Since moving to KL I did not have the chance to do a shoot for months, until Karin wrote to me suggesting a test shoot together. It was perfect timing because I have always wanted to work with Catherine Lian who is currently based in Paris and also long time college mate who went into fashion design. This was her first shoot and I’m debuting her right here so when she makes it big remember the name Catherine Lian!
The shoot was simple and done in the comfort of my own apartment. We had lots of fun and it was fantastic working with such great friends. If only all shoots could be like this.
<3 my polaroid wall. Are you on it yet?
I am also introducing a slightly different style to my photos so I hope you like them
Iva Sakarova, the gorgeous girl from Bulgaria of Fame Management was my last shoot in Bangkok. Only 16 and an intelligent budding philosopher, she is the total opposite of what you’d expect of a model. With big doe eyes and flawless skin, easy to work with and extremely accommodating, we hit the challenging, bustling streets of Khao San. Doing a shoot in middle of a backpacker’s district is tough with so many people around, insane heat and lack of ‘amenities’ but we managed to get through it.
We were so drained after the shoot that we could barely speak. All we wanted to do was have a shower and rehydrate!
Getting hair and makeup done at one of the street-side watering holes.
We did get a lot of curious spectators (as usual) trying to pose with Iva, asking us about the shoot, what it was for. It was amusing but also a little annoying at the same time because the heat was starting to get to us. Either way, we still came out alive and got some pretty good shots.
Gotta love Bangkok for it’s colourful nightlife and insanely fun times!
My second shoot in Bangkok was with the gorgeous Australian Kaspar Hebblewhite from Fame Model Management. He is a part time model who is actually an offshore engineer, you know the kind that works on oil rigs in the middle of the ocean/nowhere. Amazing, I know.
When I first saw his photos, I thought of Abercrombie & Fitch right there and then. It was just the two of us at Lumpini Park on a blistering hot Sunday so what more of a better excuse than to photograph him with his shirt off!
My job is so awesome sometimes
Definitely my favourite photo of the day.
This is my money shot.
It was time to put some clothes on at least.
Because the pigeons were getting too ‘curious’.
Besides melting to death and losing all forms of bodily fluids along the way, it was a great day. I think anybody who knows Kaspar can also attest to him being the party animal. He has quite the crazy life and the one to go to if you want to have a good time. So ladies, don’t take too long now.
2008 was quite a year. It was the year I decided to do photography full-time, the year I embarked on my traveling journeys, the year I got my first credit card (which is now cancelled by the bank. Whoops), the year I partied too hard, the year that started my experiences.
Here are some of my favourite portraits taken in that year including those that I have not been shown before.
I spent 3 weeks in Bangkok but only started shooting towards the end of my trip. I did want to enjoy my time there after all and so my first shoot was with the lovely Wang Ying from China. When I first met her with Mikkel at Starbucks, I got the impression of a quiet and slightly shy but smiley, pleasant girl. Once in front of the lens, she morphed into such an incredible character I can’t even describe it with words. She is the kind of person who takes her work seriously and it was amazing.
This is how Mikkel watches ‘porn’ on his laptop.
Crashing Mikkel’s room was a good idea with air-conditioning and mini bar! We decided to go with a story-style shoot instead of something fashion based. I have to work on my scripting since I don’t do this often but the emotions that Wang Ying delivered made the photos. I don’t exactly have behind-the-scenes clips but I do have footage of me getting fits after seeing Mikkel shoot the video vertically. It’s a funny story now (to me anyway) because I’ve had so many friends shoot videos like that on my point-and-shoot camera. I always ask them this question, ‘Have you even seen footage on TV filmed like that (tilt head sideways with hand gestures)? Just watch this video and you’ll know what I mean!
I should watch more art-house films and learn to think of interesting if not weird story lines. I really miss SBS channel and all their late night foreign crazy stuff. And now for the melodrama/series of emotional portraits.
We wrapped up the shoot with a huge meal at Basilico (fantastic Italian on Soi 33), shopping at Lumpini Night Market (awesome local designers) and a lot of watering stops. It was a good day.
<3 my polaroid wall. Are you on it yet?
Me, Karin and Catherine.
Getting hair and makeup done at one of the street-side watering holes.
A very sweaty me and Iva.
Definitely my favourite photo of the day.
This is my money shot.
It was time to put some clothes on at least.
Because the pigeons were getting too ‘curious’.
Kaspar & Me on the BTS.
Tim Wetzel, Kuala Lumpur
Thomas Pullar, Melbourne
Natascha Verkaik, Melbourne
David Maher, Melbourne
Rhiannon Hough, Melbourne
Elke Bonner, Brisbane
Sharon Smith, Brisbane
Annalyn King, Singapore
Vishnu Bala, Singapore
Rokshana Aitken, Melbourne
David Paris, Sydney
Brendan Maclean, Sydney
This is how Mikkel watches ‘porn’ on his laptop.
Me + Ying = <3 Come to KL soon!