Pre-Wedding Video Shoot in Galle Fort

Today is Chathu & Kusan’s wedding (photos to come later). Two weeks ago Lipton did a pre-wedding video shoot with the couple and their retinue. He wrote the story, directed it and was the director of photography.

I am so proud of him! And proud of the couple and their friends on how creative they all were!

This is a must to share on LucysBuzz!

Enjoy!

To book us, call +94 777387734/5

Check out our Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at our website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

New Year's Eve Wedding!

So where have I been?

After several weddings, I got the Sri Lanka coughing crud and yet I still carried on editing the wedding photos and even did a couple of weddings (praying that I wouldn’t start coughing up a lung at an important capture!). What’s a girl to do? Just pony-up and do what a girl’s gotta do!

I did, however, neglect LucysBuzz. And I’m sorry for that, since I had several people let me know how they love it.

The photos I’m going to post today are of a Muslim wedding held here in Colombo on New Year’s Eve (no chance of this couple forgetting their wedding anniversary!). The crowd was super friendly and the bride and her parents gave me permission to post the photos. Yeah!

There aren’t many traditional shots to be taken at a Muslim wedding. Usually the crowd is segregated into the women’s side and the gents’ side. So there’s just a few photos of the gents to be taken and many, many of the women. The weddings are segregated so that the women who are ‘covered’ can remove their veils and chat and eat with their friends comfortably, without the presence of men to inhibit them. To capture this side we use a female photographer. Usually me.

There’s no alcohol or dancing at a Muslim wedding, but there is a lot of chatting. Lots of it! And fabulous outfits, mostly bejeweled – even the burkas. Lots of sparkle and bead work. It was at my first Muslim wedding that I decided I needed a sparkly outfit to work in. I had to step up my game!

Enjoy!

Romany De Mel was the dresser!

Romany doing her magic.

To book us, call +94 777387734/5

Check out our Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at our website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

Happy 2015!!!!

I never make New Year’s resolutions. Gave that up decades ago. Instead I start my New Year doing things I want to do throughout the year. Take photographs, write – things like that.

We had our last wedding of 2014 last night – New Year’s Eve. It was a great wedding. A Muslim wedding. Super bride and groom. Fun family. Great crowd; very friendly. Lots of smiles (but of course, not while they’re getting their photos taken!) I always make a fool out of myself trying to get the crowd to smile. But they seem to like it - the crazy foreigner shouting ‘Smile!’ ‘Cheese!’ ‘Happy happy!’ Sometimes I think that’s why the family chooses us to be their photographers. Of course there is the fact that Lipton is a 5-star photographer!! Can’t overlook our quality!

I got permission to post some photos of our Muslim wedding in Kurunegala. Normally the Muslim crowd does not like pictures of the bride posted, but this couple agreed. I was so happy about it because I love the photos.

The trip to Kurunegala was hard, though – all 5.5 hrs of it. It was raining. The road was under construction most of the way. The traffic was a teeth-grinder! And the actual road to Kurunegalla was bone shattering. It about killed our car, the tires and the shocks. Next time there’s a wedding there, I’m taking a helicopter! Lipton also got a traffic ticket on the way, so now he has to go back there to get his license! He’s going alone, I’ll be busy!

The venue was the White House. A pretty spectacular place. Unfortunately because of the pouring down rain, we couldn’t get shots of it all. Next time!

Happy New Year to everyone. May 2015 be full of love, health prosperity and peace!!!

The groom, who when he smiles,

I think he looks like Hugh Grant!

The White House, Kurunegala

Romantic beach shoot, Mt. Lavinia Beach

Check out our Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at our website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions

Merry Christmas to All!

It’s Christmas morning and we’re finally getting into the spirit – taking our Christmas photo!

Try and get two people and a big dog to pose, smile and look at the camera!

We tried begging, petting and finally bribing with a cookie. After 47 shots we finally gave up and took photos of ourselves without Toby!

So, Merry Christmas from us to you! Sending out the love and Christmas cheer!

Toby looked away from the camera at the last minute!

Oops!

We weren't ready!

Almost!

Look at the camera, Toby!

Check out our Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at our website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com 

© ShadeTree Productions

#WATCHMINGBEATCANCER

I am so nervous today. Today is when my friend Koh Ming Hao goes into surgery to get the remaining cancer taken out of his body.

Years ago, I first met Ming in Singapore at Cathay Photos where he worked and where I bought a computer. We liked each other immediately. What a smile he had that day! So infectious.

Since then, we’ve stayed in touch via Skype, email and Facebook. I’ve watched him on Facebook; watched how he ran races, how he and his friends goofed around, how his romance with Daphnie Chong progressed, how they became engaged to be married, and how Ming first learned that he had cancer.

Ming has kept a #watchmingbeatcancer journal from the beginning. He made notes, with pictures, of his fight, his ups and downs, his moods, diet, bills, and now of his current surgery today to rid his body of the cancer that is still there.

His friends have followed him all the way. And today we are all there with him, cheering him on, praying for him, sending him love!

Join #watchmingfightcancer! Send your thoughts and prayers and fighting wishes to Ming at https://www.facebook.com/kohminghao He can use all the wishes you can send!

Ming and Daphnie

Still smiling!

Toby, Lipton (who took the photo) and I join #watchmingbeatcancer

Check out our Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography, portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at our website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com

© ShadeTree Productions