Revisiting the Past

I was in conversation yesterday, and it made me realize that I haven't done what I love doing for a long time... that is, blog. And I'm not talking about blogging wedding photos, and the like. But just blogging, for the sake of blogging. Talking about life, what makes me laugh, cry, contemplate... You know, all the the things that make me...well, me.

So I thought today, since the internet is just CRAWLING (I can't get any slideshows or photos to load to my FTP, I thought it would be nice to steal a little away from the wedding scene and visit two things that I love almost as much as taking pretty pictures :)

(1) Music, and (2) Writing

The first is an old vocal recording I did of myself in 2004 when I JUST started taking vocal classes. I recorded it for the sole purpose of wanting to be able to look back and see how I had progressed vocally. I still sing to this day, so my voice has grown 5 years and sounds quite different from what you hear below, but its quite funny to hear! Mainly because I sound different now, and secondly because I didn't have any proper recording equipment back then (still don't actually haha!!) - the crackles and distortions in the higher notes are just awful! But hey, its good for laughs :)

For those on RSS feed and reading this, you can hear it here: [LINK]

And the 2nd... writing... while time is too scare to delve into this little field of creativity right now, I was looking through old things yesterday and found some snippets of poetry, lyrics, and the like which I used to frequently pen down. Here is one of them that I wrote :)

Your heart is filled with pain,
Your mind cluttered with confusion.
Pieces of your life fall around you
Like raindrops in a storm.
The path you chose so long ago
Led you straight to hurt's door.
Now your weary feet struggle
To find the road back home,
Searching for the places
That love and beauty hide.
Temptations lie in wait all around,
Pulling at your every step,
Waiting for you to slide back
From the chosen, sought for, path.
Emptiness surrounds you,
Confusing your perceptions.

It is difficult to carry on.
I will do my best to fill your heart with joy,
To clear the cobwebs of confusion,
Help you find your purpose.
I'm good at catching pieces
And I can chase away a storm.
Let me walk your path beside you,
I've walked this road before.
You can lean on me when the weariness comes.
My shoulders are very strong.

I can't fight your battles,
Or chase away demons of the soul,
But I can lend you my strength
Until you find your own.
I will help you find the courage
To face each day anew.
I can't shorten the journey you must make,
The road is just as long as before.
But I can fill the emptiness
And help you reach your center,
The place where love and beauty hide.
Take my hand, be my friend,
Let me walk with you awhile.

Anyhow, I really need to run. I have a million things to look after today, people to chase, and a plane to catch so I hope to be back with some more personal musings and pretty pictures :) Hope you found this little tinker down memory lane as funny as I did!

Have a glorious day ahead! :)

xx

COOLEST Wedding Entrance EVER!!

So, while you are all waiting for the next photo post to be published (which I am writing AS WE SPEAK! hehe), I thought I'd post up something to keep your fingers, toes, and heart warm :)

This video is seriously one of the BEST wedding video's I've seen in a LONG LONG time. If you are a bride or a groom, wanting to add that extra pizazz to your wedding to make it look unique and fun for your photos/videos, I hope the following gives you some inspiration. Look out of the box, because this is what happens when you break tradition. The fabulous, the amazing happens. And you get magic :)

Happy Friday! :)

For those reading this from RSS feed, click this link to view the video: HERE


ps: I can't really find where this video came from, apart from Youtube, so if I forgot your link back, please let me know! I want to credit properly :)

Youtube Friday Goodies, and next week's preview :)

I usually love leaving these delicious audio bites for the end of the week, because we all deserve something a little pleasant at the cusp of a series of days that involve sweat and toil right? :)

Anyhow, those that read this blog space will know I am OBSESSED with music. Seriously, if I wasn't a photographer, I would probably have picked up the guitar or continued playing the piano and just written songs to sing. Okay, so you know that's just a pipe dream :P But you get the idea :) I loved music so much while growing up that I tried getting jobs at local CD stores, and even aspired to be a music reviewer and an A&R manager (these are the people whose job it is to go out and look for new talent. Its like scouts, but for music!). And as I got older, I developed a knack for being able to guess which songs from any album (except for hip hop) would become singles (I was usually anywhere between 80 to 90% correct) . I was, and I still am obsessed with the audio and melodic world :) So much so, that I take inspiration from it for my photography work in various forms. Truly, Madly, Deeply.

So I hope that gives you a better idea behind this crazy little indulgence of mine, and understand why this topic creeps up so frequently, and why I feel so compelled to share :) Besides, I always guarantee they are good, and if they are not, you can promptly tell me my ears suck! But I am almost 100% sure that won't happen :)

Today, I leave you with an artist I accidently fell in love with all over again. Her name randomly came up on my itunes today and I swear it must have been over a year since I had heard her tunes. These two are my hands down favourite. I promise you WILL love them. And if you don't press play, you are going to totally regret it!! I mean that! :) Presenting, the uberly talented songstress, Lucie Silvas:

Remember Me
(For all of you who has ever left someone behind, or been left behind)


Forget Me Not
(Has the memory of someone been so blazing, that one encounter was enough to forge them forever in your mind?)



Place To Hide
(Telling someone you'll be there for them, no matter what)

And since you are all visiting this blogspace to see new pictures, here is a preview for what I'll be showing next week :) People have been asking for some of the weddings I've been shooting in KL, so here's a sneak peak of one!

Have a beautiful weekend everyone! Its gonna be a nutter of a weekend for me, but exciting nonetheless! :)

ps: I'm still playing catch up with all the messages I'm getting. ALL my inboxes are in crazy full status (and I mean ALL - that includes facebook and twitter DMs too!) - Bear with me, I should be able to get through most of it in the next couple of days. Thanks for your awesome understanding!! :)

Funnies for you photographers out there

So since I am up to my eyeballs in work, and STILL recovering from that 40 hour stint of no sleep (i wont EVER do that again, not unless its my plan to ruin my body clock completely), I didn't want to leave my blog today without some love.

So this one is for all you photographers out there. I LOVE it. Its hilarious and you'll totally understand why. Hope it brings a little sunshine into your day! :) All courtesy of one of my favourite sites: Photographer's Math. Definitely bookmark worthy!!

Now the important question is, how many of these are YOU guilty of?? ;)

Kris Allen and The Dentist

And so the mini blogging continues... at least for this week while I settle back into the office and claim back my routine, while recovering from the extensive travelling this past month or two. The last trip that saw me in 3 different cities over the span of about 4 days, with shoots as soon as I landed, right up to when I had to leave, left me a little battered. For some reason, 9 hours of sleep a day is not enough, and I am still recovering from a very badly twisted neck. The good news is, I think another day or two, and I should be back to normal! I can't wait!!

In the meantime, if you missed American Idol last night, you just missed one of the GUTTSIEST/ORIGINAL performance to have ever graced that stage (it sits in the same calibre as the hall-of-fame and most ORIGINAL EVER performance by David Cook when he did the most outrageously amazing rendition of Mariah Carey's 'Always Be My Baby' ) by Kris Allen. This guy took a song I absolutely cannot stand by Kanye West, and turned it into a song I wanted to rush out and buy. I swear, I think I pressed the replay button on this internet stream about a million times!! And trust me, when I rave about something, I PROMISE it lives up to all the hype. Watch it here:

And if you have been following my facebook, you'll know that my poor husband has been suffering from a very angry wisdom tooth that has been wanting to be released for the past few days. Ju finally made it to the dentist yesterday and got it extracted after 3 jabs of anesthetic, and a little bit of sawing into another tooth. Look at the result!! :)

(taken with our point and shoot. And yes, I did tell Ju to put it on my mac. I am THAT lame, I know!!)

Anyhow, with the whole dentist fiasco, it reminded me of this HILARIOUS video I came across on youtube. I swear, its the funniest thing EVER!! What kids will say when under the effect of anesthetics HAHA!! So, if you are needing a really good laugh or a cheer up for mid week blues, watch this:

Alright, I'm off for now! I am tackling emails today! Its incredible, I am gone just a few days and the inbox escalates to almost 3 figures!! :) 

Cool Dance movies are the best!

Sadly, I am still sick, with my nose blocked on one side and runny on the other. This has meant I've been forced to stay at home until I recover, so I don't go and spread this nasty little virus around. And apparently it has been going around. Is it just me? Or has EVERYONE been getting sick lately? I've been reading the facebook statuses and its either coughing, sneezing, or some form of a cold/flu that has hit us!

Anyhow, I figured while I am waiting to get better, I'd share something I came across lately. On my latest plane trip, I had the utmost misfortune of watching "Revolutionary Road". Now, don't get me wrong or anything - the movie's plot is interesting and unique, and the acting is out of this world fantastic (come on!! Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio?? :) ), but it is nothing like their previous golden screen encounter. This movie was depressing... like pits of the earth depressing, and in a very scary and almost sadistic way. I finished the movie feeling sick, disgusted, depressed, and very afraid. It is a movie that paints a (sadly) real and broken view of relationships. So being a wedding photographer, and a romantic at heart at that (!!), this movie did unwelcome twists in my mind.

So what does one do, when their mind is being poisoned by a way too depressing movie? She goes out and shamelessly rents whatever happy, funny, romantic, movie she can find with not so great acting :) And boy, was I happy with what I found!

On top of the pack, was Center Stage: Turn it Up, the sequel to the first Center Stage. I have to admit, I found the first installment a little cheesy, and the acting not much better, but I picked up the sequel anyway because I always love movies that fuse together some modern dancing and ballet (errr, hello "Honey"! and "Step Up" which were totally awesome!!). The moves tend to really rock your world! :D

Here is one of my favourite scenes from Center Stage: Turn it Up. Its ever so cute, funky, and flirty. Plus its accommpanied by one of the coolest dance tracks I've heard in ages!! I love it when I see choreographed dances that look so unstaged and totally done on the fly! :)

Anyway, enjoy!! The cool little dance moves made ME want to go back to my dance classes!! :)

And for those who are curious which dance scenes made it to the top of my list, ever, they are from the Step Up movie. Here they are!! :) I'm no dance expert, so if you find my taste bad, sorry! But this is my blog, so I'll share whatever I feel like :P
The backlighting in the first clip, has a soft spot in my heart. Its so beautifully filmed in GREAT light! :)


I've never seen club grooving like this before. Or heard music so awesomely paired with it! :)


The grand finale. Awesome. Seriously. The changeover in the middle is incredible! :)


Alright, back to work and ticking off bits of my to-do-list today, while rubbing my nose endlessly with tissues!

Life changing, and the Invisible Car

I'm sorry I missed friday's and yesterday's (monday's) mini blog post, but I had a three day event to be at, and when I finally came back, I fell sick with a very annoying cold! The good news is, while I was away for three days with all my church friends at an awesome camp, my soul was refreshed.

I think, in the manic I have been living in, in the past few months to a year, I realized from going to the camp that I lost part of my soul on the way. I can't divulge everything now, because I am not well, and time is scarce, but I am really aiming to write down my thoughts from the weekend on my blog at some point because my time away felt life changing. Mind challenging. Soul quenching. And you don't walk away from such an experience the same... I know I didn't. And you'll all want to know what is in my head at some point, because it will rock my photography world in very real and visible ways, but in the best way possible.

Share with you all soon :)

In the meantime, I'll make a double post today to make up for the missing friday and monday post. First up is this REALLY interesting piece of artistic news I came across today that really sent my eyes into a psychedelic frenzy.

I love seeing creativity in all forms, not just photography, so when I came across this, my jaw dropped!! Check this out!!

Where's the car? Oh...there it is!! Hmmmmm... on second thoughts :P

She PAINTED the car, to create the illusion of invisibility!! I mean, how AWESOMELY cool is that??? :D

Check out this link to read the whole story, concept, and know how behind this whole thing, and to see more photos of the 'invisible car' :D

Hope that jolted you awake a little, for this early part of the week!

Career Women do make dinner :)

So who says we career women never spend time at home, cooking and looking after the husband? Here's what I made tonight in bewteen editing sessions and emailing! :)

Roasted portuguese chicken with special chilli and lemon sauce, caesar salad, and garlic bread, all served with a lovely bottle of Cabernet Savignon, from the boutique winery Tokar Estate in the Yarra Valley.  It all took just a little over an hour to make thanks to the oven! :D

(thanks to my brother for teaching me to make home made garlic bread!! it tastes SOOOO much better than that rotten stuff that is sold in the supermarkets! :D Even made with cheap gardenia bread, it was awesome!)

Even Ju, gave the seal of approval with two thumbs up (while he was watching ESPN sports news :D) !!

Alright, I best be off back to replying these emails and editing these photos :)

Something is stirring!

I'll be putting up a post either later today, or sometime tomorrow so make sure you check back really soon!

In the meantime, I HAVE to share this. I seriously get the BEST clients to shoot for me. Just look what I got the other day as I finished up a lovely session behind the camera!! I was so surprised and just totally bowled over by how thoughtful my beautiful clients are!! 

To those who have sent me thank you notes and presents, THANK YOU, really. Your thoughtfulness and kindness is just amazing and its people like yourselves that are the reason why I do what I do :)

See what I mean about thoughtfulness? I mean, every photographer needs good hand cream right?? :D

There were strawberries in this basket as well (but I've eaten those because they were SOOOO good!!) and have I re-iterated about thoughtfulness enough? They KNEW I loved strawberries and chocolates (esp if the two are combined!! hehe).. Speaking of chocolates, on my last trip to melbourne, Ju and I visited this AWESOME chocolate cafe and it was THERE that I tasted the BEST chocolates my tongue has ever met contact with... mango puree + chocolate = DIVINE!! But sadly, I can't remember the name of the cafe. If anyone is reading this, and from melbourne, and knows the cafe's name (it was on Lygon Street), pretty please tell me so I can find those choccies again!! :D

I really have the best clients :)

Wontons, Crocs, and Levis

As the nose started to twitch, and my eyes began watering, there began the sneezing fits. Ahchhhooooo!! At that point, I scream to myself: No, you are NOT getting sick. Don't you dare!! Little did I know that my puny efforts were futile, as my body was already fighting a losing battle.

Because low and behold, the next day, here is what happened. I like to call them wontons.

I think by the third day of my cursed flu run, I made enough to be able to sell a whole batch of them to the supermarkets, frozen, and made with love *coughs* :P So to all who have been waiting for me to write you emails since the weekend, I'll be working on them either tonight or tomorrow - hopefully after I stop blowing my nose and turning it into sandpaper, and when I regain the hearing in my ears again :)

On a more positive note, I've been replenishing my photography supplies recently!! :D

A girl can never have enough comfy good looking shoes while shooting.
What I love about crocs is that you can get then wet and totally muddy and dirty as anything, and at the end of the day, all you need to do is hose it down good and its all brand new and clean again!! :D I've been eyeing the silver and aqua ones for awhile, but since the aqua ones never come in my size 37 feet, I thought I'd grab these ones while the husband was buying himself a pair. Thank you Ju for these!! My feet love you :D


And if you have been following my facebook , you will know that recently my favourite EVER pair of jeans finally broke and gave way, tearing out into a sizeable hole. I blame it on the excessive running, squatting, lunging, climbing and whatever else I do to get my shots. And for me, it takes me FOREVER to find the perfect pair of jeans so when one dies, I mourn as if I have lost a beloved. So, my lovely clients, here are the sacrifices your photographer makes for you!! :P

Anyhow, like a good girl, whenever she finds THE perfect fit of jeans on her sunday hunt for them, for her non-model like legs, she buys two pairs :D Thank God for Levis ;) I can't wait to go to the states and be able to buy them for $20 instead of $100! The rest of the world gets ripped off!


Alright, I best be off and finish getting better. I have a massive number of shoots in the coming week so here's to being 100% fit!! :D

Happy wednesday!!

In the Pipeline

Post coming tomorrow! :)

Stay tuned :)
(and no, this picture has nothing to do with the post tomorrow! haha, it was just a happy snap from our recent time on the road! Sorry I can't write now, I'm up to my neck dealing with laundry, suitcases, multiple uploads and downloads of files, hard drive back ups, and all that other boring stuff which none of you want to know about, trust me! )

My Current Musical Obsession

I'm really sorry! I HAVE to write about it. The urge has been itching all the way through my thumbs right down to my pinky fingers... and any other phalange I employ to create words on the keyboard.

I do PROMISE that the FAQ will go up tomorrow sometime, but the last few days have been filled with sessions of feeding my hungry ears and I've been SO happy with what I have found.

Now, if you have been following me on facebook, you might have already grabbed a hint of the positive frenzy which I've been so pleasantly experiencing of late. If not, here's where I'm going to keep you up to speed with my rambling :)

Those that read my blog and know me well, know that I have been absolutely positively addicted to this season of American Idol, and believe me its GOOD this year. I watch it every year and most of the time its disappointing because of all the gimmicks this show tends to bring to surface in order to snare higher ratings. This year, the talent is incredible, and that just makes me beam with joy because every wednesday it means that my ears are not disappointed. My favourites this year are Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert!! I predict one of these two will win :) 

Aside from that, is my respect for the amazing Kings of Leon. For some reason, I can't quite swallow their earlier albums, but their latest offering 'Only By The Night' is a slice of rock heaven. Well, to me anyway :) 

Anyhow, for those who have NO idea why I am hyperventilating over these audio bites, here you go. See for yourself, and tell me if I am still crazy. And if you don't click below, well you are just missing out so soooo badly! Don't say I didn't warn you! LOL :p

(1) Adam Lambert: Tracks of My Tears
You have to know how the orginal sounds like to really appreciate why this rendition is so beautiful. Its subtle all the way. Never over the top, yet totally totally unique. I love it!! :D

(2) Kings Of Leon: Use Somebody
This one is a little softer than their other more well known tracks, buts its great and understated. Its as great as their best known pieces out there. I'm raving? yes!!

ps: As a little reward for putting up with my non-photography posts and to see who ACTUALLY pays attention to them, I'm giving away brand new copies of Kings of Leon's albums Youth and Young Manhood, and Aha Shake Heartbreak. With the lyric books and all. None of that cheapo 'malaysian version' CDs!! :D  First one to email me (info@jennysunphotography.com) with their name, postal address, and the name of the song which they performed at the recent Brit Music Awards 2009 will get it! :D

Okay, normal broadcasting of photography related channels will resume now :)

Small Random Purchases make me happy

Okay, I am totally not allowed to, or supposed to be blogging with this INSANE schedule I have for march and april, but rules are meant to be broken. And I love that blogger allows you to write the entry whenever you do have time no matter what time of day it is, on the road (if you have 3G!!), and then it will automatically publish it at a later date + time which you choose! This post (and the next one coming) is one such example of technology servicing the people, and not people servicing the technology! :D

Anyhow, Ju and I recently headed out to the malls, with my very practical list of items to buy:
(1) new hair dryer (after we so conveniently fried ours :p)
(2) garbage bags (this was utmost top priority! the 911 kind)

Well, I'm proud to say that I was well behaved and bought the garbage bags. All 50 of them! But if you knew it was out of dire necessity (and also knowing what else was in my bag at the end of the evening), you probably wouldn't be so proud of my spending restraint. You see, a couple of weeks back, when I was emptying the trash, I got really really mad at the bag company!! Boo to them, because as I was putting trash in the NEW bags which I had just fitted our steel can bin with, I realized there was a leak! Low and behold when I pulled the bag out, there was a shiny new hole.... and coming out of it in accelerating speed was all the oil, water (which was scented of fish), crumbs, and food scraps from the day's meals we had.

Bad huh? Wait.

So being the diligent wife (hah :p), I composed myself after nearly shrieking at the sight and mess, and moved the trash to a new bag. Only to find.... the trash was falling out of ANOTHER hole in this NEW bag. Double whammy. This cycle kept going until I realized by the fourth bag, that the entire set of bags I had bought was probably corrupt. I was utterly distressed, and annoyed of having to clean the same mess about 4 times. So you see, our 911 garbage dilemma was serious. We HAD to get new bags. No. Matter. What. And so we did :) Plus I am proud to announce that these latest bags are MUCH MUCH better than its predecessor.

Anyhow, because planned purchases are so NOT fun, here is what kept my new garbage bags company as we went home from the malls that night.

These purchases made me smile :)

I love toned arms (Anna Rina!! You have grown seeds of envy in me! LOL!!), but despite my job, I've been growing in areas that I do not like! So Ju was nice enough to buy me some light weights while he bought some heavier ones. We are on a mission to look and BE fitter.
*sigh* Its such a hard road, I tell ya!



I'm telling you, I LOVE LOVE LOVE my flats. While I adore the look of heels, my feet would initiate world war 3 with me, if I ever placed them inside anything that is higher than 5mm. So, with that, my love affair with finding the coolest flats to add to my shelf continues all the time :) And if they are comfortable, even better. So far, my yellow flats from paris have been queen in my cupboards. Until I saw these. They are so OTT, but I love that about them. I still believe they can look cool in a casual AND dressy outfit. Challenge my shoe theory, and you'll be sorry! :p *kids*

Alright, next post is going to be all about your FAQs!! SOOOO many of you have asked questions about posing, light, post processing, style, gear, locations, and so on....I figured it is about time to address these topics bit by bit on this blog space to stop me from typing the same things a thousand times :) I would LOVE to be able to answer all of you individually and personally, but with my time, schedule, and travel commitments, its hard to reply to every single message that comes into my inbox. So if you would love your questions answered, please send them to info@jennysunphotography.com with the subject 'FAQ' and I'll add it to the FAQs-to-be-answered-on-my-blog vault.

For now, I have to run. There are planes to catch, shoots to shoot, and another war to fight with this crazy inbox of mine amidst all the other things that have to get done! It's so busy I can't breathe!! :) Sayonara for now!!!

Bookworm

From the days where I was still donning a bang, and my hair was styled in what I love to term as 'the bowl cut', I was obsessed with the written word. It started when my primary school used to distribute book order forms. I'd run home, in nervous excitement, wanting to show my parents all the boxes I had ticked on the sheet of paper, not knowing whether they'd say yes to my ridiculously long list of literary wishes. Of course, they'd always say no to more than 90% of what I wanted in an attempt not to spoil me. But that didn't really matter - to get at least one yes was always a thrill to a little girl who treasured the smell of those new pages as they were quickly flipped through with her fingers. The joy really bubbled through and through when the book order lady came to each of our classes, calling out our names and holding out the bag which held what we had purchased a few weeks before. If there was anything my few dollars of pocket money ever went to as a child - it would be to add to the books sitting on my shelf.

My first crazy fixation was with the Baby Sitters Club, then it was with Enid Blyton as I followed those kids who climbed that tree which took them to the most amazing far away magical lands (I can still read this set with the same happiness and enjoyment as I did when I was a child), then as I was discovering and learning about the concept of love - Anne of Green Gables and I crossed paths and I was smitten with the red head who was strong willed, witty, sensitive, smart, romantic, and beautiful as she went through life looking for love and nurturing her passion for writing. Then as I grew up my curious mind chased after the brilliant and brave Nancy Drew as she solved the most exciting mysteries and crimes. I thought she was so cool, that it inspired me to try and write my own mystery thrillers. Try, was the key word :)

Since then, my tastes in literature have become more sparse due to work, but the plus side is that it has matured and grown to be a lot more varied as well. Authors such as David Eddings, Mary Higgins Clark, John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks, to name a few have made their place on my shelves.... but today, here is what I added:

I absolutely LOVE the twilight series. And no, as an objective person who has read a great variety of books, it isn't JUST for girls nor is it just for teenagers. Like the Harry Potter series, it appeals to a wide audience, and for very good reasons. Who doesn't love a tale of forbidden love between vampire and human? I love love love it!! Plus, its WAAAAAY better than its film adaptation. I bought this set below off Amazon at an amazing price (more than half the retail price!!) and it was finally delivered! :)


Of a slightly different kind of fiction literature is my love for really really good poetry. Over the years, none has impressed me more than this author - Charles Simic. He is strange, funny, dark, and insightful all at the same time. His is the kind of poetry you will need to read several times over to understand the meaning of the piece, but once you do, it hits you like a flood.


For a taste, here is one such example from Simic:

This Morning
Enter without knocking, hard-working ant.
I'm just sitting here mulling over
What to do this dark, overcast day?
It was a night of the radio turned down low,
Fitful sleep, vague, troubling dreams.
I woke up lovesick and confused.
I thought I heard Estella in the garden singing
And some bird answering her,
But it was the rain. Dark tree tops swaying
And whispering. "Come to me my desire,"
I said. And she came to me by and by,
Her breath smelling of mint, her tongue
Wetting my cheek, and then she vanished.
Slowly day came, a gray streak of daylight
To bathe my hands and face in.
Hours passed, and then you crawled
Under the door, and stopped before me.
You visit the same tailors the mourners do,
Mr. Ant. I like the silence between us,
The quiet--that holy state even the rain
Knows about. Listen to her begin to fall,
As if with eyes closed,
Muting each drop in her wild-beating heart.


----
It has been a long long while since I've made the decision to add to my literature collection (I am fussy :p), but when I do at times like today, I am thrilled just the same as that little bookworm girl who sat in her primary school class waiting for her name to be called to collect her bag of purchases.

----

For those waiting for another post with photos from a shoot, have a listen to my fave tracks this past week in the meantime to keep you warm :) :

25 points of Self

Okay, so I got tagged recently. Thanks Anna, for adding to my already Mount Everest sized to-do-list! :p

This means, you blog readers all get the joyful news that to open up the blogging week, I have to write 25 things about myself. And we all know how much I love talking about yours truly. For those that can't smell sarcasm on the internet - I was being sarcastic :)

But to appease the tagger, and to show that I do keep my word, here are the random 25 things about me. Have fun doing the JS download!

1. I am a complete closet romantic. I put on this tough, realist exterior so I don't get hurt or disappointed. But deep down, I believe in happily ever afters, walks on the beach, getting flowers, falling in love, and knowing that you can be everything to someone else.

2. I have itchy feet. Not literally. I am such a gypsy at heart. I love travelling the world and seeing new sights, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and just being immersed somewhere completely different to everything I've known. I tend to get restless if I am in one place too long. I need this sense of adventure every now and again.

3. Funny enough, I also need a good dose of home. Crankiness pays me frequent and painful visits whenever I am away from home too long, and not settled. I need the regularity of life, and loved ones, with both feet planted in the ground.

4. I am a dreamer at heart.

5. I can be quite naive. But never stupid. I just trust people alot - sometimes that is a good thing, and sometimes it hasn't been so good.

6. I moved continents, and left behind my life of 20+ years for a boy.

7. I ended up marrying him :)

8. One of my greatest loves (I have many :p), is being able to wake up late on any given day and have absolutely nothing to do. It is a rare occurence. Much like a solar eclipse. But very beautiful and appreciated when it happens :)

9. If I wasn't a photographer, I would have run off and done a masters in English, and become a writer. I wanted to be a journalist when I was younger, and almost applied to do it at university but my parents didn't think it was such a good idea. So now, I take pictures, and give fruit to my writing in other ways like my blog, my poems, my song lyrics, and my dream to one day write a real story :)

10. Being a singer song writer would be my other dream occupation if I wasn't a photographer. Since I am a photographer, I live vicariously through singing lessons and sources of inspiration like Sarah McLachlan, Eva Cassidy, Alicia Keys, and Norah Jones.

11. I love my food. I couldn't go on a diet to save my life. My biggest weaknesses are grilled and marinated chicken wings, french fries, and chocolate dipped strawberries (yeah, the big juicy kind drenched in milky belgium chocolate). I can never ever say no to those. So if you want to bribe me, you know what to do :)

12. Ironically, I am scared of getting fat. So I exercise. When I can :p

13. I have an unhealthy love for clothes. Shoes, accessories, and the like don't do it for me. But pretty fabrics in the latest trends, a beautiful frock. That will tempt me every time. Thankfully my bank account prevents me from going completely crazy. So does my husband.

14. I love the smell of books. New and old. Walking into a used bookstore (the kind you see in American movies :p), would send me into complete rapture. Trying to get me to leave would be mission impossible. It stems from my love for reading. I especially love reading books that grab the heart, and explore life and love in profound ways. My favourite pieces of literature while growing up were Anne Of Green Gables, The Power of One, To Kill a Mocking Bird, and the Diary of Anne Frank. If I walk away from a novel, with my thoughts still planted in its world days later, I consider it an experience in itself.

15. I am a TV series, serial watcher. I made that phrase up. But you get the drift. I will watch almost anything under the sun. Or at least give it a try. Shows that I have taken under my adoptive wing, and hugged tightly to my heart have been: Dawson's Creek, Charmed, Buffy, Smallville, House, Bones, One Tree Hill, CSI (all of them), Alias, The Nanny, Southpark (I am so ashamed! haha), Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Prison Break, 24, Heroes, Ghost Whisperer, Ugly Betty, America's Next Top Model, American Idol, Amazing Race and any other type of challenge reality show, Friends, Numbers, Pokemon (yes, children's programs are not exempt from my crazy serial habit), The OC, Tru Calling.... okay, I really should stop. I get the feeling this will never end.

16. When I was a teenager, for a period of time I had an eating disorder. I felt ugly. I would never eat. Then I started to binge. So I went from very skinny, to rather chubby. I understand the pressure girls feel to be beautiful. Then I became Christian, and found new friends. And realized my worth was never in how I looked. But who I am.

17. People who know me well, have often termed me as really talkative and bubbly. But I am really, a thinker deep down. I love to reflect. To ponder. To give deeper meaning and thought to what I experience, what I know, and that which I don't understand. Without it, I sometimes feel less of a person.

18. At the same time, I love being around people. To laugh with them. To share with them. To connect with them. Without this, I also feel less of a person. My contemplative self, and my social self are interdependent. Each without the other, for too long a period, provides a source of restlessness which I do not enjoy.

19. When I was 10, I slipped on the floor at a shopping center, and broke my left wrist. I cried from the intense pain. And the boys who saw me where I fell laughed. At that point, I understood what humiliation felt like.

20. I have found that I say yes to the things that don't matter so much, and no to the people which are more important. I have been and I am working on swapping that :)

21. One of my worst traits is that I can sometimes be opinionated and very stubborn (its the other side of the double edged sword of my determined nature). It makes for saying sorry very hard when I hurt those I care about. My heart is always ready to make amends, but my pride prevents my mouth from opening. I am always praying to God that He will help me change this on a daily basis. Forgiving is never easy.

22. Traits I admire in people are humility, generosity, consideration, sacrifice, honesty and courage. I abhor with a zealous distaste, those who are the opposite of this, and end up hurting others because of it.

23. When I was small, I believed we as humans could hatch chicken eggs. As a result, one afternoon as a child I tried sitting on one. Ended up cracking it. And making a huge mess. My parents and family found out. That was when I understood stupidity. The story ended up being one of the inspirations for my illustrative piece in my 4th year major project at university. We scored with flying colours! :D And don't worry, I am not that stupid anymore.

24. I am very afraid of spiders. VERY. Okay, so that one was really boring. Let's try again? I need loads and loads of encouragement. And I mean, football fields worth. Even when I am doing well, because I sometimes don't believe I am good enough. I am not very self confident. I attribute this to the fact that I am a perfectionist to the core. And that I am my own biggest critic. So when I say I love your encouraging emails, and comments (especially comments!!), I mean it. Truly, madly, deeply :)

25. I love Jesus. He is my greatest source of strength, inspiration, and love. I am nothing without Him and all that He has given. I am, because He is.

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Now since I am the world's lousiest tagger, I am instead opening up this 25 point tag to anyone who wants to share. If you do, please leave a link in my comments box. I love reading about people! :)

ps: I am back, after a week out of the office. Email replying begins tomorrow! :) So hang tight!

I'm Still Alive (And youtube goodies!!)

Dear everyone! :)

I've been receiving tonnes of messages and emails asking where I have been, to please update, and if I am ok. Well, the good news is that I am still around. I've just been caught in the whirlwind that we photographers call 'peak season'. So much so, that I swear I've spent more time on planes and behind my camera, than I have at home. It was so busy, that I was telling one of my second shooters that I remember having this thought the other day "if I could get away with not eating, I could save myself the 1 hour every day, to get more work done". And this is coming from someone who loves food! I love eating, so when I start thinking thoughts like that, you KNOW the mr BUSY has been overflowing into all facets of my life.

On top of that, I've seen hints of plagiarism of my work which has made me very very sad indeed, and coupling it with the fact that I've been falling sick (VERY sick - the kind of sick where you need to be dragged to the clinic and receive injections to feel some sort of relief) quite a fair bit in the last month or so. This has meant that any spare time I have has been spent in bed, and sleeping. Because I can't really walk properly (the stomach muscles have been rendered so sore/tender that it can't support my movement while walking, laughing, or sneezing). Just the last 2 days, I slept almost 12 hours each night which proved to me that in combination with my frequent bouts of illness, my body is severely overworked and very tired.

So if you are wondering where I have been, that's where I have been. But I promise I will be updating sometime this week again :) Writings on life, love, music, and of course photos are all coming. I've been keeping a journal, listing out all the things I want to write about and this 'list' is already about 2 pages long :)

Get ready. In the meantime, wish me a speedy recovery. I'm still ill! :(

For now, here are some tracks which have kept my ears very very happy over the last few weeks. From these songs, you can tell I've been in much of a contemplative and reflective mood amidst all the work of late. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Too Far Gone (Never Think) By Sam Bradley & Robert Pattinson
I LOVE this song. Rob's version which you can find on the Twilight soundtrack was very pleasant (albeit a little hard to decipher), but I just adore his co-writer's version (Sam's version) so much more. While Rob's has an understated longing and sadness to it, Sam's version is just painted all over with an apparent cry of emotion.

Puddle of Grace - Amy Jo Johnson
I fell in love with this track when I was faithfully following the show "Felicity" (which I still love to this day) of which it was featured on the official soundtrack. The guitar work is just beautiful, and married to a very lovely melody.


Hurricane - By Mindy Smith
I've heard ALOT of breakup songs since I've developed my love for music, and most of them pass my ears with a simple 'meh' that I exhale. Mostly because they are cliched, and don't really wrench the heart as a break up song should. Anyhow, when I heard this one by Mindy Smith. I was enraptured. Her lyrics were different. They were lovely and subtle in a symbolic way. And the simplicity of the acoustics with her earthy melody was just perfect. I loved it :)




I'll Take You On - By Howie Day
Wow, have I just loved this song for years. Its just beautiful. I can't express in words how gorgeous this song is anymore. You just have to listen.


Okay, most of you know I LOVE finding unknown/underground artists. There is just some secret joy that revels inside of me knowing I have stumbled upon something that hasn't yet been plagued by the masses and spoiled by commercialism. Tracks that are either softly acoustic and reflective, or tunes that are laced with heavily bassy bass lines, additive drum rhythms, or married with a tonne of bluesy goodness are what really grab my ears. This one is no exception. I LOVE youtube! :)

Freeze My Senses - Lionel Neykov


Enjoy!

In Love with Paolo

I don't know what is with my ears this past week. It's been going crazy and I can't stop digging for new tracks!! I feel like a hound dog who has grabbed a whiff of a hunt in the not too far distance. The senses pick up, your adrenalin kicks in, and the ball begins to roll...it doesn't stop until the catch is in your mouth.

This week, while I've heard a whole lotta awesome audio bites, nothing has excited me more than my new best friend Paolo Nutini. Okay, so I don't know him personally :p But hey, I love his music THAT much!!

His songs are what I describe as groovy, earthy, soulful, and just down just a drop of pure awesomeness!! If you listen to this guy, and do NOT like him, I can safely say there is something wrong with you! :)

Do spend the next few minutes listening to these two tracks ok? They are so good, you are gonna want to buy them on itunes, or sign up with an account immediately just so you can get your hands on these gems! :)

Alright, I promise a post with pictures will be next. If not, then I will officially give away an itunes gift card so you can spend your heart away to satisfy your musical cravings.

Adios amigos!

(1) Last Request - Paolo Nutini


(2) Loving You - Paolo Nutini

Facebook, and Surnames

The clock showcased an 11:30am face, my stomach was howling an aggressive growl that called for immediate attention. You know, the kind that tags itself with a red exclamation mark for highest priority of service... or else. Given the day and my 3 day to-do-list which I am attempting to complete in 1 day (Did I ever mention that I am quite the ambitious little bee? :p ), I knew that running out to wait in line at my favourite Pan Mee store would not be an option. Disappointed as my stomach was, it had to settle for McDonald's home delivery (Aussies reading this, you are totally missing out - while in the long run I think it bodes better for the health that you do not get 24 hour home delivery of such fatty delights, its awesome for workaholics like myself who occasionally forget to eat in the midst of the piles of work living around them).

So there I was, dialling the imfamous 1300 13 1300 numbers, and the lady asks to confirm my identity, as they usually do...making sure I was Jenny Tan, calling from 012XXXXXXX. I had to pause for one second. Jenny Tan? A split second later, I realized that's me!! "Oh yes yes, that's correct" I quickly mumbled to the lady on the phone.

While to the business and photography world I am still known as Jenny Sun, my personal and married life carries my new surname: Tan. While I've carried this surname for months already, to be called and addressed by it, was quite surreal. Funny in fact. I chuckled to myself, and repeated "I am Jenny Tan". And continued to wonder how long most women take to adjust to their new marital name, before it becomes as common as the leg of a sofa you've had for 15 years. Months? Years? Never?

Anyway, I love both surnames I have. And I carry both proudly :)

On another note, thank you to everyone who has added me on facebook! It's been SO wonderful to finally see the faces of those whom have been reading my blog! I feel incredibly honored that you would want to add little old me to your friend list. And its been even more fun 'chatting' with you via my status lines. While I love comments from faceless visitors, I love putting a face to the names even better. Anyhow, while it was a pretty informal invitation previously to add me if you wanted to, here's a formal - IT'S OK :) - invitation to add me on facebook! I'd love to see your faces there, whether I've met you at a wedding, or you are a friend of the bride/groom I've shot before, or even if I haven't met you but you have been reading my blog/seen my work. I'd love to meet you on facebook! You can find out what I'm getting up to there via my statuses and chat with me there if I happen to be around. I promise I am not crazy, and I do not bite :)

Click the picture below to be directed to my facebook page:

See you! Have a happy thursday everyone :-)

Ear candy

One of my somewhat secret pleasures is music. I love it. No, seriously...when I have the time, I SCROLL through itunes to find the most hidden melodic gems. The ones that nobody really knows about. Those true pieces of ear candy that hit right at home with their vocal pleasantness (or greatness in some songs), the depth of their lyrics, and sometimes just a beautiful tune alone. I listen to ALOT of genres.... in fact, there is very little I wont listen to. From classical, to rock, to jazz, to pop, indie, and so on. But the paradox in all this, is that I am INCREDIBLY fussy at the same time. So when I hit the jackpot on itunes, it really sends my ears into a frenzy, and I can listen to the same track like 50 times over and over again, until I can memorize the words, the tilts in melodic changes, and the feeling... enough so I can sing it in the shower. Or take the piece to vocal class (when I do go :p haha!!) :)

Here are some tracks that have put a bright note in my week so far. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! I promise you they are all worth the listen - and if they are not, I give you permission to say I have bad taste in music haha :p (let's hope it doesn't come to that! :p)

(1) Forever Love - Anna Nalick
This is just down to earth, moody, and beautiful, without being corny. I adore it.



(2) A Song For You - Christina Aguilera
Okay, FORGET about the dirty pop star image that this singer has in the music industry. This song is all about jazz, soul, and a hint of blues. I'm a huge fan of impeccable vocals, and this song just shines out as a perfect example. Think whatever you may of this lady, but she can really SING!



(3) We Fall Down - By Chris Tomlin
This is a live version of the very famous track by this AWESOME artist. The most beautiful thing that struck me about this version was the fact that this same song can be even more beautiful sounding in a totally different language. I was mesmerized by the song in the other language :) You may need to be a vocalist to understand what crazy mumbo jumbo I am rambling on about :p



(4) Embrace Hope - Melissa Polinar
Seriously, I cannot get enough of this woman. Her voice is sweet and full of this warm timbre that I just adore. Love this track from her - stripped, live, and just showcases what a talented singer song writer she is.


Til next time! :)

You Make It Real For Me

Every now and again, words float across my ears, and they hit me like a flood that has run right through my entire body. You don't leave the experience unchanged or unmoved.

That is how this next piece of lyrical and melodic genius moved me.

For those who have someone in their life who has changed your whole world...and you are better because of it, this song is perfect for you. I can't think of a song that could better sum up how that feels. Its a feeling of wholeness, belonging. They make your life brighter, stronger. They make it real.

I absolutely positively adore this song, and I'll definitely be using it for a future wedding slideshow :)

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have :) It's more than worth the 3 minutes it was created for.

James Morrison - You Make It Real
There's so much craziness surrounding me
There's so much going on it gets hard to breathe
All my faith has gone you bring it back to me
You make it real for me
Well I'm not sure of my priorities
I've lost site of where I'm meant to be
And like holy water washing over me

You make it real for me
And I'm running to you baby
You are the only one who save me
That's whyy I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

When my head is strong but my heart is weak
I'm full of arrogance and uncertainty
But I can find the words
You teach my heart to speak

You make it real for me yea
And i'm running to you baby
You are the only one who save me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

Everybody's talking in words
I don't understand
You got to be the only one
Who knows just who I am
And you shine in the distance
I hope I can make it through
Cause the only place
That I want to be
Is right back home with you

I guess there's so much more
I have to learn
But if you're here with me
I know which way to turn
You always give me somewhere,
Somewhere I can learn

You make it real for me
And i'm running to you baby
Cause you are the only one who save me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me
You make it real for me .

ps: Posts with pictures coming right up :)