Honored
This past week, for the second time, I was there for the delivery of my friend’s new baby.  I was there for her 2nd and this time, her 3rd.  Witnessing the birth of a baby is something so magical.  Witnessing a baby take their first breath evokes this unique feeling that you couldn’t get anywhere else besides a delivery room.  I’ve been there for of course my own children’s births, but its vastly different just being an observer, rather than the deliverer.

That afternoon, just before she went into the hospital, as I was sort of whining about having to leave work early to go to the hospital, my friend summed it all up for me:  “you should feel honored.”  That’s right.  What the hell was I thinking?  I AM honored.  Thank you Cindy for inviting me in again to share this special moment with you…

Stay tuned for the upcoming newborn photoshoot!

Walking the streets of Little Tokyo made me realize we don’t visit enough.  We send our daughter to Japanese school, yet seldom take her to Little Tokyo!  We’re Japanese at heart…its all coming back to me now.

Here are some pics of the HSUFAM in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles:

Up next, the new domain name for my growing photography portfolio.

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:

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:

Next up, Drifting Pretty’s annual field trip coverage and also I’ve been finding inspiration for a head-shot session. Just bought this month’s Vanity Fair, this is going to be hot!!! Stay tuned!

One of the 1st shots of the happy couple…good job Handicapped sign!!

Elise & Kristy came with us!  Good thing they’re iPad fanatics!

Quail Hill is right near the freeway and buildings and powerlines…Marc positioning to leave all that out of the shot

This time of the year we’re learning there are plenty of snakes…even on trail.  To the right as we see the snake, we hear the bushes wrestling.  I run over a see literally a dozen wild brown bunnies prancing around.  It was a beautiful taste of nature…

our assistant Benson.  Thank you honey for lugging around that big reflector and all our lenses.  <3

The view behind Marc.  Amongst the field of flowers…

You would never know from the shots we selected from the shoot, but the cowboy is really not-so-serious.

Paper Diva Shoot
Today I’ll be attempting the shoot the invitations I’ve been working on.  Since the invite’s main color is ebony, its been a challenge deciding the right surface to shoot on.  Stay tuned.  Have a fab 4th!

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

Canon 10-22

Sigma 30mm 1.4 (I love)

Paper Diva
Sometimes I think I have Jamaican blood somewhere in my bloodlines.  I put my paper-diva thinking cap on and have been working on some wedding shower invitations.  The happy couple (no relation to the cowboy & cowgirl), chose colors of ebony, sunflower and snow.   You would think these colors are tough to work with, but we have been sailing with awesome design ideas.

Our good friends the Wangs were at our place till midnight yesterday working the invitation assembly line.  Pics to come.  I haven’t shot products before hmm…that’s going to be fun.  Stay tuned…

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

HSUFAM

one of the very first shots the lens fired…bokehhhh

See you after the shoot!!

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:

(L) My daughter & my godson…bff’s; (R) Marc getting some footage

Chef B, BBQing on the patio, overlooking Big Bear Lake

Sunset after dinner…the view from the cabin’s dock

the best pic of the weekend, taken by my daughter Kristy.  She has the eye.

the first mate doing work on the lake!

what if every Sunday afternoon was like this?

BFF, life is so simple

Addiction
I work at a start-up incubator.  I’m surrounded by the latest and greatest stuff.  Emails are passed around the office with links to the latest and greatest on the internet.  I clicked the link and was instantly hooked.  The website is called turntable.fm.  Think of it as a new version of those AOL chatrooms, you know, like the “import racing” room except its by Music genre.  People gather and take turns playing songs.  You accumulate points when people thumbs up your songs.  The points accumulated are for bragging rights/cool avatars.  Its a beta version, so beware of bugs, but for the most part, its a fun, addicting, site to hang out in, esp with friends.

Photog V2
A new lens came in the mail for me.  I’ve been testing it out and enjoying every moment.  Hope to get some shots up soon.  Stay tuned!

Enjoy your week…make it simple!