Apertura

Workshop: Join Apertura in Singapore!

Ray — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:23:03 +0000

That’s right folks! We’d like to invite you to spend two days with us in Singapore to talk, eat, and breathe photography. Our friends from Tiny Dot Photography is kind enough to start the whole thing and offered to host the workshop in their country and we couldn’t be more excited!

Click here for the full-size JPEG

What are you going to talk about?
How to get the right moments
How to shoot based on your clients’ personalities
Live shoot
Live critiques
Post production and workflow
Anything goes!!

When?
December 6-7, 2010. But, we advise that you arrive a couple of days early to battle jetlag, and hangout afterwards to enjoy what Singapore has to offer. Hint: their street foods are to die for!

How much?
$980 Singapore Dollar per student (about $715)

How do I sign up for this?
Please email info@tinydotphotography.com

HURRY & SIGN UP NOW. SPACES ARE LIMITED!

See you in Singapore!!

Evelyn + Will: Engaged!

Ray — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:13:16 +0000

Evelyn + Will came all the way from Singapore to have their engagement session! They’re so cute together! We walked around old town Claremont and the McKenna College to wait for the good light. The academic backdrop really suits them because they’re both assistant professor of Psychology in Singapore.

Location: Claremont Village, Claremont McKenna College

Krystle + Ben: Newport Coast, CA

Apertura — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:22:59 +0000

Nothing makes us happier than a beaming bride and groom. We feed off our clients’ energy and Krystle + Ben fueled us all day with their happy glow. Krystle looked amazing in her Vera Wang and the family bond is very palpable. We cried (ehm, a little) during the emotional father/daughter dance and danced along with the amazing band. As always, it was great working with Carolyn Chen again and it was truly an all-star team of vendors. Congrats again Krys + Ben!

Ceremony: Event Lawn at Pelican Hill
Reception: Mar Vista at Pelican Hill
Coordinator: Carolyn Chen
Florist: Nisie
Band: Impulse
Videographer: Elysium

Pani + Ronnie: New York City, NY

Ray — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:00:01 +0000

I always love exploring new places with my clients during an engagement session. New York is vibrant, dynamic, and exciting. A perfect backdrop for Pani + Ronnie, who originally came from California and Texas but ultimately call this city home. I’ve never walked so much during a session before in my life. :)

Lisa + Arvin: Bali, Indonesia

Ray — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:36:10 +0000

Arvin + Lisa rule! I had the honor of flying for 16 hours to shoot their wedding in paradise on earth, Bali. It was the first time I shot a wedding in wicking t-shirt because it was super hot and humid. Lisa looked stunning in her Carolina Herrera dress and Arvin cool in his Armani tux. They exchanged vows inside the beautiful Infinity Chapel at the Conrad. The reception happened under a grand white tent on the Ocean Garden and they used the Fuji Instax mini instant photos for wedding favors. It’s lovely to witness Lisa + Arvin’s celebration in one of the most beautiful places on earth, surrounded by their family including Lisa’s 5 handful, adorable nephews. :-)

Ceremony: Infinity Chapel – Conrad Hotel, Bali
Reception: Ocean Garden – Conrad Hotel, Bali
Coordinator: Devi Tamren
Cake: Ixora Cake
Special thanks to my buddy Ed Atrero for coming along and second shot for me.

Linda + Nelson: Anaheim, CA

Erwin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:44:19 +0000

Linda + Nelson are one of the most chill people I know so far. I had the pleasure of shooting their wedding with Vanessa in this fun-filled day which includes a Korean Opera Singer, a roast by the best man, a brand-spankin’ new IPad (which it honestly made me want to actually participate in their games :P) and just happiness. And yes, for the wedding dress enthusiasts, Linda is wearing the same style wedding dress featured in the movie The Hangover, my favorite movie ever! Carolyn Chen of The Special Day did a marvelous job designing and coordinating the event.

Location: Sheraton Hotel, Anaheim

Event Design & Coordinating: The Special Day

Cake: Sweet & Saucy Shop

Flowers: Mille Fiori Floral Design

Makeup and Hairstylist: Joyce Luck

Wedding Dress: Amsale

Nelson Chillin – Shot by Vanessa

I love this portrait, shot by Vanessa

A diptych of the gorgeous Linda, the left side by me and the right by Vanessa

The following awesome shot was by Vanessa:

Anne + Mike: Santa Barbara, CA

Ray — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:52:08 +0000

I had tons of fun shooting this wedding! Anne & Mike are very easygoing and trusted me to do what I do best, to create real images. Lots of awesome details including a badass Packard as the bride’s limo, seersucker suits for Mike and his and groomsmen, and the guests were transported via Santa Barbara Old Trolleys. Anne was very emotional throughout the day but really let loose at the reception and the band really brought the house down. I love my job! :) Special thanks to my second shooter Ari Simphoukham for coming along.

Ceremony: Santa Barbara Mission
Reception: Four Seasons The Biltmore, Santa Barbara
Coordinator: Kelsey Sheofsky from Alison Events
Florist: Brown Paper Design
Band: The Cowling Band
Papers: Dauphine Press

Jen + Al: Engaged, San Francisco

Erwin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:17:33 +0000

I love photographing my clients in the city where they live – bringing me to a new place energizes my eye and thinking. Especially when my clients are adventurous enough to do any type of shots. For example, Jen takes the MUNI bus pretty much everywhere and they love karaoke. Naturally, these are some of the things that we incorporate to their engagement shoot. Creativity + Adventure = awesome.

At the MUNI bus depot..

And some karaoke and some lychee sake to close the night :)

Ann + Ted: Engaged!

Erwin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:39:28 +0000

Ann lives in LA and Ted in SF. Both fashionable, both love architecture, and both love food. I had a chance to photograph this young, fun couple in Pacific Palisades and then Abbot Kinney. Here are some of my favorites:

Then a quick refueling:

I love people with a great sense of style! Here are some detail shots:

and to close it all, some good ol’ ice cream :)

Random Bali Images

Ray — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:33:34 +0000

Some random travel images from Bali, Indonesia. Taken during our second mini-honeymoon after just shot a wedding at the Conrad Hotel, Tanjung Benoa. I miss Bali already. Enjoy and please leave your thoughts!

Locations: Ubud, Jimbaran Bay, Ayana Resort, Rock Bar, Tanah Lot, Legian, Kuta, Melia Tanjung Benoa, Grand Hyatt Nusa Dua, Conrad Tanjung Benoa.

Farmer at Ubud Rice Terrace

Jimbaran Beach

Roast Corn Vendor by the Beach

Ayana Pool Portrait

Rock Bar at Night

Tanah Lot Temple

Legian Buddha

Sunrise on My Birthday, Tanjung Benoa

Silhouettes, Nusa Dua

California Fitness Competition

Erwin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:24:45 +0000

The other day I went with my friend Vanessa to shoot the getting ready section of a local fitness competition. It was an amazing experience and to a lot of people, this may seem almost like a “cult”. There are many different types of people of different ages and they are competing because they are passionate about their health and the work that they have put in to it.

Here are some of my favorite shots of that day:

Location: Culver City, California

Saqi + Tejas

Erwin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:44:17 +0000

Saqi + Tejas had flown in from Boston to do their Engagement shoot in Tejas’ town of Palos Verdes, where he grew up in. We shot in his school and went all around nearby locations. Here are some of my favorite shots:

Location: Malaga Cove High School, Palos Verdes

Lately: Contest-Winning Images

Erwin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:43:09 +0000

My 1st wedding of the year, Thea + Earl received some awesome mentions in a couple of Photography contests from ISPWP (International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers) and WPJA (Wedding PhotoJournalists Association). Totally made my day!

1st Place – Bride Portrait (ISPWP)

2nd Place – Emotional Impact (ISPWP)

18th Place – Getting Ready (WPJA)

11th Place – Getting Ready (WPJA)

Rachel + Joel: Engaged!

Vanessa — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:49:15 +0000

The first post for Vanessa!

We are so excited to be publishing her first, very kickass Engagement Session with Apertura! Rachel + Joel flew Vanessa out to San Francisco to shoot their engagement session in the locations that are close to their hearts. Check out her amazing shots below:

Location: Embarcadero, Ferry Building, San Francisco

Christine + Julien: Engaged!

Erwin — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:54:01 +0000

Christine and Julien are very much into art and design and since Julien is a furniture designer, they picked The Eames House to be their Engagement Session location. Upon seeing them and talking to them, you just know that they have beautiful souls.

Location: Eames House, Annenberg Community Pool, Pacific Palisades

Sandra + Bill: Engaged!

Apertura — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:26:21 +0000

We had the pleasure of shooting Sandra + Bill’s Engagement session with their favorite items in the world: their cars! They wanted a more edgy-look so we decided to go to a location in downtown Los Angeles that is a bit rustic and industrial. Here are some of our favorites:

Location: FarmLab, Los Angeles

Patty + Steve: San Francisco

Ray — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:39:38 +0000

Straight off from the San Jose Airport to Golden Gate Park for Patty & Steve engagement session. I love, love, love their chemistry together and they pretty much let me do anything I have in mind, even a little bit of trespassing. :)

Location: DeYoung Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Eye Candy!

Apertura — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:50:17 +0000

Apertura Signature Album Overload!! Hands-down, the best medium for our storytelling style. Our clients absolutely love theirs!!
Here’s recent lovely mix of wedding, portrait, engagement albums, and parent copies; both in luxurious leather and gorgeous Japanese fabric.

Melissa + Josh: Engaged!

Erwin — Fri, 07 May 2010 04:59:52 +0000

I got to spend some time with Melissa + Josh and had an awesome time shooting in LACMA and LAX (they chose LAX because for the longest time, they had a long distance relationship and had to travel through it). I love it when my clients and I can joke around the whole time and it made it a very awesome experience!

Julie + Bert: San Francisco

Ray — Tue, 04 May 2010 02:52:34 +0000

I started with Julie + Bert at the Ferry Building and ended up at their home with to watch some baking action! Julie + Bert’s favorite pastime was baking together (Julie used to go to culinary school) and I got to sample some of her delicious cookies! See you guys in June!

Lisa + Arvin: San Francisco

Ray — Sat, 01 May 2010 01:47:53 +0000

Lisa + Arvin are really sweet together. We started in their favorite date spot, Ti Couz cafe in the Mission, then going up to Dolores park to stroll with their headstrong Pekingese, Bobbie. :) It’s apparent that they’re very comfortable in their own skin and it was just a fun session despite my fear of getting my car towed in the city. Can’t wait to hang out again in Bali soon!

Jean + Peter: Oahu, Hawai’i

Ray — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:20:27 +0000

I had the most incredible time in Hawai’i with Jean + Peter! They met in a hospital where they work and as they say, the rest is history. Jean looked absolutely gorgeous, Pete gave one of the best groom speeches of all time, and we partied like rockstars! And it was great to work with Sandra again from Finishing Touch. My talented friend Maurice came to second shoot for me.

Getting ready: Sunset Beach Colony

Venue: Loulu Palm Estate

Dress: Vera Wang

Flowers: Yvonne Floral Design

DJ: Troy Michael

A little swim before getting ready

Nerves started to kick in

Peeking through as the guests were arriving

Anne + David: Houston, Texas

Ray — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:37:59 +0000

I had fun hanging out with Anne + David in Houston, Texas. It’s the first time I’ve been in Houston and I love it! Great weather, awesome couple with a great story, and just a chill wedding officiated by David’s father. My friend Jason Tran helped me second shot this wedding.

Venue: La Colombe d’Or
Coordinator: Anne-Marie Leahy
Dress: Elizabeth Filmore
Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
Florist: www.secretfloralgarden.com
Cake: www.worldcateringhouston.com
Band: www.marshallfordswingband.com

First look!

Practicing their first dance before the ceremony

Anne, hiding from guests as they’re arriving.

Jennifer + Ismael: The 2ON1 Workshop

Apertura — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:22:44 +0000

Another set from our 3rd 2ON1 Private Workshop live shoot!

The 2ON1 Private Workshop is designed to get the highest amount of learning catered to your needs based on your current photography level. It’s like two workshops in one! Learn from Ray + Erwin, an award-winning team of photographers that shoot with different views but focusing on effective story telling through capturing emotions. It will be a full-throttle 2-day workshop that is designed to get you thinking, not to tell you how to do things. No hype, no BS.

Want in? Please email us at info@aperturaphoto.com with “2ON1″ as the subject.

Randa + Ethan: Engaged!

Erwin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:43:41 +0000

I LOVE couples that are willing to do everything for an awesome shoot! I met Randa and Ethan not too long ago and we had tons of fun during their E-Session despite the super windy conditions :)

Here are some of my favorites:

Nightingale + Johnny: The 2ON1 Workshop!

Apertura — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:09:35 +0000

Nightingale & Johnny drove all the way from Central California to volunteer for our 2nd 2ON1 Workshop. The day was focused on the use of single directional light and using low light situations to create good portraits. Here are some of our favorites:

Sunday Afternoon

Ray — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:43:04 +0000

Impromptu portraits with my two girls after a piano competition. :)

Thea + Earl

Erwin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:00:10 +0000

They are so tall that I feel like a midget around them… :)
Thea + Earl are my new Canadian friends, that live in Dubai, and had their Old Hollywood-inspired wedding in the amazing Parker Palm Springs, CA. Some people have that natural kindness and the ability to make people around them feel warmth – they are one of them. They are fun, love-ing, in-love, love-ed, and all-around great, great people. Congratulations, Thea + Earl!!
My friend Ed Atrero 2nd shot for me on this awesome day.

Venue, Catering, Cake: The Parker Palm Springs
Coordinator: Nancy Williams of My Fancy Occasion
Florist: Joey from Artisan
Dress: Ethos Bridal
Makeup: Neeraja Lockart
Hair: Jose at the PSYC (Parker)

Instead of a normal toast, Earl’s best man wrote and sang the funniest and touching song about them.

Mother-Son Dance

Katherine + Julian: San Francisco

Ray — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:31:44 +0000

Katherine & Julian flew me out to San Francisco to document their wedding at the City Hall of just the two of them. I’ve never shot a wedding this small before, so I was really excited! After getting ready at the charming Inn Above Tide, we went to the City Hall and wait for our number to be called for the ceremony. Afterwards, we went to a lot of places around Tiburon and Sausalito for some portraits before returning to the Inn for cake cutting in their suite. I’m so glad Kat & Julian found me and I’m very happy to be part of their wedding. I also really love that I got to sign my name as a witness!!!

Glamour Magazine Blog Feature

Ray — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Thank you Glamour, for featuring Lizet + Edmund’s charming Palm Spring wedding on your blog!

glamour feature lizet edmund

Apertura in Rangefinder Magazine!

Apertura — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:26:56 +0000

Months ago, we were asked by Rangefinder magazine if we’d like to be featured in their upcoming wedding issue. We’ve been reading Rangefinder since we started this business, so of course we said yes! The issue is now out in conjunction with WPPI in Las Vegas and we couldn’t be more excited and honored to be part of it all. :)

If you’d like to read the article, please find the link here.

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ISPWP Contest

Apertura — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:29:48 +0000

We feel blessed that some of our images made it to the latest ISPWP (International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers) – Winter 2009!

2nd Place – Kids Will Be Kids (Shot by Ray)

2nd Place – Reception (Shot by Erwin)

10th Place – Bride and Groom Portrait (Shot by Ray)

13th Place – The Decisive Moment (Shot by Ray)

15th Place – Reception (Shot by Erwin)

Julie + Roozbeh: Maternity!

Apertura — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:20:05 +0000

We’ve been getting more and more requests for maternity shoots :)
This time, it is our dear friends and previous clients, Julie + Roozbeh! Although it rained pretty much the whole session, we managed to get some awesome shots around Santa Monica Pier areas. Here are some of our favorite images:

Nancy + Ed: Pelican Hill

Apertura — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:33:20 +0000

Nancy + Ed had a truly epic wedding to end our 2009 wedding season! We really felt like we connected like old friends since the meeting all the way through the afterparty. It’s a union between Korean, Mexican, and Chinese culture all in one giant celebration with the bridal party karaoke, hip-hop dance routine, and …..wait for it…… a floating cake! We had the pleasure of working with an all-star team of vendors and it was a great way to finish the year.

Venue: The Resort at Pelican Hill
Coordinator: Carolyn Chen, The Special Day
Floral Designer: Nisie, Enchanted Florist
Videography: Elysium

Published: The Knot

Apertura — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:14:55 +0000

First time featured in the Knot magazine. Congratulations Sara + Mani! :)

Introducing Vanessa!

Apertura — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:53:44 +0000

We are so excited to announce the addition of Vanessa to the Apertura team! She’s is an amazing photographer and even a better person. She’s been shooting weddings, events, portraits, and fashion for the last 5 years and we feel honored to have her join our team as an associate photographer! Oh and she just gave birth to her second daughter a week ago! Please contact us at the email address below for her availability.

Sami + Michael: Parker Palm Springs, CA

Ray — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:58:33 +0000

I never met Sami + Michael prior to their wedding day but once we met, I felt like hanging out with a couple of old friends! They truly are happy souls and Sami’s mom told me that Sami was born at the wrong time and she should’ve been a hippie. Bonus points as they walked down the aisle along some Beatles’ tunes!

Sunny from White Lilac did a killer job with the design and decor, incorporating paper cranes hanging from the chuppah & Jonathan Adler pieces into the reception tablescape.
And the ladies from Details Details are on top of everything as usual. It was an awesome day!

Venue: The Parker Palm Springs
Design: White Lilac
Coordination: Details Details
Video: Elysium
Dress: Vera Wang
Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

How can you not love the onesie tux?

First look.

INTENSE!

Sami’s Dad suprised her with a song right after the speech.

Orion

Apertura — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:57:22 +0000

Thank you Amy + Varpas for letting us document your life for several years from the engagement, the wedding, the maternity period and now your beautiful baby boy. It’s an honor!

Kelli + Dave

Erwin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:00:36 +0000

There are some weddings that I can recall everything so crystal clear. Mostly because of the type of people, their relationship with me and the miscellaneous personal touches that they have in their weddings. This one is definitely one of those weddings. Great people, great families, friends, and lots of personalized things ranging from the peepee-face (I have the pictures but would not disclose the person :P), to a surprise Jai-Ho dance (from The Slumdog Millionaire). Kelli + Dave used to work in the film industry so this really means a lot to them.

The wedding became complete when the Oregon Ducks won the game that night (they are all HUGE ducks fans)

My friend, Ed Atrero shot with me on this one.

Venue: The Calamigos Ranch, Malibu

Dave’s sister in the background trying to hold back tears as Kelli is putting on the dress..

Dave reading a personal letter from his brother..

Don’t try this at home :P

Love this moment between Kelli and her dad.

And the AMAZING surprise Jai-Ho Dance by their friends and family!

Dave’s tearing up watching the dance

Help Needed: Production Intern

Apertura — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:46:11 +0000

Happy Monday, Y’all!

We are currently looking for a production intern to join the Apertura team.

This person must be:

- Proficient in photo editing using Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, & Bridge.
- In So Cal & have his/her own car to drive to our Corona, CA office.
- Design background is definitely a plus although not required.

Some of the tasks would be:

- RAW color correction
- Retouching
- Album design
- Order fulfillment

This is an unpaid internship position with a possibility of future hire.

If you are qualified and interested, please email us your resume at info (at) aperturaphoto (dot) com. Please put “Intern” as the subject.

Look forward to talking to you!!

Junebug Best of 2009

Ray — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:00:47 +0000

Leila + Mani’s image just keeps on making noise!! I am honored to be featured in Junebug Weddings 2009 Best from the Best Fashion Report among my talented friends and peers. Here’s to a healthy & prosperous 2010!

Dancers.. Part 2

Erwin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:31:23 +0000

Following the same shoot as Ray’s previous shoot with Greg Bumatay but without the waterfall, here are some of mine! :)

Dancers: Rosalba Jasso, Loree Rapp, Nancy Crouch (in that particular order)
Makeup: Paulina Bustos

Thank you Ladies! You are all awesome!!

Since everyone is shooting them dancing, I thought I’d try a different twist – The yellow riding hood! :)

Dancers & Waterfall

Ray — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:02:33 +0000

I like to play with my new bellydancer friends. :) Thanks for rocking it in the cold!
Super special thanks to our friend Greg Bumatay for starting this off!

Dancers: Nancy Crouch, Rosalba Jasso, Loree Rapp
Makeup: Paulina Bustos

Tak + Steven: New York City, NY

Apertura — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:54:34 +0000

Finally, the wedding of Tak + Steven, mostly known as STAK Images – the “NOW” husband-and-wife Wedding Photographers from NY, which we proudly call friends :)

Tak + Steven’s wedding day started with a scare of huge continuous rain (as you can see from their e-session), however we are very grateful that it didn’t even rain at all. We completely lucked out – weather was dry, overcast the whole day. Their day started with the getting ready at the Millenium Hilton Hotel (which is located right next to the ground zero of the World Trade Center (see picture below). Emotions are high, portraits are amazing! We had TONS of fun covering their wedding! Here are “some” of our favorites:

The details:
Dress/Shoes/Veil: David’s Bridal
Makeup Artist: Sissi Chan
Ceremony/Reception: The City Hall Restaurant
Wedding Favors: Summer Favors

Tak is just a wee bit obsessed with piggies!

T-E-A-M-W-O-R-K :)

We love taxis since there are none in LA area…

Tea Ceremonies always bling up the bride.

During one of the many great toast speeches…

Lots of portrait time after the wedding!

Monika + David: Las Vegas, NV

Ray — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:00:34 +0000

I had fun in Las Vegas documenting Monika + David’s Jewish wedding at the Four Seasons. Monika was truly a stunning bride. Strangers at the elevator actually asked if she’s Miss Spain! The event went perfectly under the coordination of Laura Ward-Elbyr and the catering manager Dennis Silknitter. And thank goodness that no one fell into the pool after the raucous Hora by the poolside!

Thank you, Monika+David for letting me document your amazing day!

Venue: The Four Seasons, Las Vegas, NV
Coordinator: Laura Ward-Elbyr
Dress: Pronovias
Shoes: Charles David
Videographer: Elysium Productions

Aversion to combs!

Moments during the ceremony

Private moment after the ceremony

The amazing Eddie Wakes was the wedding singer!

Cover Love!

Apertura — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:15:06 +0000

Happy Thursday everyone! We’re happy to share some great news. :)

We are absolutely excited that an image from Judi & Chris’ wedding in Oahu, Hawaii made the cover of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine!!

And one of my all-time favorite image from Leila & Mani’s wedding is used in the editorial piece. :)

And last but not least, Camilla + David’s wedding is featured on the Elizabeth Anne Designs popular blog!

Have a great week, everyone!

Eileen + Derrick: San Diego, CA

Ray — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:45:06 +0000

Venue: Hotel Del

Awesome coordination: Kerrie Underhill – Platinum Weddings by Kerrie

Dress: Judd Waddell from Erin Cole Couture

Shoes: Christian Louboutins

Flowers: Nisie’s Enchanted Florist

Video: Elysium

ISPWP

Erwin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:50:46 +0000

This post is one day late, but better late than never! I am very pleased that the following images placed on the recent ISPWP (International Society of Professional Wedding Photographer) Quarterly contest. I just recently joined this society, so this comes as a great surprise – a pleasant one, especially because the votes come from a panel of judges that I truly respect.
Getting Ready – 11th Place (Angela + Angel’s wedding)

Bride and Groom Portrait – 7th

Engagement Portrait – 9th (Nina + Sam’s Engagement)

and last but not least: Reception – 1st Place (Pang + Scott’s Wedding)

And Ray took one spot: First Dance – 16th (Whitney + Alex)

Tak + Steven: Coney Island, NY Engagement

Apertura — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:49:37 +0000

It was day 2 of our 3-day stay in New York and it was cold, and raining! Cold and rain do not go together well for sure, especially for us who is not accustomed to having both at the same time… uhm.. yep, that’s us.

However, the talented photographers Tak + Steven were the super trooper of the day as we shoot around for their engagement session (with the wedding to follow the next day). We strolled around in the famous Coney Island and several adjacent places. 4 Umbrellas, 4 wet shoes, 4 pairs of partially wet legs, and 4 wet cameras later, we still had a lot of fun! So here we go:

PS: watch for their wedding images coming up soon!

Sherry + Larry: Newport Coast, CA

Erwin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:42:47 +0000

Sherry is a lawyer, Larry is a lawyer. Both of their occupations and names rhymed. Two great people with great personalities and kindness.

My friend, Dexter Lo came out to second shoot for me.

Venue: Pelican Hill
Florist: White Lilac
Band: James Gang
Coordinator: About Details Details
Dress: Jenny Lee
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Makeup Artist: Katie B.

Sherry having a great time with the flower girl as everything else is still in battle mode :P

Sherry looking at herself the first time after the whole accessories are on…

Pretty much all smiles during the ceremony..

A little panoramic portrait during sunset

The train!

Krys + Ben: NYC Engagement

Apertura — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:40:16 +0000

While in New York City, we visited Krys’ old neighborhood and had tons of fun running around with them in Central Park and the Grand Central terminal.
Krys + Ben have great chemistry together and they definitely made our job easier. :)

A Couple of Featured Works

Apertura — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:52 +0000

A couple of great news at the Apertura camp!

First, we’re so happy that the amazing Style Me Pretty blog decided to feature Lizet + Edmund’s Palm Spring wedding!
Check out the three-part-feature here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

And second, we just picked up a copy of the latest Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine at the newstand and saw Brie-Ann + Rick’s Santa Barbara wedding on print!

Alice + Daniel: San Francisco, CA

Ray — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:58 +0000

Alice + Daniel are never afraid to wear their emotions on their sleeves. They have this beautiful energy and spirit of generosity. I love it that they care for me like I am part of their family even though I’m a Lakers fan. They had the ceremony at the dock of Hotel Sofitel amidst gale-force winds but it’s still one of the most memorable of all time. Thanks, Alice + Daniel, for being you.

Venue: Hotel Sofitel, Redwood City
Coordinator: Katherine Noller-Fernandez
Dress: Yolanda Couture/ L’Ezu Atelier
Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
Make up: Tammy Son
Hair: Giao Nguyen
Cake: Bijan Bakery & Studio Cakes
Florist: Asiel Design

Dan & his groomsmen serenaded the vow!

First time I’ve seen the bride and groom passing out ice creams from a cart! It was magical.

Jackie + Wei: San Francisco, CA

Ray — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:52 +0000

Ceremony: Stanford Memorial Church
Reception: Westin St. Francis Union Square
Coordinator: Narimel Tulawan
Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Tux: Giorgio Armani
Shoes: James Ciccotti & Jimmy Choo
Cake: I Dream of Cake

I love it when my bride trust me to document the getting ready part. My favorite shot of the day!

We walked around Union Square for some bridal party pics

Graceful Jackie and her veil moments before the ceremony

The church has no AC and it was warm :)

This little cutie was a dance machine!

Camilla + David: Napa, CA

Ray — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:14:34 +0000

Camilla was from Sweden. David was from Ireland. They live & work in New York, and got married in Napa.

I was lucky enough to witness their very warm and intimate wedding at the gorgeous Carneros Inn in Napa Valley. With only 13 people present, I got the chance to know everyone and spent the day like I was part of the family.

David’s Mom blessed and kissed the wedding rings for good luck as Camilla’s sister looked on

David laughing at the “less than perfect” cuff-links & Camilla looking beautiful

It got a bit emotional when Camilla gave gifts to her bridesmaids

I love it when my couple sees each other before the ceremony!

Sand pouring ceremony with imported sands from Sweden, Ireland, and New York!

Cute moment between lovebirds during dinner.

Salila + Edgar: Engaged!

Erwin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:25:09 +0000

I had the pleasure of hanging out and shooting Salila + Edgar’s Engagement Session in Las Vegas. They are one of the awesomest and nicest people, and they are united through food, to say the least :) Edgar is an excellent chef and Salila is a foodie, so it’s a match made in heaven. I got my share of food 101 everytime I dine with these two. Not to mention the late night Facebook food photo uploads that always makes me hungry :P Life’s good when you have a chef living with you I guess.

This is the first time I shot at this awesome location, The Neon Museum where they store all the vintage signs from the strip. We had a lot of fun and afterwards, ate, and partied! It’s always awesome to be friends with my clients and to have that connection, it’s simply priceless.

Can’t wait to shoot your wedding next year! You guys are truly rockstars in my book! :)

Nancy + Ed: Los Angeles, CA Engagement

Apertura — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:16:01 +0000

We met this couple a while back and we connected immediately. Hanging out with them is super fun and more fun shooting them! We also learned the Korean word “Daehji” that means pork during our dinner at a nearby korean tofu house in LA :) Fun and learning. How cool is that? See you guys soon in December!

Here are some of our favorite shots!

By Erwin:

The following 2 shots are by Ray:

Ed is very into his car, so we took some shots with it – shot by Erwin

Karina + Justin: Beverly Hills, CA

Vanessa — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:50:12 +0000

Karina + Justin brought old hollywood glamour to their wedding and it was absolutely beautiful!
Our associate shooter covered this wedding marvelously!

Venue: The Beverly Hills Hotel – Crystal Gardens & Crystal Ballroom

Cake: Nancy Kay Confections

Flowers: Temptations Flowers

Coordinator: Laura Ward

First look – I love Justin’s reaction!

Ketubah signing

Hora!

Sharon scolding Ozzy :-)

Lili + Scott

Erwin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:29:40 +0000

Liliana + Scott met and found each other to be their better halves. Even when I did their Engagement Session, I can see that they are very close and their family is a big part of their lives. The wedding is held at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA. My San Diegan friend, Stan Liu came to second shoot for me.

Lili making last minute touches before the ceremony

Love this moment during the first dance

…And Lili’s dad’s expression :)

Also an awesome Mariachi band

Scott is a really good drummer – at one point he took the stage and played with the band to the tune of “Sweet Home Alabama”.

of course, the dancing!

Nina + Sam

Apertura — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:48:41 +0000

Gorgeous people, gorgeous setting, some tears of joy, and tons of dancing = awesome wedding!

Venue: The Langham, Pasadena
Coordinator: Mint Julep Special Events
Florist & Design: White Lilac
Dress: Monique Lhullier + Lazaro
Shoes: Christian Louboutin + Jimmy Choo
Veil: Lazaro
Tuxedo: Yves Saint Laurent
Makeup: Ashleigh Louer
Video: Elysium Productions

LET THE PICTURES DO THE TALKIN’ :)

Nina’s friends telling Nina to use that hairstyle for the wedding

The ringbearer playing around by himself – life is good when you are young.

Love Nina’s expression on this shot.

2nd getting ready – yes, this happens after a long day :)

Gorgeous Shoes!

The “Tea Lady”

First Dance

Some other dancing :)

The wonderfully beautiful dance performance!

Lizet + Edmund – Parker Palm Springs Slideshow

Ray — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:40:21 +0000

One Frame: San Francisco

Ray — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:04:06 +0000

I love San Francisco!

Joy + Brandon: The Slideshow

Erwin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:53:01 +0000

Albums! Albums! Albums!

Apertura — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:31:08 +0000

We designed every single one of these ourselves. They’re our pride and joy and without question, the best medium for our storytelling images.

Handling suggestion: white cotton gloves, dust-free clean room, definitely no chili cheese fries around these babies!

Paul + Shirley’s MASSIVE 78-page, double volume + slipcase, supple rustique black leather cover. Gorgeous!

Leila + Mani 74-page, slipcase, distressed brown leather. Elegant!

Miki + Joel 62-page, cork lining, & Japanese silk fabric. Tres chic!

Eileen + Derrick: Engaged!

Ray — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:07:33 +0000

Although the sun disappeared faster than you can blink an eye, I love the moodier images I got of Eileen + Derrick.

Tribute to Derrick’s love for basketball

Love in public bathroom :-)

Lizet + Edmund

Ray — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:28:00 +0000

Small wedding, sweet couple, amazingly chic details. My kind of wedding – despite the 115-degree weather.

Lizet + Edmund are my most adventurous couple by far. Their honeymoon plan includes climbing mount Kilimanjaro together. I could barely climb my stairs at home! Their wedding was very personal, 13 people total, at the always beautiful Parker Palm Springs. I love the thoughtful and chic details. I love Edmund’s style, I love Lizet’s shoes, I love their dogs Cisco & Sandy, and I love how they look at each other with quiet smiles.

Venue: The Parker Palm Springs – Gene Autry Residence
Dress: J. Crew
Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
Jacket: Marc Jacobs
Coordinator: Laura – http://soievents.com/
Florist: Megan – http://www.lapartieevents.com/

Wendy + Brandon: The 2ON1 Workshop

Apertura — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:16:57 +0000

About a week ago, we finally got a chance to conduct our inaugural 2-ON-1 Private Workshop in Corona. The intense workshop is a 2-day classroom / field exercise combo, bombarded with a lot of images, knowledge, and head-hurting thoughts / ego-slashing portfolio review (just kidding on the last part :)). It was invigorating to be able to share our experience and knowledge to other photographers. In fact, we like it so much that we decided to open this up to all photographers! Drop us emails and put 2ON1 on the subject line for details.

One of the things that we did was getting real people for our shooting exercise to simulate actual dynamics and what to dos. So here are Wendy + Brandon, our volunteers that we just met during the shoot, an awesome couple, and… our newest rockstars :)

Trisha + Victor

Ray — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:50:04 +0000

I was privileged to witness Trisha married her best friend, Victor at the Spanish Hills golf club in Camarillo.
The ceremony was one of the most memorable I’ve witnessed with tears of joy flowing the entire time. Trisha + Vic, thank you for having me document your love.

Excellent coordination by Kevin Covey (www.kevinsparties.com)

Image by my second shooter John

Vic, trying to hold back the tears to no avail, with his best man by his side.

Image by John

I broke my iPhone trying to get this shot!

They danced to “Con los años que me quedan,” my long time favorite!

Jenn + Thomas

Erwin — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:50:13 +0000

I’m so blessed to have great people seeking for great photography – and Jenn + Thomas is no different. There is a certain level of connection and closeness that is evident in their relationship. It’s a heartfelt event, but completely describes the many looks of happiness. Jenn was all smiles the whole day. I honestly can’t find any images of her not smiling the whole night! This is also one of the most organized weddings I’ve been in, thanks to all the great vendors and as always, the awesome job by Details Details.
Congratulations again, Jenn + Thomas! You guys are awesome!

My talented friend Jason Tran accompanied me as a 2nd shooter.

The Details:
Coordinator: Details Details (Michelle Weita)
Ceremony / Reception Location: Four Seasons Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA
Florist & Linens: White Lilac (Sunny Ravanbach)
Dress: Kenneth Pool, Saks Fifth Avenue
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Veil: Kirstie Kelly
Makeup: Makeup by Berit
Hairdresser: Jodie Latzsch
Videographer: Elysium Productions (Alex)

The guys were all ready when we got there, so here’s a portrait by Jason to “reprezent” :)

Love this moment – Thomas teasing his mom right before the ceremony

Sometimes emotions are uncontainable – recipe for great photograph: Let it go! :)

Some shots of the awesome details

First dance

Awesome shot during Father-Daughter dance by Jason

Jenn’s Mom and Dad watching the same day edit video of them during the “handover” process of the ceremony :)

The Biesterfelds: Conceptual Family Portrait

Apertura — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:53:18 +0000

We photographed this wonderful family (our new friends, the owner of The Condor’s Nest Ranch in Pala, CA) a few weeks back and we had so much blast hanging out with them. The idea was somewhat spontaneous, and we absolutely loved doing it. If you have any ideas of Conceptual Family Portraits, let us know and we’ll be glad to shoot it!

Thanks again to Lisa and Bob for being so awesome! We miss you guys and of course, your adorable HUGE dogs! :)

Joy + Brandon

Erwin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:22:45 +0000

Love, love, love these people! I pretty much love everything about this wedding: Backyard wedding at their friend’s awesome place, Tatoos, Cool Shoes, Awesome details, Great colors, all around beautiful people inside and out. But more than all these things, it’s a marriage between two great people that really is a perfect match for each other. My friend, Dexter Lo came along to second shoot for me.

Location: Private residence
Caterer, Cake, Linens & Rentals: ABO Catering
Florist: Squareroot Designs
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Dress: The White Dress
Veil: Cindy Dahl Designs
Makeup: Magdalena “Bleu” Ramirez
Hair Dresser: Nora Mercado

The following two shots are by Dexter:

And the girls’ getting ready!

Cute Dog!

Brandon’s Grandpa “Tying the Knot”

I think the dog likes it :)

First Dance

The grand exit:

Pearl + Yousef: The Slideshow

Apertura — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:10:00 +0000

It’s been a while since we posted our slideshows but here’s a new one from the amazing wedding of Pearl + Yousef at the Langham Pasadena!

Sherry + Larry: Engaged!

Erwin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:24:13 +0000

Some of my favorite images from a recent Engagement photos, taken at the awesome Condor’s Nest Ranch in Pala, CA. Congratulations Sherry + Larry, and thank you for Lisa & Bob for lending me their ranch for the day!

Feeling Sneaky? (Joy + Brandon)

Erwin — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:29:50 +0000

From the awesome wedding last weekend in Encinitas!

Destination: NEW YORK!

Apertura — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:13:11 +0000

Hello Folks!

Just wanted to let you know we (both Ray and Erwin) will be in New York from October 14th through the 21st. We will be shooting a wedding there in the weekend, but will be mainly open to shoot other things: portraits, E-Sessions, family sessions, headshots, etc. between the 18th – 21st.

Hit us up and let the people that you love know! As usual, first come, first serve! :)

Please utilize the contact form in this blog and indicate if you want to contact Ray, Erwin, or both (for dual shooter event). Looking forward to hearing from you awesome peeps!

Nina + Sam: Engaged!

Apertura — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:56:03 +0000

Things got pretty hot during this engagement session. Nina + Sam has that special something for sure.
Thanks for being such troopers & making our jobs easy, guys. See you soon!

Published: Pacific Weddings + Inland Empire

Apertura — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:54:21 +0000

Oh gosh, we’ve been so busy that I just got the chance to post these. We had the good fortune to get published in two mags this summer! One is the amazing Hawaiian wedding of Miki + Joel, appearing in the Summer issue of Pacific Weddings and the other is the old favorite of Ana + Brent in San Diego. Congrats, guys!

The Foundation Conference

Apertura — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:34:01 +0000

THE EXCITEMENT IS HIGH AND REAL!

We truly believe in the value in learning, and this time, we are going to be sharing some of our knowledge on creating some great portraitures. This is going to be our first debut appearance as speakers, and we are super excited. Not interested to learn about portraitures, no problem! :) The conference has a lineup of very, very accomplished photographers that would be talking about other things pertaining to photography.

Also, the parties are always badass :) Come and learn with us!

For more information, check out:

http://fconference.com

Angela + Angel: Published!

Apertura — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:54:02 +0000

Sweetness! Our favorite peeps, Angela + Angel‘s cool wedding at The SLS Hotel is now showcased on E lizabeth Anne Designs’ blog. Check all the awesome details and photos! Here’s just a screen grab of the first page:

Jakarta Fashion Shoot

Ray — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:46:27 +0000

Just exercising my shooting fingers while on vacation. :-)

This near-impromptu shoot were made possible by:

My dad’s unfinished warehouse – the location

Natalia Ratna – the model

Rini Yusrika – the make up/hair

Edward Suhadi & crew – the enabler

Jakarta Traditional Street Market

Ray — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:39:56 +0000

Lining up to buy the king of fruits: DURIAN!

Frogs, fish, and a cat

Assorted meats, raw and cooked

Becak, a traditional mode of transportation

This tough guy and his friend love the camera

The gentleman on the left is 86 and a third generation shopkeeper, the guy on the right is a breadseller

Monkey on a bike

Praying monkey and his master

The following sequence is of my gracious host, Edward, sacrificing himself in an old-skool barbershop which services include a haircut, shave, nose hair trimming, and ear cleaning

Torture devices of yore :-)

Ika + Andre

Erwin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:54:14 +0000

A quick, 6-hour wedding of my newest Indonesian friends :)

Coordinator: Burgundy Event Coordinating

Tongue-sticking is apparently Ika’s signature move :) Oh yeah.. there’s plenty more..

Ika’s Dad during first dance.

Andre’s Mom singing and Ika’s Dad blowing bubbles – at least attempted to :)

Taliah + Daniel

Ray — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:27:35 +0000

Taliah + Daniel got married in Malibu in front of 20 of their closest friends and family. I was privileged to be part of it. It was a perfectly glorious day and I got to enjoy Danny’s mom delicious home-cooked Mexican feast!

Pearl + Yousef

Apertura — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:33:53 +0000

Another beautiful Persian Wedding, another awesome Apertura couple! They’re a blast! :) Literally, there are so many gorgeous details to shoot that they probably belong in their own blog post!

Uber Wedding Coordinator: Shideh Shahraies
Caterer: Bahador and Langham Hotel
Florist: Bouvardia
Dress: Monique Lhullier

Shoes: Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Rene Caovilla

Makeup & Hair: Shirin at Chalipa Salon
Tuxedo: Armani

Can’t choose one pair? Get three! :-)

Emotional moment before walking down the aisle

Bali

Ray — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:47:54 +0000

Some images from last week in Bali.

Lili + Scott: Engaged!

Erwin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:28:19 +0000

Strolling around Downtown Orange was awesome with this couple!

And some multiplicity :)

Mami + Shintaro

Erwin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:27:09 +0000

I haven’t really met Mami + Shintaro previously, only through some phone conversatiions. As soon as we met each other, I know that I love these people. they are super nice, and their family and friends were awesome! Too bad I don’t understand much Japanese, but I can just see that they were having a blast being with each other.

They did an amazing job with the details and luckily I brought Ray who helped me with a lot of the detail shots. Did I mention fashion-wise, these people are superb! :)

Venue: Darlington House, La Jolla
All Things Beautiful: Embellishmint Floral & Event Design Studio
Catering: ChileCo Catering
Dress: Raimond Bundo Novias
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Tuxedo: Versace

A little touchup before the ceremony

Mami’s father holding back tears..

Kimonos are SUPER complicated to do! But Awesome!

Garter retrieval – kid friendly version :)

Jenn + Thomas: Engaged!

Erwin — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:51:28 +0000

This couple is so nice and loveable! See ya guys at the wedding soon!

Alice + Daniel: Engaged!

Ray — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:38:59 +0000

Alice + Daniel drove all the way from San Francisco for their engagement shoot in So Cal and they brought the awesome. Their crazy antics made me wanna jump with joy! I’m going to have a blast shooting their wedding in the bay area in October.

Joy + Brandon: Engaged!

Erwin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:32:15 +0000

Had a blast shooting these awesomely cool + stylish people!

Fashion Shoot – The Darker Side

Erwin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:47:18 +0000

Here’s my take on the shoot a few weeks back. Enjoy!
Models: Erin Nolan, Angel, Haley Glasco
MUA/Hair: Raquelle Siders
Wardrobe: Diamond Bridal Gallery

Bay Area Fashion Shoot

Ray — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:52:05 +0000

I had fun playing fashion photographer for a day! Enjoy the slideshow!

Models: Erin Nolan, Angel, Haley Glasco

MUA/Hair: Raquelle Siders

Wardrobe: Diamond Bridal Gallery

Frances + Andy: Day After Portraits

Apertura — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:21:32 +0000

These two love their sweet ride. Can you blame them? :-)

Model Shoot: San Francisco

Erwin — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:33:01 +0000

Just started processing these images from shooting 3 models in San Francisco from 2 weeks ago and this is one of the images that I love!

Model: Angel
Makeup & Hair: Raquelle Siders

I Want To Shoot You: The Results!

Erwin — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:24:22 +0000

Here are the 2 clients that I shot 3 weekends ago in San Francisco:

Cindy + David:

Jenn + Scott:

Jackie + Wei: Engaged!

Ray — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:29:49 +0000

We had fun traveling around San Francisco, sight-unseen, to find spots to shoot. Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Jackie + Wei! I’ll see you in September and we’re going to rock it!

Meet Shiloh

My favorite engagement image so far!!!