Since picking up a camera in late 2010, I’ve noticed the power of human relationships that this little black box can bring to someone dedicated to the art of photography. From weddings, to engagements, passing by photographing a band and family members, I’ve never stopped taking each new shoot as a personal challenge to improve on the previous one.

Because of the wedding season starting at around May, I wanted to find a few challenges that would enable me to think differently in terms of lighting, posing, color and composition. My philosophy when photographing people is to make sure that they have the best photographic experience possible. The quality of the images will then naturally be an outcome of the process because the subjects are actively engaged in making this happen for themselves…and you.

Such a challenge presented itself when Amanda Chung contacted me by email, to inquire about the possibility of doing a portrait session for her recent win in the Miss Chinese Montreal beauty pageant contest (challenge: say it three times as quickly as you can without faltering). It didn’t take too much thinking on my part to realize that it would be pretty interesting to see and learn how a professional like her would perform in front of the camera. She was fantastic! I didn’t need to give much direction (if any!) and I learned quite a few gems that I’ll definitively share with my brides. Amanda is a young, professional and inspiring individual passionate about life. It’s refreshing to see young adults working hard to achieve their dreams! Here are a few pictures from our session…and I’m sure it won’t be the last one!

Note: The one in the middle is her cracking up after telling her a somewhat morbid joke…As they say in the movie Hangover, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…”.