(Related: How To Capture Picture-Perfect Portraits)

What were some of the challenges in the early days of the studio?
EL Setting up White Room Studio with Dan is a dream come true. Working in photography, which is our passion, drove us to give 100 per cent of ourselves into creating beautiful portraits over the past nine years.

We had to build up a portfolio from scratch and I remember lugging studio equipment from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to photograph my friend’s family for our portfolio, though it made quite an interesting experience.

We were so lucky to meet really kind clients who gave us invaluable advice, which helped us tremendously in putting one foot at a time in the right direction.

We had a very tiny studio space initially, and again, we were very lucky to secure our current space in River Valley, which opened up a much bigger variety of styles we can achieve within our studio.

How long did it take to get the business on track and expanding at a healthy pace?
EL It was after two years of intense hard work, with mistakes and stumbles along the way. I can say that we really learned the hard way, but that has allowed us to constantly reflect on our experiences and apply what we learned into providing the best customer service. 

As our customer base grew substantially, that presented a new challenge—which was to manage so many active projects whilst still maintaining and improving White Room Studio’s standard of artistry and service to clients. From just the two of us, we are now a team of seven, and still looking to hire great staff to be part of our team.

What sets you apart from other photography studios?
EL We listen, and we are always there to help in all the ways we can. We spend time getting to know each family or individual, building personal connections, and we often find intimate, emotional stories in the process which really helps us to portray a genuine side of our subjects.

We are also fortunate to be situated over two levels of a heritage shophouse in River Valley, which gives so much warmth and natural light opportunities in our shoots. The studio has been renovated to impeccable taste, preserving the original floorboards and ceilings and offering a unique Peranakan/ colonial style to our imagery. And of course, the recognition from our multiple awards over the years.

Are there particular styles of photography that your team at White Room Studio prefers?
EL Natural, interactive poses; journalistic images; as well as artistic monochromatic and rustic colour tones. We try to use natural light as much as we can, or even a mix or ambient and studio lighting. We really want the subjects to speak for themselves, so we keep the use of props to a minimum. 

What are your upcoming plans for the studio?
EL It is our tenth anniversary this year, and we are really excited to celebrate this milestone. We also plan to utilise our very own professional gallery space Third Room Gallery, to showcase works that our photographers have done outside of the studio.

Why is White Room Studio the go-to for portraitures?
EL White Room Studio is renowned for passion and perfection: to listen and understand, and to be a friend, capturing the essence of your personality and touching your inner soul through the use of light & shadows.