2014年12月29日星期一

Why You Should Totally Do Baby Photography at Home

So, you have a baby, cute enough you want to snap a photo of him every single time he smiles (or cry too! Even crying looks so funny and cute sometimes. Look, the keyword is sometimes.), and recreate those cute baby images you see online with your baby? Well, at least that's how I want to do it. If you feel the same, you're not alone.

But getting photos taken in studio can be expensive. Think of the cost they have to invest in the gears, studio rental, accessories, utilities, salary of the staffs etc. You're paying the professionals so that they do the hard work for you. So everything comes with the price.

If, you're willing to do some works here, I'd suggest you to do it yourself, and these are whys you should do it.

1. Cost 
Of course, we will talk money. We're discussing this point with one condition--that is, you have a relatively reasonably good camera in the first place.

From there onwards, all you need is to invest in costumes. There are a lot of available costumes nowadays, all you have to do is shopping. Effortlessly through your computer.

Cheaper options, taobao.com.
Advantages: Cheap, closer to home (China to Malaysia or Singapore)
Disadvantages: Little choices. Mostly are for rental instead of sale. But it doesn't mean you should give up trying. There are still a lot of hidden gems.

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2 costumes 2 rugs from taobao, cost RM70 (including shipping)

More expensive options, amazon.com.
Advantages: A lot more choices, A LOT
Disadvantages: More expensive. And no international shipment. You'll have to rely on VPost (Singapore only) to get this. Extra cost on shipment.

You won't need a lot of costume for your baby. First of all, costumes only last for a short while, few months if not few weeks. Secondly, babies are usually lack of patience. You won't have a chance to change him more than two costumes at a session to take beautiful pictures. Thirdly, after a while you prefer daily casual shots because that is a real record of baby's growth and progress.

Buy those you really like, or those really mean something to you. For example, The Man plays baseball so I bought a baseball costume for baby. (I'm still looking for Star Wars costume!)

Advantages of having the costumes on your own? You can keep for your second child maybe? You could also rent it out if you really have a lot. You could also sell them. Most importantly, you assure yourself the costumes are clean. No sharing with others and wash before use.

2. Baby with mood
Parents, let's face it! Babies have their moods. They're wonderful on their ups, and terrible on their downs.

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Crying is part of the parcel

Photo sessions with studio or photographer mean you will have to make appointments. Say for example, on average, your baby seems to be happier in the morning. You made an appointment with the photographer for morning session. Dang! When the day comes, baby is cranky and all and you can't change the slots because this famous photographer is fully booked. So, you went anyway...

Fill in the blanks on your own imagination, I could only picture the worst.

At home, you can do it anytime when you feel the timing is right.

3. Convenience and hygiene
See all the nude pictures of baby on the web and really want to do one? Think again!

Babies poo and pee a lot. A lot! And they don't tell you before they do. Pee and poo can come anytime during the session and you'll need a change. And you'll start to wonder how clean was the costumes and rugs that were used on your baby. How many babies pee there before yours? How well the studio clean them?

If that happens at home, you are rest assured they're in good hands (Well, your own hands).

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Baby pee on the bed after this tortoise session

4. Room for error
The photo session wasn't working this morning? No problem, try another time because you're the photographer.

The set up wasn't great on screen? No problem, do more homework tonight and try next week when you get the props right. Because you have the props.

The weather sucks? Well, wait another day.

You have all your time to do it right. And practice makes perfect. After a while, you'll master the skills to set up, change, pose, make baby smile and laugh, keep baby occupied, take pictures all on your own.

5. Fun
If you like photography, this is something fun to experiment :)

2014年12月28日星期日

Santa Baby 圣诞宝宝

歌仔都有得唱啦, 12 days of Christmas, so it's not too late to dress my baby up in the little Santa costume that I've got from amazon.com.

These costumes are not shipped internationally. I have to trouble my best friend in the States to receive the goods on my behalf, and mail them to me. Well, at least that was the initial plan. The goods were delivered late to my friend, it was almost Christmas. With the surge of business in post during festive season, and the very "efficient" Malaysia POS, we knew Santa costume will not make it before Christmas. May not even make it before New Year.

Luckily, my friend's very kind parents who visited her offered to bring these back in their luggages. I was really paiseh to trouble them because they've already helped me with a huge iRobot, and now, another three set of costumes!!!! Very paiseh and at the same time very thankful!

So here we are, able to make it within the 12 days of Christmas.

Santa baby says "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!"

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Santa baby warming up

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Come, santa baby bring you gift :)

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Enjoying the furry rug

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Deep in thoughts, as usual

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Ok, I'm finally done here, can 收工啦~~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Have a great year ahead!

2014年12月24日星期三

Merry Christmas Everybody!

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First Christmas

On my first Christmas, mommy shopped high and low for a giant stocking. She can't seem to find a suitable sized stocking. They're either too little or too huge. At the end, she made do with the extra large one, because you know, bigger is better than smaller.

Because it's way too big, she's scared that she might suffocate me accidentally while taking photos of me. Anyhow, we both survived the ordeals of getting them done.

My mommy also bought a santa costume for me but they're not here yet. I wonder how would I look like in the santa costume, I think I'm gonna be sexy~

Stay tuned for my santa photoshoot within this 12 days of Xmas :)

Meanwhile, have a very merry Christmas!

Hottest Gift of the Year

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2014年12月12日星期五

Baby & Mickey

My baby boy has a best friend, already in such early stage of his life.

It's Mickey!

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Baby and best friend

We bought this Mickey before he's born. I insisted I want to buy a Mickey even though the Man thinks Mickey is a little girlish. (Even though it's Mickey! )

I have fond memories of Mickey, not because he's my favourite Disney character, but he's my little brother's best friend too when he's a little baby. His little Mickey was carried and hugged 24/7. (from the beginning of the post till this point, I was carrying the baby with my left hand and typing with my right) The little Mickey was hugged so much, it's flatten totally. Till the end of it's lifespan, the Mickey became so smelly and ugly, no kidding.

Within the first month of baby's life, we noticed he kinda like his Mickey. Maybe because it has the most striking colours among the toys he has. So when we flew back to hometown, we decided Mickey must come along.

At 1.5months old, baby started to become chatty. And every night, he chats with Mickey, complains to Mickey what have we done to him during the day time. It's so cute.

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"Hey Mickey, talk to me, I'm talking to you, look at me!"

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"Let me tell you some silly things my mom did"

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"What do you think she's doing?"

Maybe I should upload the videos one day :)

2014年12月5日星期五

可爱的小乌龟

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小小乌龟

在怀着孕的时候,常常在网上看见一些可爱的宝宝摄影服装。总是游览,这个也想买,那套也想买。结果,怀了40周,一套都没买上。

好吧,宝宝生出来了,说真的没买有点后悔。又再重新爬网,在淘宝淘一淘,在Amazon逛,结果买了一些,就连毛毯也买。呵呵。前几天,淘宝的两套到了。其中一套还有点大,待他大些再穿。不过,我这个当妈的,真的迫不及待想帮他穿上这套小乌龟了。

可爱不?

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看样子还是挺舒服的 (宝宝的胎毛还是很多)

其实,一个人帮宝宝拍照真的不容易。手脚要很快,担心拖久了他就不耐烦,哭起来就不好啦!一个人,负责脱衣,穿衣,摆好姿势,再拿相机……慌!不过,宝宝他真的很意外的合作。呵呵 :)

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困惑。妈妈到底在干嘛?

最怕的,还是宝宝他小便。毕竟,脱个清光,天气又凉凉的,毛毯毛毛的很痒啊!拍完以后,妈妈我已经满身大汗。才把他抱起来,想转身拿尿片帮他换,嘘……撒尿撒满床!悲啊 T.T

我今晚怎么办啊!

2014年12月3日星期三

两个月大

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开开心心两个月

开心的宝宝
从大约七周大,宝贝开始懂得微笑多一些,再也不再是那个很凶的婴儿。每天早上起床,已不再是撕破喉咙的哭喊。换来的是他对着他的好朋友——米奇老鼠,咿咿呀呀的聊起来。如果真的没人理会他,他真的太闷了,才开始吵着讨抱。要不然就是饿了才哭。

家外有个小院子,当初姐姐一心一意坚持要有张小桌子,可以在那儿吃早餐喝下午茶。也因为她的坚持,这就是我们最爱的早餐spot。宝贝也常常伴随我们,坐在院子里吃早饭喝喝茶。不知多享受!

睡眠
依据BabyCenter的解说,只要宝宝晚上可睡5-6小时,就称之为sleep through the night。根据这个解释,宝贝一个半月就已经sleep through the night。但对我来说,好像还不是呢!半夜三点钟起床不算咯!如果可睡上7个小时,我可乐了!(悄悄说,今天睡了7个小时。但是我不知道是不是因为吃了化痰药才那么好睡,有待观察)

喝奶
他两个月大了,也就意味着我这个pump mother已经进入第三个月。当初以为第一个月之后就会停止,不知不觉时间还是过了。会喂到几时还不知道。现阶段住在家里,事事有人帮忙,要pump也没那么难。将来回到新加坡,看来就比较困难了。倒是整个大白天,就是我和宝贝对望,有没有时间pump,这真难说。至于latch on的训练,暂时还是不太成功。这小瓜进步了,他也不吸,也不哭,就是不动,傻傻的和我对望。望久了,我也没办法,就放弃!真厉害!