Taking our first family picture in a studio

It was the first time my parents and siblings took photographs from a photo studio. It was known as 'My Photo Studio' at 5 1/2 milestone Changi Road. When we went in, we were told to took into the mirror and comb our hair, adjust our clothing so that we looked smart. Then we were told to stand in front of a machine. Two white umbrellas were hung above us. We were puzzled. Then the photographer went behind the machine and covered himself wiith a black cloth. He was bending down quite like the lion dancer. One difference was that his head gear was a black cloth. After fidgetting his knots of the machine, he came out of it. He looked at us and smiled. We smiled back. He pressed the black ball in his hand. Suddenly, there was a bright light with a soft 'b o....oo....b' sound. He smiled again and reminded us not to agitate. He pressed the ball again. Anothe flash and another sound happened. "It's all over. You can go home now' he said. My father was asked to collect the photograph in a week's time. That photograph was our family's first. The huge machine is a studio camera.