April 14th, 2010:
Once again, I am fiercely computing/editing/caffeinating for the images I captured last Saturday at Ben and Sanja’s wedding in Topanga Canyon. This is just a taste for you all, more to come in a few days.
April 7th, 2010:
After a day of recon with my wife earlier last week (which involved a wonderfully romantic picnic for the two of us), Annie and Justin got lucky when we came across these fields of green that have sprung to life recently in Topanga Canyon. We met up with this young couple in the middle of the day, by most photographers accounts, the time you would least like to be making pictures. I didn’t find it so at all and let that sun shine through on these great pictures of this happy couple.
April 3rd, 2010:
No, not THAT Venice.
I spent Good Friday at the bustling Venice Beach in California, shooting an engagement session with Anna & Alan.
The winds were chilly but the light was as gorgeous as my wife and I walked with and photographed this happy couple.
March 30th, 2010:
Keana and Jason wanted something different for their engagement pictures; a little edgy and a little urban. So, we met up last weekend in downtown Los Angeles in the Arts District. I have a few friends in this area and knew it to have quite a diverse feel. It definitely helped to create a very unique perspective on this couple.
Jan 29th, 2010:
I just finished up pictures for Cindy and Mike at Santa Monica Pier, where we shot under the clear blue sky after a week of storms here in Southern California.
Also be sure to check out the new “Engagement Photos” section on my webpage, where I’ve featured some of my favorite pictures!
The Future:
“A man is terribly wealthy if he can spend his life doing something he loves.” –Bob Evans
About 4 years ago I came up with this list of things I want to do before I die. I was feeling a little down lately, until I came across this and started checking things off.
So after realizing that I am moving in the right direction of my life goals, life is looking up. Now just a while longer until my wonderful Wong is with me!
(and as a side note, the picture above is my cousin Jessica, who is starting her senior year of high school right now)
Paparazzi Style:
So my very good friend Daniel decided he wanted to pop the question to his lady Scherrie. Not to be outdone by anyone, he made sure to make it an occasion to remember, first he picked up a ring from Brilliant Earth, a supplier of conflict-free diamonds from eco-friendly mines in Canada, then he called me to drive all over Newport Beach with him to help plan the Reality TV style scavenger hunt he was going to be sending Scherrie on. It included about a dozen stops that all were relevant to things they had done together during their time dating.
Next we scoped out “The Spot” (Inspiration Point, near Corona del Mar), checked what time the sunset was and stopped in our local Calumet Camera to see what kinds of telephoto lenses they had available to the day (which was still a couple days off). We booked a 300mm F/4 IS and he spent the weekend acting all strange around her while he fretted over how it would play out.
Monday was here. I picked up the 300mm and met Daniel at a coffeeshop where I proceeded to drink an amazingly strong latte, and listen to his nerves rattle. We didn’t want Scherrie to know I was taking pictures, so we got to “The Spot” about an hour early and started figuring out how this was going to work. Finally we decided to hide me behind a towel thrown over the railing and have him positioned in the middle of the overlook. I had my 135mm f/2 on my 5D and the 300mm on a 20D (giving me quite a bit of reach for tight portraits). Hidden behind my towel I was able to shoot the entire event covertly without her ever knowing I was there!
And the best part? …she said yes.
Afterwords we spent about 20 minutes doing a quick set of engagement pictures and then they were off to their dinner reservation.
Congrats Daniel and Scherrie!
Another Saturday Night:
It was a beautiful Southern California August night, and Trisha and Phil got married. They let me take part in this special day and document it as it happened. Everything went beautifully, and I just want to congratulate them again on there special day.
I think being married myself is opening my eyes more and more each day to the beauty that love creates in life. Even while shooting something I used to not comprehend (marriage), it made me more thankful to have her in my life. Even though she is 8900 miles away, I knew she was supporting me in what I do and that the confidence in our love in is changing the way I photograph things of this nature.
Sorry if this blog is slowly diverging from travel to my general life, but I am addicted to blogging now and I hope some of you out there are addicted to looking at my pictures.
Friends:
The day after we got back from Penang, Felicia got a call from our friends Ye-Min and Tim (a fellow American), whose wedding we were supposed to attend the next day. It turned out their evening photographer had came down with something and they didn’t have a photographer for their nighttime events. Of course I agreed to come and do my best, so they could enjoy their special day without being too worried about pictures.
The day was beautiful and I am really happy how the pictures came out. Also, I definitely plan to take them up on their offer of hospitality for their extra room when Felicia and I come to New York sometime in the next year!