Melrish Photography

Baby Adam

2010-03-20T03:23:00.000-07:00

There are times when we think and wonder why our prayers for a child has not yet been answered but most of the time we are thankful for what God has given us in the present. We trust God that He will bless us according to His will and according to His plan - which is always perfect!
When we visited baby Adam, we felt happy for Micael and Emilie! Their 3 week old son was such a bundle of joy. He is truly adorable. Here are some photos we took during our visit.

Moving On

2010-03-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

My last day with my previous company has arrived and passed. When I walked in to office last Thursday, I felt a little bit melancholy but the thrill of change kept me smiling the whole day. This was another chapter of my life closing...like a sun setting on the horizon.
My colleagues gave me the coolest send off. A few days back, I was worried my stuff doesn't fit my new role in my new job. My bag looked like a high school girl's and I said to myself I had to have a new one before Saturday. So as a remembrance, my colleagues gave me a bag, not only one, but two!!! And I already bought a new one Wednesday evening. Isn't that just the craziest?

There are just so many things I will miss about working with KOJ peeps...I will miss the conversations, the lunch breaks, the jokes, the endless emails on a funny topic, the traditional "surprise" birthdays and the smiles through all the deadlines and projects. We were a big family!
I dedicate this photo blog to the friends I made and to the people who posed the challenges to help me grow.

These are just a few of the faces who made the 3 humdrum years of my 8 to 6 job noteworthy and exciting. I want all of you to know that you made a difference in my life and I thank you for that. Hope our roads would cross again.

Solida's Bridal Creations

2010-03-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

We proudly present to you the bridal creations of Solida.

This is one of the biggest and most challenging projects we ever had. Fashion photography is so different from wedding photography as it deals more into details. Unlike photojournalism and wedding photography, fashion photography involves a lot of intelligent manipulated lighting and painstaking post processing and editing. In wedding photography, capturing the emotions and events which will tell the story matters. Both require great composition but the photos in the fashion world gets more scrutiny. The advantage of the latter is that you can reshoot everything all over again in contrast to weddings, where everything happens in a fleeting moment and if you are not on your toes, these moments will just pass you by.
Hope you like these photos. We are very excited to see the printed album she has ordered. Special thanks to Sibilla, our model.
If you would like to see more of Solida's creations, visit her website www.solidafashion.com. You may also email her - solida@eim.ae or you may visit her showroom in Sharjah, UAE. You may also call her - 0097165559880.

Bridal Creations: A Preview

2010-03-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

I wish we could blog more often. However, we have been tied down by a major project we have been doing with a famous fashion designer for the past 3 weeks or so. We will let you know who this designer is in a couple of weeks...as soon as we are done with all the photos and the website. Oh yeah, we also register and design websites!
Hope you like the photos as this is one project we have spent a lot of our waking hours on.

Read the Signs

2010-02-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we have experienced a very strong sandstorm in the morning on our way to Abu Dhabi. There was very less visibility on the road and people outside were turning white with sand in their faces.
On our way back, ominous brown clouds hovered over Dubai and it looked like it was going to rain mud. By 9pm, the heavy rain started falling and soon enough the streets were flooded. We thought we would be stranded in Sharjah but our trusty GMC carried us home.

The next day, news of blocked roads and high floods sounded on the radio. Some schools declared holiday (I hope offices too) but the sun was already up and shining. However, the day passed and it seems that the roads are still impassable. Heavy traffic stranded a lot of motorists on their way home. Fortunately, we drove on the opposite direction.

Earthquake in Chile and Haiti, floods in the middle east and drought in the Philippines - it seems that the Earth is telling us something. Are we blind not to see the signs?

Trash that Dress!

2010-02-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

When our couple from Mumbai called us for post nup shoot in the desert, we knew we would all have an awesome time. It is our first "trash the dress" photo session and we hope this wouldn't be the last.
We do recommend all newly weds to have a "trash the dress" shoot for many reasons. First, you can pose all you want in the place you want without thinking of waiting guests. Secondly, before sending your gown for that expensive dry cleaning, use it to the fullest. Drag that trail all around the city if you may. :-) Third, before you start thinking those wedding clothes should be kept and forgotten, wear for them for the last time and this time, it will be a lot more comfortable. Then you will start thinking can I wear it everyday? Lastly, because you want that unforgettable gorgeous fun shoot on your wall for everyone to see.
Couples...trash that dress! Call us!

Running After Superstars

2010-02-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, photojournalism "paparazzi" style is not easy as pie. We found it out last Saturday when we were commissioned to shoot two tennis stars at a game sponsored by Sony Ericsson at The Walk in Jumeirah.
The email came on a Thursday confirming that we will be one of the photographers to shoot the event on Saturday. We were excited as this will be our first time to cover a sporting event. We blocked off Saturday evening and we made sure we our cameras were fully charged.
Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova were supposed to appear around 7pm. We were there at 6:00pm but we couldn't find a parking space until 6:20pm. With cameras on our shoulders and speedlites on hand, we ran to the venue to receive our briefs.
Brief: to get the best possible shots of the tennis stars with the branding in the backdrop. Easy,... not!
For one, both these tennis divas are well guarded by their body guards and noone could get an inch closer to them. Plus, there were a lot of other paparazzis who kept blocking your view. So after a lot of pushin' and runnin', we felt like each proper photo was a gem.

After that Saturday night experience, we realized how much effort, skill and preparation it takes to compete in the world of photojournalism. We salute all all photojournalists out there risking it all to capture the truth at its best.

Anshu+Niraj Wedding

2010-02-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

Anshu and Niraj's wedding is our first Hindu wedding assignment. The ceremony was really interesting and there were a lot of symbolisms involved. We hope we could share the details but we couldn't recall all of the details ourselves. Bummer!

We love black and white post processing but in this set, there is no room for it. The colors and vibrance captivated us.

But like our other weddings, their wedding was a joyous occasion and everyone who attended felt touched by the love they have for each other. It is in the way they look at each other and smile.

These two individuals are very creative and passionate. She is a fashion designer and he is a talented singer and songwriter. They are really meant for each other. When they related how he proposed, we pictured it to be like a romantic scene from a movie!
Once again we felt honored to be their photographers. We even received our first award in the ceremony category in the Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalists Association. Check out our previous blog.
You can only be good in what you do if you have your heart in it. And for us, we really love photography...documenting life as it happens.

Sights and Scenes of Singapore

2010-02-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

We love to travel and we will grab every opportunity which comes our way to visit a new place or experience something out of the ordinary.
Early this year, God has opened a door for us to visit the world-renowned city of Singapore. We stayed there for 3 days and experienced the thrill of walking through a rainforest in the midst of a modern megalopolis.

Our first itinerary was surely the Merlion. We felt this shot was the best among tens of shots we did for the Merlion.

We enjoyed the Night Safari being so close to wildlife. However, it was too dark to get good photos and flash will disturb the nocturnal creatures. So we returned during daytime and took these photos.

We ate at Clarke Quay and met friends who took us through Chinatown to taste delicious dumplings then to Faber Hills to have a great overlooking shot of the city.

We love the people and we felt safe with their hospitality and warmth. Their discipline and respect for their community and surroundings will definitely take Singapore further.

We give God thanksgiving for giving us this opportunity to see Singapore, such a blessed country.

We Got Our First Photo Award in AGWPJA!

2010-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago, we blogged about how we were so excited when we got accepted as member of The Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalist Association. With hundreds of wedding photojournalist from all over the globe, we felt honored and proud to be the first photographers accepted in Middle East!
When we browsed their newly designed website today, we found that the 4th quarter winners were already published and our photo entry was in 20th place in the ceremony category.

Our hearts are leaping with joy as we give thanks to God who gave us this opportunity. Thanks to our clients too especially Anshu and Niraj whom we photographed in this award winning photo. We will blog about them soon!

Foggy February Morning

2010-02-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it. It has already been a month into the year. We still have a lot of "debris" from 2009 that we have to clean up. But like we always remind ourselves, take life slow. Cherish every moment. Always look at things at a better perspective.

1st February was a very foggy day in Dubai. Winter will get over soon, we thought. So while we drove to work today, I looked around and realized there is very less visibility. Even the road signs are hidden in the haze. The trees and skyscrapers seemed to disappear but in fact, they are there. You just couldn't see them.

Reminds me of why we sometimes get worried about things. Problems and challenges cloud our hope and we feel lost and abandoned. In midst of trials we sometimes think God is not there. But He is there. Sometimes He is nearer than we think.

This thought warmed my heart and made me excited and hopeful for what the rest of the year might bring. Thank You God for being there.

Jade + Jhe's Wedding

2010-01-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

In this present time where "pure and perfect love" seems to be an illusion, where pre-marital sex and "no-string" relationships are rampant, it is dreamlike to witness a wedding like Jhe and Jade's. They have dated for years but this couple have never ever kissed preserving that special "first time" on their wedding day.
From the preparation through the reception, we are proud to have captured the genuine emotions which transpired.

Here are few details of the day which made it more surreal.

The anticipation, the tears of joy and loving stares...these are slices of life we are fortunate to capture.

We just love kids and how unexpected they act.

This is a very cute detail we will treasure. Little angels sitting in a row.

Unplanned moments like this butterfly alighting on the couple during the ceremony is way better than a directed well composed photos.

And finally the kiss! These two lovebirds are just smitten with each other.

Weddings are generally happy and fun-filled with jokes, songs, dancing...

but sometimes it's too overwhelming you couldn't help but cry.
We cried with the family as they delivered their messages for each other during the ceremony and reception.

This photo of her tear-jerkin' dance with her big brother, Dave while her groom is looking on is priceless.

If we were to describe Jhe and Jade's wedding with one word, it would be "touching".

Again, we are so blessed to be chosen to photograph this union of two angels.

Travel Tale: Tagaytay

2010-01-23T10:33:00.000-08:00

During our short vacation last December, we were able to spend a day in one of the most-visited places in the Philippines - Tagaytay. Here are the things that we did there, the things we saw and the things that we thought were worth a photo.

We visited a lettuce farm. It something you don't see everyday.
Arish temporarily obsessed on a bike and took these photos.

We photographed flowers, coffee beans and little stars. This set is actually one of the most colorful albums we have so far.

We saw critters and thought we might practice macro photography.

We drove around and visited some farms where we took these few photos.

My sister got tired with all the driving around so we thought to take her portrait too.

And of course, we wouldn't miss the Taal Volcano. The best time to take its photograph is before noon to avoid a foggy outcome like this. Hehehe!

Finally, a pizza dinner and hot choco was the best way to conclude another day of travel.

An Answered Prayer

2010-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Apologies for not blogging regularly lately when I have made a resolution to constantly update our blog this 2010. Well it is not too late. We are still on the first month of the year.
We have been very busy updating our website and we are just pleased to have finally finished and uploaded it successfully. We studied Adobe Flash through internet resources and we have carefully chosen the images for launch. Please visit our website and let us know what you think. We are still studying how to make a dynamic xml photo gallery so the webpages will open faster. If you can help us with it, good and great!
The Lord has been really good to us and has blessed with a membership in the prestigious Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalist Association. An answered prayer. It has been our goal to be known internationally and here's a great way to start.

We would like to extend our appreciation to our family, friends and to the couples we have photographed. Cheers to all of you!

Odelia+Jason's Wedding

2010-01-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

This is our first destination wedding and it was really a fun and memorable one.
Odelia and Jason stumbled upon our website and contacted us. They liked our work and trusted us enough to fly us to Mumbai, India. They were our clients but now they are very good friends. We had a swell time shooting their engagement photos and we also covered their Roce, a pre-wedding ceremony where they groom and bride to be are bathed with coconut milk before their wedding day. Here are a few photos of the Roce. Fun ain't it?

The wedding on the 5th of December was an unforgettable event for the couple who prepared each and every detail. It was unforgettable for us too the way their families and friends welcomed us and helped us in every way. Here are photos of the details.

Their wedding was held in Don Bosco in Mumbai and their reception in the Imperial Banquets.

On their way to the reception venue, we clicked their picture in the building lobby. We later realized the poster of girls looking awed seemed to have been deliberately included in the photo..not!

This nice shot was taken in an elevator.

I really love their cake because of how personalized it was.

There were around 300 or more guests but everybody had a great time especially Jason and Odelia. They really rocked the dance floor.

But there were tear shedding too that happened. Odelia had a lot of tears to shed. ;-P

Best wishes to the two of you! Cheers!

Kanika+Michael Wedding

2010-01-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

Happy new year to all! 2010 is here with a promising outlook.
We want to start the year with one of the best weddings we have covered last 2009 - Kanika and Michael's wedding. Remember them? We shot their engagement last October. Click here to here to read our blog for their eshoot.

The day started with their separate preparations with family and friends.

Kanika is such a beautiful blushing bride, isn't she?

But don't let that smile fool you,..she felt nervous yet happy at the same time.
Michael was more composed. He just couldn't contain his excitement. Look at that pose.

The ceremony was very solemn. Two God-fearing Christians will now share one life together.

Kanika's mum's smile shows how happy she is for her daughter.

And as they seal their union with a kiss, we caught Kanika with this reaction.

After the ceremony, we took rockin' photos of the entourage and the couple before we proceeded to the reception venue.

The wedding reception was held in the renowned Atlantis hotel. Their wedding celebration was really brimming with fun and merry-making. We just love these dance photos.

No, these two aren't fighting. They are dancing to Michael Jackson's "Beat It".

And we even had a stiff competition. Hahahaha!

To Kanika and Michael, we wish you all the best and may your new year and years ahead be blissful and God-centered.

A Christmas Blog

2009-12-30T07:06:00.000-08:00

When Myriam asked us to do their family portrait with their little angel, Rianna, we were honored and happy. It is Rianna's first Christmas and they wanted to send out the photos to their families abroad.

Rianna was so cute with her little Santa dress and little reindeer shoes which didn't stay on her feet for long because she played with them. She was just adorable.

Their family is beautiful - simply picture perfect.

We like to dedicate this set and blog to our families and friends this holiday season. May the true meaning of Christmas warm your hearts and touch your souls. After all, on the first Christmas, a Savior came to deliver us from darkness and give us a chance to eternal life.

Incredible India (Part of it)

2009-12-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

Our trip to India for our first destination wedding (if you don't count our wedding assignments in Dubai and Philippines) was short and sweet. We arrived early morning in Mumbai and flew to Delhi where we met some friends. Parts of India looked like parts of Manila. Bustling streets and under construction roads,..yep, felt like home in a way except that we didn't speak their language and another thing, they drive on the different side of the road.

We met smiling faces on the way.

Some were eager to sell us something or just whatever,

like this guy who I think is trying to sell us his poor monkey.

On our way to Agra, we grabbed a meal from a famous restaurant serving really good butter chicken.

The place had a very pretty courtyard and the interior was decorated with antiques and ornaments from the olde.

Our journey to Agra was quite long and most of the time we were asleep. Whenever we opened our eyes, we took photos of interesting stuff like these.

Finally, after 6 hours of driving, we reached Agra where we got a knowledgeable tour guide who took us around. We told him we were after the best angles of the Taj Majal and that's what he showed us. (Sadly we couldn't find his contact details).

We like this stolen shot of a couple with the monument of love in the background.

Another notable thing we noticed about Agra and around Agra is how friendly small critters are like this squirrel.

There are still so many places we wanted to visit but our time was limited. But there is always a second time around and our visas are still valid until April. So watch out for the sequel of - Indeed Incredible India. :-)
Check out more photos in our Facebook Fan Page.

Dubai Fashion Week: Last Shots

2009-12-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

Before we totally close our topic on the Dubai Fashion Week, let us share with you the last three days of best photos. We were already tired from our full time office jobs but we had to be there for two of Philippines' renowned designers and of course the event's finale - Barbie's 50th birthday celebration.
These creations are by Michael Cinco, a Filipino designer based in Dubai.

Discovered by Heidi Klum (which catapulted his career), Amato is also a famous Dubai-based designer.
We find his creation avante-garde but very sophisticated.

The week's finale was definitely the best! Showcasing creations from all participating designers, the models ramped with the Barbie attitude in tribute to her 50th anniversary. It is a way of saying - Girls don't age, they evolve. :-) Hope you enjoy these photos.

The First Dance

2009-12-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Held on a Friday the 13th, a gorgeous Lebanese couple celebrated their union in Holiday International, Sharjah. The occasion was attended only by close friends and relatives. The couple wanted their celebration simple and sweet...and that was what it was.

From the preparation, this couple never ceased to look at each other, whisper sweet words and already they were dancing to the tune of their hearts in the room...swaying and spinning.

And this is not exaggeration. It is as if in each other's arms, they are transported in a world of their own where noone else existed and that the whole universe revolves around them. Their first dance was so romantic and it was the highlight of the evening. They were so absorbed with each other and the others just stared with envy wondering where to find that kind of love.

But it is not surprising that they are so attractive to each other. Look how pretty this bride is.

The night went on with a lot of dancing and food.

We are really blessed to be part of these celebrations.

Lejo and Prasitha's Eshoot

2009-12-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

Remember Lejo and Pressy's shoot we did for their invitation? They were so happy with the outcome that they wanted to have more photos but this time, they want to do it outdoors.

So we went on location for their outdoor engagement shoot. We drove downtown to Souk Al Bahar to capture some romantic photos and great views. Here are few of the photos we took.

I like the contrast of the bridge against the aquamarine manmade lake.

Downtown boulevard is magical at night with the line of palm trees lit up with fairy lights.

We will post soon their wedding reception and post wedding photos next.

Our First Arabic Wedding

2009-12-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

Finally! We are back online! After the long slumber from active blogging, we feel like a volcano ready to erupt. Yep, like hot lava, tons of photos and stories need to be told and shared. Hope y'all had patience and for those who waited, may our posts within the next days satisfy your curiosity - where has MelRish gone to?

Let us first start with a shoot we did last October. We still haven't witnessed completely an Arabic wedding here in Emirates but this assignment gave us a glimpse of the mystery that goes on behind tightly shut doors of an all female celebration.

Of course, an all female function requires only female photographers which means Arish had to be left out.
Due to religious restrictions, no portraits of the bride nor any of the female attendees of the party will not be posted. We will be posting details of the events only.

There are a lot of lessons learned for every "first time". For this first Arabic event, we learned that it always good to have an interpreter and translator. :-)

Angel+Jason's Eshoot (Part 2)

2009-11-29T09:34:00.000-08:00

After a very long time of blog-abstinence due to our disconnection to the worldwide web, I finally have the opportunity to update our blog through the free wifi in the Dubai International Airport. I am not sure if I still know how to blog...so many things to write about and all the photos and stories all jumbled up in my head.
So yeah, we are now bound to Mumbai for our first ever destination wedding! Yipee! We are just excited to see what is in store for us in India...definitely the Taj Mahal, the people and the streetscape. On the same note, let me thank the people who made this possible - Jason and Odelia (aka Angel, Jason's angel). Love you guys and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.Many thanks to our friends who prayed for our safe journey and have given practical advice.
Before boarding start (which is soon), let me post this 2nd and last part of our engagement shoot with Jason and Odelia in Souk Madinat Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim beach.

Angel+Jason's Eshoot (Part 1)

2009-11-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

It has been more than a week now when we started shifting to our new place and we have been busy fixing our small but really cool crib since then. We will be posting that soon too.
This post will just be really short. We just want to share photos of this really sweet couple whose wedding we will be shooting in India. Yipee! India here we come!
Due to the limited internet access (o please etisalat, work out our connection fast!), I will posting the rest on a second post.

Dubai Fashion Week (Part 1)

2009-10-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

We never saw ourselves into the world of fashion photography but when we got the opportunity to shoot in the Dubai Fashion Week, we were overjoyed and ectstaic!
The glitz! The glamour!

Open doors are leading us into this new world of flashing lights and skinny catwalk divas. It was a different world - good yet different. It seemed like a masquerade where everyone was wearing their best masks just like these girls...it's all for show.

As photographers, we felt a different kind of high. But we still love lifestyle and travel photography more. We feel more alive in that setting. It is beauty in its truest form.
My advice to all aspiring photographers, don't listen to me. I might be more comfortable with lifestyle and travel while you might find your niche in fashion, macro, abstract or in something else. Try the different kinds of photography. But always give it your best.

Hope you like these few of the many photos we took from the event. We will be posting a separate album in our website dedicated to fashion. Check out more photos there. I will be photoblogging next about the show by a Filipino designer, Michael Cinco and hopefully from the finale which is Barbie's 50th birthday!