mission San Juan Capistrano Engagement Session | Southern California Love

I couldn't help myself when my film lab sent me back these photos: this couple is breathtaking and I just had to post it immediately. Mission San Juan Capistrano is not only one of the most beautiful wedding venues but also a gorgeous location for an engagement shoot. It's right here in Southern California only a few miles away from the pretty town of Laguna. Who knew that a historic place with brick, stone, and ruins that look like Rome, actually exists in in California! This sweet couple is absolutely adorable and natural in front of the camera. Thanks V & M for allowing me to document this memorable time in your life, and for being so easy going during our engagement session despite the hot weather!

Portraits | Theresa Huang & Company

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”  -Paul Caponigro

I had the best time photographing the talented artists of Theresa Huang's Makeup & Hair Design team. They truly are beautiful inside and out. I love Theresa's work and have always been an admirer, so it was an honor to be asked to photograph her company portraits. One of Theresa's artists actually did the hair and makeup for my own wedding last June. Thanks for making me look so beautiful, Tina! :) 

One of my favorite things in the whole world is taking portraits. The art of taking portraits involves not only the photographer, but also the subject. The person whom you're aiming the camera at is very much a part of the creative process. During this time I get to know the person I'm photographing on a more intimate level, and I take a few moments to just observe them before composing the final shot. Best of all, I am tasked with communicating everything I want to say about a person in one single portrait - equivalent to a thousand words. Not much more to be said here right?

The first few photos are of the ever-talented and ever-lovely Theresa Huang. 

Malibu | California Portrait Photographer

I'm re-blogging this post after a one year hiatus from blogging anything. Just wanted to include this in my repertoire of images on the blog. :) Laura has been a dear friend of mine for quite a while now and it was so much fun photographing her around Pasadena and Malibu. She wanted to gift a set of sweet photos to her husband Jaime, so we got some printed and packaged it nicely in a box. This is a terrific idea and perhaps alternative to boudoir photos - perhaps your husband or fiance's birthday is coming up and you want to surprise them with something special, personal, and unique - you.