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This blog is long gone! :) Visit me at:
Wedding Photography Los Angeles Wedding Photography Visit Scott at: Custom Guitar Amps 4.2.08 So much for updating both sites... Updates are on my xanga until further notice! Wedding Photography 3.6.08 "The Audacity of Hopelessness" "As for countering what she [Clinton] sees as the empty Obama brand of hope, she offers only a chilly void: Abandon hope all ye who enter here. This must be the first presidential candidate in history to devote so much energy to preaching against optimism, against inspiring language and — talk about bizarre — against democracy itself. No sooner does Mrs. Clinton lose a state than her campaign belittles its voters as unrepresentative of the country." the article 2.7.08 
For our anniversary Scott and I took a trip to Griffith Park since neither of us had ever been. We had to park a bit far down the windy road, but it made for a nice hike with some awesome views of the city and plenty of fun photo material. Once inside, we marveled at the Tesla coil and watched the planetarium show. I may just be behind the times, but when did planetarium shows get so awesome??? The last time I went they consisted of some little lights on a black ceiling and a dude with a laser pointer. But now they're like full-out movies with scenes that change from the daytime sky to the night sky, to Galileo walking around his workspace, to close-ups of planets and moving tours through galaxies, all with exciting music and sound effects and a man who walks around narrating with a headset mic and holding a glowing globe (no seriously). I was so amazed. Given, the last time I went to a planetarium show I was probably like, 8, and playing Oregon Trail on a computer with a black screen and green graphics. Boy was that game awesome.            After Griffith Park we headed to The Kitchen for dinner, but on the night of our actual anniversary we decided to stay in and cook. Because what could be classier than bacon-wrapped hot dogs?  *Most of the above pics were taken with my snazzy new f/1.4 50mm lens, courtesy of Scott. I love it!!* 1.28.08 Year one. and to this day when everything breaks you are the anchor that holds me 
--- I know this post is awfully sappy and sentimental but up until just around this time last year I honestly believed that I was meant to be single forever. It's either that or you compromise (settle, for a less euphemistic term) with something that doesn't fit you perfectly, because honestly, who the hell is going to fit you perfectly? And when you stumble upon that perfect fit, who says they're going to feel the same? I had about 3 years and a handful of experiences to convince myself that all of this was true. But then I met this boy (who happened to live 2 streets over) who I thought was nice. He was really into music. He liked to sing and ride bikes and eat bacon-wrapped hot dogs (not necessarily at the same time). He made me laugh. A lot. Some time passed. He didn’t run away when I got cranky, when I acted impatient, when I made snappy comments because I was tired or had a bad day. In fact for everytime I acted like a big brat (which was often), he acted twice as kind and warm and caring. And at the end of the day I often wonder how he does it – this guy who never complains, who always sees the bright side of things, who always does what’s “right” and goes out of his way to make life easier for others, and all so effortlessly, like it’s just what he does. Like it’s as simple as getting up in the morning and brushing his teeth. But more importantly I wonder, what is he doing spending so much time with me?? --- "In my opinion the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what-have-you. The right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with." --- 1.19.08 Happy new year! I did it. After years and years of resistance I have finally succumbed. The anti-xanga days are over. So there's my new site. I'm planning on using it specifically for photography-related things and hopefully will be better about updating it than this poor neglected thing. Don't fret about diriginous though - I'm planning on keeping it around, and chances are you will be seeing a lot of double posting between the sites. Starting right now!! --- Last Saturday I had the privilege of attending an amazing workshop put on by the Furious Photographers. I first emailed Lawrence of FP with the hopes of meeting over coffee to pick his brain just a tad about the wedding photography business, but found myself 2 weeks later immersed in a full-fledged workshop - learning about branding, marketing, equipment, and post-processing, with a healthy dose of hands-on experience. We practiced shooting at Pasadena City College before driving down to the ever-fun Downtown Disney (I don't care what you cynics say, Disneyland is really the happiest place on earth!) to shadow an actual engagement session. There was so much information to soak in throughout the day, but FP made the whole experience completely enjoyable, sharing their vast knowledge in a way that was fun and easy to understand. It was great meeting other aspiring photographers as well! I left the workshop feeling energized and excited despite the exhaustion of a full day of shooting. Thank you to the Furious Photographers for an amazing day! 
Lawrence & Julie of FP posing for us at PCC 
Kevin Tsang, a fellow workshop attendee - visit his site here! 
The boys at Downtown Disney 
 
The engagement session begins! The couple was adorable - they had an amazing connection that was evident both on and off the camera. 
12.30.07 It has been entirely too long since I last updated. Where to begin? Went to the annual mochitsuki gathering hosted by Scott's family and pounded some delish sweet rice, and learned how to form the mochi into nice smooth balls (though mine consistently came out as the-opposite-of-smooth retardo balls). It was a lot of fun - I'm going to practice for next year so I can bust it out like these guys. Went to my aunt and uncle's place on Christmas Eve for the usual amazing 7-course meal my aunt puts out, complete with a plate of assorted cheeses at its completion. I really do love Christmas more than any other holiday hands down. It always sneaks up too fast though and five days before Christmas I freak out and try to salvage it all I can, blaring Mariah Carey on repeat and setting my radio permanently set to KOST ("Southern California's Official Music Station") and buying Christmasy lattes from Starbucks, and um, starting my xmas shopping. I was actually good this year and finished my shopping way earlier than usual due to the advent of the internet and sweet sweet online shopping. Yet somehow I still ended up at the mall doing some last minute shopping per request of my mom. And as much as the massive Christmas cheer fiend that I am, I am just as much the I-Hate-Crowded-Malls fiend. The fighting for parking spots and maneuvering around slowly moving Human Walls makes me want to boycott Christmas all together. I felt so bad for myself that I bought one of those ridiculously expensive cookie ice mochas from Gloria Jeans. Let me tell you - Gloria Jeans ain't got nothing on Starbucks. I know some of you think Starbucks is a communist plot, but let me tell you, it is a DELICIOUS communist plot. And now some pics from mochitsuki. 
12.10.07 My friends Keiji and Becca are engaged (congrats!) and last week they granted me the opportunity to shoot an engagement shoot for them. We headed to the Getty Center where literally every corner is an awesome photo opp - it was the perfect place! They were both so natural and full of ideas, making my job really easy. The whole thing was a lot of fun and I'd love to do more of this - if you know of anyone engaged send them my way! 
11.30.07 "I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land." - Jon Stewart Say hello to my new bebe. 
Bought it last week and spent the long weekend snapping away. Of course I put the camera down long enough to enjoy the Thanksgiving festivities (stuffing, why are you so wonderful???), and then attempted to work off the festivities with a game of tennis the next day. Though I haven't touched a racket in 5 years, I somehow managed not to kill myself/Scott and actually hit the ball inside the court, sometimes. The "working off" proved futile, however, since we hit up Koraku immediately afterwards, ordered 3 full meals and a ginormous shaved ice, and ate them all. Dropped by Iccho after that for some beers & edamame with Russ, Grant, and the crew. I suffered the consequences of all the gluttony the next day during my sister's seijinshiki, when I was stuffed inside a kimono and wrapped unbearably tightly in about 12 layers (no exaggeration). Took pics at the Civic Center's Japanese Garden and then ate more delish Japanese food at Matsui, which hands down has the best tempura I've ever had. The batter was fried so scrumptiously - it was like eating vegetables wrapped in donuts. Santa came by later that night and I think I scared Scott a little when I jetted outside upon hearing the familiar music (years of conditioning - Santa only stays for 2 minutes and you gotta get that candy cane). Didn't go sit on his lap this year, but took lots of cool night shots instead (and discovered I cannot for the life of me stand still for a 4-second exposure. I'm all over the place man.) Finished up the weekend in Scott's studio recording a chorus part for a Christmas song they're planning to put on their next CD. And now the pics. I like the last one because my Dad looks tiny and my sister looks Amazonian. 
11.29.07 "If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for their prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandparent. If there's an Arab-American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It is that fundamental belief -- it is that fundamental belief -- I am my brother's keeper, I am my sisters' keeper -- that makes this country work." - Barack Obama |