started considering each other, and as life progressed, they found themselves coming together, much to everyone’s amusement and joy.
That’s Mavin and Victoria’s story in a nutshell. Very much coincidentally, that’s also the same story for my wife and I. It’s the similarities like these that bring us together instantly. I immediately had an affinity and deep connection as this pair started together forever at the altar.
There are many things I like about Mavin and Victoria. They take having a wedding in Singapore to another level. Paylah or Paynow via QR code your angpow? Man, why didn’t I think about that? Mavin hadn’t seen the gown yet either and didn’t pick Victoria from her place, opting to see her only as she walked down the aisle. But they also decided to have a quiet moment together before the ceremony started, so they met near the picture booth with Mavin’s back turned and prayed together, all whilst keeping the secrecy.
As they marched down the aisle, Victoria was all smiles and so was Mavin. I’m sure Vic’s dad was beaming too but Covid19 regulations lah, dad had to wear a mask.
Even as the service rolled on, you could feel the joy of those in attendance much more than usual. Well, particularly too that the couple arranged for PET so that the unvaccinated could attend too. We had about 100 in attendance, the most i’ve seen in ages, and man it made such a difference!
One thing that I loved seeing (don’t think of me strange), the tears flowed freely throughout this wedding! Victoria, cried as she thanked the people around her. Her mother and grandmother cried. Her maid of honour cried. Even the best man who never cries, cried. The atmosphere was full of gratitude and thanks and that was amazing!
There was this ONE detail I noticed and loved, Victoria had a bespoke gown made with Caramel Co. She pointed out this little “M” etched on the cuffs of her sleeves. When asked, she said “I wear my heart on my sleeves. My heart belongs to Mavin.” Dang. Cue the waterworks.
As we moved over to Alkaff Mansion the vibe changed into a celebratory mood. And it’s often a change in venue that determines the mood and atmosphere. Not that one is better than the other, but it’s to note that the place can help set the mood for the vibe too.
Friends and family cheered Mavin and Victoria on as they entered, participated in fun games and contributed their thoughts on what a good marriage was and where they should have their honeymoon (as I write this, i’m pretty excited since borders are opening and places like Germany, Taiwan, Brunei etc. are starting to become available. Maybe I should go on my second honeymoon soon too).
Mavin and Victoria even played the now common back-facing shoe game, except this time the shoes were swapped out for items that represented them; A pack of tissues for the oft-emotional bride, and a cucumber for the groom because…. He’s cool as a cucumber (I never saw that coming).
As we wound down the day after lunch, I loved the colours of the saris the bridesmaids wore and we quickly pulled everyone aside for some gorgeous pictures.
With that many ladies in one picture, I had to be the one to break the bad news, “Please don’t be offended, but shorter ones in front please”.
And finally the day was done. A glorious 8.8 wedding in the bag and I was ready to head home to enjoy the eve of my birthday (yup, my birthday’s on National Day. No the nation does not celebrate my birthday). But not before we grabbed a few portraits in front of their very very CLASSIC Rolls Royce ride before they…. rolled off. I loved everything about this one.
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I really enjoy simple weddings with no frills and little fanfare. Mostly because I get to focus so much more on the couple and the things happening around them than a curated set of activities. Don’t get me wrong, not that I don’t do, hate or shy away from the gatecrashes and whatnot. I just love the unplanned and chill moments so much more. It give so much creative freedom to explore!
Most wedding couples who approach me come with the chill vibe in mind often ask me, “What kind of images can you get? We can imagine literally nothing happening.” and I always answer “you’ll be surprised how much more i’ll have, every little detail and behind the scenes!”
Even if you’re not a “details’ kind of person, it’s always nice to have documentation of things happening around the house and things as they were because when you look back, you’ll remember “Oh wow, those things happened when I wasn’t around?” It’s great to have a story told for you in many different perspectives!
So with all this in mind, starting at Clifton and Vera’s place was an easy affair. In fact, all weddings in Singapore should really be like theirs. Chill, easy, fuss-free. They took their time to prepare and have a little fun in the process. Quirky (at least to me) vibing to shire music really had us prancing and hopping like little hobbits. Okay, maybe only Clifton.
At last we were all set to go, but before that, we decided to run off some quirky portraits in the house. “You’re not gonna do that hold hand look at you thing with us right?” Vera quipped at the common couple pose that everyone gets everyone to do. “No of course not, we do you unless maybe I SHOULD do it to troll you?” I replied. We didn’t do it. I swear. We opted for the unconventional vacuum pose.
As we rolled off to the church, just less than a kilometer away, i marveled at how easily accessible weddings can be in Singapore. You take a car and within minutes less to an hour you’re there at your location. These are just some thing we take for granted that I felt are so important. It means, less travel time, more sleep too. Of course, we said had to goodbye to August the kitty first. Have I told you guys how much of a sucker I am for cats? I’m such a sucker for cats.
Again i’m thankful to be able to shoot in such a time as this with the pandemic going on. As I write this, we’re in yet another heightened alert with larger restrictions and it’s difficult to navigate weddings, but to be able to continue is better than not being able to at all.
Back to our gorgeous pair..even with lesser people, seeing the guests and family being in the hall to celebrate with them is still a sight to see. I reckon it’s a new normal to see a covid wedding in Singapore.
Even as we get used to shooting in this new normal, to be it’s great that the numbers are lesser as it gives us a lot more intimacy and keeps the wedding personable between the couple and their guests. Then again, we make do with regulations (sometimes seemingly silly) like “You may now hug the bride” instead of a first kiss. Well. Can’t help THAT.
Even as we ended our day at the church, we took some time to get some simple portraits, Clifton, Vera and I. As we wrapped up our final portrait, I turned to them and decided I DID want to troll them after all.
“Hey remember that hold hands and look at me shot?”
“Oh man he’s gonna make us do it.”
“Do it.”
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I’m full of love for this couple! Stephanie contacted me over instagram to chat about doing a cosy solemnisation with Zander at their place. I love it when we keep things short and sweet! Not that I dislike the bigger, fuller wedding banquets, but I just have a certain love for cosy, intimate journeys :)
Coming into this year, I’ve long made it a point that weddings in Singapore are never going to be the same in so many ways. The number of people who would be drastically reduced, and even the unpredicability of whether a wedding can be held, or where it can be held is up in the air until days before the actual date because of the ever-changing regulations based on Covid-19 infection situations. With that in mind, I wasn’t as surprised when we saw a number of changes happen on Zander and Stephanie’s side.
Because of the tightening of regulations, we no longer could host up to 8 guests at their place, excluding vendors. Luckily for us, Zander’s family gladly opened up their place as the majority of their family live at the same address, thus making it possible for us to have everyone in one place!
About a week before the solemnisation, Stephanie had a request to do a reveal. We decided to give it a little twist and had Zander’s two brothers dress up. Everyone was in on it and it made for quite the surprise!
We briefed the whole family and as the guys made their way down, we faced Zander to the wall and held our breaths (and mostly sniggers too). The whole family did a great job of keeping it in!
The result? A very shell-shocked Zander and thoroughly amused family! This definitely goes down into the historical of “he never saw THAT coming”, page 26. But of course, we still needed Stephanie to come down herself, so with the guys still in their dress, Steph made her way down for the REAL reveal.
A heart warming time we had and it was well worth the fun doing it! We proceeded then to the solemnisation and as we gathered around the sheltered patio, everything was perfectly set up. Except the ring. As the Reverend looked around. Raphael’s face drained. I’ve never seen anyone bolt to the second floor any faster to grab the box down! Thankfully we had the solemnisation in the house, just a three minute humorous delay!
As we concluded the solemnisation, i’m once again reminded how amazing it is to have a wedding with the ones closest to you here to celebrate this one moment with you - your family.
What perhaps is the best part of any wedding are the speeches. I find that even though I hardly know each couple deeply as their family would, I get emotional too when I hear their gratefulness reaching out to their friends and family. The look of love and emotions as they react is more than enough!
Saved for best probably, are when couples save the last of their speech for each other. It makes me think back to my own time when I got married. I don’t think i’ll ever forget that myself. Ladies (and gents yes you too) it’s totally okay to cry! Sometimes even I cry too when I hear the speeches. Call me a softie if you like!
Have I said how much I love this cosy solemnisation? I couldn’t wait to work on Zander and Stephanie’s images. One thing I often promise my couples are that they’ll get their pre-wedding or cosy short solemnisation images by the next day, and the longer ones within the week. That’s one guarantee I never do in a slipshot manner. With seven years of picture editing at the Global Picture desk at Reuters, this is a skillset i’ve honed over the years to bring quality and speed to the table, while standing in my client’s shoes to bring them their images of their big day back to them as soon as possible so that they can enjoy the images fresh from the moment. After all, I too have been married and understand what it’s like to wait for my pictures!
So from the moment I got home, I loaded up the pictures and churned them right out for them. By the end of the night, their solemnisation's gallery was back in their hands and in their mobile phones. Tired but fulfilled I called it a night knowing that Zander and Stephanie would wake up the next morning to their wedding images. I love my job! Was this the best wedding so far? It sure was. and i’ll never get bored calling all my weddings the best. I absolutely loved every part of this. Thanks for having me Zander and Stephanie!
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When the amazing people from Amanda Lee Weddings approached me to collaborate on their new collection, I was a slew of emotions! Partly apprehension because of my inexperience, partly excitement because I knew it was gonna be so good, and partly awe because these guys are my gown heroes! Even my wife picked her gown from ALW!
Wedding photography in Singapore isn’t only about shooting great pre-weddings or actual day weddings, but also largely depends on the network and collaborations of friends and various vendors in the industry, and I love making new friends (despite my introverted desposition)!
Done with poise and grace, our model for the day, Rachel, quickly made work of the amazing collection and her expert posing helped make the experience smooth and enjoyable!
Great gowns also pair wonderfully with classy accessories! Carrie K.’s were more than just your average trinkets. Even the designs feature the dots and dashes of a morse code. Genius!
As we wound the day down and as I think about it again, I find myself privileged that I get to rub shoulders and be counted an equal amongst peers. I’ll keep working hard!
This shoot could only be made possible with the help of these amazing friends!
Gowns & Concept: Amanda Lee Weddings
Makeup: Klarissa for Autelier Makeup
Accessories: Carrie K. Jewellery
Model: Rachel Chandra
Enjoy the rest of the gallery below!
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Meeting Gary and Gillian was a chance encounter through a mutual friend who had banded together with a few other friends to sponsor them a pre-wedding shoot before their actual day wedding on Saturday. Chance encounter it seems, but to me, a wonderful time spent nonetheless!
With just a few days to spare before the big day, the pair agreed to take on this shoot because they loved my works (and I always appreciate the love!) and were assured of my guarantee that they’d get their images back within 24 hours of the shoot, a skill I confidently carry from my picture editing days on the news wire at Reuters.
As we traversed through Golden Mile Tower, the ever-reliable backup for rainy days, it struck me how quiet the place was as a result of heightened Covid-19 measures that silenced the theatres and food places altogether. Yet, vibrance is not made of the environment alone, it is the people. Ooh that was cheesy.
Between me and you, I am a firm believer of creating images that are uniquely yours. Weddings in Singapore start to look the same when people shoot in the same style, pose in a similar fashion or edit in the same way. While you can never run from ending up being similar to someone else, originality has its traits and can only come about when we’re intentional about it. And to that, intentionally shooting in different ways help me give meaningful images to my couples and adds a new dimension of breadth to their story.
Even though this was a short session with Gary and Gillian, I felt a sudden impulse to drive and take them out to the pier. The sun has been erratic at best with the torrential rain (maybe it’s just me. It always rains when I get out to shoot) and chasing the sunset was almost out of the question. But we just needed to get away from the urban vibe of the place and just enjoy the cityscape from the breakwaters of the pier.
As we reached the pier, whatever was left of the non-existent sun had already set and we had the cool glow of the evening sky as the backdrop. One plus point? Floodlights from the cruise centre lightly washed over us, giving us some warmth. It did take us a lot of guts and courage to try something adventurous though - tetering and balancing our way out onto a very narrow walkway on the breakwater to steal a few intimate shots.
It all seemed like a good idea when I suggested it, but when I climbed out myself after Gary and Gillian, I wondered what even possessed me to ask of it. I found myself oddly fearing the drop and quickly stooping to collect myself to direct for a shot or two. Thankfully, the pair were daring, sporting and adventurous to say the least, and we got what we needed!
As we traversed back, we took one final look at the cityscape and took some time to reflect on where we were, backdropped against the cityscape. Gary and Gillian later thanked me for the trip we made and how this moment was one to remember for sure before their actual day wedding at the end of the week. They counted themselves blessed. But those are the same words I feel inside too. I count myself blessed that I get to be here making images still even as the world threatens to fall apart.
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I’ve probably never met anyone luckier than Christian and Jen. The only unlucky thing they had amidst this pandemic was being unable to have a their families physically witness their wedding in Singapore. But apart from that, i’ve never seen a wedding so far that dodged the bullet time and time again until it happened.
When Christian and Jen hit me up earlier in the year, they opted to keep things simple and intimate, with no more than 20 people at their solemnisation. This was at the time when wedding regulations were at the point where having 100 pax was the limit with anything above that requiring testing for all guests. It wasn’t long before the first potential snag came round when new regulations were rolled out that limited guests to 50pax. Guess who dodged the bullet?
The second test came along then Singapore announced that they were going to enter a state of heightened alert. This spelt bad news for weddings all around with extremely reduced numbers and number of people allowed to the present at a house. But with their wedding just one day before the execution of the heightened alert, guess who dodged the bullet again?
The third and final thing that checked off the lucky box was the weather. As you know, wedding photography depends so much on the right kind of lighting. In May, the whole month basically was an endless begging cycle between wedding photographers and God to not open the floodgates of heaven and rain on their parade. But of all days, guess who not just had a non rainy day, but in fact a hot and sunny wedding? That’s right folks… Christian and Jen. Three times lucky.
We started off the day at Capella Hotel where Christian came round to pick Jen up. We did a simple first look for Christian to see Jen’s dress for the first time, before going round to make some portraits downtown overlooking Marina Bay Sands.
I have to admit, I haven’t been around to this corner in a while, but i’m glad we did. The frames we made were incredible! We even turned some heads too.
Jen had a little surprise for Christian. While on our way to the venue - Siri House at Dempsey, we stopped over at the Red Sea Gallery where she showed him an art piece she reserved as a wedding gift to him. I’m not much of an art connosieur, but even I found it beautiful to look at.
As we arrived at our venue, the stage was set; a summer vibe setting, bunches of pampas surrounded by walls of greens. That, and the perfect weather? What a way to start the wedding!
As Christian and Jen marched down the aisle, friends and family cheered them on from the side and over the live stream. I did a little whoop of joy at my own good fortune to have witnessed this classic moment unfold in front of me.
Even Christian’s dogs were in on the action. They had them brought over from the nearby kernel and almost immediately, they stole the show, scrampering forward to join in on the fun.
With the signing of the marriage certificate and exchange of vows and the rings, the justice of peace handed the certificate over to Jen much to the amusement of the friends in audience as she declared that under the laws of the Singapore government, the bride owns the certificate!
Three times lucky, but I think at the end of the day. Maybe i’m the lucky one to have witnessed this beautiful wedding that took us back to happier times and away from the Covid-19 pandemic even for just a bit.
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This is one of my biggest gripes: forgetting an important memory. Have you ever walked down memory lane only to find yourself staring at a fuzzy shadow of what you used to remember, busy scratching your head as you try to collect the milestones to show for it? I know! It’s a horrible feeling isn’t it!
I know how that feels, and more than ever now, we’re seeking to cherish our memories at such an unprecedented time as this. If it’s anything to hold on to, your years pass faster than the blink of an eye. That pre-wedding shoot you took while single as a joke (because every shoot before your wedding is a pre-wedding shoot) quickly becomes a real pre-wedding shoot and a proposal. And then before you know it, boom you’re married and there’s one on the way.
But even as you’re just starting to process having a little one snuggled tightly in your arms, there’s one more on the way. Phew wouldn’t that be a lot to handle! The years indeed blaze past so quickly. (Even I sometimes wonder what happened to the slim tummy I used to have, now replaced by a belly sometimes more heavily pregnant than a 3-month year old mama. I really need to lose some weight..)
Matt and Chings have it down right, with one on the way, we planned for this shoot mere weeks before Eloise was (is, since we’re still waiting as I write) due and also to celebrate the growing years of their first - Tristan. In times like these, time is of the essence! So we planned to have our maternity and family shoot on a Monday morning to beat the morning crowds at Jurong Lake Garden.
But plans looked like it was gonna go south with the news of the Heightened Alert kicking in on Sunday announced on Friday. While I scrambled to postpone and push most of my shoots back past the regulatory date, there was one thing that The Teos and I agreed on, and that was there was no way to push this back. I mean, can you possibly tell Eloise in the womb “Alright, time to delay your birth, we’ll be shooting later so hang in there”? It was simple, we’d push the date forward to Saturday, a day before the measures kicked in.
I had a wedding shoot the samy day in the afternoon, but this really was a no-brainer. We met as the sun was supposed to rise and shot what we could. And when I say “supposed” I mean, we didn’t have a sunrise as planned because it started to rain! What a bummer right? All that was supposed to go right had now seemed to go wrong twice. But where am I going with this story? Memories need to be made, and we make it no matter the situation, because that reflects the situation and gives the moment flavour!
As it started to drizzle, quick thinking, fast hands, an umbrella and a chirpy Tristan was what helped us wrap up the shoot in record time. Dashing from spot to spot, creating scenarios and letting creativity run wild was the deal breaker to beating the rain, the kicking in of the measures and Eloise coming early to say hello to the world.
As we wrapped up the shoot, I started thinking to myself about the importance of maternities and family shoots long and hard. Firstly, that these memories literally serve as a time capsule. Stashed away in safety, brought out 15-20 years later like a family treasure or heirloom to the children to help remember these precious moments before they were born or when they were mere toddlers. Secondly, that it was a personal responsibility to oneself to stop, pause and remember.
The last? Well, the last thing to remember is that family shoots are not so much about the time taken, but the quality of images we get with what’s presented to us. I’m glad that i’m blessed with the gift to capture memories on camera for people. I want to make that possible for as many people as possible for as long as I live. It’s my duty and my joy to do it. So, when was the last time you made a time capsule for your family?
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I swear by the fact that having a pre-wedding shoot in Singapore doesn’t always have to be at the most scenic of places or the wildest of locations. Sometimes, even the unlikely of spots can yield the coolest results too. Again, i’m super thankful for adventurous couples like Wei Khan and Danielle for readily coming on board to try whatever with me in our 3 hour evening shoot.
It was a risky bet when we decided to go for it, not knowing if the rain was going to continue. But as all risks go, when it works, it really pays off. We climbed up to the abandoned fort (pictures for another time) but when we came down, the see-saw was a perfect place to start with a quick re-creation of an old picture they had. From then on, we went all in for some fun vibes. Was it worth? Worth.
Some couples or photographers go for safer choices so that they don’t waste the time or place to get their precious photos. I don’t fault them. But that’s why it’s important to find a photographer who knows how to make the best of absolutely any place at any time in any situation. In times like these, I thrive. Oh yes. I absolutely live for moments like these.
Labrador Park has a really cool wooden stilted maze at the playground that I really enjoyed walking through. Whenever I step in there, I can’t help but feel nervous that i’d get lost in there. A silly thought but definitely hilarious if the photographer’s trying to get out but gets stuck! Thankfully it’s a no brainer. Posing my cool couple in there is also a no brainer. It really helps that they’re down for it too!
The little playground tunnels make for great frames too have I mentioned? Symmetry, rule of thirds, framing and all that. I don’t even have to bust out my copper ring for that.
In the end, it’s really all down to making the most of whatever environment we get. But one thing’s for sure, we make the most of it no matter what. Stay safe and stay cool!
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There’s this one thing i’ve been doing at every house visit I make, be it an actual day wedding, or a pre-wedding shoot, or even a family shoot at home. Once I enter the place, I often find myself snooping around the house looking for the coveted shelf of books.
It’s a very, very interesting feeling when I first spot the row of books when I enter the room. Some are neatly arranged, some basically an organised chaos. More than ever, I notice how some of these books give me a small insight into my brides, or what the family is like.
For the families, it’s usually a very organised row (or a whole library) of children’s classics. Waves of nostalgia when I spy Enid Blyton or Roald Dahl sending me back to my own childhood days.
Amongst that, I get to spot the mix of culture and intentional teachings that my brides or the children in the room subject themselves to. I get the Japanese crash-courses, and then I see a fair mix of English and Chinese books for the early readers.
But the cool ones are the ones that clearly reflect against the type of people they are too. You get military-related books for the regular soldiers, and then you get Traditional Chinese Medicine books for the medical practitioners.
There are of course the great self-helps and spiritual books I come across and in the process, I do find similar books which even I have come across and read. It makes for great conversation starters when I make conversation based on these books that I too have once pored over!
But at the end of the day, everyone has their own favourites. and it’s one of my favourite moments that I look forward to at each shoot. You are what you read, and to me, that’s absolutely facinating.
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A big trending topic amongst wedding photographers in Singapore: Where do you shoot when it’s raining?
It’s one of the scariest questions we face when our couples come to us after looking at the torrential forecast and start getting worried that they’ll get drenched or worse still, have to put off their planned pre-wedding shoot and having to wait out the rain for who knows how long.
Terence and Eugenia were in a similar situation just last Saturday. From what I heard, this was even the highest recorded rainfall in close to 40 years. What a horrid day to get out to get your wedding photoshoot right? Well, to be honest, even if it rains, I feel there are two options. We get out there and get wet, or we get inside to make great pictures anyway!
We were originally supposed to do two locations, one of them at Golden Mile Tower, where the rooftops boasted great sunsets and rustic views. With the rain, we decided to get in and explore the interior and were rewarded with artistically light-painted stairwells, old school corridors and the beautiful circular staircase below Projector, an indie movie theatre.
Shoots that seem like it can go bad can swing the other way when you have a few factors. The first, a fun and adventurous couple who’s willing to take risks and say “screw our old plan, we’ll go crazy.” The second, a good photographer who can adapt to changes and take the opportunity to challenge themselves to try new ways of shooting by experimenting angles and perspectives.
So, as I was saying, some things don’t always go to plan, and unplanned locations are one of them. so since Golden Mile Complex was an underpass away, we stole down and through from the Tower building to visit some iconically intimate spots at literally corners away from everyone’s favourite mookata spots.
Asking random questions and making jokes at the old letterboxes, staring out through the railings next to a large neon sign and even running through the office complex (shh don’t tell anyone we snuck in), we forgot it was even raining in the first place!
In the end, as the day wore down to a close, i’m almost even thankful it poured. Because without it, we wouldn’t be forced to innovate, adapt and overcome the situation to create even more unique frames that would otherwise have been cookiecutter-ish! I love my job :)
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When clients come to me to shoot their pre-wedding pictures, other than another popular location which I often go to, there’s often one place that either comes to their mind, or otherwise mine; Canterbury Road.
Canterbury is very well known among the wedding photographers’ circle as a prime spot to shoot sunset pictures. The sun’s rays beam down at golden hour, bathing one and all in a majestic glow.
The rolling slope serves as a great spot to run around, lie down, or even have a romantic moment in the fading light. Even the drain that runs down the slope can serve as a beautiful runway to traverse. It’s no wonder that you see the occasional family shoot, an organised proposal or the teeming mass of bridal couples strewn across the plain with their photographers in tow.
In the right season, the grass grows long and you even get to spy the autumn foliage and hay-like lalang blanketing the floor, serving as a great spot to lie or even throw at each other. I mean, where else can you find such a spot?
But a little known fact to most people is that the beauty of Canterbury Road lies not just in the slope and its glorious sunset, but rather the hidden spot that goes beyond the winding path below the slope itself. As one journeys on, you’d find yourself walking along a small canal. I daresay the canal itself is worth stopping for, having shot more than just couples here too.
At the end of the canal, you’ll find even what seems like a hidden Japanese bamboo forest, almost sticking out like a sore thumb amidst the scattered colonial houses. I remember the first time I chanced upon it, I actually had to stop and stand there to marvel and its grandeur… Then I had to keep moving because the mosquitos started attacking me!
Our wedding photographers’ circle has a running joke about certain photographers owning a territory where they shoot the most. To them, i’m the king of Canterbury. That in itself surprises and tickles me to no end! But after shooting here for years, while the wonder and magic of the place never ceases, I feel like i’ve explored all that i’ve needed and made the images that stand out and showcase the area more than most. It’s almost a sign to myself that it’s time to move on and make new images at new locations.
As the metaphorical sun sets on this place for me, it’s not that I intend to call it a night and never come back. Canterbury Road will always be my homeground. But as they say: “Home is not a place, but a feeling”, and I feel it’s time to get out there to challenge myself to make the whole of Singapore, not just Canterbury, my homeground.
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Canterbury Road is one of our favourite sunset spots. Our Golden Hour planner shows today’s exact sunrise and sunset windows, a quality score from NEA’s live forecast, and the spots that fit your look.
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You know how it’s magical when everything comes together? It’s more magical when you add a touch of class and poise to it all. That’s what Anthony and Lianne did!
I enjoy connecting with people of all kinds, and meeting Anthony and Lianne was great! Down-to-earth, relatable and yet always exuding an air of class and esteem. It helped so much greatly that the venue (VUE), make-up artist (ARLY.Co) and florals (This Humid House) perfectly aligned and brought out the essence of who they were and what their theme went for.
As I stepped into the venue that was artfully transformed into a bamboo-forest, I couldn’t help but stand and marvel at the power of creative direction and styling. I knew I was in for a treat!
“You’re already here Tim?”, Lianne pipped from the other room as I stepped through the door. The couple were just winding down and recuperating, owing to the fact that they had just gotten back from the lunch reception with their family members, something i’m still thankful that is allowed within the regulations in the midst of COVID, truly unprecedented times!
I left the room to soak in the quaint sights of the bay and find a place to bring out the best of her Yolancris dress (a beautiful bespoke dress) as Lianne settled in with coffee in hand to have her touch ups made and night made ready.
And what a night it was! Surrounded by close friends and family, Lianne marched down the aisle with her beaming father towards Anthony where they sealed their marriage in front of the Marina Bay.
It was on this night that when I look back, i found myself forgetting for a moment that we were going through a pandemic. All was well, and all was right.
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I remember when I proposed to my wife in 2018… Man, that was so surreal! There was this big plan I had of doing it with the city skyline behind us and a whole lot of fairylights. She said yes of course. Today proposals aren’t that much different, the essence stays the same, and the moment lasts a lifetime. The only difference is its grandeur. And Kevin and Vitoria’s took the cake.
When I stepped into the Fullerton Hotel’s Presidential Suite, I wasn’t just awed by the beauty of the place, but the effort put together by Kevin and Vitoria’s friends, the incredible styling by The Wedding Stylist and the beautiful florals by CC Lee.
And so, with the stage set, Kevin led Vitoria into the room. The plan was that they’d come here for a media interview for the brand they were working together. Even so, it was a lot of effort to convince Vitoria to dress up without her getting suspicious! But once she was in (and nonethewiser), the grand plan could finally be revealed!
Scattered photo frames documenting the journey in their relationship strategically placed throughout the room, at one point, they even sat down as they listened to the theme from the Phantom of the Opera (their favourite musical) being played by a friend of theirs.
But in the end, as the curtains were drawn and Kevin led Vitoria out to the balcony overlooking the cityscape, I remembered that all too familiar scene. He’d take the knee, but would Kevin remember what he wanted to tell Vitoria? There’s something mind-boggling about proposals if I can spare a joke, it seems once a guy takes the knee, he forgets pretty much everything he plans to say before she says yes. I could be 90% sure in fact that that is the case.
But Kevin? My man here is the 10%. He recited every word he had in mind and he laid it all out from day 1 til this moment. If I were Vitoria, i’d have told him to shut up and give me that ring already. But i’m not Vitoria and she has a lot more poise than I do. She listened with rapt attention and love in her eyes. Dang. I’ve got goosebumps now.
Finally, Kevin got on his knees and popped the question. Do we even need to confirm what Vitoria said? Signed, sealed, delivered. What a night.
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I never really thought much about having a session with my couples after their big day. Sure, Pre-weddings and Actual Day weddings are vitally important in helping to make memorable images before the wedding and even throughout the big day itself, but having a session AFTER the wedding?
Enter Daniel and Kylie, probably my most fun-loving, adventurous couple to date. They had just gotten married the week before and when I asked about their Pre-Wedding shoot, it turned out they hadn’t had one officially. “That’s crazy”, I thought. And yet, here was the best opportunity to give them great pictures that they could hold for a lifetime, fresh off their “I DO”s.
We decided on an urban theme and headed to Golden Mile Tower, a gorgeously rustic building set on the outskirts of town for the sunset. As we arrived, we instantly knew this was the perfect place to be at for the evening. The faded walls, forlorn flooring and puddles of water reminiscent of rain that came and went beckoned to us.
I’m a real sucker when I see places people don’t often frequent on a regular basis, and when my couples decide to get adventurous with me to explore, it brings out a certain kind of psycho in me. “Hey, you wanna do something crazy?” is usually the first thing they hear when I spot something that requires a little climbing, a little crazy, a little touch of madness. Thankfully, Dan and Kylie are equally mad, so we climbed up the ladder to who-knows-where.
Dan and Kylie admitted that it took a while to get used to the fact that they were finally married, and as the day faded into night, it was magical as I sat behind the lens observing two beautiful souls settling right into their groove as husband and wife. In between all that, two rings, the high-beams of a car and this dude firing away behind the camera. Keep being you my friends.
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