Archive for the ‘I am a photog’ Category
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
In 2003, I founded Drifting Pretty. We had many moments in the media in our first few years, but lately we’ve been pretty private. You don’t need to be trolling for magazine covers or features to go places in this world. All you need to be is authentic. I think that has been one of our secrets to success. We’ve circled back to our main purpose over the past few years: to encourage and teach women about all things automotive-racing related.
Last weekend was a testament to this when ACT so graciously hosted the 2011 Drifting Pretty Field Trip. The founder & President Dirk Starkensen, along with Daniel Starkensen & Chris Martin, opened up ACT’s doors on a Saturday afternoon and hosted a private clutch workshop & factory tour for Drifting Pretty. They don’t get a magazine article or tv feature out of this, they did it simply because they believe in our purpose. Now tell me if that isn’t authentic!?
We were honored to have this opportunity to come and learn at ACT. We marketed this field trip to our students as a once-in-a-life time opportunity. It was. You can’t get this education from your traditional school. From the bottom of my heart, again, thank you Dirk, Daniel and Chris. Your support speaks volumes.
Here are some photos from the exciting field trip:
Tags: ACT, Advanced Clutch, Canon T2i, Dirk Starkensen, Drifting Pretty
Posted in Car Entries, Car Entries, Drifting Pretty, I am a photog | No Comments »
Monday, August 15th, 2011
We met up with Denise & Jameson again, the lovely Spur Shooters couple, and completed their 2-location engagement session. Dana Point was the location of this shoot. With 1 session under their belt, the happy couple seemed like professional models this time around!
Denise & Jameson are now in the thick of wedding planning. A Chinese/Traditional American wedding…its going to be beautiful. Congratulations again, we’re looking forward to the big day!!
Spur Shooters sequel:
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Tags: Canon T2i, dana point, Engagement Photoshoot, jameson & denise, marc mondoy, nadine hsu, spur shooters
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Thursday, June 30th, 2011
This past weekend Marc & I did our 2nd engagement shoot. We had a lot longer than last time to shoot. We used every minute.
We shot an adorable couple, who might as well be a real-life cowboy & cowgirl. They met on eHarmony and things moved swiftly into a beautiful engagement. And who knew asian guys could own Buicks, wear ostrich boots, fancy belt buckles, and carry a cowboy hat wherever they go!? The bride-to-be admitted they hardly have any photos of them together! We sure fixed that.
We shot with a few props and stumbled into a semi-styled shoot. I’m always reading about styled shoots…and as I reviewed our shots, I realized my subconscious shot the couple as if we were following them around on their ranch. With the entrance of a mere cowboy hat and a few square dancing moves, it transformed this shoot into something magical and western.
I shot with 3 different lenses. 50% was shot with my new 30mm 1.4, 35% with the trusty 28-75 2.8 and the remaining 15% was shot with a 10-22 (which was my first time snapping shots with this lens). My favorite to shoot with was the 30…but I am intrigued now with the 10-22.
Here are some of my favorite shots.
Tamron 28-75mm 2.8
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Tags: Asian Cowboy, Canon 10-22mm, Canon T2i, Cowboy, Engagement Photoshoot, mondoy, nadine hsu, Quail Hill, Sigma 30mm 1.4, Tamron 28-75mm
Posted in I am a photog, Paper Diva | No Comments »
Friday, June 24th, 2011
They always say the successful big shots are the little shots who keep shooting. I’m so there. Marc of “Mondoy”(I dubbed his videography company, “Mondoy”) and I have our 2nd engagement photoshoot this weekend. We’re shooting at Quail Hill again in Irvine. The couple just happened to pick the same place we were at last shoot. I have unfinished business at Quail Hill, so I’m excited to return and challenge myself to not shoot a single shot that mirrors the last session. I borrowed a Canon 10-22mm just for fun…its going to be interesting incorporating that into the shoot. Can’t wait!!
New Eye
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to shoot with Canon’s L series 35mm 1.4, which goes for $1500. It has been on my lens wish list for the longest time. I’ve been comparing that to the Sigma 30mm 1.4 The $1000 price difference between the Sigma and the Canon was no match. The Canon was not $1000 better than the Sigma.
I found a sweet deal online from Unique Photo for the Sigma (the discounted price shows up when you put it in your cart), and the store ended up beating everyone else’s price by $50. The pretty Sigma 30mm 1.4 came last week and I’ve been learning a lot from shooting with it.
I thought I loved my 28-75, and then I met the 30. I love you new lens. Here are some test shots:
clean black cars steal the show
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Tags: Canon 25mm 1.4, Canon T2i, Engagement Photoshoot, HSUFAM, mondoy, nadine hsu, Quail Hill, Sigma 30mm 1.4
Posted in I am a photog | No Comments »
Sunday, June 19th, 2011
We went up to Big Bear for our friend’s birthday/wedding anniversary. They’ve been married for 10 years! Makes you feel old when your friends are celebrating their 10 year. LA is so amazing, this trip made me thankful to live in such a beautiful city. Just a couple hours and we’re deep in the wilderness hanging in a boat on a huge beautiful lake.
I haven’t been shooting as much as I’ve been wanting to lately. So I made up for it at Big Bear. Here are some of my fav pics from the restful weekend:
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Tags: Benson Hsu, Big Bear, Canon T2i, mondoy, nadine hsu
Posted in Hsu Kids, I am a photog | No Comments »
Sunday, May 22nd, 2011
Things have been so hectic lately while we’re prepping my car for the track (this coming Sat, 5/28). The Hsu’s are running around town like Chickens with their heads cut off. Not a lot of time to talk, but here are the highlights (I am never too busy to take a shot):
Benson named this stray “Gary Busey.” He likes to come and visit our outdoor cat Vera Wang. He is TORE up.
As we prepare for summer break, we’re touring preschools for Elise and college prep courses for Kristy.
Another advantage I have over the guys…I shop at craft stores with hot duct tape!
my daughter Kristy helped design my new sticker scheme…its multi-functional design ensures my bumper doesn’t fall apart!
(taken with my iPhone) the DriftQueen runs for the 1st time, in…2 years. She starts on the 1st try with no problems.
I’ll see you after the car’s brakes are bled!
Tags: cats, drifting, driftingpretty, DriftQueen, leopard duct tape, NadineHsu
Posted in Car Entries, Car Entries, Hsu Kids, I am a photog | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
This past weekend, some of the Drifting Pretty ladies gathered in my garage to log more hours working on cars. Just a few weeks ago the ladies were at Temple City Auto Repair installing new coilovers on Cathy’s S14 & learning how to use power tools! This time, the guinea pig was my race car. A brake system install & wheel re-facing were on the agenda.
Each of my students showed up right on time and ready to work. With the increasing popularity of our twitter account, I tweeted the play-by-play of our tech day. For you, here are the play-by-plays (taken with my iPhone):
10AM: we take an inventory of the Stop Tech big brake kit we’ll be installing, elect project managers and go over functions of each part
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Tags: Drift Queen, Drifting Pretty, nadine hsu, StopTech Brakes, Tech Day
Posted in Car Entries, Car Entries, Drifting Pretty, I am a photog, Parts | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
I’m a big Danity Kane fan. The group was popular around the same time my Drifting career peaked. I was enjoying life at the track and then these gals came out with this song about girls cruising in their candy ride, called “Show Stopper“. Finally a song about ladies in THEIR sweet ride. Now why am I even talking about this? I was thinking of what to title this post…I’m writing about a baby who stole the show at Easter and my dusty race car that I am slowly shining back up–both are show stoppers right? And then the song comes to mind and I have to listen to it!
The Baby Who Stole the Show
I had the opportunity to borrow a pro-level Canon lens over the weekend. (a 35mm 1.4 L-series for you photogs). I didn’t have any photoshoots setup for the weekend, that’s until Easter dinner started! Our friends, Steve & Jenny (the same couple from the engagement photoshoot) were at Easter dinner. They brought their adorable son. The rest speaks for itself. Here are some test shots with the show stopper:
Dusty Show Stopper
I’ve been hard at work doing accounting side jobs to fund the repair of my race car. I sat there in the garage tonight, staring at my car, searching for one original piece of the car. There isn’t any. I started in 1997 and here it is, 14 years later, and I’m still NOT done with the car! I’ve changed everything from the bulbs inside my gauge cluster, to the tail-lights (3 times) to the lugnuts, to the glass on my quarter panel, to the hinges on my door…wait the door has been changed too! I can’t find much of anything “stock.” What a show stopper my car was and still is. I love that I could keep going 14 years later with just as much interest as I had before. I’m going to be a senior citizen and still be tinkering with my show stopper!!!
I could write on and on and about my car, but that will be another time. Perhaps in a book or screenplay (I’m not joking). The ladies of Drifting Pretty will be working on the ol’ drift machine with me this weekend. Its going to be a blast.
Posted in Car Entries, Car Entries, I am a photog, Parts | No Comments »
Nissan 240sx
Infiniti G35
Mazdaspeed 3
