brandonwong's blog

Neetu + Neil | Bridal Shower, Peninsula Hotel, Beverly Hills

2009-11-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

I don't usually post detail shots, but this wedding gown shaped centerpiece was definitely an exception to the norm. Here are a few pictures of Neetu's bridal shower. It was a short and sweet event filled with quiz games, great food, and presents.

Jessica + Derek | Marina Del Rey Wedding

2009-10-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

Jessica + Derek were a ton of fun at their engagement session and their wedding was no different. The ceremony and reception took place entirely on a beautiful five-story FantaSea yacht which circled the harbor providing romantic views throughout the night. We were also blessed with a cloudy day which provided great light and kept the ceremony down to a comfortable temperature for all of us to enjoy. I also had the chance to catch up with Jessica's cousin, Eileen Kwan, who made one of the most moving speeches I have ever heard during a wedding.

After the sun came down we finally had a chance to see Jessica's wild side come out at the bar as well as on the dance floor. Due to the size of the reception floor there was a smaller than average area to dance but Jessica + Derek and their friends made sure to take advantage of every inch until the night was over.

Also, make sure to catch their slideshow on the bottom of this post.

Katrina's photo below

Katrina's photo below

Katrina's photo below

To watch the slideshow, click the picture below or visit here

Denise + Luis | Wedding

2009-10-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Denise + Luis are two of the most welcoming, kind, and in love people I have ever met. I could tell from their anticipation and emotions in the morning that they most definitely had found that perfect person and was ready to make that wonderful commitment for the rest of their lives.

I also spent a good deal of time in the morning having a "photoshoot" with their son Evan, who looks deceivingly cute but can sometimes be a little devil :) If you guys don't follow me on twitter, you can see the picture that all the girls, Evan, and I took together here. Oh yeah, Denise + Luis also know how to party, hard.

Katrina's photo below

Denise's mother

Katrina's photo below

Denise + Luis | Wedding Preview - Dogs

2009-10-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Katrina and I love dogs, but unfortunately circumstances do not allow us to have one. So, when a wedding comes along with a few cute dogs typically we cannot help but to take tons of pictures of them. Here are a few from Denise + Luis' wedding.

Katrina's photo below

Katrina's photo below

Caitlin + Anthony | Slideshow

2009-10-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

Caitlin + Anthony | Engagement

2009-10-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

Just a few from Caitlin and Anthony's engagement.

Rootbeer

2009-09-23T23:37:00.001-07:00

Maritess + Jon | Engagement

2009-09-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

The sun came down a mere twenty minutes into our engagement session so Katrina and I were only able to work with whatever light was available. This meant everything from streetlights to LED posters. This led to some moody and beautiful images that I absolutely loved. Afterwards Maritess and Jon were so kind to take us to a chic restaurant for some drinks and great food. Thanks for the incredible time you guys.

Linda + Tony | Wedding

2009-08-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Much like their engagement session, Linda and Tony wanted a laid back wedding in their backyard with just close family and friends by their sides. Because of that, the entire affair was intimate, full of laughs, and had tons of hugs. Over the course of being a wedding photographer I have seen many couples getting getting hitched, but I have never seen a couple happier than Linda and Tony to be married. Their smiles, laughter, kisses, and generosity touched my heart and helped fuel my inspiration throughout the entirety of the day. By the end of the night Linda even came up to Katrina and me from the dance floor to tell us to put our cameras down and dance with them. We definitely had a great time. Make sure you also check out the slideshow below.

Katrina's Photo

Katrina's Photo

Mable + Robert | Wedding

2009-08-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

The week before the wedding almost all of Rob's family flew in from Chicago. Surprisingly some had never touched Chinese food in their life. Because of that, Mable spent the days before the wedding taking them out to try Dim Sum along with some other authentic Chinese food that Illinois usually does not offer. It was also definitely a treat for them especially when they experienced a Chinese tea ceremony along with the traditional Chinese reception at night.

Katrina's Photo

Linda + Tony | Engagement

2009-08-17T02:34:00.001-07:00

Linda and Tony are among the nicest and laid back couples I have ever met. Our first meeting I was invited to a family party where we looked at pictures, drank, and had tons of delicious homemade food. They wanted their marriage to be more of a casual and easygoing event while also making things a little different. For instance during our engagement session we had Guy come out and take us around in his Woody Car for some pictures around the beach and Central Park which was a ton of fun.

Caitlin + Anthony | Wedding

2009-08-11T21:59:00.000-07:00

Caitlin and Anthony have known each other since elementary school but it was many years later in the college days where they fell in love. A collage was made for the wedding with pictures showing their growth together during those years and even the centerpieces had pictures of them as kids together. They both had beautiful and kind families who made moving toasts the entire night about how perfect they both were for each other. After spending twelve hours with them that day I couldn't agree more.

Katrina's Photo

Liezel + Mark | Slideshow

2009-08-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

Liezel + Mark | San Francisco Wedding

2009-07-21T22:52:00.000-07:00

Weddings like Liz and Mark's really blur the lines between working and having fun. We spent the entire weekend together celebrating love and exploring the gorgeous and diverse city of San Francisco hand in hand. I ended my stay there feeling a part of their family and also a part of their new life together. Unfortunately they will be leaving Orange County soon to start their journey together in San Francisco, but until then we will definitely make the most out of it.

Photo by Katrina

Liezel + Mark | San Francisco Engagement

2009-07-21T03:42:00.001-07:00

My passion for photography started because I wanted to capture moments of true love and emotion. Without a doubt a lot has happened since then, but I have found a new reason for pursuing photography: making friends. I had only met Liezel and Mark once before their wedding, but that one special weekend in San Francisco created one married couple and a few great friends for life. What an unforgettable weekend. Stayed tuned for their wedding pictures.

Ashley + Kevin | Wedding

2009-07-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

Church: Chapman Chapel
Venue: Newport Beach Golf Course Tee Room
DJ: Tyrei of One Nation Entertainment

Kevin and Ashley were simply made for each other. They are one of those couples that really understand the benefits and the love that a strong relationship brings to the table. Just a day after their wedding the livebirds flew out to spend their week long honeymoon in beautiful Cancun together. Needless to say, they really know how to enjoy life. Kevin, I'll be looking forward to the day you take me out in your GTR. I can't wait.

Photo by Katrina

Take Me Home

2009-07-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Jessica + Derek | Engagement

2009-07-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

Jessica was the L.A. party girl and Derek was the shy student from Singapore. They met at USC's dental school and after a few study sessions they found love where they never imagined it would come from. Unfortunately though, Derek still has some issues with Jessica's adorable dog Max. Although, I am sure in time Derek's heart will grow to appreciate Max in time. Derek and Jessica took us out for a tour of South Pasadena and I instantly fell in love. I'm definitely looking forward to their wedding in October which will take place entirely on a boat.

Giselle + Ted | Wedding

2009-07-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

Venue: LA River and Garden Center
Coordinator: AB Wedding & Special Events
DJ: DJ Steve Martinez
Videographer: 1AceRex1 Productions

I tagged along with my friend Jason Q Tran to shoot this beautiful wedding in LA. Credits for the first frame goes to Jason who set it the shot up. Sorry Jason I couldn't resist, I simply love that photo. Jason also did something very unique in that all of the pictures he blogged were "monochromatic." Check out his post here. On the other hand I decided to do the opposite and portray every image in vibrant color. You as a viewer will get to see the wedding from two completely different perspectives. Speaking about the wedding, the weather was perfect, the bride was gorgeous, and the guests were very welcoming. What more could I ask for?

Kelsey + Matt | Connection

2009-07-05T12:34:00.001-07:00

Johanna + Francis | Engagment

2009-06-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

Francis, Johanna, and I started our journey together late afternoon at four and before I knew it I was giving them hugs and saying goodbye close to ten at night. I don't think I ever had such a strong connection during an engagement session.

These two are truly a blessing to be around. Both their love for each other and their story are inspirational, which is why they wanted me to capture their reenactment of their first date through my lens. Their epic first date began at the (delicious) Filipino restaurant and bakery, Goldilocks, and ended up with Francis calling in sick from work so he could spend the night with Johanna at a friend's party. Francis worked a graveyard shift right before the date, so when the day was over he had been awake a full twenty four hours. Talk about a memorable day.

Thank you so much for the hospitality Johanna and Francis. We need to make a trip down to Zenko soon :)

Photobooth!

2009-06-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

If you want a little extra fun and crazy at your event then you have to have the photobooth. Brace yourself for the action that is about to follow.

Khan Boat Party

2009-05-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

Venue: Ambassador Boat - Newport Beach Yacht Charters
DJ: DJ Sunny
Dancers: Layla & Lotus Dancers

I met Ghazala Khan at Neil and Neetu's engagement party. Surprisingly that night she asked me to photograph a celebration party on a boat in Newport Beach the very next day! Ghazala was kind enough to throw a this party in honor of her daughter, Schehrezade's graduation from medical school in Pakistan. Judging from how fun the engagement party was, I knew I was in for something. There were great musical performances as well as some colorful exotic dancers. Aside from the entertainment though, the most important and powerful subject throughout the night was love. I could tell simply from looking at Ghazala that she loved Schehrezade, her family, and friends more than anything, and that is something I really try to capture in all my pictures.

Photo by Katrina

Ghazala dancing with one of the Lotus Dancers

Schehrezade

Neetu + Neil | Engagement Party

2009-05-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Venue: The Andaz
DJ: Aaron of Vox DJs
Videographer: White Gorilla Media
Mermaid: Mermaids in Motion

Yes. You read right, they had a mermaid. When Neetu first told me about the main attraction I had no idea what to expect, but when I did see her I was blown away. To add more to the excitement the couple rented our the top floor of the brand new Andaz hotel on Sunset Boulevard. They really know how to throw an amazing party.

Neetu + Neil | Engagement

2009-05-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

At first Neetu told me that her and Neil were camera shy but when the camera came out they were complete naturals! We only had a little more than an hour to shoot but we wasted no time at all. I swear I made them run a whole lap around St. Regis by the time we were through. I will be shooting their engagement party tomorrow night so stay tuned for that.

Elizabeth + Arvin | Engagement

2009-05-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

I found plenty of similarities between Elizabeth and Arvin and Katrina and I. Arvin likes electronic music, marketing, design, and is extremely outgoing. Elizabeth on the other hand loves education, kids, and is ambitious. Together, Elizabeth and Arvin make awesomesauce. We went out to Irvine Spectrum later on in the shoot to take some pictures and go grab dinner. Little did we know an earthquake would happen while we were on the Ferris Wheel!

Exposure - The Workshop

2009-05-12T22:38:00.001-07:00

Yes! It's finally here. I've been wanting to host a photography workshop for awhile now and I'm excited I finally have the opportunity. The excellent photographers Drew, Greg, and Scott will also be there talking with me. I myself will be talking specifically about my journey in photography, my influences, and my inspirations. Greg and Scott will be talking about the basics of photography whereas Drew will speak about shooting for the newspaper and photojournalism.

Best of all... it's free! So make sure you all make it out. The room runs on the smaller size so make sure you get there early if you want a good spot. Hope to see you all there.

APAC Fashion Show

2009-05-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

The textless post before was done in preperation for "Appreciation of Pilipino-American Culture's" (APAC) fashion show. If you know any Pilipinos then you should be familiar with a Pilipino Culture Night, which was similar to what this was. All of the profits went to Gawad Kalinga in order to help poverty back home in the Philippines. I had a great time documenting the event, especially the dance and musical performances.

APAC Fashion Shoot

2009-05-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

The Beat Freaks

2009-05-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

America's Best Dance Crew's Beat Freaks came out to club v2o in Long Beach last night to throw an amazing performance in front of an ecstatic crowd. The venue, if you haven't been there yet, is great. Lots of space in the 21 and over section (don't ask about the 18+) and the staff all except for one were very friendly. The Beat Freaks though, took the club to another level. Their energy and dance moves shook and stunned audience members. If you haven't heard of them, I suggest you look them up on youtube here.

Suyoung + Sam | Connection

2009-04-27T23:11:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with these two beautiful people. We basically took a tour around downtown Los Angeles to places that I haven't haven't even been to, and I have been living here basically my whole life!

Dad's Birthday

2009-04-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

The old man turned fifty on the 18th of April, but he still gets carded for alcohol. I pray everyday that I have some of those good genes in me. Happy birthday Babu!

Every once in awhile you get a picture that just makes all your insides feel good.

Tikko Studios

2009-04-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Tikko Studios was kind enough to throw a little lighting workshop for all the photographers in Southern California. It took place in their relatively new studio and man does their place make me jealous. Models Jeramee Lopez and my man Robert Ryu came out to support and do their thing. Unfortunately I came to a corrupted and half empty compact flash card so most of my pictures were missing, but here are some that managed to survive.

Friends Melissa, Brian, and Scott Roeder tagged along too. If you check their blogs all of them should have pictures from the event up as well.

Tigran of Tikko Studios

Erich Chen of Erich Chen Photography

Louis of Tikko Studios

Katrina came along too and also snapped a few frames

Scott Roeder

2009-04-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Last year around this time was my first meeting for the New University newspaper as an interning staff photographer. During that meeting a guy walked in with what I thought at the time to be a huge camera bag. The friendly person sitting next to me whispered to me, "That... guy is pro" and pointed at him. This "guy" was Scott Roeder. He certainly looked professional with his huge camera and big long white lens, even a little intimidating (my words for a 1D Mark IIn and a 70-200 2.8 back in the day). Little did I know I in two weeks I would be tailing him on my first sports assignment shooting baseball in freezing weather. Scott doesn't know this, but for me that night was a defining moment in my photographic career. This was not because of the wealth of information that he was sharing to me, but for the fact that I now had someone to look up to.

He is motivated, driven, and hard working. He will do whatever it takes to get a shot. Whether it means hiding from the servicemen in the high catwalks of arenas so he could get a different angle on the game or borrowing everyone and everyone's equipment that is needed for the shoot (had to throw this one in here buddy).

Today I am blogging about a portrait session for freshman volleyball player Carson that he was on assignment for today. This is unusual, but I'll throw in some of the technical aspects of off-camera lighting that we used today. Ready? Three. Two. One. SHOOT!

It's a big task to manage the entire photo shoot by yourself. Everything and everyone must be exactly where they need to be. Punctuality and precision are key. We arrived thirty minutes before to shoot but most of the time one must get there an hour or two to get everything arranged. Luck favors the prepared. What you see behind Scott is a Profoto strobe with a soft box. This will be the key light, or main light in this picture.

The sports editor bought red fabric from Michael's a few minutes before the shoot. We decided to mimic the famous Dwight Howard superman picture, except this time using a volleyball in an empty stadium.

Since this is a big stadium, there will be significant light fall off due to the power of the strobes. If we want Carson to have some form in the picture we will definitely need a second strobe to light him from behind. This model is a White Lightning. Why do we have a Speedlite behind it? That is a long story that I wont delve in to, but I have to say it's due to Scott forgetting his remote triggers for this baby.

Shoot low and wide. This will make the person you're shooting seem like Michael Jordan easily.

Love the shadows in this picture.

The shot in action without the strobes. I tried dragging the shutter (slowing down the shutter speed) to catch it but I failed.

Checking out the results.

This was the second portion of our session. We set up a four foot long grey backdrop and used the same Profoto strobe with a soft box as the only source of light in this picture besides ambient. The soft box creates a soft (duh) light over the subject while also controlling the spread of light so it doesn't bounce to places you don't want the light to go.

I decided to snap a few frames before Carson went back to his practice. Shoot with the soft box closer to the model's face and you get a dramatic picture with dark shadows. If you want a cool picture, just use one light. This picture was straight out of the camera. I. Love. Dark. Shadows.

And I leave you with this. BAM!

When I first met Scott all I knew was how to hold a camera and change settings.

I never knew that within a year I would be in the position I am in today.

To see the finished work, please visit Scott's blog. Unfortunately/fortunately I am a faster blogger than he is so it might take awhile until his pictures get posted up.

In the meantime, his portfolio site can be found here.

Nitar Lohaphaisan

2009-04-12T03:21:00.001-07:00

what is curious, ambitious, sweet-toothed, energetic, and fun?
nitar lohaphaisan (i still have no idea how to pronounce your last name nitar)

Website Up!

2009-04-06T01:32:00.001-07:00

almost nine months in the making, the portfolio site is finally up. just to let everyone know plenty of blood, sweat, happy tears, and editing went into making this website. i hope all of you guys enjoy it. if you have any comments about it please shoot me an e-mail or comment on this post. i would love to hear what you think!

and... here it is

Shanghai

2009-03-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

the first thing i did in shanghai was update my blog about hong kong. little did i know the second after i updated my blog it became blocked from my network (and probably china's). i'm a little disappointed and frustrated that my scarce relatives in china won't be able to catch up with me now, but i'll get china back sooner or later *shakes fists*

besides that shanghai was a blast. my dad's older brother uncle tim let us stay at his penthouse which had a sweeping view of the city. he took my dad and i to eat local foods, visit the SWFC, and more.

elevator to the top of the SWFC

inside

higher...

top floor

old school shanghai compared to the new school (first picture in this post)

uncle tim with the umbrella and my dad

new heights bar that overlooked the bund (yes, her eyes are open)

Hong Kong, Redux

2009-03-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

never, ever, leave your camera at home whether it's raining, a tornado, or some other catastrophic occurrence. when you don't have your camera that can only mean one thing: you can't take a picture. it has been raining heavily for the past few days in hong kong so my spoiled sun dried california self was too afraid to take my camera out. these pictures were taken during the first and only dry day here. i am now in shanghai and will be continuing my adventures for the next couple days before returning.

Kissing Booth, Open Jam, Family

2009-03-19T02:29:00.001-07:00

just a few random pictures before i head off to hong kong again. i'm going to miss my family and friends more than they can even imagine. especially katrina :(

these two people in the next picture are very important to me. they raised me since i was a chubby little chinese devil to the scrawny... i guess still chinese devil i am today. they've put up with me through me rebellious teenager stage and was even against my career in photography initially, but now they check my blog everyday and are my number one fans. without their love and support i would not be half the brandon i am today. i love you mom and dad.

Catherine + Steve | Wedding

2009-03-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

the lovely poorvi matani of inviteink (plenty more to come from her later!) referred me to sadhna sejpal of sadhna's floral gallery. sadhna wanted some pictures of her floral arrangements at a wedding in laguna hills so i decided to swoop by and catch some of the details. in short, her work is phenomenal. if you want her contact information or more pictures of her arrangements shoot me an e-mail. she won't disappoint. plus, her and her husband max are so lovely together. i wish i snapped a picture of them!

Rob Ryu

2009-03-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Rob is twenty-four but his life story can already be told through a novels rivaling the size of the Harry Potter series. Upon this six hour photo shoot we had taken four hours of it talking about his life, his adversities, and achievements. No one's life I know can parallel the amount of drama that he has told me about in those four hours. After being a restaurant manager, a top Mercedes-Benz salesman, graphic designer, a marketing manager, carpenter, promoter, a dancer, rich, poor, and much, much more. He has now settled his mind on going into the modeling industry. Being a man full of connections (many of those people being photographers) he already had most if it going for him, but he felt as if he wanted to show a deeper meaning in his pictures. He took a liking to my style after looking at his friend Ben Bae's photoshoot and sought me out shortly afterwards.

Tekkon Kinkreet is an anime that focuses on two orphaned brothers: Black and White living in a corrupt city. While Black is mischievous and cunning White is on the contrary childish and inherently good. This is one of Rob's favorite movies and I can see why. His life is represented by many "Black" moments and "White" moments, all of which made him into the man he is today. I attempted to capture these separate moments in the pictures, many of which were completely candid. There are more pictures of him to come so stay tuned!

Eileen Kwan

2009-03-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

A week ago I was blessed with the experience to hear Eileen sing; I almost melted. Throughout Eileen's life she has been searching for her identity and trying to find some truth in the world. Through her many struggles and life experiences she has been fortunate enough to finally find where she wants to go. Because of this, Eileen wants to share her voice in the world and help inspire others to also find their passion in life.

P.S. Sorry for the lack of updates, the Mac was dead for about two weeks (GASP!) but it's up and running now better than ever. Expect plenty of pictures soon :)

The Hares

2009-02-16T14:57:00.000-08:00

Judi is a proud single mother of two angels Jamie and Joey. From the three hours I spent with them I could instantly tell that they really understood the concept of a loving family. In a time when family values are much forgotten, the Hares were a refreshing and pleasant experience. The instant we walked onto the playground the two little kids went nuts! We even held a game of hide and seek but even I couldn't find nor keep up with them.

One of the Hare's family traditions is to take pictures during beautiful days and play a slideshow of them at night. Every time I glanced over Judi was snapping away just as much as I was! I hope they enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. It was a blast.

Marriage Spirituality Night

2009-02-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

I told you guys I would have more photobooth type pictures up! Anyways it's not entirely my favorite way of documenting an event but sometimes you get some interesting results out of it. Plus it gave me a chance to play with my new birthday toys (which I still haven't had a chance to show you guys). Just a few of the favorites out of the night. It was a Catholic event celebrating "Marriage Spirituality." Crowd was a little stiff but we had some outgoing ones willing to take a cute picture in front of the camera. The last picture is Katrina holding up my BRAND NEW business cards. Funny thing is though they aren't going to be new for long as I only had two hundred printed (bigger and better things coming later). Much thanks to Poorvi Matani at Calico Printing for making the business cards happen. She's like a second mom to me always giving me business advice and the sort I love her to death! On the side she also owns InviteInk, a wedding invitation company which work is PHENOMENAL. But another post on that later..

Bandwidth Exceeded

2009-02-05T22:31:00.000-08:00

With 69090 hits on my pictures photobucket sort of exploded on me. I am currently in the process of moving everything to a FASTER and better imaging uploading site so that means less waiting for all of you readers out there. I apologize for the inconvenience and brandonwongphotographyblog will be back shortly.

Benjamin Bae

2009-02-04T21:40:00.001-08:00

Ben Bae is one of those great guys that can truly be given the titles humble, genuine, down to earth, and good hearted. Oh, and he also can play a mean guitar.

If you want to melt please watch these videos:
"So SIck" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WYcdtGROxg
"Holy Dance" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiU36P-i3zk
"So Sad" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6E8Rt-LaiY

He's in the process of recording some stuff right now but check back soon... I promise you he will be big some day!

Birthday!

2009-02-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

I want to thank Katrina for making me this gorgeous, half-eaten, red relvet monster of a cake. It would require about five hundred friends to finally finish this thing... (It's just too bad I don't have that many!) Obviously it looked a lot better in it's full glory but we got a little carried away with the cake eating.

Big thanks to Jessica, Jazmine, and Amber too for making me these cute cupcakes last night. They were dericious.

I also took the liberty of buying myself several birthday gifts for myself. Maybe in the future I will show you those goodies and how to use them but for now all I can say is that you might be seeing a few of these type of photo booth pictures later on in the proofing site (coming soon!)

Simian Mobile Disco here we come.... I'm a hustla baby... Thanks Katrina!!!

Joanne + Nikko | Connection

2009-01-26T01:12:00.000-08:00

Joanne and Nikko are simply one of those couples that make this job so easy. Despite the early (and rare) California rain, the sun started peeking out a little less than an hour before our photo shoot. Unfortunately the rain also created a little mud, which was a task that all three of us had to conquer. For a couple shots the two even had to get a little down and dirty but nevertheless they remained ecstatic about the entire process. At the end of the day I even found some mold that somehow crept into my camera bag!

Power of the G10

2009-01-19T23:09:00.001-08:00

This Christmas my lovely girlfriend Katrina was blessed with a Canon G10.

This thing is a BEAST.

-14.7 Megapixels
-Better 3 inch screen than my 40D
-Great battery life (lasted for the little photo shoot only after a quick five minute charge)
-Superb image quality at low ISO
-Insane depth of field
-Takes my 580EX on it's hotshoe
-Excellent body build

Although we were contemplating between this and the Panasonic LX-3 we went with the Canon due to the sturdier body. It also had an overall better feel to it when taking pictures. Not too long ago Luminous Landscapes did an article comparing the $40,000 39 megapixel Hasselblad H2 and the $450 15 megapixel Canon G10 at lower ISOs. What they found was unbelievable. The images compared side by side on a computer monitor were basically identical without in depth zooming. They even printed the pictures 13x19'' and still had a hard time discerning between the two.

And after these pictures I took with the camera, Katrina and I couldn't argue for a better compact camera. Plus that brick just oozes sexy.

Sneak peek at my CD packaging for you clients out there :)

Straight out of camera (Amazing)

Gaza March

2009-01-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

China

2009-01-07T02:48:00.000-08:00

China was an unforgettable experience both for my camera (Despite being dropped literally the second I walked out of Beijing airport) and me. In terms of photography I was extremely limited throughout the entire trip including Hong Kong but especially in China. I had only brought one body (Canon 5D) and one lens (Canon 35mm 1.4) and after the drop could only use apertures from 2.8 and smaller. Circumstances like these for a photographer who loves to shoot 1.4 and is restricted to only one focal length (albeit my favorite) kind of just sort of a little bit sucks. But the good news is that my camera still worked and the pictures still came out great. Not everyday does one get to experience two of the Great Wonders of the World in one trip. This was a ten day hands on history lesson about my people and let me say it was completely mind blowing. Technology, hard work, and culture from thousands of years ago still astonish people to this date and the legacy still lives on... proven by the architecture and brilliance of the 2008 Olympics. Although it is sad to say that Beijing was the most polluted and coldest places in all of China that we visited. The air quality rivaled California during that of the fires and every body of water visible was frozen solid. This is what caused the smog in nearly all of the outdoor pictures. Nevertheless the experience was invaluable and I would not mind visiting Xi'an and Shanghai again. Definitely would recommend you guys to visit.

Hong Kong

2009-01-07T01:46:00.000-08:00

I found a couple more reasons this time around to appreciate this beautiful city where both my parents were born and raised. First of all Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, so you can imagine there is non-stop action throughout the entire 24-hour life span of a day. This makes photography fun. Second, for the historic value. I recently read up more throughly on the history of Hong Kong and wanted to go deeper into it's roots during this trip. I learned about the notorious Kowloon Walled City and the Dai Pai Dongs which are basically makeshift restaurants assembled in alleyways at night. Unfortunately Hong Kong doesn't stay old fast. It is a faced paced city and something you see today might not even be there in the next three years. They don't even make stinky tofu on the streets anymore like they used to, or at least not that much. Dai Pai Dongs disappeared due to the SARS crisis and the Kowloon Walled City was destroyed to make way for the airport. In between family gatherings spread out between a mere five days was all I had this time around to document the city. I am always looking forward to visiting this city and the importance it means to me. I can only hope much of it still remains the same so I can continue learning about its history.

Destination Hong Kong

2008-12-22T17:34:00.001-08:00

More pictures to come...

Dogs and Witches

2008-12-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

Bella

Keiko (Gandalf)

Two of the most notorious dogs in Montclair. Both guilty of pouncing up on me, licking my face, and being super cute the second I step foot into Katrina's house.

Keeper

Best damn sandwich

This is Burton's massive flagship store on Melrose consisting skating goods, surfboards, and of course: snowboarding gear. Needless to say, the store is sick. I couldn't take pictures inside, but let's just say the entire store is "skateable." The reason why I went here (besides just checking it out) is because Friday at midnight I will be leaving on an airplane to Beijing. After hearing so much about its frigid weather, I decided to get a jacket to prevent me from all sorts of bad news. I decided to go with this, part of the Shaun White collection. It'll go nicely with my 08' Forum Grudge board.

Oh yeah, and at night Katrina and I went over to Hollywood and Vine to catch this sorta famous show. We arrived there at 7:50pm and the show started promptly at 8:00pm. Valet parking was the only option.

Stephanie + Jeff | Connection

2008-12-12T00:16:00.000-08:00

Today I had the absolute pleasure of working with multi-millionaire and five time Beirut champion, Jeff Sanchez and his girlfriend the devil. The shoot was going fine until she started growing tentacles and nearly strangled me to death. I don't usually retaliate with violence, especially with clients and friends but I had to whip out the 580EX flash to give her a lesson. Needless to say she quickly melted and was taken care of, what a pity. Jeff, if you're reading this I'm sorry. But don't worry, I'll find you a new one.

Experimental "Jesh de Rox" Photography

2008-12-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

As a photographer I am against photo manipulation to the point where the image can almost be labeled surreal. Such techniques such as HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, especially for the use of portraits are accused of that in my book. Check out the work of Dave Hill for some of the "better" examples.

About a few months ago I stumbled across man by the name of Jesh de Rox. Let's just say he's a little bit of a legend in the wedding photography world. In addition to capturing great images he really has a talent in photoshop. His images are "surreal," but in every good way imaginable. Today I tried to take a stab at his post processing technique with some "never before seen" pictures from Alicia and John's wedding. Here were the results.

Viva La Vida

2008-11-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

What an incredible experience this was. Security was a little tighter at the Honda Center than I would have liked and that led to some inhospitable decisions from their staff which I will not delve into. Despite missing the first of the two opening acts and losing a lens cap I came out a happy man. I deeply wish I could have watched the entire show.

The Flesh of my City

2008-11-21T13:02:00.001-08:00

Went up in flames last weekend. I took a few snapshots near my house when it was most heavily near my area. I had heard friends who were packing but really It touched base when I heard of a close by neighborhood that was evacuated. I am glad none of my friends or family was hurt. My condolences go out to everyone who lost their homes, there is nothing more precious to lose especially in such hard times like these.

My restroom has an orange lamp which really serves no purpose to me. I thought I had saw it lit and attempted to turn it off. Turns out it was the orange hue coming from the outside.

American Seige Tour

2008-11-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of shooting one of my favorite bands, Saosin perform with Underoath on their American Seige Tour at the UCI Bren Events Center the other night. This was my second time watching Saosin and you can certainly say that I was singing along with them throughout their show. The is a certain balance of energy of peace that I find within the lead singer's voice (at least on the CD) that cannot be matched with any other band.

Underoath on the other hand is pure evil, despite their Christian background. Their set opened with a increasingly loud static track coupled with a grainy short video with showing a man in a gas mask with the words "I am the messenger" written on his hand. As the static grew out of nowhere the drummer came on stage and killed it. What ensued was beyond words.

Proposition 8

2008-11-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

The man's words sang throughout the streets of Orange County, "I will die for my rights!" Hundreds of people gathered near South Coast Plaza to show their sentiments about the passage of Proposition 8. People from all walks of life: grandparents, children, teachers, teenagers, gay and straight all showed their passion about the subject.

To learn more visit here

And if you have some time, please watch this

Jenny Bernard

2008-11-15T03:05:00.000-08:00

So there is a florist that goes by the name of Jenny Bernard. I met her back in the day when I was once an employee at Ritz Camera and since then we have kept in touch. Not too long ago she asked me to photograph her flowers during a wedding in Mission Viejo and I gladly accepted. This was the first time I had the pleasure of looking at her actual work and let me tell you guys... my pictures definitely do not do her art justice.

But they will try.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Her staff/army worked diligently, creatively, and politely despite the pressure of their possibly busiest weekend ever. Jenny had told me that was their second of four major weddings in that weekend. Second of four. Well, by looking at how easygoing her coworkers were I can say honestly the situation certainly didn't look it. Kudos to Jenny and her team I will definitely look forward to seeing their work again.

Alicia + John | Wedding

2008-10-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

I second shot this wedding with Robert Yee, a great to work with and easygoing photographer. I also had an uncanny obsession over his new Honda Fit.

Alicia and John are such an item. I think I must have said "they are so freaking cute" under my breath at least two hundred times in the eight hours I spent with them that day. They are so naturally in love; they make taking beautiful pictures of them easy.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

Fresh New Start

2008-09-14T20:39:00.001-07:00

Okay after a little hiatus my blog is now up and running again. Now, I know you all have been excited to see what has been going on in my life and I'm pleased to tell you this: pretty much same old same old. It's been an even toss up between slowly dying at Ritz Camera, spending time in Irvine, and sitting in front of my Macbook Pro.

Why did I decide to create a new blog? Well first of all the old one was attached to an old e-mail so in order to edit that blog that would also mean to change my iGoogle homepage which would require me to change it back to my current e-mail and that means... blablabla.

Anyways a new school year is coming up and I am very excited. There will be much photography to chronicle about so pleased stay tuned!