When I say jump...

 

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

My First Wedding Client....all over again!!

Willie works mere minutes away from me in the big Apple HQ in Cupertino. This will give you a preequisite knowledge of where I shot Willie & Pattry's rings... But that's not what I'm going to write about.

Rather, it comes as a great pleasure to have Willie & Pattry be the first wedding clients to grace my new website, Wedding Impress. From now forth, all my clients will have their space for their friends and families to view their Engagement images, Wedding Album, provide Testimonials, etc. Ok, Ok, enough of my shameless plugs. I do have to say that Willie is a heckavu cool guy. I had a load of fun shooting their engagement shoot at the Palace of Fine Art in San Francisco. The fun part isn't just taking shots where every single one of the usual photographers has burrowed their tripods. Rather, the fun arises where we took numerous shots that no other photographers has ventured to take. That, in my opinion is the fun. BTW Willie, despite protests from beautiful Pattry, I do think you look hellavu cool in your shades. ;-) - Michael Soo

Yi Ching & John's Wedding, Palo Alto, California

"I am booked on 8/18 with a Bat Mitzvah", I told Yi Ching, the bride.

"I can't shoot your wedding," I continued. But she insisted on having me, even for a mere few hours of the ceremony. Yi Ching already had an engagement shoot back in Taiwan but after seeing my work in Cypress Hotel, Cupertino, I think we were just meant to work together. It was fate, what's meant to be! She is an artistic graphics designer and she seemed to know what she wanted. What the bride says, what the bride gets. ;-) The only issue is that I needed an assistant badly because most churches has severe restrictions on photography and boy, was I right. Patty, the director of First Methodist Church in Palo Alto listed the things I can't do. I was not allowed anywhere nearer to the bride & groom when the ceremony starts. I was, however, allowed another photographer behind the choir benches. He/she, must not even flinch during the ceremony. No flashes either. The list goes on. Yi Ching got the wedding dress from Taiwan. Very unique and different. Lots of sparklies that got me interested to take a closeup. She was having a sweet conversation about the ceremony with her mom when I shot this.