Azhar Ariff Photography - Commercial Assignments, Weddings, Events and Private Assignments

Register Now: 3-day Adobe Lightroom Workshop. RM24 Only!

2011-06-09T02:20:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

I'm letting you know of this great opportunity to learn Adobe Lightroom for cheap! It's a 3-day workshop in a computer lab, for only RM24!

Why is it cheap?
This programme is subsidised by the Malaysian Government under the 1Malaysia Funds via local community colleges. In this case, it's being organised by Kolej Komuniti Klang.

Printed notes will be given.

All you need to bring are:
1. Some pen and paper
2. Some images you'd like to process in Lightroom during the exercise, approximately up to 300 images in thumb drive or portable drive that you'll connect to the computers.

We're looking for 20 participants.

Please register via the form below. Thank You and see you there!

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Published Work: Expatriate Lifestyle & Time Out KL

2011-05-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

I've been busy on editorial assignments for Time Out KL and Expatriate Lifestyle lately. It was exciting to shoot for such titles. I love the challenge in editorial assignments due to the fact that there is a very small window to shoot and also I'll have to shoot with minimal equipment. Not to mention that I have no idea of what the location presents itself, in terms of settings, lighting and finding good angles. In such cases, I'm happy to see that common sense and making the most of the situation turns out really well for me. Check them out. :)

My shot is on the cover! Time Out KL, April 2011 Issue.

Credits on the inlay, and I shot the chocolate cake image too.

Here are the section which most of my images are published in the April 2011 Time Out KL issue.

My photos are featured in the cover article of March 2011, Expatriate Lifestyle magazine. This beer photo is not mine, though. I'm posting this cover to illustrate which issue was my photos published.

The editors loved this photo. I strongly feel that it really projects the character of this bar owner of The Green Man, Dougie Roberts

Here's Allison Martin, owner of Bulldog English Pub for Expatriate Lifestyle, March 2011.

Prior to the March Issue, I've shot this cover for Expatriate Lifestyle for the February 2011 issue with my partner Denis Erroyaux, from Brussels. Again, it was truly amazing.

Here's the inlay for Expatriate Lifestyle magazine February 2011 issue with our credits for the cover.

This is my favorite shot that I took. We took advantage of the natural light coming in from the windows and filled with a 580EX flash with a translucent white umbrella reflector from camera left. I loved the way Christine Sterk, Managing Director of Asia On Time sits herself in a very relaxing pose.

Behind the scenes: Muthualagan & Chitrah's outdoor wedding portraits

2011-03-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some behind-the-scenes of Muthualagan & Chitrah's outdoor wedding portraits done at Pavillion, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Many thanks to my assistants Reza Amir, and Joe Hanip. Videographer Ainol from NX Studio and Mia. Also thanks to Che Ju for arranging transport for the couple and co-ordinating location. Finally, biggest thanks to Ms. Legah, Chitrah's sister who hired us to photograph this wonderful event. Thank you all!

Muthualagan and Chitrah. Such lovely couple. I love them!

Reza standing in for my test shot. Joe Hanip on camera left holding one light on a shoot-thru umbrella.

Ainol from NX Studio with the video camera, while Reza checks in for light painting with Joe Hanip.

From left: Joe Hanip, Ainol NX Studio, Muthualagan, Che Ju, Chitrah, Mia, Reza Amir and yours truly, Azhar Ariff.

Published Commercial Assignment: Porsche Advertisement

2011-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Following up my previous post on the Behind-the-scenes shoot for Porsche Centre Bukit Bintang, here are the final published work on our Malaysian local newspapers. Check them out. Shown here are clips from The Star and New Straits Times, Saturday, 26-MAR-2011. Cheers!

Behind the scenes: Porsche Centre Bukit Bintang commercial shoot.

2011-03-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

2011 is a really good year! Ever since January this year, I've been really blessed to be commissioned with such exciting and interesting assignments. I just got back from the shoot today for the new Porsche Centre Bukit Bintang architectural shoot and thought I'll post some of the images. I've been neglecting this blog for a while and I'm not surprised that some of my regular readers might've lost interest. Nevermind that.

Back to the topic, the image(s) that we shot are for newspaper advertisement and press release, so, keep your eyes out in our local newspapers soon (as soon as next week!).

For this assignment, I'd like to thank my project partner, Amru for his undivided attention, effort and extensive collaboration in making this assignment a success.

I hope this short post will inspire you all to become a better photographer, businessman(or business person), or simply just a person.

If you got a vision or dream of something big, go for it!

Amru trying to sell me this unit.

Here's us after our last shot. It's a wrap!

Amru just got his commission selling me one unit and got himself this Porsche. Ha ha!

Me giving it a go at one test shot.

My trusty WhiBal card. Standard procedure. Don't leave home without 'em.

Did you know? Album layout in Lightroom 3.

2011-02-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can design a simple album layout in Lightroom 3 with the print module? Yes, this feature is great especially for wedding photographers. You can customise your page size and layout. You can even add multi-pages into your layout. For JPEG output, you can print to PDF and export the PDF into hi-res JPEGs to be sent to your printer.

First, set your page size by going to "Page Setup..." (bottom-left corner button). Then, on the "Layout" pull-down on the right panel, select "Custom Package". Then, drag and drop your images from your set collection onto the artboard. Resize, position and off you go! Be sure to check out the extra options on the right panel as you go down the list. Go ahead try it.

Bengkel Teknik Fotografi DSLR JPA (Basic DLSR Photography Technique Workshop)

2010-12-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

I had the opportunity to host a Basic DLSR Photography Technique Workshop for staff of Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA), yesterday 21-DECEMBER-2010 at their headquarters in Putrajaya, Malaysia. JPA is the Malaysian Government's Public Service Department.

Many thanks to En. Shahril Nizam, En. Sariffudin and En. Izuwan from JPA who co-organised this event. This workshop would not be successful with the help from my team: Razali Hassan (my partner), our two facilitators Reza and Fauzi. Last but not least models Nila & Farah, who I couldn't thank enough their agent, Anna Sha for providing such prompt service for my short notice. Of course not to forget, our students/participants whom are the staff of all levels from JPA. Hope you all had an enjoyable time as much as we do.

I didn't shoot much but here's a group photo for your momento. High resolution image of this group photo available for download, below (in case you'd like to sent them for printing & framing):

For Participants: Download full resolution of this group photo here.

Participants having a go of what they learnt during the workshop. Now it's shooting time.

Beach Wedding

2010-11-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

Here's some of the wedding photos I took for a lovely couple (they choose to keep their names unpublished). Let's just say, they're Mr. & Mrs. H. They were shot in Port Dickson beach. We had a great three-hour session from around 4pm till sunset. When these photos turn out on the LCD screen, I just jumped out of my skin they're gorgeous! Here they are...enjoy!

p/s: BTW, that lovely dress? Mrs. H designed and made it on her own. It's fantastic!

The money shot: "The Sunset Kiss". Just perfect, don't ya think?:)

Here's another shot with some ambient background.

"Last Light". The sun was really setting down. By the time we finished this last shot, it was almost pitch black and we had a hard time getting back to the car through the sand. Lucky we had our mobile phones, which doubled as torch lights!

Just Lovely.

This is one of my favorite shots. It's at the beach, yet it really looked like they were in the Amazon!

The evening light is just beautiful, accentuating their lovely expressions. Simply amazing.

Can you get "Dizzy in Love"? I'm pretty sure you can when love is "spinning" around.

Registration: 14th Simple Food Photography Workshop

2010-11-09T23:38:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

Yeay! My 14th Simple Food Photography Workshop is now open for registration. This would be my 14th workshop since 2007. After three years of running a food photography workshop, this simple crash-course has evolved to become better and more efficient, with additional jam-packed information about food photography. I do make it a point to keep this workshop up to date at every point of time it's being held.

It has been quite a time gap between my last Simple Food Photography Workshop last year, due to my busy schedule on photography works. I'm happy to say that now I've got some allocated time to spare for teaching workshops to fellow photography enthusiasts.

Here are some good news to share:

Our studio has been going thru some minor renovation work to suit a more comfortable working space.
Some of us might not have any speedlights/flash, therefore, I'll be teaching some additional new information with regards to photographing your best with available light. Not to worry, learning to shoot with flash is included as previous workshops.
I love to support upcoming photography enthusiast in picking up new forms of photography. With that note, I've decided to maintain the registration fees same as the last workshop, which is only RM220. No price increase in fees! Cool 'eh, especially in this economy?

What you'll learn?

Food photography, from start to finish, including: preparation, lighting, composition, styling, shooting, edit, and selling.

Well, let's jump to it then. Registration's now open. Limited to 5 seats only. Please register first in the registration form below. After registration, you'll be emailed with payment instructions. Payment terms is round about 50/50, which is RM120 to confirm your seat, and RM100 paid on the workshop day.

What to bring?

1. DSLR

2. 50mm f1.8 (if possible, otherwise, a kit lens will do)

3. Plenty of CF/SD cards because we'll be shooting RAW

4. Thumbdrive. Just in case you'll like to transfer/copy some files.

Cheers!

Now, please remember to fill up this form below to attend:

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Studio Renovation DIY. Self-proclaimed contractor

2010-10-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some construction work lately (for my studio). To those who've been asking for progress photos, here it is, in video. Yes, it's me. Check it out!

Help was nowhere to be found, so I installed the final dry walls at FOTOMOMO STUDIO on my own this night. Took about 3-hours (which includes goofing around) to complete this task. Thanks to R.Mahafaizal for the raw materials, Sabri Idrus for the mitre saw, Arif Rafiq and Kyrol for being my assistants, and Adhadi for lending me the 8-step ladder which made this installation possible. Cheers all!

How I did the Campbell's shoot

2010-10-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been pretty tied up with several work, which involved our studio and some personal work. It's been a long while since my last upload and I've been procrastinating the updates, until today it hit me that the update will never get done unless i just yank it. So, here goes.

My latest work involves the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) category. In this assignment, I was hired by an advertising agency to photograph Campbell's soup products, which is under the Kimball Malaysia's distribution. What I'd like to share with you are some after and before photos of this commercial assignment, just to give you an idea of how simple my workflow is for a big job like this.

Art Direction credit goes to Steven Kee.

Here's a line-up of Campbell's Instant Soup in boxes.

Another line-up of some muscular Campbell's Condensed soup in cans.

Prego is also under the same group under the Malaysia distribution.

Here's another variation of the Prego's shot I did for the art director's selection.

So, here's how I did it.

Lighting

Lighting setup was pretty straight forward.
I had two side lights, one light to wash out the background and another overhead light for front fill. Exposures were measured using a flash meter.

The products was laid out on white plexiglass, which gives a nice smooth reflective effect. I love it because this cuts me time in post. It's just shoot, colour correct and bam! it's done!

The Shot
For each setup, I used WhiBal and QP card for colour reference.

Post-Production
Imported the images in Lightroom, batch colour correct and export to hi-res TIFF! Simple as pie.

Hope this inspires you all to give a go at some product shooting on your own. Cheers!

Bella's photo shoot. (Wow! It's been a while since I last updated this blog)

2010-07-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

It's been really quite a while that I've updated my blog. I was pretty blocked out with work and personal matters until now. As a matter of fact, I still am. But I has come to a point that life and work will always be jam packed with events and unexpected matters. If I were to wait for a free time to update, then the next update will be a long time from now.

Now, procrastination on updating my blog has to stop. Hence I'm updating this short post with what I've been doing lately.

Last week on the 14th, we had a short session to photograph Bella. This was her second visit to FOTOMOMO since February 2010. Bella wanted to update her portfolio in line to seek modeling assignments in town. In the beginning I thought that I could handle the session on my own without an assistant, but then again, I wanted to spend more time thinking about the overall look that we'll be shooting. On the last night before the shoot, I posted a notice seeking assistants in Facebook. It was quiet as expected, until in the morning, my good friend Denis Erroyaux, from Belgium, who's also a photographer, currently staying here in KL called me up offering his service. In my head, I said "Dang, why didn't I thought of him last night?"

I was glad to have Denis around. An extra pair of hands really speed things up, and free me up to shoot. Here are some out takes of our shoot. Enjoy!

A typical group photo to wrap the day. "Where's your shoes Denis? Safety 1st, isn't it?"
From left: Denis Erroyaux, myself, Bella and her husband, Rex.

Now, for some funny faces.

Denis giving me the grin because I took his job as an assistant for a while when I dialed down the flash power of one of the flash heads. "Hey! That's my job." he said.

Upcoming April Workshops. Now OPEN.

2010-04-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

April's still around for another two exciting workshops. Registration is now OPEN, so please check out these links below. Thanks!

APRIL WORKSHOPS

Night Class: Introduction to Studio Lighting
23-APR-2010
More info

13th Simple Food Photography Workshop
25-APR-2010
More info

Registration: 13th Simple Food Photography Workshop

2010-04-08T08:17:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

It's been a while since the last Simple Food Photography Workshop was held. I was pretty busy for all my weekends, and even my food photo project blog got stuck. There are a lot for me to catch up, but my silence was because I was prepping new techniques to add into this workshop series and also prepping for Level 2 Food Photography.

Well, let's jump to it then. Registration's now open. Limited to 5 seats only. Please register first in the registration form below. After registration, you'll be emailed with payment instructions. Payment terms is round about 50/50, which is RM120 to confirm your seat, and RM100 paid on the workshop day.

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Registration: 2nd Night Class, Introduction to Studio Lighting now OPEN.

2010-04-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

With the your support, the 2nd Night Class, Introduction to Studio Lighting is now open for registration. Everything else remain as crazy as before.

1. Crazy RM50 fee.
2. Crazy jam-packed 4-hours hands-on lighting learning.
3. Crazy fun!

Read more info on the past Inaugural Night Class report on my posting here.
For more behind the scenes images, please check out Mus'ab's facebook gallery here.

Please register below. You'll receive a confirmation on your seats, payment instructions and directions via email.

Thanks!

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First Night Class Review

2010-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Our first Night Class was a blast!

Started at 8.00pm and we wrapped out nearly over an hour past 12.00 midnight. This night class is a short introduction to studio lighting. It's kinda like your "first date" with studio lighting. The participants got a chance to know how studio lights work, studio etiquette and how to communicate with a talent.

With 4-hours of time, all participants get a hands on with measuring light with a flashmeter, and understand the concepts of exposure and tonal range based on Ansel Adam's zone system.

In summary, here are what we all learned:

Difference and similarities between studio light and speed light.
How to measure light? Using a flash meter, histogram method and guide number.
Exposure basics, f-stop, compensation and such.
Ansel Adams Zone System. How to get white, gray and black background with the same camera exposure settings.
Studio ethics and safety.
Model-Photographer ethics.

To those who missed this Night Class, register for the next Night Class on Friday, 23-APR-2010, 8.00pm-12.00am. Yes, it's a Friday night, so you can catch some sleep the next day. :)

Here are some images I took during the Night Classs. For more behind the scenes images, please check out Mus'ab's facebook gallery here.

Here's our first test shot. One light, 45 degrees from camera right.

Here's our second test shot. One light, 45 degrees from camera right.

Same exposure, but we increased the light for the background to 3-stops. We got a white background, with the same camera exposure.

Another white background example.

Here's a group shot of us, round about 1am. Wrapping the up class.

Night Class: Basic Studio Lighting for RM50/person. Would you be interested?

2010-03-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

UPDATE! CLASS IS FULL. Thank you!
Hello all, please note that this Night Class is now FULL! Those who's registration number(turn) are #11 and above will be on my waiting list. Don't worry, you'll be privileged to be notified 1st before I announce future classes/workshops. Thank you for your support.

Hello friends, and friends of yours,

I'm just throwing a crazy idea. I'm in the mood of sharing (because I have some breathing space, finally, but only for a short while before work gets crazy again).

Here's the idea.

Idea #1: Night Class. 31-MAR-2010, 8.00pm-12.00am
Ideal for working professionals, hobbyist, or part-time photographers with a day job. This class is an ideal opportunity to learn hands on basic studio lighting. It's 4-solid hours from 8.00pm till midnight 12.00am. You can come straight from work, and get back home in bed, ready for your next day. It's just a fraction of your time, and a lot to gain.

Idea #2: Basic Hands-on Studio Lighting.
Since it's night time, it only makes sense to learn something in a controlled environment. Rather spending time chit chatting over some mamak stall, let's all spend some solid 4-hours to gain something for our knowledge.

When I say "Hands-on", this means that you get to shoot, measure light, set the light and learn some basic studio etiquette. This basic experience would be valuable for you in terms of opening up some doors to assist other established photographers and learn from them. Established photographers are looking for assistants that are reliable, dependable, knows what to do, and how to work around a studio environment.

Idea #3: Basic Expectations.
Here are some things can expect to learn in 4-hours.

What the heck is a light meter/flash meter?
You crazy? Light meters are expensive. How can I measure light without a light meter?
Where do I position my lights?
I'm a newbie. For God's sake, I don't have four lights... How do I light with just one light?
How do I get that glossy white floor finish?

Summary.
In short, when you walk out of our studio door, I want to make sure you walk away empowered with these skills, which are your basic survival skills in mastering studio lighting.

You'll know how to measure light, and set exposure without a flash meter.
You'll know basic studio etiquette, so that when you rent a studio, the studio owner's gonna keep you in his/her good books (which may get you some discounts, just maybe).
You'll know how to light with one or more lights.
You'll know how to manipulate simple light to create various background tones.

RM50? You crazy? What's the catch?
RM50 to learn survival skills in studio lighting?
Yes. I'm crazy.
No, there's no catch.

Wait, there's one or two catch.

To ensure that information can get through your heads, and stay there for a long period of time (and also because of studio space), I can only take 10 persons maximum for this night class.
You'll NOT become Joe McNally overnight in 4-hours, but I can assure you that you'll feel less intimidated with studio lights. Consider it as your first date with studio lighting, yes?

I just thought that it's time to give back. There's a lot that I've learned along my short photography experience, those of which I also learned from other great photographers. It's only fair that I passed along some of that knowledge to be spread around.

When photographers are empowered with knowledge, only then quality will arise. When quality arise, there's more great Malaysian-born photographers. When that happens, our photography standards will eventually rise and hopefully we won't have to charge peanuts just to make a living, because some clever photographer is desperate for money they lowered down their fees to succumb to client's ridiculous demands.

Location of the Night Class.

FOTOMOMO STUDIO

No. 9D, Jln Petaling Utama 12

Bt 7 1/2 Off Jln Klang Lama

46000 Petaling Utama

Selangor, Malaysia

Map to our studio here:

http://fotomomo.com/contact/

View FOTOMOMO STUDIO in a larger map

"If you think I'm crazy for giving away RM50 fee per person, consider this, perhaps you're crazy not to attend."

Now, did I get your attention? ~~Register now.~~ Sorry, registration is closed because class is full.

~~Register via this form below. You'll be contacted on payment methods and seat confirmation. Hurry, while stocks last and first-come, first-serve!~~

Upcoming Workshops and Events

2010-03-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

When is my next workshop?
Hello All. In my effort to streamline my work schedule to balance work and life, i've managed to put my foot down in a long-term commitment to sharing photography knowledge with you. I'll be posting tentative and confirmed dates for my upcoming workshops in this calendar. Please do check them out periodically. If you want to be notified, please register below to be notified. Thank you for your support!

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Simple Lightroom Workflow Seminar, 13 and 14-MAR-2010

2010-03-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

I'm holding up my 2nd Simple Lightroom Workflow Seminar organised by Republik Studios.
Registrations are up on Republik Studios Facebook here at http://bit.ly/simplelightroomseminar

I'll be presenting this seminar on the 13th and 14th of March 2010, so come on whichever date is convenient for you. We appreciate if if you could please RSVP soon, so that we know how many Lightroom notes/booklets do we need to prepare.

If you love shooting but hate staring at the computer screen for post-processing, you should attend to find out how can you regain your freedom from tedious post-processing with the help of Adobe Lightroom.

See you there!

Venue
The Republik
20-2, Wangsa Delima 11
Wangsa Link, Wangsa Maju
53300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-4142 9653 or 016-346 8910 (Khairil)
Email: khairil@republikstudios.com

Map to Republik Studios Here:

View The Republik Studios in a larger map

Thaipusam 2010

2010-01-31T03:30:00.000-08:00

If I can remember, I've skipped about three Thaipusam's shoot from my last session. I've been putting off to attend this event for years and this year I made myself go. It was a beautiful day, the week's weather was good with blue sky and I didn't want to miss that for the world. Besides, it's probably a good time and place to hook up with fellow photographers. There was no specific shot that I wanted to take. I just wanted to go as an observer and look out for any interesting photos. Thanks to my good friend and photography associate, Chan (Chan Leong Hin), I got some advice on some of the good spots, energy conversvation tips and a good ol' chat to catch up on news. It took me a while to upload these images yesterday, perhaps because a thousand other photographers in Malaysia are trying to do the same thing and jammed up the internet line. Anyway, enough yapping, here are some of the photos I took. Enjoy!

Hindu devotees getting their hair shaved before beginning their walk up the stairs of Batu Caves. When I reached Batu Caves, this was one of the firsts shots I took.

A young Hindu devotee getting her hair shaved during Thaipusam.

I just found out about this new structure. It's the ramp that crosses the new operational railway track that terminates at Batu Caves. This is the original showering and Kavadi preparation area. Today, there's another location for this part of the Thaipusam preparation, which is on the other end, near the rail terminal.

Here's where the Hindu devotees shower after getting their hair shaved.

A Hindu devotee showering right after having his hair shaved, in preparation for the walk up the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

A family of Hindu devotees preparing milk containers to be carried up the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

Right after saying their prayers near the river at Batu Caves, a Hindu family prepares to carry the milk in stainless steel containers for the walk up the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam

A Hindu couple saying their prayers on the riverside of Batu Caves during Thaipusam

Devotee in the state of trance during Thaipusam.

A Hindu devotee carrying milk in a stainless steel container on his head, walking towards the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

Piercings on the back of a Hindu devotee, while performing the walk towards the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

A Hindu devotee calmly getting ready to carry the Kavadi, while several men prepares the piercings on his back during Thaipusam at Batu Caves.

Men piercing the back of a Hindu devotee, who's about to carry the Kavadi during the walk up the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

Piercings on the back of a Hindu devotee, before performing the walk towards the stairs of Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

Devotees taking a break.

Rythmic music accompanying the Thaipusam celebration. It's a very festive mood. I love the music.

I saw a man being lifted up amongst the crowd. Little that I know of what he, or shall I say they were up to.

A devotee walking on sharp blades during Thaipusam celebration at Batu Caves, Malaysia.

Last image for the day. Here's my good buddy, Chan Leong Hin. Fabulous travel stock photo photographer.

Happy New Year 2010 + My Food Photography Project

2010-01-05T07:55:00.001-08:00

Hi all,

Coming into the New Year 2010, I made a new resolution to become a better proactive photographer. In order to achieve that goal, I've started a side project called "My Food Photography Project". The goal is that every week, I will photograph one dish or food for a year, starting January 2010 until the end of December this year. There's an average of 52 weeks in a year. Therefore, hopefully this time around next year, I'll have at least 52 decent food photos that I can be proud of. This new journey will be an exciting one, as along the way, I'm sure in one way or another, it's gonna change my life. I hope that my journey will also inspire you towards a better progression in your life.

Check out My Food Photography Project blog here at
http://myfoodfotoproject.blogspot.com.

Thanks for reading!

Simple Lightroom Workflow for Photographers Seminar

2010-01-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

The Seminar
This seminar is a "simple" seminar, tailor-made to busy photographers who have a day-job (or full-time photographers too). Most of the part-time photographers in Malaysia that I meet has this common problem, which is: "It takes too long to process the images".

This seminar will show you the "light" out of your current "darkness". You will soon know how to be able to free yourself from long nights of post-production and editing, and actually enjoy shooting more photographs without worrying about the editing process.

Learning Outcome
What are you gonna learn in this seminar?
Here are some key expectations.

How to get back your life, by getting organised by having a systematic post-processing workflow.
How to speed up your image sorting and selecting process.
How to process multiple photos at once.
How to rescue burnt highlights and shadows.
How to get some early sleep.

Previous Postings
Here are previous posts on this seminar
1st Simple Lightroom Seminar
1st Simple Lightroom Seminar FAQ
2nd Simple Lightroom Seminar at Republik Studios

FAQ
Here are some FAQs for my upcoming Simple Lightroom Seminar

1. Q: Is a computer/laptop provided for participants in this seminar?
A: This is a seminar, not a workshop. Therefore, no computer/laptop is provided in this seminar. However, you're free to bring your own laptop if you wish. If you wish to bring a laptop, please install a trial version of Adobe Lightroom 2 available here.

Note: Although this is a seminar, I've designed a simple Lightroom Workflow System for busy photographers that works. I should be simple enough to understand that you can try it at home. To those who wants to polish their Lightroom skills after this seminar, they can attend my Lightroom workshop in the future.

2. Q: What's the maximum number of participants for a seminar? Can I concentrate?
A: The maximum number of maximum seats available would depend on the venue's capacity. By default, our studio at FOTOMOMO STUDIO will accomodate 20 participants maximum at one time.

Regarding concentration, this workflow system is designed with simplicity in mind. A lot of people worry about the complexity of editing tools. Tools are simple, as long as you understand the concept and principal of any design tools/software. They're all almost the same. You're here to learn how to harness the tool in a systematic way to your advantage.

3. Q: Where is the seminar going to be?
A: Map to the venue is here.

4. Q: How to register?
A: After making payment for the retainer, kindly email me at azhar@fotomomo.com your full name, telephone number and bank payment transaction reference with the subject "Simple Lightroom Seminar". It's easier for me to filter your emails with this subject.

Simple Food Photography Workshop

2010-01-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

The Workshop
Since 2007, I've shared my food photography techniques in my Simple Food Photography Workshop. Until 2010, I've had twelve(12) of this workshops done successfully. These workshops once organised in a while, which is more actually based on the days that I'm free. Due to the limitation of the workshop frequency and the maximum number of five(5) participants per workshop, the demand is quite high, which translates to fast sign-up almost everytime I advertised these workshops.

To better fulfill the demand for my Simple Food Photography Workshop, I've blocked out a couple of dates for 2010. I've commited to share my knowledge in Food Photography on a predictable schedule for 2010. It's good for me, and it's good for you to plan out. Check out the dates here, or scroll down to the bottom portion of this page.

Previous Workshops
Here are some links to my previous workshops in this blog:
6th & 7th Simple Food Photography Workshop [Registration info]
8th & 9th Simple Food Photography Workshop [Registration info]
10th & 11th Simple Food Photography Workshop [Registration info]
12th Simple Food Photography Workshop [Registration info]

Upcoming 2010 Simple Food Photography Workshops

If you're interested in joining my Simple Food Photography Workshops, please checkout the available dates in the calendar below. Thanks!

Packages

2010-01-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

One(1)-session

Approximately 4-hrs event coverage
Short outdoor session included, if applicable
Transportation included for Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley area
1 unit of 10"x12" storyboard album

Rate: RM1,XXX

Two(2)-sessions

Approximately 4-hrs event coverage per session
Short outdoor session included, if applicable
Transportation included for Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley area
2 units of 10"x12" storyboard album

Rate: RM2,XXX

Unique Sessions
Please contact me if your wedding session arrangements unique or complex in any way. I'll be more than happy to accommodate your needs.

Album Samples:

Past Clients

2010-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my past wedding clients that I've featured in this blog. Other clients are featured on my business site at FOTOMOMO STUDIO.

Fadil and Ayu-01
Fadil and Ayu-02
Azreen and Riccardo
Akmal and Fazira
Zul and Ain
Nadzuan and Maria
Mr. & Mrs. H

Update: Commando Lighting Postponed

2010-01-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

I'm sorry to say that the Commando Lighting workshop will be postponed due to low sign-up. We did not meet the minimum required students. Please hold your money. This workshop will still go on sometime in the near future. I'll keep you guys updated on this blog.

Thank you so much for your support!

[GOYA Strobist]: Golf Magazine Shoot

2009-12-13T01:35:00.000-08:00

What have I been doing lately?

It's been a while since I got my arse off the chair to shoot something really new. I've been planning to shoot this re-creation of advertising shots (by only using small speedlights) normally seen on magazine covers for a while. The only thing that was keeping me off from executing the shoot was sheer laziness. I think about it too much, and talk about doing it too much with my friends to a point that the next time I'm gonna talk about it , I'll end up like the boy who cried wolf. In short I can say that it is enough to kick my butt to work.

Last Friday I texted my close friends Wantai, Kyrol(TT Strobist #1) and Jidin(GOYA Skateboard outing #1) for a quick GOYA outing near where Wantai and I stay. In the end it was just Wantai, his assistant Aidil and I. It was unfortunate that Kyrol had a hospital emergency and Jidin was flat out from a wedding shoot.

We shot these photos from 10.00pm-2.00am(the packing took a while) at a nearby park. Wantai and I took turns to model as a golfer. My guess is that you can find my photos in his blog or facebook. Enough talking, here are the final shots that gets my most star rating.

I love this shot because everything is in place, in position, in context, all the lights fired. The tee flew, and the ball flew, you can see the Footjoy brand on the glove and on the cap. The only thing I didn't realise was that the Adidas band was slightly covered by Wantai's pants. But shooting with my skimpy small 2.3 inch LCD? What the heck. It's a go!

If you want to learn how to shoot like this, and take control of your flash, enroll into my Commando Lighting Workshop here.

This shot gets my star rating too because of the same reason as the first image. You can't see the tee in this resized image, but in the actual size, the tee is still stuck in the ground but bent a little bit. True sign of a great golf swing eh?

How did I get the idea? From Nike's Tiger Woods slow-mo golf ad on YouTube:

Here's how we did it. Hopefully this information helps anyone who'd wanna give this a go. Let me know how your photos turn out ya? Cheers!

Commando Lighting Workshop: Now Open

2009-11-30T11:29:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Save up your money for the most value-for-money (compared to other lighting workshops in Malaysia) lighting workshop you've been waiting for in 2010. Further details after the poster.

I've whipped up a whimsical poster for this exciting workshop too. Here it is:

Payment Details:
Workshop fee is RM380 only.
Maximum participants is 10 people.

1. RM180 to confirm seat.
2. RM200 due during workshop date.

Please make payments to this account:
Account name: FOTOMOMO STUDIO
Maybank account: 562366109121

The step. Important:

Once you've made the RM180 initial payment, please email to azhar@fotomomo.com with either these topics/email title:

"Commando Lighting Workshop"

I will be able to filter your messages and sort them accordingly. This way, your email will be safe from getting mixed up with other incoming mails.
In your email, please write your:
a. Full name (so that I can verify this against the bank transfer receipt/notification)
b. Your phone number (so that I can contact you for urgent updates)
c. The transaction time stamp and reference number of your payment transfer. The transaction time stamp will differentiate your payment and the other participant's payment.

Workshop Details/FAQs

Is this an outdoor or indoor workshop?
The workshop starts with an introductory and theory session in the studio, and some indoor shooting. After lunch we'll move out to location shooting that will be determined prior to the workshop. At this moment, I'm still scouting for a nice location to shooot, that is convenient for us to move about.

I don't have a camera. Can I join?
This is a hands-on full manual lighting workshop. You can have the cheapest China Made flash, but you would at least need a DSLR with a kit lens to enjoy the benefits of this workshop. Therefore, the answer is sorry, if you don't have a camera, it would be unfair for me to let you join. I suggest you get to know your camera first and enrolling in several basic photography workshops out there. The Commando Lighting Workshop aint goin' nowhere. We're still here and you're welcome to join the next workshops in the future.

I have a camera, but I don't have a flash gun(speedlight). Can I join?
Yes.

12th Simple Food Photography Workshop: Quick Register

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

DECEMBER WORKSHOP

Hi all,

Thanks for your support! I've received inquiries regarding December workshop even before the 11th Workshop has even begun. Thank you! Thank you! :)

Here's a quick registration update for the 12th Simple Food Photography Workshop, on 12-DEC-09. Other participants are communicating with me via email and pending confirmation.
1. Sitizya (RM 100 received. Thank you!)
2. Halim Jasmi (RM 100 received. Thank you!)
3. Aiman Ridhwan Anuar (seat #1 confirmed)
4. Aiman Ridhwan Anuar (seat #2 confirmed)
5. Seat still OPEN.

For payment details and registration instructions pls follow previous workshop details here.

Freakin' Hell! Joe McNally's coming to KL!Let's go!

2009-11-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

Stop Press!
Joe McNally's coming to KL!
Hot Dang!

Achtung All Malaysian Photographers & my fans!javascript:void(0)

The almighty Joe McNally and his assistant Drew Gurian will be coming to KL for two workshops, in collaboration with Louis Pang.

Here's the ad, courtesy of wedshooter.tv

Schedules:
Let There Be Light
one-day seminar by Joe McNally featuring Louis Pang

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
6-FEB-2010, 09.00AM-05.30PM
MYR 380.00 (approx. USD109.00)

Hot Shoe Diaries
one-day intensive lighting workshops by Joe McNally

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1-FEB till 4-FEB-2010 (5-FEB-2010 full!), 09.30AM-05.30PM
MYR 1400.00 (approx. USD400.00)
max 15 persons

Complete article here:
From Joe's Blog (what a shocker to find this out from my RSS feed!)
http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/2009/11/16/heading-east/

From wedshooter.tv:
http://wedshooter.tv/blog/joe-mcnally-in-kuala-lumpur-2010/

10th Food Workshop Report

2009-11-10T22:40:00.001-08:00

Hi All,

The 10th Simple Food Photography was a success! It was just two participants, Kelvin and Mohd, and we had a great time messing around with the food to get our shots. I'm also excited to look forward to share with the 11th Simple Food Photography Workshop participants in this coming 21-NOV-09.

For those who missed these fabulous workshops, I'm holding another Simple Food Photography Workshop on 12-DEC-09. You can email me at azhar@fotomomo.com to reserve your seats. I'll post an official post regarding this December workshop in a bit.

Till then, here are the pics. Enjoy!

Here's my favorite

This shot demonstrates one of the ways of how to arrange three dishes in one frame

Mohd reviewing his shots

Kelvin going in for the high-key shot.

Spagetthi Beef Bolognaise with Meatballs. Shoot in the DIY light tent.

Here's a test shot with the Whibal.

Another test shot with the QP color chart.

10th and 11th Simple Food Photography Workshop now open for registration

2009-10-15T01:22:00.001-07:00

Hello All,

I'd like to announce that I'll be hosting another Simple Food Photography Workshop in November. There are two(2) workshop dates for you to choose from, which is on the 7th or 21st November 2009. Please email me at my FOTOMOMO email at: azhar@fotomomo.com to register or for any inquiries.

This workshop is open to all photographers from all levels. I'll introduce you to the simplest form of food photography, which something attainable for everyone. You'll learn how to light your food, compose, crop, edit, prepare a portfolio and market your services.

I only take five(5) persons max. per session to give each participant ample time to shoot their food. I've been asked several times from the past nine workshops whether I can slip in another one or two participants on top of the five persons. The answer is no, I'm sorry I can't, because that will be unfair to the other five participants. The duration of the workshop is just nice for five people to take turns to shoot and ask questions regarding food photography.

If you can't make it for November, watch out for December's workshop soon.

What to bring?
1. DSLR
2. 50mm f1.8 (if possible, otherwise, a kit lens will do)
3. Plenty of CF/SD cards because we'll be shooting RAW
4. Thumbdrive. Just in case you'll like to transfer/copy some files.

Payment Details:
Workshop fee is RM200 only
1. RM100 to confirm seat.
2. RM100 due during workshop date.

Please make payments to this account:
Account name: FOTOMOMO STUDIO
Maybank account: 562366109121

The step. Important:

Once you've made the RM100 initial payment, please email to azhar@fotomomo.com with either these topics/email title:

"10th Food Workshop" or "11th Food Workshop"

I will be able to filter your messages and sort them accordingly. This way, your email will be safe from getting mixed up with other incoming mails.
In your email, please write your:
a. Full name (so that I can verify this against the bank transfer receipt/notification)
b. Your phone number (so that I can contact you for urgent updates)
c. The transaction time stamp and reference number of your payment transfer. The transaction time stamp will differentiate your payment and the other participant's payment.

Cheers!

Here are the updates on the participants list.
Update Daily

10th Food Workshop (7-NOV-09) Workshop successful. Thank you!
1. Kelvin Yong (RM100 received. Thank you!) ref:PK
2. Mohd Zainal (seat confirmed)
3.
4.
5.

11th Food Workshop (21-NOV-09) Full House. Thank You!
1. Fariz (RM100 received. Thank you!) ref:PS
2. Muhammad Zainur Bin Alias (gizmo) (RM100 received. Thank you!) ref:PS
3. Adi360 (RM100 received. Thank you!) ref:PS
4. Farhan (RM100 received. Thank you!) ref: KRMT
5. Azizan (seat confirmed) updated!

STOP PRESS! Stunning Wedding Video

2009-10-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

I've been following Matt's (a fantastic wedding videographer from Shadowplay, Australia) blog for a while. I got to know about Matt from Kate, his wife who's a brilliant wedding photographer, who's a shootsac (I want!) owner. They both run the photo-video team Shadowplay.

Recently Matt posted an excellent article/video on their blog regarding StillMotion, who are the ultimate wedding film-making dream-team. StillMotion's studio is just outside of Toronto, Canada.

Anyway, it really blows my mind away to know that such cinematic wedding video is really attainable.

Attention Malaysian wedding videographers and photographers!
This is the kind of quality work we want to achieve for our country's industry. Benchmark this! Hot dang this is hot stuff! Enough talking, check out this video.

p/s: StillMotion will be coming to Australia to host three workshops in early 2010. Let's go!

Original article here.

the evolution experience from stillmotion on Vimeo.

G.O.Y.A. Strobist at the Shah Alam Skate Park

2009-10-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

G.O.Y.A photography Stands for (Get Off Your Arse or Get Off Your Ass-in American English) Photography. The acronym coined by the amazing music, editorial, Atlanta based photographer, Zack Arias, So I went out and went off my ass and shoot! These images should be images that are different, creative, fun and artistic, according to Zack.

Jidin, Akmal Adanan and I headed out to Shah Alam Extreme Park last Saturday. We wanted to catch the golden hour before sundown to get some blue sky. But when we got there, It was already 7.00pm and going dark. Took me a while to set up the lights after a "while" of not shooting at all.

The darnest thing happend, which is I brought everything else except the radio transmitter/receivers for the lights! What the..? Nevertheless, I really thank Jidin for lending us his radio triggers. Hence the two-light settings (because there's only two receivers, duh...)

Note to self: Never pack in separate bags. Lugging my camera backpack which has everything is better than trying to travel light. Otherwise, pack the night before with a checklist.

What I found out from this GOYA outing is that skateboarders are cool friendly dudes who just wanna have fun. Most important thing is not the lighting, but the composition and waiting for the perfect moment when the skateboarders are up in the air doin' their tricks.

Jidin has an undeniable killer shot, fit for editorial use. Me, felt rusty, but here are my "best" shots in 2-hours session 7.00pm-9.00pm, 10-OCT-09. Today wasn't my day, but definitely, I'm going back there to get my killer shot. Till then, I hope this will inspire all of us.

Chiao!

My best shot (Still unsatisfactory to me. Oh well...I got worse sets). Considering the dark sky/background, and I managed to create a separation light, I think it's OK. It's better without the arm's shadow casting on the face though.

My second best shot. The one and only our in-house talent, Jidin, about to grind on the concrete.

Not exactly the best photo, but I just like the lighting. Perhaps a fish-eye lens would be great to capture the shop lights in the background.

Another grind shot, last call before heading home.

Yes I know you're wondering how we did it. So here it is, as simple as I can explain. Shots taken at exposure of 1/40s f4, ISO 400. Camera, lens? Doesn't matter.

Nadzuan and Maria. Sometime before Ramadhan

2009-09-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Thanks for waiting for my updates. For those who are my regular followers, here are some new outdoor shots I've taken of Nadzuan and Maria for their outdoor wedding photo session at Muar, Johor sometime before Ramadhan. I must say that there's not much location to shoot or scout in a short period of stay, but somehow, The Blue Mosque of Muar has it's own magic. There's plenty of space for different scenes. The environment is so beautiful and the architecture is so nostalgic. For photographers, a little creativity can land you some awesome photos to bring back home. Not to mention a happy client :)

This assignment was really exciting for me because the weather was not so good.

Why is bad weather a good thing?
In the afternoon it rained. Therefore throughout the evening the rain created an overcast sky. Only towards later in the evening we managed to get some sun, but only for about half-an hour of pure sunlight intensity around 5.00pm-6.00pm. From 6.00pm till 6.30pm, the sun was setting so fast and there wasn't enough contrast from the ambient light. Therefore, it forces me to get creative with my speedlights.

Bad weather gives me great challenge to create stunning shots. When I come out with the money shots out of bad weather, it really gives me great satisfaction that "Hey, I still got the skills to pull through this bad weather". During bad weather, even your clients doesn't expect much. Their morale went low in the beginning. However, the minute you pull out your bag of tricks and showed them how beautiful they are in the shots you created, things started to "light up", so to speak.

I love bad weather in it's own way because it forces me to be creative and get out of my comfort zone. When that happens, usually stunning shots will come out of the gloom.

During this assignment, I was privileged to be assisted with my close friend Chan Leong Hin. I thank him for holding on to my lightstand with the shoot-thru umbrella open and not letting the wind blowing it away into the river.

To Nadzuan and Maria. Congratulations on your wedding, and most of all, thank you for trusting me to photograph your wedding event.

Best wishes from me,

Azhar Ariff

Here's Nadzuan and Maria. Just before heading out to Muar town for their outdoor wedding shoot. I took this shot with Maria's house because it is a classic government quarters, smack in the middle of town. But the thing is, it's so quiet.

The sun was setting fast and I was lucky that the sun was low and bright enough to give a nice backlight. With an "invisible" fill-light. Voila! I love to use off-camera lighting and make the scene look as if there was no artificial lighting involved. Gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to see the outcome of these sets. I was thrilled.

I must say that when I saw the setting sun, I knew I wanted the sun right on top of Maria's head. I wanted and "Angel"-look to it. It helps when she's wearing her tiara. All of us were really pleased with this shot. I love this shot. Dang it's good.

More backlight shots. I really made use of the setting sun. The sunlight that passed through the folliages really helps create a nice looking environment. All shot wide-open at f1.8.

Nadzuan's turn to get a profile shot. The sun was really weak at this moment. I just grabbed whatever I could from the light.

Last few shots before the sun goes down.

We started out photographing at this location, which is by the riverside. I wanted to include the new Muar mosque across the river, which is the exact replica of The Blue Mosque where we are shooting at the moment. I thought that including the architecture of the Mosque would at least signify that "Hey! This is in Muar". It's not easy to tell viewers the context of where these photos were taken without including some architectural landmarks.

More shots by the riverside.

I thought I'd focus on Maria for this shot. I like the light from the setting sun coming from the left. To balance out the shadows, I added a fill light with a shoot-thru umbrella from the right. Doesn't seem like there's any artificial lighting involved isn't it? Love this.

Now here's a more dramatic shot, which includes the existing Blue Mosque of Muar. The mosque is a significant piece of architecture, therefore I'd really like to get it in the frame. This scene was lit with a bare speedlight with CTO gel to get the extra blue intensity of the environment. Works like a charm.

More sets of The Blue Mosque

Finally, when the sun was almost out, I had to dial up the flash to full power to light up this couple. For this shot, I wanted to create a nostalgic feel, in line with the history of The Blue Mosque of Muar. At the same time, the architecture which looks very English made me want to make this shot looked like it was in England, sort of...Nevertheless, I love this shot because it concludes the session in somewhat "nostalgic" way, per se.

Azreen and Riccardo's outdoor shoot

2009-07-14T02:46:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

Thanks for keep coming to visit my blog. It's been pretty hectic for the past month up until now. Just want to update you guys and gals on Azreen and Riccardo's outdoor wedding shoot which we did right after their Majlis Akad Nikah (Solemnization Ceremony) last month. The location is at Pekeliling Flats. Azreen decided to shoot there for a few reasons:

1. She grew up in Bandar Baru Sentul and passes the flats during her commute to work. Let's just say that there's a certain amount of sentimental value to Azreen.

2. The Pekeliling Flats are now being prepared to be demolished. Soon, the existence of this landmark will be non-existent. Therefore, this is part of documenting history on a "historical moment".

It was enjoyable for all of us to be on location, shooting this exciting wedding outdoor session. Both Azreen and Riccardo were really excited with the outcome when the prints came out. I just can't help but to share with you all some of these images. They're both a truly amazing couple. I love photographing them!

Last but not least, and most of all, I have to thank Zuri, Azreen's bridesmaid, who is also her best friend, for referring this lovely couple to hiring me, and trusting me, as their wedding photographer.

Thank you Zuri, Azreen and Riccardo, and to both your family members and friends who were warm to accomodate my presence during your wedding.

All the best, and enjoy!

Azreen and Riccardo. I wanted to have a retro-feel to the images, in-line with the "historical" theme for the Pekeliling Flats shoot. I love this moment. Got it while they were waiting for the train.

LRT Montage. So much to show, so I thought a small montage would give an idea of how much fun we had. :)

A classic moment.

Another Black-and-White montage. Notice the words used? Pun intended. "Persatuan" means Unity, and "Satu" means "One". Kinda cool IMHO.

On the way back, with lots of fun.

Last shot.

Emotions of a wedding ceremony. Azreen & Riccardo

2009-06-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

I was processing Azreen & Riccardo's images and I had to stop at these images and just have them published for a preview. I just couldn't handle keeping them to myself. They're just so emotional, especially this picture below, where Riccardo's father, Mr. Perlo, hugs tight his only son, Riccardo, to congratulate him into entering the married world. I can see it was a mix of joy and sadness all at the same time. Joy of the newly weds. Sad probably because from now, they part and Riccardo lives as a husband. Also, even more sad, because Riccardo's mother, Mrs Perlo, is in Italy. She couldn't fly to KL due to her medical condition. It was truly an emotional moment for both of them, father and son. Therefore, I had to post this photo, which followed with a few other photos that I quickly processed to share with you all, especially Azreen & Riccardo, and also Zuri, her maid of honor, who introduced me to the couple. Here they are, enjoy!

Riccardo's father, Mr. Perlo watches his only son fixes his sampin, just a few minutes before entering the Solemnization Hall, at Bandar Baru Sentul Mosque. Mr.Perlo flew all the way from Italy to attend his son's wedding with Azreen in Kuala Lumpur.

Note: This tilt-shift effect on this images is really cool. Inspired from Zack Arias tilt-shift images which can be found here. Check 'em out.

Riccardo kisses Azreen's forehead as a blessing, after just being declared as husband and wife in the solemnization ceremony.

Outdoor portraiture, taken at the abandoned flats of Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur. The Pekeliling flats will be demolished and this will be the last record of it's establishment.

Here they are, the lovely couple Azreen & Riccardo.

FAQ for Simple Lightroom Seminar

2009-05-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some FAQs for my upcoming Simple Lightroom Seminar

1. Q: Is a computer/laptop provided for participants in this seminar?
A: This is a seminar, not a workshop. Therefore, no computer/laptop is provided in this seminar. However, you're free to bring your own laptop if you wish. If you wish to bring a laptop, please install a trial version of Adobe Lightroom 2 available here.

Note: Although this is a seminar, I've designed a simple Lightroom Workflow System for wedding photographers that works. I should be simple enough to understand that you can try it at home. To those who wants to polish their Lightroom skills after this seminar, they can attend my Lightroom workshop in the future.

2. Q: Isn't 40 people too big for a seminar? Can I concentrate?
A: 40 people is small considering that this is a seminar. If you compare this to one of Malaysia's famous wedding photographer who held a few seminars at KLiUC with a capacity of 100 people plus, you'll notice how small this seminar is.

Regarding concentration, this workflow system is designed with simplicity in mind. A lot of people worry about the complexity of editing tools. Tools are simple, as long as you understand the concept and principal of any design tools/software. They're all almost the same. You're here to learn how to harness the tool in a systematic way to your advantage.

3. Q: Where is CADC Kompleks 3C Subang Jaya?
A: Map to the venue is here.

4. Q: How to register?
A: After making payment for the retainer, kindly email me your full name, telephone number and bank payment transaction reference with the subject "Simple Lightroom Seminar". It's easier for me to filter your emails with this subject.

Word up Zack Arias!

2009-05-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Zack Arias has been one of my major lighting guru and reference for photography all this while. I admire his spirit and outlook on photography as art, business and passion. His passion for photography definitely rubs on to others including me. It's been a while since Zack was featured as a guest blogger on Scott Kelby's website. It has only been last night, during my quiet time before going to bed I watched this inspiring video, and I wish to share with all of you. Original post at Scott Kelby's website here.

Summary:
This video illustrates that as a photographer, we have our emotional cycle just like any human being, our ups and downs. What's important is to keep remembering that every photographer goes through the same cycle. With a bit of perseverance and focus, we can all rise to the occasion and become a better photographer and a better person. Cheers to Zack Arias. Check out Zack Arias's website here.

Simple Lightroom Workflow Seminar now open for registration

2009-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I'm glad to announce a brand new "simple" seminar tailor-made to wedding photographers who have a day-job. Most of the part-time wedding photographers in Malaysia that I meet has this common problem, which is: "It takes too long to process the images".

This seminar will show you the "light" out of your current "darkness". You will soon know how to be able to free yourself from long nights of post-production and editing, and actually enjoy shooting more photographs without worrying about the editing process. More after this seminar ad below:

Typical situation of a part-time wedding photographer:

Saturday
9.00 am-12.00 pm: Shoot wedding event 1
5.00 pm-6.30 pm: Outdoor shoot
7.00 pm: Head home, transfer CF cards and sleep

Sunday
11.00 am-5.00 pm: Shoot wedding event 2 + Short Outdoor session
6.00 pm: Head home, transfer CF cards and catch-up on rest. Sleep.

Monday-Friday
9.00 am-6.00 pm: Work
6.00 pm-8.00 pm: Stuck in jam heading home.
8.00 pm-11.00 pm: Dinner, TV, family time with family
11.00 pm-12.00 am: Sit in front of the computer, surfing, checking mail, chat while photoshop is opened at the background.
12.00 am-2.00 am: Attempt to select and group some photos, edit a couple of photos and too tired and sleepy.
2.30 am: Sleep
6.00 am: Wake up and routine loops.

Now tell me, if this is your typical routine, when can you get your photos done? It's like burying yourself deeper into delaying your work. It gets frustrating over time and you've become de-motivated to even look at the photos you passionately shot over the weekend.

Revelation
What this seminar is going to show you is how to have a typical routine like this:

Saturday
9.00 am-12.00 pm: Shoot wedding event 1
5.00 pm-6.30 pm: Outdoor shoot
7.00 pm: Head home, transfer CF cards, have dinner, watch TV and spend some family time
10.00 pm-12.00 am: Select, sort and group images, process and apply editing effects, export to final edited files
12.01 am: reward yourself by surfing internet, reading, YM chat or sleep early.

Sunday
11.00 am-5.00 pm: Shoot wedding event 2 + Short Outdoor session
6.00 pm: Head home, transfer CF cards, have dinner, watch TV and spend some family time
10.00 pm-1.00 am: Select, sort and group images, process and apply editing effects, export to final edited files
1.01 am: reward yourself by surfing internet, reading, YM chat or sleep early.

All images processed!
Now you can choose how you want to spend your week.

If you'd like to know how to get back your life and escape the horror of editing wedding images during the weekdays, you will attend this seminar. You will see how easy it is to process 4-8 gigs of CF cards within the same night.

I will share with you a system that works for me, and insya'allah will work for you too.

To sign-up, please email me with the subject "Simple Lightroom Seminar" so that I can filter the emails easily. There are 40 seats available for each date of this seminar. The introductory price is RM150 only for these two dates. Next seminars will have the normal rate.

Payment terms
- RM50 retainer due before seminar date
- RM100 due on the seminar date

Maybank Account Details
Account name: AZHAR ARIFF
Account no.: 514365104584
Email: azhar.ariff@gmail.com

I will update your registration status on this post. Keep yourself updated.

Thanks for your support!

Registration List (Updated daily)
31-MAY-09 (Done succesfully! Thank you)
1. Nazri
2. Kyrol
3. Chita

13-JUN-09
1. Zaza/Haslizan Long
2. Kevin Rakesh
3. Vickneswaran
4. Khairi Jalil
4. Azri bin Nasruddin
6. Amru
7. Amru's friend
8. Mohd Salme Mohd Ali
9. Zubir
10. salina ismail
11. Noranizah Md .Isa
12. Bob
13. Zainuddin

Report: 9th Simple Food Photography Workshop

2009-04-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

After 3-weeks of delay, due to my chicken pox, our 9th Simple Food Photography Workshop was a success, last Saturday.

We were packed till the last hour that we didn't have time for a group shot. So, here are some of the photos I shot earlier during the workshop.

To my previous food photography students, I'm compiling the cropping guideline and will inform you a download link. I think it's time for me to put it in the notes.

Thanks all & best wishes!

Shila

Zainuddin

Izzat

Aziz, all the way from Kelantan. Referred to by my previous workshop atendee, Sham Abdul. Thanks Sham!

Wedding Album

2009-04-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hi,

There has been several types of wedding albums that I've done in the past for my clients, which includes self-adhesive albums, pocket albums, photobooks and storyboard albums (or some call it magazine-type montage album). Among the list, I've narrowed down to only producing the storyboard album, due to the fact that it's the most cost-effective for my clients and provides great colour rendition and durability.

Self-adhesive albums and pocket albums are now so cheap that it's cheaper if my clients print their own photos at the consumer photo outlets and mount it themselves. Whereas, the photobook manufacturer's print quality has been dropping over the years. The first few times I printed the books, they were totally awesome. But the latest book that I've printed has the colours and exposures mismatch and inconsistency, which forced me to reprint and stop their services completely (until I can find a truly reliable vendor).

Which leaves the storyboard album the most consistent(in terms of colour output), cost effective and durable.

For those who inquired regarding what kind of wedding album(s) do I make for their wedding photos? Here's what I'm only offering at the moment for my wedding packages:
- 10"x12" Storyboard album
- 20-pages printed on photographic paper, with UV-varnish, mounted on hardboard
- Black LV Synthetic Leather cover
- Opens flat for pleasant viewing of the album spread

Cheers!

I'm Back!

2009-04-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

My chicken pox is almost over, which is at the last buffer stage now, and I'll be back to work on Monday, 13-APR-09. Man, there's tons of things I've planned out to do. One of 'em is a continuity of my Food Workshop. I'm cooking up some syllabus and materials for "Basic Food Styling Workshop", which introduces what food styling is all about. Of course, previous particiants in my Simple Food Photography Workshop will get some cool discounts privileges :) Will update y'all soon. Cheers & thanks for your support!

I've got Chicken Pox

2009-03-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

I regret to inform you that I've contracted chicken pox over the weekend. As of today, the fever has kicked in and the itch is really unbearable. The only thing I can do is sleep to it. I wish I can put myself into them time capsule and just sleep it off and by the time I wake up, I'm already good to go. But nope, that aint happenin. I am sleep deprived and can't also stay awake. My senses are too sensitive and I can't even do the simplest task on the computer. I am at my most vunerable physical point at the moment that I feel like I can pull out my hair. I'm very fortunate that I have my wife, Nita to thank for. She's really taking care of me and all my needs, no questions asked. And for that, I would return the favor in a heart beat. This is my pledge of IOU. Luv ya, hunny. Good nite.

Therefore, you won't be hearing for me for a while till I'm healed. As for th 9th Food Workshop due this weekend, I've personally called the participants to inform them that it's been pushed to 25-APRIL-2009.

Thanks all!

DIY: The Cheapest 21" Shoot-thru Umbrella on Earth!

2009-03-15T21:05:00.001-07:00

Hello all! The rainy season in Kuala Lumpur has it's blessings albiet getting wet on my way home on my motorcycle everyday now. I'm here to share you some advantages you can take from this rainy season.

Apparently Giant Super/Hypermarket (sorry, this is only applicable to Malaysians)is having a sale on umbrellas. Guess what? They have the perfect white umbrella with the correct shaft diameter to fit in your umbrella bracket! I first saw these umbrella at Guardian pharmacy, which sold them for RM5.99. But then I saw the same umbrella for RM1 less at Giant. So, head on to Giant now for these umbrellas cos' I have a feeling that once the rain stops, the umbrella supplies stops too.

Now, let jump to the DIY. Should take you less than 30 seconds to do this DIY, I promise. But first get yourself this exact umbrella.

Go ahead, knock yourselves out! Don't forget to spread this news around...Cheers!

Now this should take less than 30 seconds...

Careful note:

Here it is. Nice & sweet!

The bill. It's so cheap! Alhamdulillah...

My Philosophy on Wedding Photography

2009-03-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

What does my client deserve?
I believe that every couple deserves the best wedding photography they can get. It doesn't matter where your wedding takes place, or what background you are from. You deserve the best.

Chemistry.
I believe that chemistry is everything. If you've ever considered me to become your wedding photographer, this first indication shows that my work interests you at some level. Next step is we'll meet up, have a little chat over some beverages of snack if you'd like. This meet up will give both you and I a chance to get to know each other, line up our expectations and see if we have chemistry. If there's spark, that's great! I'm honored to be your wedding photographer. If there's none, it's good too, because you can move on to find a photographer that suits you. In short, it's like a first date. If there's chemistry, you'll know right away that the road is bright, and you know that along the way, it's gonna be a fun, memorable and the best ride of your life.

My Style.
Is there such thing as style in wedding photography? I don't know. But what I do know is that I respect your wedding, and I put that as my number one priority. By saying so, I'd like keep myself as invisible as I can during your wedding, so that your wedding unfolds it's story naturally. I am not there to attract attention, because the centre of attention should be you! I will dress as close as possible to the general crowd during your wedding, so that I'll blend in. At times, I was identified as part of the relatives, maybe because I dressed like one. I like this because the guests feel less intimidated to be photographed, and I get my shots easier. If your guests dress code is in tux, I'll be in one. If it's Baju Melayu and Songkok, I'll wear one. If it's Bermuda shirts and shorts, I'll wear that too, as long as I'm in the crowd.

In terms of photography, I want my photographs to contain a certain intensity of emotion, story and relationship in my subjects. I carry a portable lighting kit to create a particular mood that I want to reflect. In many times, this lighting kit had created spectacular "location sets" that looked far beyond the reality of the what the "real" location looked like. In short, no matter what weather, or location your wedding would be, I can make it look great. Isn't that some peace of mind?

Well, I hope this establishes some ideas on how I see wedding photography.

Cheers!

Contact Me

2009-03-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hi, if you have any further inquiries, just about anything, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or telephone listed below. No matter if you're a student looking for some answers/directions, a couple who wants to find out about wedding packages, a corporate client looking for a photographer, or just any individual with just a question, I'll do my best to respond to your needs. Go ahead, contact me.

Email:
azhar@fotomomo.com

Telephone:
+60-16-6250800

How to Gain Trust? Zul & Ain's wedding at Lembah Pantai, KL

2009-02-17T04:15:00.000-08:00

These are some of the shots of the wedding of Zulhelmee Farhan bin Ab Ghafar & Ainon binti Abdul Rahman. Outdoor photo session at Pusat Komuniti Lembah Pantai, 14-FEB-2009, Kuala Lumpur. I'd really like to thank Zul & Ain for their trust in hiring me for the day. We had a really good time shooting, and I can't wait to share some of these great photos online. :)

What's truly different this time is that I've never meet the couple prior to the wedding event. How 'bout that? What's even more amazing is that how comfortable they were with me. It's really something when you get that amount of trust in your client. It makes the session relaxed and fun! Now, if you happen to come across a situation similar to mine, how do you gain trust from a wedding couple on the day of the shoot?

Here's what I've been telling my friends who asked that question:
The principal of the situation is to build trust. There are many ways to build trust on location. The two best tips that I use are:

1.Brief your client.
Before shooting, brief your client or in this case, the wedding couple, what you intend to shoot and achieve from the shot. You need to let them know what exactly you have in mind, and illustrate it in words that they can understand.

For example, in the peek-a-boo shot below, I said something like:
"OK, here's the shot that I'd like to get. I'm going to shoot a perspective of these pillars, and in between these pillars, I'd like to see you pop your head out in-between one of these pillars. In the meantime, Zul, I'd like you to be around one or two pillars behind. Let's try this out and see how it goes, shall we?"

2. Show your shot on the camera's LCD.
Couples get anxious and worried that they don't look good in the photos. Right after a test shot, or in-between shots, occasionally, show your shots to your client. They'll appreciate how good they look, and in actual fact, they look a lot better that they think! When they know how they look on the LCD, their worries are gone, and you can continue the shots with your client having a peace of mind, knowing that you really know what you're doing.

Piece of cake, eh? I hope this information helps to fellow photographers, and also to my future clients, I hope this assures you that you'll be in good hands when I'm hired for your event.

Cheers!

Without further adieu, here are some of the shots from Zul & Ain's wedding.

Ain & Zul. Love those eyes.

Note: BTW, shooting white dress in bright daylight can be technically challenging, especially in controlling the highlights. I love my gear and trust them 110%. They capture the details of the laces where they are susceptible to overexposure. I leave the camera to work itself, and concentrate on getting the shot that I want. Talk about peace of mind. :)

A little peek-a-boo!

Zul, leaning with hands against the wall.

Another one.

For our last shot, we headed to the nearby bushes at the vicinity of Pusat Komuniti Lembah Pantai. The sun was really setting, and slightly hazy.

I love this look. Something like "Gazing into the future..."

Focus on Zul, while the sun is really setting fast.

It's a wrap!

8th & 9th Simple Food Photography Workshop Now Open for Registration

2009-02-03T21:51:00.001-08:00

Those who missed my workshops, I'm holding another two workshops on February and March each. The 8th & 9th Simple Food Photography Workshop is now open for registration. Each workshop caters for 5 participants max.

Email me at: azhar.ariff@gmail.com to register & secure a seat.

I'll update the list of the participants here on this post, so please check which slot would you like to enroll.

Updated Daily!:
28-FEB-2009 (8th Workshop)
1. Mohd Faiz Hashim (paid RM80. Thank you!)
2. Apan Rashid (paid RM80. Thank you!)
3. Zaza/Haslizan (paid RM80. Thank you!)
4. Wantai (paid in full, RM180. Thank you!)
5. Sari Maya (paid RM80. Thank you!)

28-MAR-2009 (9th Workshop)
1. Kak Dilla
2. Shila (paid RM80. Thank you!)
3. Izzat Ismail
4. Aziz Mohd Nor
5. Sitizya

Payments:
Kindly email me your TRANSACTION NUMBER and TRANSACTION TIME after you've made the RM80.00 retainer fee, for me to track which payment refers to yours.

Cancellation:
By all means, if you can't make it to the workshop after paying the retainer fee, please inform me as soon as possible. I will only refund 50% of your retainer for any cancellations. This is because of the slot has been allocated for you and finding are replacement for your slot is uncertain.

Alternatively, you can get your RM80 retainer back if you find a replacement for your seat in the workshop.

What to bring?
1. DSLR
2. 50mm lens (f1.8 or better) if possible. Otherwise, kit lens or any lens will do.
3. Memory card for your DSLR (CF, SD or xD) as many as possible. We'll be shooting lots of RAW. Otherwise, bring a DVD minus R for burning.
4. Thumbdrive, just in case you'd like to copy or transfer any data.

Cheers!

Azhar Ariff.

My Food Photography Workshop

2009-02-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

Last two weekends I've conducted my 6th & 7th Simple Food Photography Workshop. It was a good turn out and I was very excited to inaugurate my studio for this workshop. The space was good, the food was good and we all were on track on time.

There are a lot of great food photographers out there who does this for a living. My Simple Food Photography Workshop intends to give an insight on how it works, from preparing the food, styling, shooting, and marketing.

The objective of this workshop is that at the end of the course, each participants will have a set of food photography portfolio that they can use to pitch for future photo work. For this purpose, my class is limited to a maximum of 5 persons per workshop so that each participant have a comfortable shooting time and enough attention from me.

Overall, the workshop went smoothly and I couldn't help myself from photographing some of the food, during conducting my workshop! :)

I'm conducting more workshops in February, and hopefully at least once a month from now on. Keep checking out posts on this blog! Cheers!

Tasty Spaghetti Beef Bolognaise

Grilled Chicken with Tumeric Sauce

Classic Macaroni & Cheese

Grilled Chicken with Tumeric Sauce, on white background

From Left: Yaziz, Arief, Azhar, Sham (looks kinda like Vin Diesel's brother don't u think?), Shafik and Zuraini. Group photo of the 7th Simple Food Photography Workshop held on 31-JAN-09, at FOTOMOMO STUDIO.

Zuraini evaluating her shots.

Shafik's turn photographing food.

Yaziz in the background while Sham shoots.

Our food prep station. This is where the styling and preparation takes place before the shoot.

Sham Abdul, photographing food at my studio where I conduct my "Simple Food Photography" workshops. Next to him is Shafik from Penang.

Arief & Zuraini, discussing some shots.

Here's my studio. In the background is Kyrol and Azuddin, who's working on the laptop. Unseen here is Jailani during the 6th Simple Food Photography Workshop.

Another view of my studio from the main entrance. It's quite spacious, which makes work so comfortable.

Jailani (on the ladder), with Azuddin and Kyrol (on far right).

"The Love Train": A Contemporary Urban Outdoor Wedding Photography by Azhar Ariff

2009-01-19T19:02:00.000-08:00

Wow! I took so much of me to overcome my procrastination! Finally I beat the hell out of procrastination, and resized these amazing shots of Akmal & Fazira's Urban Outdoor Wedding shoot. It's amazing what you can achieve when you've done your homework. Prior to the wedding event, on the same day, I scouted nearby location for an outdoor shoot near Pandan Indah. There were parks of small and large. Knowing me, I'm not much of a "shooting-outdoor-wedding-photos-in-the-parks, or garden". I just go blank when I'm shooting in parks or gardens. On the contrary, the urbanscape gives me textures, multiple colour variations, terrains, surfaces and most of all, human interaction with the public. There are a lot more elements that we can play around when shooting an outdoor wedding around the city. I can never run out of ideas in this manner.

We discussed on where to shoot the outdoor session with Akmal & Fazira, and after I presented my idea, both of them were excited and really up for it. "Let's go!" said Fazira without hesitation when I just finished throwing the idea. The easiest and convinient place I thought of was taking a train ride via the STAR LRT, from Pandan Indah to Hang Tuah station and back to Pandan Indah. The ride gives me a lot of opportunity, space and time to work around the couple. It also gives some comfort to them to be in the air-con for a while in the train. Talk about the heat man...

It all went really smooth and I was enthrilled that I got a lot of good shots. To give you an idea, I maxed out all my CF cards worth around 12 gigs of RAW files. Man, I'm telling ya, it is soo worth it. Thank you Akmal & Fazira.

Note for photographers: All was taken with ambient lighting. No flash was used. That's why I'm loving my Canons now. He he! :)

Just before the ride, at the train station.

I love the treatment for these shots. I wanted to create an atmosphere that doesn't look like Malaysia. The look that I wanted to make was as if this was shot somewhere in Australia, the UK or the States, with some nostalgic feel to it. Somehow, railways has that automatic nostalgic effect, no matter where it is in the world. Truly amazing. I love these..

I love these colour sets too. Something like a magazine spread.

The love story: Catching a ride on THE LOVE TRAIN.

Last stop and heading back home.

The Most Exciting Birthday Shoot Ever!

2009-01-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

I've had my share of interesting assignments throughout my years of being a photographer. Not a while ago, I was greatful to be awarded a private birthday shoot by Zaki. It's very rare to have an assignment as close to this. Zaki called me up one day to say that he'd like a birthday shoot with his close friends, all dressed up in different themes, in a studio environment. "Each theme represents a part of the story of my life, in somewhat my journey until now", says Zaki when making a comment regarding his concept. I loved the idea and was looking forward to this exciting assignment.

We shot a whole straight 8-hour session from 2pm-10pm, with a pizza break in-between. It was tiring for the "talents" (cos most of their energy went into waiting for their turns in the shots), but when their turns was up, boy they were so energized and all of them gave 110% for the shoot. Thanks to Hatizal, for being my assistant in this session. Easy-peasy cos' everyone's havin' fun!

I must say that Zaki is lucky to have these true friends, who really support him. They're very close and are like family from my point of view.

All I can say is thank you Zaki, Happy Birthday & many, many Happy Returns!

Best wishes!

Azhar Ariff.

Enjoy the pics!

Zaki in Black & White with tie.

Shopaholic

All White. Shooting white subjects against white background? Sounds impossible? It IS POSSIBLE. Very much possible indeed.

With Ateh

Jet Set

Birthday Party!

Close-up, cosmetic

The Haunting

Rockstar

Jeans

Black & White

Prep Style

Office Wear

Dolls

6th & 7th Simple Food Photography Workshop open for registration

2009-01-02T00:56:00.000-08:00

It's here! My 6th & 7th Simple Food Photography Workshop is now open for registration. Each workshop caters for 5 participants max.

Email me at: azhar.ariff@gmail.com to register & secure a seat.

I'll update the list of the participants here on this post, so please check which slot would you like to enroll.

Updated:
25-JAN-2009 (6th Workshop)
1. Mohd Faiz Hashim (paid RM80. Thank you!) pushed to 28-FEB-09.
2. Apan Rashid (paid RM80. Thank you!) pushed to 28-FEB-09.
3. Jailani Besar (paid in full. Thank you!)
4.
5.

31-JAN-2009 (7th Workshop)
1. Shamabd (paid in full. Thank you!)
2. arief hamid (paid in full. Thank you!)
3. Yadziz (paid in full. Thank you!)
4. Shafik (paid in full. Thank you!)
5. Zuraini (paid in full. Thank you!)

Payments:
Kindly email me your transaction number after you've made the RM80.00 retainer fee.

Cancellation:
By all means, if you can't make it to the workshop after paying the retainer fee, please inform me as soon as possible. I will only refund 50% of your retainer for any cancellations. This is because of the slot has been allocated for you and finding are replacement for your slot is uncertain.

Alternatively, you can get your RM80 retainer back if you find a replacement for your seat in the workshop.

What to bring?
1. DSLR
2. 50mm lens (f1.8 or better) if possible. Otherwise, kit lens or any lens will do.

Cheers!

Azhar Ariff.

Happy New Year 2009!

2008-12-30T01:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year 2009 everyone! Thank you for your support and trust in me. May 2009 be a prosperous year to all of us. Best wishes.

Cheers!

Azhar Ariff

More of Fadil & Ayu

2008-12-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's really something when I come home with really nice shots. As I imagine some pre-visualised shots that I want to get during Fadil & Ayu's wedding reception on the 6th of December, 2008 on an outdoor shoot at The Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, nature took it's toll and set rain on us.

We were stuck in the Bandar Baru Community Hall at around 5pm. The reception was done, and the caterer's were packing up. We were supposed to head off to The Lake Gardens but it started raining. Ayu was feeling bad about it because she really wanted some good shots, after the session I did in Kuchai Lama. It is situations like these that I love. I was put off-balance from what I planned, and I love working under pressure. It's sort of an adrenaline rush for me. First thing on top of my head was to look around and made use of the available environment. I have a speedlight with me with a remote radio transmitter, and it was my saviour (I carry this all the time for my weddings). With one light, I'm confident that I can shape the light in any way that I please.

I got some ideas and informed Ayu & Fadil what I had in mind. Ayu was relieved after I convinced her that we can still get good shots around the hall, and even more so after viewing the shots on the LCD. After a while, the rain started to slow down and we just headed to The Lake Gardens for a long shot. Turns out it stopped raining at the Lake Gardens! Thank God! We took some shots that we wanted there and head home on time at 6.30pm. All this within 1½ hours (inclusive of 20mins drive from Bandar Baru Sentul to The Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur). Pretty amazing in my opinion. My credit goes to Nazir, who was kind enough to asssist me during these shoots. Cheers!

This is somewhere on the top level of the Community Hall. It was an open space and I wanted to create an industrial feel to it, with all the metal beams and rafters on the roof structure.

Shot just near the hall entrance.

Just luv this classic "peek-a-boo".

Here's some shots taken on the nearby staircases. The steps makes nice background.

One of Fadil's friends said that this photo looks like they were out in a middle of the jungle.

Taken on the nearby bridge in the park.

Our GOYA (Get Off Your Arse!) Strobist outing last night

2008-12-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

Last night, a few of my friends and I got together to go for a short strobist outing at Kelana Malll, Kelana Jaya, Malaysia. The point of this outing is to exercise our off-camera flash technique, and also have some fun! Thanks to Kyrol for organising this event, and Fahim our talent. *Note: The talent in these examples is Jidin, a fellow photographer who's kind enough to be a stand-in.

This is the final image of something worthy of editorial use that we intend to achieve, and I share with you the following post shows how I did it. Cheers!

*Image above: Application of Strobist shootout is a sample Editorial Spread for a music magazine. Inaugural TT Strobist Kelana Jaya, Malaysia. Image processed exclusively in Lightroom 2, applied slight cross processing preset+contrast.

Shadow fall-off test. Shadow fall-off is within the subject's face. Reject. No separation from background. Shot at ISO200, 1/125s at f11, slightly underexposed.

Shadow fall-off test. Shadow fall-off just nicely off the subject, gives separation from background. Shot at ISO200, 1/125s at f11, slightly underexposed.

Shadow fall-off test. Move the light so that the shadow falls off the frame. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11 corrected previously underexposed at 1/125s.

Test shot 1: Light test. One light, no fill.
Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 1 x SB-800. Key light on camera right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, no fill light. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11.

Test shot 2: Fill light test. Fill light too bright.
Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 2 x SB-800. Key light on camera right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, fill light at camera left, 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11.

Test shot 3: Fill light test. Fill light just nice to reveal shadow details.
Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 2 x SB-800. Key light on camera right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, fill light at camera left, 1/64th power, zoomed at 50mm. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11.

Shadow fall-off test, with correct fill-light. Shadow fall-off just nicely off the subject, gives separation from background. Fill-light just nice to reveal shadowed area. Notice that you can still see his ear, although it's in the shadows. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11 corrected previously underexposed at 1/125s.

Jump test. Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 2 x SB-800. Key light on camera right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, fill light at camera left, 1/64th power, zoomed at 50mm. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11.

With gels: CTO only.
Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 2 x SB-800. Key light on camera right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm with 2x CTO gel, fill light at camera left, 1/64th power, zoomed at 50mm, bare flash. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11.

With gels: CTO + Blue
Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 2 x SB-800. Key light on camera right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm with 2x CTO gel, fill light at camera left, 1/64th power, zoomed at 50mm with blue gel. Shot at ISO200, 1/80s at f11.

Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 3 x SB-800. Key light on far right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, fill light far left, 1/64th power, zoomed at
50mm, grid snoot in the centre at 1/8th power to fill-in Jidin's face when he does the breakdance move.

Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 3 x SB-800. Key light on far right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, fill light far left, 1/64th power, zoomed at 50mm, grid snoot in the centre at 1/8th power to fill-in Jidin's face when he does the breakdance move.

Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 3 x SB-800.

Setup of Jidin's editorial shoot using strobist technique. 3 x SB-800. Key light on far right 1/8th power, zoomed at 50mm, fill light far left, 1/64th power, zoomed at
50mm, grid snoot in the centre at 1/8th power to fill-in Jidin's face when he does the breakdance move. Jidin walks to review his shots.

The dudes of 1st TT Strobist outing Kelana Jaya, all worked out. Pancit and ready to wrap up. This is almost 12.30am, I think. Jidin reviews his shots taken by Ananamri.

The dudes of 1st TT Strobist outing Kelana Jaya, all worked out. Pancit and ready to wrap up. If you notice on the bottom-left-corner, you can see the ghost of Jidin
passing by. :)

Commercial Break: Hafiz on left & Kyrol with the Sekonic L-308s lightmeter. Test shoot with ringlight adapter. Not significant. It's crap. No halo shadows.

Commercial Break: Hafiz on left & Kyrol with the Sekonic L-308s lightmeter. Test shoot.

I'm shooting paintings!

2008-12-03T04:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I had a full session photographing Sabri Idrus' (one of the best Malaysian Contemporary Artist) paintings for his upcoming exhibition in Johor Bharu at the end of this week. These photographs will be featured in his catalogue at the exhibition, and also kept for archiving purposes. When photographing art work for archival, colour accuracy and high level of detail needs to be captured in the photograph, at the highest resolution as possible. I wished I could shoot it with a 4"x5", but for this purpose, Sabri mentioned that a DLSR would be suffice, as long as the colours are right.

I'm honored to be awarded an assignment, a while ago to photograph at the complete works exhibited at the Young Contemporaries Awards 2006 at the National Art Gallery Malaysia (Wow! That was a while ago). It is my responsibility to photograph them in their natural, accurate colour. For this matter, I've used a target colour calibration card called QPCard and also Whibal. All colours are calibrated, and my monitors are also calibrated with Spyder3Elite.

At the time of photography, I haven't got the chance to find out what the titles of the span of work. I'll find out soon when the catalogue is out, but in the meantime, here they are. If you're interested in purchasing them, please contact Sabri Idrus directly at +(60)12-3828642 or email him at sabriidrus@gmail.com.

Here are some of Sabri's selected works I'd like to share.

Cheers!

One of the hardest bit in photographing fine art is the control of reflection. There are some parts you need the light to reflect, in order to illustrate the silver materials. I love this piece. :)

This painting might have more meaning on an indivual...*grin*

I took a shot with the colour target for calibration.

Just to be safe, I shot another frame using the whibal card for accurate white balance. Thanks to my faithful & reliable assistant, Kyrol for holdin' up the whibal card. Cheers mate!

Here's the final piece, all calibrated, all good to go.

Nice warm tones & textures

Sabri mentioned that this piece is one of the most difficult to produce, due to the sensitivity of the resin.

The white spots are silver (reflective).

In pink...

How do you illustrate a white painting? Here it is.

I'm so proud! They're made in Malaysia!

2008-11-27T20:10:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool stuff! Light modifiers for your speedlights. Yes! They're homegrown! 100% made in Malaysia! Click here for the Speedlight Pro Kit. Totally awesome, dude!

Last year I photographed a birthday session at Studio Solutions in Sunway Damansara, Malaysia. In the studio, I've seen some prototype snoots and awesome grids for speedlights made out of mounting boards and black straws. Little that I know that Dennis Kok, the gentleman who managed the studio while we were shooting and his partner Joe Chan, had really got something big cooking up in their oven.

Today, on Thanksgiving Day, I was surprised and very proud to find out from David Hobby's strobist.com that these light modifiers are up for sale.

Hot dang! I'm gonna get me these kits!

How much do you charge?

2008-11-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

Commercial Assignments Checklist.

I get a number of inquiries over the phone, with their question after "Hello, is this Azhar Ariff?", asking "how much do you charge for so-and-so assignment?"

For your information, it's impossible for me to answer an ambiguous question without having any knowledge of what we're getting ourselves into. Hence I always ask them to email me their brief and we communicate from there, because you can say a lot more in written communications rather than a 2-minute conversation.

Generally, my commercial assignment charges follow the general International Commercial Photographers guideline, widely practiced in the UK, United States & Australia.

The basis of the total costs of the assignment consists of the sum of Professional Fees and Expenses:

Fees
1. Photographer's fee
2. Creative/art direction fee
3. Weather Days (fees to be paid if I'm already on location, but can't shoot because of bad weather)
4. Space fee (location)
5. Re-shoot fee (if applicable)
6. Cancellation fee (if applicable)
7. Re-use fee (*Important: if the images are to be published in printed or digital media, each category where the images are being re-used, a re-use fee is applied. For example, my re-use fee is RM500 per use. An image for a furniture promotion appears in National Newspaper The Star, Berita Harian, The New Straits Times, Malay Mail and Laman Magazine. Therefore a re-use fee of RM500 x 5=RM2,500 is applicable)

Plus

Expenses
1. Assistants
2. Casting
3. Crew/Special Technicians
4. Equipment Rentals
5. Film/Digital and Processing
6. Insurance
7. Location costs
8. Messengers
9. Talent/models
10. Props/wardrobe (not necessarily when shooting fashion, food and product shoot needs props too, for example)
11. Styling
12. Travel/Trasportation
13. Telephone
14. Touch-up for pre-press
15. Media storage (hard disks and/or optical disks)

The next step is to determine what the project is all about: Prepare your brief.
Now, for those of you who's interested in assigning me for an assignment, having a brief would really help us out.

To come up with a brief, simply describe what would you like to be photographed: who, when, where, what, why & how?

Example 1:
I need to photograph the board of directors, at the office lobby, from 9am to 11am, for our annual report.

Who: Directors
When: 9am to 11am
Where: at the office lobby at our HQ
What: Board of Directors shoot
Why: for 2009 annual report

Example 2:
I need to photograph our product line of biscuits, at our factory in Shah Alam, during a full-day shoot, for our new brochure.

Who: biscuits
When: full-day and extend until complete line of biscuits are ready
Where: our factory in Shah Alam
what: photograph a line of biscuits
why: for new brochure

Example 3:
I need to photograph our complete set of food, at our new restaurant, until completion at flexi-hour, for our menu and signage.

who: a line of menu (between 10-20 dishes plus 10 beverages)
when: full-day or extend if necessary
where: at our new restaurant, in Kota Damansara
what: photograph a line of menu (between 10-20 dishes plus 10 beverages)
why: for our new menu and signage

Example 4 (extensive brief, which is good):
I need you to shoot for our print ad commercial, to be printed nationwide in Newspapers, magazines. We're doing a Hari Raya campaign, to feature our furnitures, in a Hari Raya scene with a set of Malay family with Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Granfather & Grandmother having a Hari Raya meal, in Baju Raya & Baju Kurung, with happy smiles, with our furnitures featured. We need a few different settings/scenes ,possibly one at the dining area, and one where the kids ask for forgiveness from their parents with the grandparents around.

who: A set of Malay family: Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Granfather & Grandmother
when: Weekday
where: In a traditional Malay House setting, indoors
what: Photograph Hari Raya scene
why: for furniture print ad, distributon nationwide in print media.

Conclusion
I hope this information helps you as my prospective clients to be able to assist both of us in getting and giving the root answer to the original one-liner question of "How much do you charge?"

Should you be interested in assigning me for a commercial shoot, kindly email me with your brief and I'll see how I can assist you in achieving your objective(s), in the most efficient and cost effective way possible.

Best wishes. Cheers!

What have I been doing lately?

2008-11-17T02:32:00.000-08:00

I love it when I get assigned to photograph subjects that I rarely get a chance to every day. My Black & White Photography teacher, Mustaffa Aziz once told me that once in a while, we should photograph something that we haven't done before, and in the course of doing so, we might end up enjoying it. The best part is, when we go back to our comfort zone (the type of photography we love most), we'll see it in a better perspective.

And for that reason, I'm so grateful to Abdul Majid Othman, the owner of the currently established HSH Innovations, which main business is the sale of exclusive white wares, to assign me to photograph their whitewares for the new catalogue and promotional materials.

The company carry premium dinnerwares, customised to the very personal level. Previously their items were marketed under a different brand, and now they've embarked deeper into the niche market of premium whitewares. You should be very proud to own these whitewares, because they only make a few for Malaysian market. Shown above is a shot for their upcoming catalogue. I'll be processing a set of the images I shot over the weekend for the proofs, soon. Once that's done, I'll be sure to post some up here. Cheers!

Noridayu & Fadil's Wedding

2008-11-12T19:11:00.001-08:00

Hi all! Thanks for visiting my blog. On this note, this would be my very first post after migrating from my old photo blog at azharariff.fotopages.com.

Last week was the beautiful wedding solemnization & reception ceremony of the sister of my previous wedding client (Norhafizah & Wan), Noridayu(Ayu) & Fadil. Talk about repeat customer :) I must be doing something right, yes? He he.

Anyways, the couple held a small and simple akad nikah ceremony at Ayu's place in Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur on the 7th November 2008, which proceeds to the the main reception on the 9th.

Ayu & Fadil was thrilled when I suggested an outdoor shoot after their reception (In Malaysia, the reception can proceed from 11am till as late as 7pm, sometimes longer. Therefore, any opportunity to photograph an outdoor session is a good thing!)

Without further adieu, check out the beatiful shots of Ayu & Fadil. Shots taken at a nearby open field, about 5 mins. drive from Ayu's place. It was an overcast sky, after the rain and I wanted to recreate the sunset feel for the shots. Looks like it worked! Cheers!

Allysha's (Ally) 5th Birthday Party!

2008-11-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of parents hold up their children's 1st birthday party. But that's not as much fun as the 5th! At 1 years old, the party's actually for the parents, because the child would not be able to make any sense of it all.

However, at 5 years old, here's where all the fun begins! You've got friends, and a lot of things are going on, and most of all, the child will remember this day as one of his or her happiest day of their life.

Ally's 5th birthday was held at McDonald's Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, the 1st of November, 2008. Weekends at McDonald's are a bash. A lot of people came down to eat and have a great time, not to mention the birthday crowd.

Present during the party was, Ally's parents, Azhan & Farah, her grandparents, uncles & aunts, cousins and her friends from her neighbourhood and school.

Kids love parties and they really enjoy the havoc. As for me, it wasn't easy when Ally constantly pull out her teleportation illusion all the time...one moment she's here, the next blink she's at the slides...

Enjoy!

Ally gets a hat.

Now, lovin the hat after saying "Thank You!"

"Staring at the cake makes me hungry. It's so yummy this Powerpuff Girls Cake.."

Blowing five candles is no easy task. Ally did it in a swift.

"Oh yeah! This is the best bit. I get to cut the cake!"

Her friends are havin' a good time too

Time to play! Let's get on the slides

Ally goes on the slides while her brother, Jeff follows behind

The slides are so much fun! Jeff kept going round and round and round...

Jeff enjoying the fun

The two birthday girls, Ally couldn't let go of her mother's top

Jeff wondering "what's going on?"

Jeff's crocs

Grandpa saying goodbye.