Samuel & Joanna | December 10, 2025 | Jesus My King Church, Shelby, North Carolina

When I decided to become a Wedding photographer, I had many opportunities to see through the lens of countless photographers from different parts of the world. Looking at their pictures always made me wonder what it is that makes theirs different and it had become one of the things in my bucket list – photographing a wedding beyond the borders of Singapore.

So, imagine my excitement when I got a call from my uncle who now resides in North Carolina, USA, asking me if I could photograph my cousin’s wedding. The best part? It’s a paid job! I mean, my uncle could have easily hired a local photographer but asked for my craftsmanship instead. That itself is a personal accomplishment, to have your family recognise and value your work. Needless to say, asking me if I was taking up the job was the same as asking do cows ‘moo”?

However, since it was my cousin’s wedding, I felt the pressure to perform exceedingly – your family is your biggest support and critique, agree? Add to that, due to the 13-hour time difference, it was quite a challenge to arrange for a call to discuss the wedding matters. Furthermore, being unfamiliar with the wedding location was yet another challenge. Lighting in a venue can either make or break the pictures. I had to ensure that I had the necessary tools to bring across the globe.

Upon reaching Charlotte, I joined my family for the wedding rehearsal, which gave me the opportunity to recce the venue and go through the important details. I appreciated how the couple and everyone involved in the wedding preparation were accommodating to my last-minute requests like switching the bride’s walk-in entrance, completely changing the bride’s getting ready location and of course, getting the necessary permission to light up the sky within the church compound.

This wedding was hands-down one of the best weddings I’ve shot. As a photographer, it was an honour. As a brother, it was a proud moment. I would love to go on about my first experience shooting overseas but I believe the pictures would speak for themselves. Here are some of my favourites from Samuel and Joanna’s  wedding.