Sneak Peek: Aliza and Chris

Aliza and Chris found me all the way from Australia and I'm so glad they did. Not only were they a wonderful couple to work with, but listening to their accents made it that much more fun.

Aliza and Chris - Huntington Beach

Sneak Peek: Thuy and Khoi

A full day of wedding festivities from San Diego to Costa Mesa to Westminster!

Thuy and Khoi - Costa Mesa

Sneak Peek: Meghan and Ken

This is the busiest couple of months of the year, but I wanted to at least post a couple of cute shots of Meghan and Ken up in Lafayette. I did their engagement session in San Francisco this time last year and was so happy to go up north again for their beautiful wedding. Congratulations guys!

Meghan and Ken, Lafayette

Sneak Peek: The Silhouette

Often times in wedding photography, the location and time of your shots are chosen for you. With a little bit of observation, and a whole lotta luck, you might be able to envision a shot that most people don't see. Take a sunny afternoon, a lot of wind, a spotty area, a little bit of post processing, mix it all up, smile, and it could turn into something like this:

The Silhouette - Liz and Bob, Dana Point

Sneak Peek: Lake

Some digital photographs are altered to seem surreal. And some are simply exist in real life and you just capture it. This was one of those moments where I looked up and realized that the scene was so very unique.

Lake - Thuy and Khoi, Irvine

And another: I just love when couples let go and start having fun

Baby Avery

Photographing a one month old baby can be pretty challenging, but once you get the shot, it all becomes worthwhile and the moment will live forever. I can now truly appreciate what it means to have a beautiful photograph of your baby at each stage of their young life. Here is baby Avery at one month:

Sneak Peek: Dimples

The one thing I kept noticing when photographing Angelina and Mark was Angelina's adorable dimples. Every time she smiled at Mark, they showed up. And she smiled a lot at him. There's just something about a cute pair of dimples. When Angelina chose me as her photographer, she likened my photos to a high definition TV, that my photos were to regular photos what an HDTV was to a standard definition TV. Obviously, that made me smile. So here are Angelina's dimples, in a high definition photograph.

Dimples - Angelina and Mark, Costa Mesa

And a bonus sneak speek: Angelina spontaneously came up with this pose. A woman knows her best angles.

Sneak Peek: Walk with Me

Walk with Me - Desiree and Andrew, Laguna Beach

Bonus sneak speek: Rarely do you have a bride that says she wants to run, in the water, in her wedding dress. When that happens, you say yes, I'll shoot your wedding.

Sneak Peek: Anticipation

Here's another first look, this time at the beautiful Muckenthaler Mansion with Nina and Keiji.

Anticipation - Nina and Keiji, Fullerton

Daughter

For those of you who have been requesting more photos of Maylin, here are a few from the past couple of months. Other than photography, she consumes most of my time, and I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

A few things about her: She walks fine, but still prefers to tip-toe her way around. She likes shoes. She calls all kids "baby." She's tough, and persistent. She gives great kisses on command.

Sneak Peek: The First Look

The first look is probably the easiest time to capture genuine and natural images. I love that moment when the bride is a few steps from the groom: The anticipative butterflies of the groom, the sweet smile of the bride. It's almost like walking down the aisle twice.

The First Look - Angel and Daniel, Pasadena

And a bonus sneak speek: I loved the idea of having orange trees on the Caltech campus. How convenient when you need your vitamin C's.

Laguna Niguel Eshoot with Liz and Bob

Laguna Niguel, California.

I could not ask for more beautiful skies in Southern California for a photoshoot. The rain came and went, and so did the sun. In the end we were left with amazing clouds and gorgeous blue skies. Having traveled from Boston to do the shoot, Liz and Bob wanted to show the best of Southern California and I think we captured it that day. Here are a few of my favorites:

This was the most difficult shot to get. It was handheld on a slow shutter speed to capture the motion of the water streaming in.

Jahliz - R&B Singer

I recently worked with R&B singer songwriter "Jahliz" for her promo shots and album cover in Newport Beach. When Juliette first called me over the phone, she was so excited because she was finally taking the first steps towards her dreams. She was just signed and was already working on tracks for her debut album, "Transformation," a title describing the improvements she has made and continue to make to both of her physique and state of mind through hard work, dedication, and self-belief. After doing some research, what impressed me the most about her was her appearance on Showtime at the Apollo where she impressed the notoriously critical audience and had them dancing on their feet with her amazing vocals.

This photo of Juliette was recently published in the popular Filipino newspaper Balita.

Screenshot from Balita Print Edition

Sneak Peek: The Engagement

As a photographer, one of the things I enjoy most is the variety of the projects I am involved in. I rarely turn down a shoot that involves something I haven't done before. Different intrigues me. In turn, I am more focused because I have to be. The details in the fashion, the procedures in the ceremony, I wouldn't want to miss a thing.

The Engagement - Reema and Kartik, Brea

Featured on Utterly Engaged

I'm so honored to be featured on Utterly Engaged, The 1st Wedding E-zine, mostly because they recognized the work that I've done with the Child Abuse Prevention Center and Society of St. Vincent De Paul Council of Los Angeles. These are charities with great causes and it's always great to bring exposure to them.

Utterly Engaged is a really cute e-magazine catered to brides with a goal of inspiring budget savvy brides with style. I'm on Issue #008 under big heart big talent.

Screenshots from Utterly Engaged

Sneak Peek: Greens and Blues

It's true. Not all days are created equal. Some days are just more beautiful than others. Yesterday was one of those gorgeous days, depending on where you are. We were at the right place at the right time, just as I had hoped and planned for. With the weather changing by the second, the sun wavering between shining through the clouds and calling it a day, I quickly placed Liz and Bob on the hill within a minute of arriving. What I love about being an experienced photographer is that no matter how much you learn about using a camera, nothing can replace the vision that is in your mind and having the ability to show it through the lens, all within a matter of seconds as a special moment can pass you by just like that. Only with the sunshine hitting the field could we have the vibrancy in the grass that we see below.

Greens and Blues - Elizabeth and Bob, Laguna Niguel

Laguna Beach Engagement Session with Nina and Keiji

Laguna Beach, California.

With it raining a lot recently in Orange County, we caught a beautiful sunny day with Nina and Keiji in Laguna Beach on Valentine's Day. To say there were a lot of people at the beach that day would be an understatement. It was packed! With a little patience, however, we were able to take photos that look as if they had the beach all to themselves. Here are a few of my favorites: