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Marina Bay Sands is less than one year old, but already it is a Singapore icon, dominating the skyline and offering some of the best views of the city from the Sands SkyPark 56 stories up in the air.  Perched atop the SkyPark is Ku De Ta restaurant and lounge, already one of Singapore's most popular dining and night spots.

I was recently commissioned by Marina Bay Sands' lifestyle magazine, Sands Style, to photograph a series of portraits of Dan Segall and Vinnie Quek, Ku De Ta's Executive Chef and Director of Entertainment.

Portraiture is among my favourite types of photography; creating imagery that captures a person's true personality is what I love most.  However, when shooting portraits for magazines, I am often given only a few moments with my subjects.  Thus, getting them to relax and feel comfortable in this limited amount of time is the most significant challenge I face as a photographer.  Suffice to say, Dan and Vinnie were not my typical subjects; nor was this a typical shoot.

The energy these two had on set was infectious.  They were not the least bit self-conscious in front of the camera.  And above all, they wanted to have fun.  This made my job as the photographer very easy.

These photographs of Dan and Vinnie were made on the outdoor terrace at Ku De Ta, overlooking Marina Bay Sands' famous 150 meter long infinity pool.

Although this series of images won't be appearing in the Spring 2011 edition of Sands Style (another portrait was selected for the magazine feature), these are among my favourite frames we made together that afternoon.

See more of my portrait photography on my website.