It's not that I think of ourselves as photogenic or that my girls have what it takes to be top models. The one and only reason that fuels my passion is the realisation that these moments, these precious moments of my kids when they are little, are fleeting. This is especially true when you have an infant in the house and before you can do anything about it, she has outgrown that baby face you once knew. That, is why I love photoshoots.
So we did an outdoor photoshoot at East Coast Park earlier on this year. This time round, we were lucky to be offered a family studio photoshoot at Orange Studios, which promises to be as fun-filled as it can get.
Orange Studios, located in Yishun, is a newly setup studio and officially started operations in August this year. Its focus is on modern studio photography - including maternity, newborn, babies, children and even pets. Despite being a new studio, the photographer has previous experience in family photography and thus the pictures are guaranteed to be of good quality. It's pretty easy to see that from our set of pictures, isn't it?
I have to say that I was impressed with the excellent service of Orange Studios, namely the photographer Ryan who took time to give me a preparatory call before the shoot to have an in-depth discussion, and his assistant Wini who was always prompt to reply emails and answer any of my queries.
The one thing I love best about Orange Studios is that it gives you the freedom to personalise your shoot, making the pictures so you and truly one-of-a-kind. When we were told that no props would be provided at the studio and we needed to bring along ours so that we could showcase our lifestyle just the way it is, I actually embraced that idea and of course, made full use of it by bringing along as many things as our car could load.The girls had three sets of outfits to change into, the hubby and I had matching T-shirts, and don't be surprised but I even brought along stuffed toys, books, bicycle, helmet, paintings, toy piano, Absolute Vodka, shot glasses, fairy wings, hair accessories etc. Like Ryan said, the more the merrier, so long as we could fit everything into the one hour shoot. It doesn't mean we have to use all, but at least we were prepared and had a choice depending on how things went.
It might not be obvious from the pictures but Ariel was down with a fever that day and was not her cheerful self when we were on set. It took us probably over half an hour to warm her up and to get those smiles of her on camera, that credit goes to Ryan who was ever so patient and accommodating with our needs, for instance he gave ample opportunity for Ariel to rest.
As for Angel, you can probably tell how excited and happy she was that day. In fact, even when we told her to take a rest and stand still for the camera, she just couldn't stop running around in circles in the studio. Thankfully, she was laughing for almost the entire shoot and thus I have to say I absolutely love how gorgeous most of her shots turned out to be.
An hour might sound short to us but for a baby, it can rather long and tiring. Especially for a sick one. Luckily, we brought along enough snacks which kept her a little happier. Other than that, it was through the spontaneity and timely reaction of Ryan that helped to capture some of the best shots of the day. My personal favourites are the shots of the girls together, these just look so sweet and speak of priceless, sisterly love.
Having a white backdrop also means that the focus will be on the people, as well as attires and props. I like that it gives the photos a very clean and pure look, don't you think so too? 
Did we enjoy ourselves at the photo shoot? You bet. In fact, as you can see, I love the pictures so much that I paid a top-up fee to keep all the soft copies and my new blog look is done using these colourful pictures who exude so much fun, love and well, happiness. 
As for the 20" by 20" canvas which now hangs proudly on my living room wall, it comes with a high-quality, sleek, matte finish and I am definitely loving how it brightens up the house. Although I might have taken over thousands of pictures in my 30 years of life, this is my first ever canvas piece and I am just thrilled that it is a happy family picture of the four of us. Thank you for the precious memories, Orange Studios!
A Happy Mum's Tips for a happy family studio photoshoot:
1) Be spontaneous, be cool
It doesn't matter if things do not happen like how you envisioned them to be, for instance you might have a crying baby on set and your kid refuses to pose with her props for the camera. Take things slowly and with an open heart, play along if your kid wants to play catching, whatever happens, do not lose your cool.
2) Do what you always do
Natural shots are the best so to reflect your lifestyle, do what you usually do with the kids at home, be it reading a book, playing guessing games or throwing them up into the air.
3) Have faith in the photographer
Trust that the photographer knows what he is doing and do not attempt to give instructions on how to capture the best angle of your child or give unsolicited advice. If he allows, then you can do your part in making your children giggle, laugh and chuckle.
4) Do not restrict yourself
There is no fixed pose and no perfect way to smile. Do not limit the things that your kids can or cannot, should or should not do, and the same goes for yourself. Be free, be relaxed and just go with the flow!
5) Enjoy every minute of it
Smile not only when you look at the camera, but even when you are behind the scene. Keep your spirits high and keep a positive mind. Even if your baby refuses to change out of her clothes, even if the bottle of water gets spilled on your belongings, so long as nothing life-threatening occurs, laugh it off and be 100% happy for at least that hour.
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Good news! Readers' Special!
For A Happy Mum's readers who would like to have a colourful, personalised photoshoot with Orange Studios, you can now enjoy a S$150 cash voucher to offset any package you book (usual package pricing range from $350 to $1400) from now till 15 October 2013, provided that the photoshoot is conducted within two months from today. Simply quote "A Happy Mum" when you make your booking.
Orange Studios
1, Yishun Industrial Street 1
A'POSH BIZHUB
Singapore 768160
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +65 8606-6950
Website: http://orangestudios.sg/
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No matter what, make sure you treasure, enjoy and capture the fleeting moments of your child!
Disclosure: We received a complimentary photoshoot package from Orange Studios for the purpose of writing this review, inclusive of a 20" by 20" canvas print. All props, attires and accessories belong to us and all opinions are based on our own experience.
