Capture the Love

Wedding photo albums | Guest Albums that WOWs !!

2010-02-28T22:11:00.001-08:00

Wedding album design isn't a chore for us. It's an exhilarating part of our wedding package and photography process. It gives us a lot to look forward to.

Ever tried to buy a special gift for someone close to you, carefully wrap it and place it under the christmas tree? Despite Christmas being a week away, you can't wait to see the expression of that special someone when they open that present, right? THAT's exactly how we feel when we design wedding album.

This particular album is done for Christine and Ben. We were so excited about showing them the album that we photographed the albums and email them these teasers,

(click on images to enlarge - then use arrow keys)

(Ben wrote me an email within minutes saying, "We're on our way over") ;-)

Now, what makes the Queensberry line of albums from New Zealand, our selected album maker is beyond their scrumptious leather, suedes, silks, buckram and bengalines. It's their hand crafted treasures, an extension of style, design and absolute exquisite photographic albums that retain memories. Their albums are the absolute best out there and we are glad that we are a selected few in the country that carry these albums. Don't take our word for it, check out the guest album and engagement album that we created for Christine and Ben for their May 15th Wedding in The Ahwahnee Hotel located within the Yosemite National Park. Wedding photography in Yosemite and the Ahwahnee will be absolutely fun and exciting. I can't wait to photograph there again!

(click on images to enlarge - then use arrow keys)

Yosemite National Park & Ahwahnee Hotel Engagement Portraits | Christine & Ben

2010-02-16T00:52:00.001-08:00

What turns a landscape/fashion/wedding photographer on? An engagement session in Yosemite National Park, California of course!!! I was like a kid in Disneyland, frolicking from one spot to another, having a field day!!!

This was for Christine & Ben's Engagement shoot. They are expert photographers themselves, in their very rights. Their home is sprinkled with amazing landscape imagery from wall to wall. Absolutely stunning work! Ben showed me his Phase One P45 digital back and a Mamiya 645AFD. For those who doesn't know what I'm blabbering about, these are Ferraris of cameras. Yes, if you were to sell the above two equipment, you can easily buy TWO Toyota Prius. Although with the current recall situation, I would avoid Toyota for now.

Being a photographer, Ben's awesome, he'd spot interesting camera angles to be photographed. I was impressed and told him that he should quit his job in Google to come be my photography assistant. For some unknown reason, he just ignored me. :(

Their wedding is set for May 2010 at The Ahwahnee Hotel, in Yosemite Valley. Being in Yosemite is fun enough but in The Ahwahnee Hotel? Oh my God! There is just no comparison when it comes to the Ahwahnee. With the distinction as a Four-Diamond hotel and designated as a National Historic Landmark, Queen Elizabeth II stayed in the Ahwahnee when she visited Yosemite. So did a host of celebrities and royalties; Mel Gibson (while filming Maverick), John F Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, Eleanor Rosevelt, just to name a few.

The temperature was 36 degrees Farenheit and Christine wore nothing more than a bareback dress. She is such a trooper. I do also have to say that she is possibly one of the most delightful person to be around. I'm not exaggerating when I claim that everything appears so much more joyous and lively when she walks into the room.

The amazing engagement shoot is featured in the below cinema. I choose Feb 14 to blog about this, not just because it's Valentine's day, but rather, they are on my mind and their Guest Album and Engagement Album JUST arrived. More on those in my next blog!

(View HD version instead)

Casa Real Wedding on Gentry magazine Feb 2010

2010-02-07T21:18:00.001-08:00

Back a few months ago, we blogged about a wonderful wedding that we photographed at Pleasanton's Casa Real, Ruby Hill winery. It was showcased in Gentry magazine in August 2009.

The February 2010 wedding issue of Gentry magazine now provide that spread of info, using our photography. Woohoo!!

San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Photographer wishes everyone a Happy Holiday!

2009-12-21T23:41:00.000-08:00

The scent of pine and the sounds of jingle,
Send my senses into a pappy tinkle,
A year ago, my tears a sprinkled,
My seed and I now, a laughter and a wrinkle.

Just came up with the above...it has a deeper story of my family and my life embedded within. But I'm really just writing as a San Francisco, San Jose photographer family, wishing you all a wonderful holiday!

Yes, there is still time to get a family portrait! Give us a call!

Casa Real, Ruby Hill Winery Wedding Photography - Proposal in Paradise

2009-12-17T00:20:00.000-08:00

I got totally Gentrified photographing the intimate story of a wedding proposal in Casa Real at Ruby Hill Winery, Pleasanton.

The “Entertaining” section of Gentry Magazine the Gentry South Bay August/September edition features a great article entitled "Carpe Diem" is about how to celebrate in style even in today’s tight economy. Which is exactly what Corina and Alex did.

(Click on an image, then use your RIGHT and LEFT arrow keys to go through all of them)

Alex hired Lea McIntosh, the South Bay events designer, to stage his girlfriend Corina’s birthday party at the Casa Real event space at Ruby Hills Vineyard. Except, unbeknownst to Corina, he planned to propose to her as well.

Lea put together an awesome team to do hair, make-up, lighting, and provide limo transportation. Stacie Tamaki of the Flirty Guide even showed up to crown Corina’s birthday cake with a beaded, pineapple-shaped topper containing a necklace. And we got to go along for the fun. We shot lovely candids of Tiffany Chiang and Armando Sarabia helping Corina look her absolute best with beautiful make up and an elegant hairstyle. And we captured the moment that Alex proposed, kneeling gracefully and offering Corina an engagement ring from Dilek Sezen Fine Jewelry.

I got a little misty during many of the special moments of this evening and all the preparations leading up to it—and especially at Corina’s surprise and delight when Alex popped the question. If you want to read more about this charming young couple and Lea’s ideas for creating your own magical event, check out the article. And get inspired.

Zooming into the wedding first dance

2009-09-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

You have rehearsed your first dance for the twentieth time. You want it to be elegant, beautiful, perfect. Your veil and wedding dress will drift about you in a whirly waltz. Not any different than the father-daughter dance or the mother-son dance, your expression and emotion changes from second to second. As you reminisce your life that lies behind you and look forward to your amazing future, an emotional modulation from happiness to sadness; flow and ebb, flux within your soul.

(Click on an image, then use your RIGHT and LEFT arrow keys to go through all of them)

This is possibly one of the most beautiful and elegant sliver in weddings that I adore. Yet, this is possibly one of the hardest part in a wedding to photograph (other than the kiss in the church, which is all about timing). You see, lighting for photographers is akin to water to fish. Dance images are always a challenge to shoot, due to how badly lighted the dance floor is, the continual movements of bodies in motion, shifting dance lights and video lights (that the videographers uses-can cause the brightness to veer from too bright-to too dark), the different angles to capture, and most of all, all that to be photographed within 2-3 minutes.

If lady luck smiles upon you, at the end of most weddings, your photographer will hopefully end up with a good 1 to 2 decent but underexposed (aka dark or badly lighted) images. They will most likely processed it into black & white, and claim it as art, or make it into a brownish sepia and chalk it off as creative. The pictures are usually very grainy and if you danced slow enough, the images will just be a little blurred.

My recommendation? One of the biggest question to ask your photographer is to have him/her show you A DOZEN of their dance images from A SINGLE wedding. That's possibly one of the best indicator on his creativity, lighting skills and how well he can tango! To start off with the challenge, here are my dozen, shot a mere few days ago, last Saturday, for Jenn and Matt in Maggiano's Little Italy's lovely banquet room.

- Michael Soo

Our 8 feet lightbox at Smugmug's Mountain View entryway

2009-09-02T11:28:00.001-07:00

I gotto say, I can never get enough of a photograph on a beautiful lightbox. It just enhances the image so beautifully. That's also why we were so thrilled to have our image showcased in the main entryway to Smugmug's headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Not only that, it's enlarged up to a life size of 8 feet tall !!! With me being a super tall guy, standing at 5 feet 5 inches, that monstrous light panel is almost twice as tall! Well, almost. ;-)

Chris MacAskill had to use a double lightbox (I seem to be using the terms interchangeably due to how similar they are to each other these days) for the image. Check it out below, with the image on the right being the original image. Whee!!!

Retreat, hotel and a zen-like wedding venue

2009-08-25T18:01:00.001-07:00

I've always liked boutique hotels. The role of theme designs play a huge role to make guests feel connected and comfortable. The hotel acts as the sum of a well-planned design, which is a rare sight in the world we live in. Ask me about it. In my college years, I would buy pieces of furniture from various shops due mostly to budget constraints. The apartment feel disconnected, from a design point of view. An orchestrated design makes one feel soulful about the surroundings.

Menlo Park's spanking new Rosewood Hotel, nestled at the edge of Santa Cruz Mountains is designed as a calm California Ranch architecture is a boutique hotel of this sort. The food and art pieces are no different. They only use local ingredients and local artists. The texture (see the five images above) tells a tale about what the hotel's design theme is all about.

We photographed Cathy and Michael's wedding there. As they are rather private people, I'll only showcase a small handful of selected images (without the usual slideshow) in this blog.

Do NOT, however, mistake private for boring. How often do you see a cake_in_the_face during a wedding cake cutting?

- Michael Soo

Preferred Photographer for Maggiano's Little Italy in Santana Row, San Jose

2009-07-21T02:26:00.001-07:00

We're truly proud to be a part of Maggiano's Little Italy's preferred photographer celebrating Maggiano's Annual Bridal Faire last week. We've also photographed the food, rooms and weddings in this lovely restaurant. I really want to thank the wonderful staffs there that have been so supportive and generous.

Check out our photography album for Maggiano by clicking the images above or below.

Hearts Full of Love

2009-07-03T01:37:00.001-07:00

Just a few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of photographing Karen and Joe’s wedding. Weddings are a big part of what I do, and I enjoy every one of them for the happiness and sense of celebration that ties them all together in a chain of love. I also love them for what makes them unique.

This wedding was no exception.

Karen’s dad is no longer with us, so understandably there was a lot of emotion around his not being there. In Chinese culture, the tea ceremony demonstrates respect for the older generations. Here, in Saratoga’s tranquil and elegant Hakone Gardens, we are at the same venue where our lovely Stacy and Harold got married. The guests witnessed the bride and groom serving tea to their parents. When Karen’s turn came, everyone—me included—was completely choked up. Karen knelt and offered tea to her mom and also to her dad whose tea cup was carefully placed on the empty chair right next to her.

Yes, the chair was empty, but the hearts of everyone at that wedding were as full as the cups of tea. I won’t forget this scene anytime soon or the tradition that it honors, and I know that Karen and Joe won’t either.

- Michael Soo

On the road again...

2009-07-03T00:43:00.000-07:00

When I think about Chanel and Peter’s recent wedding, the first words that come to mind after “How great!” are “Wow, what a trip!” And I mean that in the best possible way. Here’s how it all came down…

This gorgeous couple’s ceremony was to be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in San Jose. Chanel checked into the nearby Fairmont Hotel to dress and have her make-up done to perfection. She was lookin’ absolutely great, and everybody was in high spirits and full of anticipation. So far, so good.

The next step in the plan was to head south—an hour’s drive—to the Cinnabar Hills Golf Club to photograph the wedding party. The shoot went like a dream, the shots looked great, and with our mission accomplished, we all jumped into our cars and hit the road back to San Jose.

Chanel, who had been pretty cool, calm, and collected up until then was beginning to get just a touch flustered. Think about it. There was her makeup to keep fresh, her dress to keep unwrinkled, and a million other things to keep straight.

But everything went great. After a beautiful ceremony at the historic church, we went back to Cinnabar Hills for the reception.

All in all, a 10-hour day just packed with action. Chanel and Peter had booked a couple of hours less, but I believe in putting in whatever it takes to get the job done right. Getting a great result is what makes what we do so worthwhile. That and the smiles of pure joy on the faces of the bride and groom and their families.

- Michael Soo

Love conquers all

2009-05-24T22:53:00.001-07:00

It was late morning. Our absolutely adorable couple, Karen and Joe were waiting for the makeup artist, Tiffany to finish up Karen's look. We were headed out for their engagement session, a few spots that I photographed a mere few days ago. Legion of Honor, Palace of Fine Arts and Baker's Beach. Déjà vu. Karen loved the image I took above for Jen and Matt, and wished to recreate it for themselves. It's usually not an issue, weather permitting.

That was the beginning of the problem. Fog rolled in and covered every inch of the beach and especially the Golden Gate Bridge. The 20 minutes hike to the location began to look rather pointless. Neither the sunset nor the Golden Gate Bridge was visible. Even the path just 100 yards in front of us began to disappear.

I turned to Karen and said, "We'll not catch the beautiful sunset and the Golden Gate Bridge today. However, we'll capture amazing mood in our imagery that no other couples has!!!" Though skeptical, they did brighten up and continued the hike. When we reached the beach, I placed Karen and Joe peacefully on the exact same rock that Jen and Matt were standing a few days ago and I changed my angle completely. Their beautiful tranquil look were surrounded by angry waves that swirled and splashed around them like a perfect storm.

Same rock, different mood. I named the image, "Love conquers all"

- Michael Soo

Keeping engagement sessions engaging!

2009-05-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

(Click to view larger images)

Engagement sessions are not just bringing_a_couple_out_anywhere_to_photograph. It's a big deal for us. We plan the locations (nature versus architecture), schedule (time and location for the sunset) and wardrobe matching with the couples. We'll ensure that our most amazing makeup artist and hair stylist are on board for the shoot. At times, we'll go as far as to invite our couples for a home cooked meal while we talk about the upcoming shoot while we psyche each other up for the fun filled day of shooting.

I'm a foodie. So, it's not one of those mac-n-cheese dinner, but white truffle cheese, salad with drizzled pomegranate reduction dressing, shrimp bisque, medium-rare grilled tenderloin steak, banana fosters spread over grilled peaches-a la hot/cold/sour/sweet combo. Mmmmph..mmmmmph. :P~ Did I ever mention that we also photograph food? So, imagine how beautiful your wedding cake will look.

(Click to view larger images)

I digressed... There are three important pieces to our engagement sessions that we always capture, which you'll notice through the images in this blog.

Love - It's about how he looks at her and holds her, how she plays with her hair when she talks to him, how she always laughs when he tells a joke. It is the most basic instinctive raw emotion. Yes, we capture the love and we know where to find it. ;)
Fun - The above images tells it all. We have a blast when we go out photographing our couples and by golly, you should too.
Art - We play tai chi with nature. We utilize natural sunlight in combination with flash photography to create the most beautiful and natural portraits, with a gorgeous backdrop in nature (see images below). By posing you a certain way in relation to the light, we help you shred 20 lbs without breaking a sweat.

(Click to view larger images)

Engagement photography collection for us is to reach through the camera lens, pulling in the couple’s shared happiness, and recording that for them to remember.

Of course, the greatest fun with the engagement shoots is my collaboration with the couples themselves. They give me new ideas all the time. These collections of pictures reflect the freshness of relationships before the weddings, before the kids, before the mortgages. They are keepsakes as meaningful as wedding albums.

- Michael Soo

Wedding at Santana Row (part 2)

2009-04-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in posts below about our Unique Selling Points, we are really proud to say that we deliver. Yes, we deliver! Every single wedding couple we photograph can expect to receive their highly customized album designs within TWO weeks. No kidding! So, you fly off to your honeymoon and by the time you return, you'll be invited to see your wonderous album.

Take our wonderful wedding shot on March 28, 2009, Roya and Todd was invited on April 7th to view their album!

Check out their album!

- Michael Soo

Baring My Soul…My Unique Selling Points

2009-04-19T14:18:00.001-07:00

Like many of you, I am closely watching the testimony of Geithner and Bernanke on Capitol Hill and cannot help but be affected. Of the brides and grooms I recently photographed, one member of the couple has been either laid off or had a salary reduction. We are all touched by the times.

Which pulls me into contemplating my own place in the system. We still smile. We still laugh. Life goes on. But everyone needs to look before they leap with their expenses. And that brings me to the Unique Selling Points (USPs) that I have incorporated into my wedding photography efforts and my commitment to the families whom I serve.

To this end, I refuse to schedule more than two or three weddings in a single month. There are many reasons, which I’ll elaborate as I go along, but the most significant reason is, so I can ensure I have the time to fulfill my commitments to the best of my ability and satisfy the happy couples’ expectations.

My USP #1

I’m not just a vendor! As I see and experience my work, the position I hold in a wedding is as a member of the wedding party. The slide shows and wedding albums I create are legacies for families to pass along to their progeny and extended families. This is a responsibility I take seriously, and it takes a lot of time. The brides and grooms I work with meet with me in my own home; for a time, they become part of my personal life. This is one of several reasons I cannot schedule more than three weddings in a single month. Working as teams, the brides-and grooms-to-be strategize with me the mementos we will create together. This is another reason I limit my monthly commitments. I remember these conversations. During the weddings, I remember my interactions with Grandmother, Cousin, Uncle—and I try hard to use images representative of what I learned from these individuals at the time I’m snapping shots. I am integral to the wedding events I photograph, and my goal is to assemble a permanent glimpse into the emotions and joy of very, very happy days in the histories of the wedding families and their friends.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself, because I really love my job.

Hotel Valencia and Maggiano's Little Italy Wedding MTV Slideshow

2009-03-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Almost three days have passed since their two-days wedding at Hotel Valencia and Maggiano's Little Italy in Santana Row of San Jose.

Roya and Todd have not left my mind. They are now honeymooning in Waikiki, possibly splashing in Hanauma Bay. All our photographers have already sorted through 2290 images to come up with a slideshow for them when they return!

- Michael Soo

Assyrious Snag at an Assyrian Wedding

2009-03-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Each wedding is marvelous, with its own behind-the-scenes stories to tell. As major lifecycle events within individual cultures, the traditions and styles of every wedding vary, too. It’s the excitement, smiles, and tears of happiness that are universal.

This wedding includes a story that was a real nail biter. Their wedding day gave me my first glimpses into the vibrancy and customs of the Assyrian community. And this community is large. The church and reception hall for this event are in the Central Valley. This meant a caravan of limousines and cars making the trek over the mountains out of Silicon Valley. Their guests numbered over 700! Awesome!

Now, on to the tale that will become family legend for the Assyrian couple. With the long distance to the church, there was no chance to run home and back for anything forgotten. And the paperwork for the priest got left behind.

This is where the charm, talent…and persistence of the groom snatched victory from the jaws of wedding ceremony defeat. Against the odds and while the guests and bride waited outside, he persuaded Father Auchana Kanoun of Saint Zaia Church, Assyrian Church of the East in Modesto. (The couple returned the next day and fixed the paperwork problem. Whew!)

After the successful wedding ceremony, the 700 plus guests and I traveled on to Turlock to and enormous reception hall, The Babylonian Room, at the Assyrian American Civic Club [link to: http://www.aaccot.org/index.php][photo of the outside of the facility]. As you'll see from the photographs, this was a very happy ending!

So, there is no chance this couple won’t succeed after a start like this, not to mention—as you can see—their start also includes a GREAT collection of pictures.

- Michael Soo

Queensberry Wedding Albums and Luminae LED Crystal Panels

2009-02-25T23:23:00.001-08:00

(click to enlarge)

We have recently added two absolutely amazing product lines to our studio that I am personally very happy with. If you know me, I'm extremely selective when it comes to the products we provide. Our employees have been known to roll their eyes when I rejected a beautifully crafted album just because it doesn't have rounded corners (I refuse to believe that people will want to order sharp metal cornered albums, place them next to children, or adults). Maybe it is because I live in the same town where Steve Jobs work. ;-)

(click to enlarge)

A great deal of kudos go to Queensberry, our supplier in New Zealand. They are the best handcrafted album maker in the world. All the albums are hand-cut, hand-matted and assembled with acid free mats. The attention to detail and classic approach ensures the albums retain their appeal and integrity, as you pass them down from generations to generations. The albums are guaranteed to be free from defects in material or workmanship.

(click to enlarge)

The beauty of Queensberry albums is the unlimited capacity for customizations. Poetic balance between beauty, craftsmanship and functionality can be achieved to create either a classic or contemporary look to the albums.

Talk about beauty, the other product line that we are introducing is called the Luminae Crystal Panels (image above). Its a phenomenal compliment to our classic Museum Quality Canvas Wrap. Luminae Crystal Panels are the brightest, longest-lasting and most energy-efficient LED-light panels in the world! The lighting is made to be evenly light a photography with no color cast. It is about half an inch in thickness with aluminium studs to hang on the walls, creating a modern look that is captivating. We are installing at least 6-10 of these products along our studio corridor with high-fashion images that we captured.

I could go on and on about these one-of-a-kind products that only we can offer but I would rather you come and see them all up close and personal in our studio. Get an appointment to swing by...NOW! ;)

- Michael Soo

Gentry Magazine Feature - Feb 2009 Annual Wedding Issue

2009-02-02T02:03:00.001-08:00

Photographing bathing suit calendars with scantily clad models is exciting, the haute cuisine food photography has ruined take-out food for me for life, and my happiness for the ecstatic brides and grooms and their families I photograph already warms my heart on lonely winter nights into the next century. I do love my work, but when a photographer REALLY wants to have fun…

Gentry Magazine has recently exposed my vice--Trash the Dress--in their February 2009 Annual Wedding Issue. (full issue here)

I know it takes courage for women to sacrifice their treasured, expensive gowns, and my best efforts go into transforming the memories of these perfect wedding dresses into dramatic, whimsical, permanent art, elevating the dresses to importance equal to the lovely brides inside them. There is extreme contrast in style for featuring these wedding dresses between the precisely programmed events of the wedding day and the let-it-all-go, wild-and-crazy freedom of these photo sessions. And the gowns shine in both settings.

The brides tap into their imaginations as they collaborate with me, hatching the plan for these photo shoots. And if you look at my series of pictures, you'll see the mischievous thrill on the faces of these lovely women. If you could see a behind-the-scenes collection of pictures of me, you would see that I am having spectacular fun, too.

You are invited to share my Trash-the-Dress images to enjoy the happy faces in these out-of-the-box wedding mementos, and remember, on the other side of the lens, my smiles were even broader. Thank you, ladies, for making my day!

- Michael Soo

The Best-Laid Plans of Fish and Men...

2008-11-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

As a general rule, the wedding slide shows I produce include a few earlier engagement pictures with the bride and groom dressed in their street clothes. You’ll notice in this piece, however, that the engagement sequence actually tells a story. And this is where I get to have fun sharing the experience of a best-laid-plan proposal that nearly got "flushed down the toilet." Too many metaphors? Here’s the story.

Ronald had a choice to make: a motorcycle or an engagement ring. Of course, he chose the ring. He purchased it, hid it in a drawer, and began drawing up his plans for the perfect proposal. The theme was going to be "Of all the fishes in the sea, I choose you." He would fill the room with fish, retrieve his ring from hiding, invite Stella over, drop to his knee in front of all his finned decorations, and ask her the BIG question.

Well, Stella pushed up the timetable by accidentally discovering the ring. Not easily deterred, Ronald was determined to stick to his plan. He sent Stella away, and in about an hour, he bought up the fish, tossed them into bowls, scattered them around the room, and Ronald - as we now know - was a success.

Poor timing seemed to follow Ronald’s planning. To those of us trying to get to the ceremony, it felt as if the entire Bay Area was there, too. And they were. The streets were crowded with revelers going to the Academy of Sciences' grand reopening at the same time! Luckily for Ronald, other than that, his plans went smoothly. The wedding, at Zion Lutheran Church on Anza and 9th Avenue in San Francisco, was beautiful. A photography technique I used for this couple with their large family was, rather than backing down the aisle and out the door with my camera trying to fit everyone into the frame, I went upwards instead, using the choir loft—which, as you see, worked out very well.

The reception was at a wonderful Chinese restaurant, Zen Peninsula on El Camino Real in Millbrae. A fantastic part of Stella and Ronald’s reception was a traditional Chinese Lion Dance. The fantastic motion and colors provided an opportunity for me to use a unique camera technique to capture this. I set the flash to high, focused on the nearby subject, then literally tossed the camera while it took the picture. This is NOT a trick to try at home!! However, when done correctly, the foreground is in focus and the background has a blurred quality. Here’s the picture for you to enjoy.

View Stella & Ronald's Wedding Album
Zion Lutheran Church, San Francisco
September 27, 2008

My best wishes that all of Stella and Ronald’s future plans always turn out perfectly!

—Michael Soo

P.S.: Now that Ronald has his fish of choice, I wonder what he did with all those OTHER fish?

When I say jump...

2008-11-11T01:39:00.001-08:00

View Lacee & Tejas' Wedding Album

Cypress Hotel, Cupertino
September 20, 2008

India met Czechoslovakia in Cupertino, California, recently at the wedding of Lacee and Tejas. This overachieving couple planned not one, but TWO weddings for the same day at the lovely Cypress Hotel.

The morning began joyfully with drumming; bright colors; intricate details, from the mehndi-henna hand painting, to the intricate jewelry, and stunning fabrics; and motion.

The afternoon was happy, as well. Typical Western customs were observed. A string quartet, the bride and groom with their attendants, the ceremony, the banquet, the dancing. A custom of swapping out a “matron’s bonnet” for the bridal veil had Lacee traditionally Czech for her dances with the male guests.

Which brings me closer and closer to the BIG JUMP.

This entire day was particularly marked with visual movement: the two events themselves; the quickly swapped patio, converting it from Eastern to Western style; the fabrics; the hand painting; even the wedding cake itself was decorated with details that “moved.”

So, as you can see from Lacee and Tejas’ wedding album, I used static shots in fluid ways to bring some of that energy into the experience of watching these pictures. Easy tricks are using a series of quick photos in sequence; close-up of the beautiful fabric used on the ceremonial wedding arch, with its pattern that ebbs and flows; capturing the bride’s gown swirling around her legs as she dances. These are all static tricks to show motion.

Another technique to insert motion into a shot is to MAKE your models move. And this is where my inner sadist has its fun. You KNOW that the wedding party is devoted to a bride and groom, when—dressed in tuxedos or fancy dresses with tall high heels—these folks will JUMP. Not once, not twice, but many, MANY times until every single toe floats off the ground at the same time. That is a powerful moment for the photographer.

As you can imagine, a double event like this, with so many transitions within the single hotel, cannot succeed without someone overseeing the day. Both Lea McIntosh and her team, Creative Events By Ashley were the behind-the-scenes wedding coordinators for Lacee and Tejas. Lea is one of my favorite professionals to work with because her skills ensure a smooth event. You can check out this talented woman at her websites.

I admire Lacee and Tejas for their profound commitment to each other and their families and for pulling off a Herculean challenge of two weddings on the same day in the same place. It was a joy and a challenge for me, too, to be focused on the job for such a long time. So, if the couple can get through this, who doubts they’ll succeed together?

—Michael Soo

Wedding in Santa Clara University Mission, Hotel Valencia and Maggiano's in Santana Row

2008-08-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

View Kirsten & Marcos' Wedding Album

Mission Church Santa Clara de Asis

Maggiano's Little Italy, Santana Row

Hotel Valencia, Santana Row
August 16, 2008

Before I tuned my life into wedding photography, commercial photography, food photography, and fashion photography, I was a computer geek…

There could be double entendre in this title, having grown up in an area that was a colony of the United Kingdom (Malaysia), but the job I’m going to feature in this blog has a twist that takes me back to the time when I was a computer guy with Sun Microsystems.

Kirsten (the bride) and Barbara (bride’s mom), a Sun Microsystems employee—whose husband, like me, successfully switched careers to become a lawyer—discovered me after I left the company. Kirsten found me via Maggiano’s Little Italy’s amazing Banquet Sales Manager (Thanks, Vicky!). I have photographed Maggiano’s entire staff outside the restaurant, a hefty few hundred employees; and one of my most memorable weddings in Maggiano’s was with Stacy and Harold.

In my new career as a photographer (with no dreams of going back to computers), I had the chance to get to know Barbara and her family. Happily, Kirsten met, and is now married to, Marcos. I worked on both the engagement and wedding photographs, giving me lots of time with the couple. I have the positive impression that Marcos has sparked a new sense of adventure in Kirsten. I think they’ll be very, very happy.

And in the sense of adventure, we tried for adventurous locations for the engagement shots. For San Francisco cognoscenti, see if you can recognize some of these locations in this clip! A couple of hints: Pulgas Water Temple in Woodside; and the Sutro Baths and Stockton Street Tunnel in San Francisco.

Fortunately for us, the famed “pulgas” (fleas), after which the Water Temple was named, didn’t try to get into the pictures. No itching on the way home!

At the old Sutro Baths ruins, we found a cave that presented a wonderful backdrop. One of these pictures was blown up, made into a framed photograph, and all the guests at the wedding later on got to sign it, making an interesting alternative to the traditional wedding guest book.

Of course, engagement photos can only mean a wedding coming up. Kirsten and Marcos’ day was a treasure trove of photo opportunities. Someone in the family must have a connection to Santa Clara University, because they were able to book their wedding at the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asis. I understand use of this church, the eighth oldest of the original 21 California missions, is restricted, and it can take more than a year to secure a date!

From the photographer’s view, the Mission was wonderful. The inside is fantastically colorful. Outside, with its old, adobe wall, gated walkways, and ancient garden plantings, we got some great pictures.

After the ceremony, it was off to Santana Row in San José for the partying. Carrying on the adventurous theme, Kirsten and Marcos have a shared/learned passion for travel. Their reception tables, rather than being numbered, were named for locations they visited together already or plan to visit in the future. You can see from these photographs that there were two different venues: Hotel Valencia Santana Row, and Maggiano’s Little Italy, directly across the street from the hotel. The food was great, the reception was great, and—if I do say so myself—we got some great pictures, too. I hope all their future journeys are successful and happy!

–Michael Soo

Photography "Unplugged" at Hakone Gardens, Saratoga

2008-07-28T00:22:00.001-07:00

As many of you may know, I've taught a fair number of advanced photoshop classes to many photographers near and far. They are really popular for the new inductees of digital imaging. Advanced photographers are interested as well. Unfortunately, a large majority of digital photographers have a "shoot now, fix later" perception to photography; only because they think they can.

Photographing a wedding or engagement with over 1,000 images, the "fix later" motto cease to be reasonable, efficient nor effective. Lighting is extremely important in making images come alive! For example, having a large light source behind you while you are shooting a group portrait will help you create a significant stride towards getting your subjects to love you (especially the older folks). They will look younger as their wrinkles melt in the beautiful even window light.

To prove my point, I did a wedding just yesterday with nothing more than a camera, a small Canon 580 EX Flash unit and capturing the images by following the light. Photography Judo or Photography Unplugged, if you will. Pushing and pulling my subjects to light them in resplendence. Enlist the fastest forces of nature as my ally, instead of battling it.

We shot in various locations, from the tea ceremony in the house to the challenging white balanced lighting within the buildings of the Hakone Japanese Gardens in Saratoga. Many of the group shots were shot at 2pm PST summer afternoon, under the harsh California sunlight. The end results however, are over 1,000 images that do not need to see the likes of a healing brush, or for the matter, any photoshop at all.

Of course, this isn't all about photography and light. Without a beautiful bride and groom (Sophie and Jimmy), good photography can only go so far. On top of that, well deserved credit goes to Tiffany, the makeup artist whom I've worked with numerous times. She did a phenomenal job with the hair and makeup, that's for sure!

True Love at the Deepest Level

2008-05-29T02:27:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd seen it all. I have never met a more wonderful couple than Carmell & Richard. The first time we met was outside Peet's Coffee & Tea, at Santana Row. Richard & Carmell have a deep rooted understanding and a profound love (a loosely used word these days) for each other. They booked their wedding photography with me a year ago. in June 2007. Today, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose, their knot is tied. One can peer into their life and love via an understanding of how they deeply entrenched they connect. Richard is a man of integrity, patience and devotion. Wedding stress can beat down a bride like rain on the wedding day. The stress experienced by Carmell were constantly abated by Richard. They would call each other multiple times a day. I told them that they might as well work in the same company... Carmell, on the other hand, is a creature of compassion, intuition and insightful intelligence. She is Richard's guiding light and a beacon of courage. May their life be filled with passion and respect to last two lifetimes over. View the creation of Carmell & Richard's wedding album - Michael Soo

An eye for the inner beauty - Palace of Fine Arts

2008-04-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

Lacee & Tejas love the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. I mean, who doesn't? It's probably the most popular spot for engagement photography in Northern California. If they make $1 everytime a couple does an engagement shoot there... I warned Lacee & Tejas that their favourite spot may be under construction but we figured that we'd take our chances. Our shoot began in downtown San Francisco. We then moved into the grounds of the Palace of Fine Arts. I was right on the money. The entire structure was under construction with scaffolding wrapped around the architecture. Adding insult to injury, the building perimeter was surrounded by a 6' metal fence! Ugh!! Undaunted by the turn of events, I had Lacee & Tejas climb the fence and took several amazing shots. The beauty of the Palace of Fine Arts will be revealed after the construction for a very long time to come. But the images of the Palace of Fine Arts under construction will never again be seen. (click on the image on the left to see more) - Michael Soo