Am going to write another “fast” post here just to keep you updated with what am caught in at the moment. After the event was over last weekend, I have to settle a few post-event matters (accounts, paper-works, etc.) as well as to catch up on my work, especially the MANY deadlines that requires my main attention at the moment.

But I’d like to share with you the results of our photobooth contest during our charity event.

Our Photobooth Poster by Storybook

Our Photobooth Contest details

We got 2 ladies of different backgrounds, 2 children and a gentleman to be our judges for the contest. And here are our winners!

Pregnancy Portrait Winner - Claudia W

Open Category Winner - Stephen Wong's Family

Baby Portrait Winner - Emily Chew's Baby

Once again, we would like to thank CANON Malaysia for sponsoring the printing papers & loaning us 2 units of excellent printers for our photobooth. Printing quality was excellent!

We would also like to thank Baby Bump Maternity, Borders Malaysia & Getha Beddings for sponsoring the contest prizes which amounted to RM600 for each category.

We’re VERY thankful to those who came & supported us. I hope to post our post-event write-up once it’s completed sometime in the next week or so. So do stay tuned & come visit this blog space soon.

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This is just a short post to let you know that I’ll be busy with the preparation & execution of the Gift Of Love Charity Bazaar 2010 event this whole week.

If you’re in Klang Valley & find some free time this weekend, do drop by & visit us. There are various activities going at the same time for you & your entire family. Big & small alike.

Here’s our stage activities schedule. We’d like to invite fellow mommies & their child/ren to join us on stage this Saturday morning (11 a.m.) for the ribbon cutting ceremony to launch the event.

Come & show off your cutie pies in our Fun Fashion Show for Kids. Dress them up to your heart’s content. Hehehe… I’ll be bringing my Little Mouse.

I’ll be back on replying emails & such next week after this event is over. Thank you for your understanding.

Hope to see you at the event!

xoxo

Asther

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Entry #2 = Jozuana A.D

Entry #5 = Jinelle Chay

Entry #10 = Adeline Low

Entry #12 = Sharon Leng

Entry #13 = Low Hsiao-Ju

Congratulations to the winners. And a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who contributed & shared their thoughts on breastfeeding. Very encouraging indeed!

We will be sending the winners an email soon on how to claim your FREE Canon print from our Gift of Love Charity Bazaar’s Photobooth.

Our event is just around the corner. 24-26 September 2010 (Friday to Sunday). You’re all invited to come & join us in the fun of shopping, having your portaits taken and joining our various stage activities & contests.

ALP together with a few other volunteering photographers will be at the photobooth, ready to help capture your beautiful portraits. You will be able to purchase a 4R print or A4 print of your portraits taken from our booth.

1 x 4R = RM10                    1 x A4 = RM30                            1 x 4R + 1 x A4 + Contest Entry = RM50

There will be three categories for you to enter:

1. Child Portraiture (age 3 and below)

2. Group Portraiture

3. Pregnancy Portraiture

Amazing prizes awaits, including a FREE photo session with ALP among them. Contest entry closes at 3pm on Sunday, 26th September 2010.

So looking forward to seeing you there! More info at: Gift of Love Charity Bazaar 2010’s Facebook Page

Till then, have a great week ahead!

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Here are some details of the event.

Gift of Love Charity Bazaar 2010

One fine day, three SAHM (stay-at-home mothers) had a “calling” and decided to organize an interesting charity event together.

They share the same believes & support towards breastfeeding (they found each other in The Breastfeeding Advocates Network ) and decided it’ll be wonderful to do the event in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week 2010. They went through lots of challenges searching for a venue but alas(!), Tropicana City Mall generously offered their hospitality to host this event in September 2010!

Along with a few other talented mommies, supporting sponsors, friends & families, they hope that this first-time event will be an annual agenda if this one succeeds in 2010.

EVENT’S OBJECTIVES:

• To raise awareness that the lack of breastfeeding affects the child, mother, and community
• To support mothers and women with homebase business; a social-community support to stay-home mothers to continue to care for their children at home
• To raise funds for World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) & (maybe) Women’s Aid Organisation of Malaysia (WOA)

EVENT OVERVIEW:

Date & Time:
24 – 26th September 2010, (Friday – Sunday)
10am to 9pm (Sunday ends at 6pm)
Venue:
Tropicana City Mall – Level 2, Circle Area near Monsoon ID & StoryBook
Target Audience:
Mainly at young couples and families; where we create a fun experience that offers entertainment to all age groups

This 2010 event will showcase three major activities targeted towards all ages, gender & nationalities in Klang Valley.

A CANON sponsored photo booth will be opened throughout the event for visitors to have their fun portraits taken by professional photographers who volunteered their invaluable time & energy during this event. 4R & A4 prints will be offered at an affordable price for the portraits taken. All proceeds from this booth will go to charity. Additional “donation” amount is encouraged.

We have a little contest for YOU, dearest ALP fans & friends, to WIN A FREE Canon A4 portrait print from our event’s PHOTO BOOTH. This means, you come to our Photo Booth, have your portraits taken, then you get one of your portrait printed in an A4 ORIGINAL CANON Photo Paper FREE!

It’s pretty simple to participate. Here’s how:

1. Head on over to Gift of Love Charity Bazaar’s Facebook Page and click “LIKE” to join the Fan-Page.
2. Leave a comment on the WALL, stating your NAME and WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT BREASTFEEDING. Make it short & sweet.
3. Leave the SAME COMMENT on this blog post (scroll below & click on “Leave A Comment”) and make sure you enter your email address.
4. Your entry will then be automatically given a number according to the post order here on this blog post.
5. Entry deadline will be on the 19th September – Sunday, (5 days before the event launch!) after which FIVE (5) winners will be chosen RANDOMLY using the this random number generator.
6. Winners will be announced on the 20th September here & on G.O.L’s Fan-Page wall and emails will be sent out to the winners to collect their winning voucher.
7. The winners are required to reply our email within the 24-hrs of the emails being sent out, failing which their winning gift will be opened for another draw for new winner.
8. Winners who replied on time will receive an e-voucher with a serial number and then come claim your winning gift at the event’s Photo Booth in between the event period.

NOTE:

• ONLY ONE WINNING PER PERSON.
• Portrait is open to personal/family/group/couple, etc.
• Final photos selection are to be decided by the photographer/s  on duty for you to choose from for the FREE print.
• E-Voucher is transferable to anyone you see fit if you can’t come to the event to claim the gift.

Here's an example of the type of portrait you can get done at our Photo Booth!

So what are you waiting for? Quick submit your entry! Get your family & friends to try their luck too! REMEMBER to reserve your calendar for this event come September 2010 AND bring along your family & friends to join in the fun!

SEE YOU THERE!

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Here are a few moments I help documented during Earth Hour at one of their dining location, The Feast Village. We had our bountiful buffet dinner with candle lights that night. Romantic!

Entrance to the restaurant

View from the seaside

View from the hill-side garden

Dining setting before Earth Hour

Amazing architecture!

Dining in almost darkness

Candle-lit environment

Candle holders for table setting

Candles for floor lighting

Here I’d like to quote what Jeff told me that day,

“Our effort may seem small, but it’s the awareness that will spread in hope to encourage environmental conservation effort among us. Especially so the younger generations may still enjoy what we have now.”

while pointing at the beautiful beach scenery in-front of us.

So, let’s strife for a better tomorrow. Every little thing counts!

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… 2009…

This is the year I became a mother. And my life started to change beyond what I could have imagined or anticipated. It was God’s grace for giving us our little girl. She’s such a joy to me when I’m down, albeit sometimes a little annoying when she throws her tantrum. Our Little Haley has been a handful and I’m really thankful that my own mother is still young & capable enough to help care for my little girl when I had to return to work. Darling Francis has been a wonderful daddy and husband, ever supportive & patience when it comes to dealing with the various situations in our little chaotic life. I am ever so thankful cos I just wouldn’t know how I’d manage without him!

These are just a few of the changes (ones I’ve felt the impact most) since Haley’s arrival into our life.

• The house is a lot merrier (and did I mention chaotic too? ) with her coos & aahs, her laughter & screams, and very recently her endless baby chatters.
• In contrast, our social life has gotten a lot quieter. Darling & I are very sociable people, especially amongst our scuba diving society. Not that we do not like to socialize anymore. It’s just that our priorities have changed. We used to host various get-together with our friends and family but not anymore. We also seem to turn down friends’ invitations to hang-out pretty often nowadays.
  • First is SLEEP. As most parents will agree with me, having a new baby in the house means less sleep for everyone else. So, we find ourselves pretty tired by midnight and the bed seems all too inviting all the time!
  • Second is WORK. Family time is really rare considering that darling leaves the house early in the morning & only comes back after 8pm generally 5 days a week, where as my working schedule often falls on weekends and public holidays.
  • Third is FAMILY. We try to spend as much time together as a family when we’re not working. Which means, the whole evening will be spent in the bedroom with Haley for her bedtime. We also try to have at least 3 to 4 times family holiday a year, away from home.
• Darling & I go on a date (mostly on movie dates) a lot more often nowadays. Once again, we’re lucky to have my mum around to babysit at nites when we are going on a date. Initially, it was hard for me to concentrate during our dates as my mind & heart will be back at home with Haley, but eventually I got used to it. I now look forward to our future dates all the time!
• We’ve been getting home-cooked meals almost everyday. Bless my mother for that! She’s been staying with us more often nowadays (due to me having more photography bookings lately) to help out with Haley, hence, she also does the cooking and laundry for us! Yes! I am indeed lucky!

I started losing weight immediately after delivery and an annual full-body check-up revealed a hyperthyroidism in me. I find myself having  rapid heart palpitation constantly, resulting in insomnia & a constant rise in body temperature. I also had a massive increase of appetite  altho I kept losing weight. Due to the possible unwanted effect on my heart, I was put on a series of medications which resulted in a sudden (unwanted) weight gain! Oh those terrible fats!!! It is sooo demoralizing so I gotta do something bout that soon!

This is also the year when I decided to re-brand my photography business. I would like to thank my friend & mentor, Jenny Sun, for opening my mind & heart when it comes to building my new photography business. I was struggling really hard to find my own identity and to gain clientele but she was always there (albeit her super busy schedule), always willing to share her thoughts and advice, always lending an ear to my never ending rantings. Thank you, girl, for your friendship & trust in me! I owe you one! And I’m looking forward to more shooting & sharing moments with you.

Here are some of the photos I shot when I was assisting Jenny during her wedding assignments. Thank you for the opportunities, Jen!

Ju Liang & Mui Kit's Wedding Day

Ju Liang & his mother

The pretty Mui Kit

Ju Liang & Mui Kit

Tjin & Christine's Wedding Day

Tjin & buddies with their cars

Christine's wedding dress

Tjin & Christine, the happy newlyweds

Hanther & Christine Wedding Day

Hanther & Christine - Blissfully married

… 2010…

So another new year is coming! Only God knows what is planned out for me and all I can do is plan, execute, hope and pray for a smooth sailing journey throughout this new year.

Here’s a list of my new year resolution:

1. Lose 8kg by May 2010 by eating healthier (less carbo, less ice cream, less cakes), plan & follow an exercise regime and drink more water daily!
2. Be a better mother, wife & daughter. Being more patience with Haley & teach her new things as day passes by, spend more time listening & doing things for darling, and give my mother more time of her own.
3. Be a better photographer. Continue learning to improve my skills, as well as increase my editing capabilities in order to deliver my clients’ photos as early possible!
4. Keep in touch more with our dearest friends whom we’ve somehow been neglecting lately.
5. Go to church more often with Haley & mum (and hopefully darling will join us one day ). I’m not too sure how I can do this as most of my weekends have been booked up by clients unless I make it a point to not accept too many bookings on Sundays. God will somehow show me the way soon.
6. Travel and/or dive more. Well… if $ and time permits, of course!
7. Attend a photography workshop or two locally. Definitely looking forward to ShootFest (if any for 2010).
8. Contribute more towards environment conservation. Plant more greens, promote underwater awareness through my underwater photos, etc.

Alrite… that’s all that I can think of at the moment. Let’s see how much of my new year resolution comes true but I hope majority will. Here’s wishing you, my clients, my friends and family a promising New Year 2010! My heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful journey we’ve done together this 2009!

Little Aidan & Family

Little Tiffany & Family

Little Kiera & Family

Little Ethan & Family

Little Aden & Family

Little Gabrielle & Family

Little Shuen & Family

Little Mikhail & Family

Little Hayden & Family

Little Tanveer & Family

Little Venus & Family

Little Sophia & Family

Sherlyn Koh & her dance academy

Jeremy & Jane

Albert & Faye

Amin & Shareen + Family

Pauline & Furry Friends

Mark + Azween

The Nichols

Little Azura & Family

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”  ~ Hal Borland

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]]> http://astherlau.com/2009/12/31/one-for-the-road-before-2010/feed/ 0 http://astherlau.com/2009/12/04/toddler-lil-haydens-1st-birthday-bash-l-kuala-lumpur-l-malaysia/ http://astherlau.com/2009/12/04/toddler-lil-haydens-1st-birthday-bash-l-kuala-lumpur-l-malaysia/#comments Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:40:15 +0000 Asther http://astherlau.com/?p=1596 Few months back, Mommy A contacted me to capture her little boy’s first birthday celebration at The Hilton, Kuala Lumpur. It was one very sunny afternoon, filled with little & big people, colorful as rainbow, fun as in a carnival and there was such a feast for a King! I’ll let the moments I’ve captured tell the story.

There were many young ones…

And there were “young-at-hearts” too!

I had many many many “assistants” for this assignment!

Now here are some cutie-licious detail shots from that day. Who can guess what’s the party’s theme?

There were so much food to eat! And they were VERY PWEETTTYYY indeed! Catered by The Hilton, Kuala Lumpur.

Cake Maker = Delectable by Su

Throughout the party, Hayden was happy doing his own kiddie things.

The party was all planned & executed out by this amazing duo from Party Duo.

Okay… that’s the end of this monster post for today! I’m going to have a major busy weekend with shoots & preparation for our family getaway to beautiful Bali next week! God knows how much we need this holiday, so I can’t wait! I will not be able to reply to any emails or inquiries until we get back a week later, so if you are looking at booking me up to capture your precious moments, please sms me at +60122996942.

For your information, the remaining days of 2009 in my calendar are 98% booked, therefore, please book me EARLY for come 2010 sessions! I find that my calendar gets booked as early as 1 month in advance, so if you do not want to miss out on ALP’s style of capturing your precious moments, go ahead & contact me NOW!

Here’s wishing you a Happy Weekend & a new promising week ahead!

xoxo

Asther

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Be right back!

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Just a short update. There will be an unconference for photographers & videographers alike coming 6th & 7th May 2009 in Petaling Jaya and I will be one of the volunteers for the event! I will be presenting a photography related topic ”Guidelines to Drafting Your Photography Contract”.

A little about the unconference:

“These are most likely the first 2 questions on your mind. An unconference is an informal gathering of likeminded people with a common interest. It’s a participant-driven conference, meaning everyone must participate in some way or another. We encourage everyone to present a topic or engage in a discussion during the 2-day sessions.

Each ShootFest is a media unconference primarily for photographers and videographers. This first one that is organised is themed The Wedding and is meant for professionals, freelancers and anyone interested in wedding photography and videography.

The benefits of ShootFests are knowledge-sharing, networking and raising the bar for the industry. If you feel you don’t want to share any of your kung-fu, then the unconference is probably not for you. We want to breed improvement for everyone, and need you to share your thoughts too.” For more info, go to http://shootfest.org/

Hope to see you fellow photogs there!

Meanwhile, I’ve been pretty busy with my little Haley as well as catching up on my editing work recently. My mum went home to Sarawak for a week and I was left alone with Haley (with some help from my in-laws) for a whole week. Hence, my editing time has been shorten and since mum is finally back to help me at home with Haley few days back, I’ve been huffing & puffing to catch up on my work! So please bear with this none-posting period for a little while, ya! I will try to blog as soon possible!

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Portfolio

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