Pai Photography

Save the date! Engagement Session

2012-01-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

Lauren and Anthony have been together for 9 years, now it's time to tie the knot. February 3rd 2012 is going to be their special day and I can't wait for it (from what I heard it's going to look AMAZING)

So here are a couple teaser photos til then

Silly Couple: Engagement Session

2012-01-29T15:25:00.000-08:00

Noemi and Eric are a wonderful couple but most of all, they're great models! I had a blast with these two because they we're willing to do anything to get a fabulous image. Their wedding is Feb. 12th 2012, I wonder how they're going to spend Valentines Day? Honeymoon!!!!!

Til then...here are some snaps from the session

The Artist Collective -- First Event!

2012-01-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Jan. 21st 2012 Director/Host/Artist Kimmy Miklos set up a new event for all sorts of talented artists. There were painters, jewelery designers, wardrobe stylists, musicians and more. The venue was packed and kept the crowd pleased with the back to back performances and fashion shows.

Noemi and Hugo's Wedding

2012-01-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

Noemi and Hugo's wed officially in Downtown San Diego Jan. 13th 2012. They plan on having a large event later this year to celebrate their new vows to each other, sharing their love to family and friends... til then here are some images from their Official Wedding Day

Runwany Boutique and Modern Basic cosmetics

2012-01-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

Late December, Nigate Mamo from MBC contacted me again to shoot the last edition to their California lookbook.
I headed to LA with my assistant for a quick shoot, everyone had fun but oh my lord!! Los Angeles was considerably hot that time of year :(
Anyways here are some preview shots!

Magical Wedding even for a child?

2012-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Chris and Tanya had their beautiful ceremony at the Talega Golf Club in San Clemente, CA on the 7th.
I was mesmerized by how freaking perfect everything was... from the sun-setting at just the right time before finishing our couples shoot to the last dance. Everything was extremely heartfelt that even as an insider looking in, you could see how much everyone was truly happy for them.
Something terrible did happen this day though, the children that were part of the ceremony stole the spotlight with how adorable they were :P !!
Every now and again I'd check to see what they were up to and Oh my!!! Little rascals, I loved photographing them as much as the newlyweds.
They did NOT stop until the party was over. It was pretty impressing considering how much they were running around, I personally thought they'd be super pooped out (that's my age catching up to me haha)

Beauty and the BTS Photographer

2012-01-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

The first week of January I shot with a team doing beauty.
I wanted to get some shots of a MUA friend in action and practice behind the scene shooting.
Photographer Ramon Bryce was shooting beauty while I was totally in my own world, this test shoot turned out to be nothing short of awesome though!!!

And here is a weird edit that I did in with some photoshop actions. It's kind of like a sci-fi look right??? hehehe

Best way to enter 2012, go to a wedding!

2012-01-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

Jessica and Rinehart got married in a delightful intimate garden ceremony in Santa Clarita, CA right before the sunset.
They both found each other while serving the military and have been unseparable since! Here are a few preview photos to enjoy :)

Alhambra, Anniversary, backyard, Band Photography, Beach House, Belmont Shore, Big Bear, Birthday, Brookside, Equestrian, Camera Gear Capri, Laguna Cars, Casa Del Mar Castle, Catholic, Coast Hotel, Commercial Photos,Corona Del Mar, Dana Point, Disneyland, Dove Canyon, Downtown, Los Angeles, Ebell, Eisenhower Park, El Dorado Golf Course, Electra Cruises, Engagement Photos, Events, Family Photography, Fashion Island, Fashion Photography, Faulkner Winery Five Crowns, Fullerton Arboretum, Getty Center, Graduation, Graffiti, Griffith Observatory, Halloween, Hawaii, Headshots, Hilton, Hollywood, Huntington Beach ,Huntington, Hyatt, Import Tuners, Indian Springs, Inn of the Seventh, Jewish, Korean, La Palapa, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna, Occasions, Las Vegas, Latin, LDS, lighting tips, Long Beach, low-light photography, Malibu, Martial Arts, Masonic Temple, Methodist, Newport Beach, Pacific, Avalon, Pacific Edge Park, Pasadena, Pets, Rancho Capistrano, Red Carpet, RSM, San Clemente, San Francisco, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Monica, shoreline village, Sports Photography, St. Regis, Strobist, Tea Ceremony, Temecula, The Grand, Tivoli Terrace, Topanga Canyo,n Travel, UCLA, Vacation, Village, Victorian, Vietnamese, Walt Disney Concert Hal,l Wedding Photography, weekly pic

Christmas Portrait Session

2012-01-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

A family whom I've worked for a couple times in the past asked if I'd be available Christmas day and I thought "why not?! after 2pm the gifts have been opened and the holiday cooking has just begun" so we worked out a good time and the whole family met up with me for a quick shoot before returning to the normal Christmas traditions.
My favorite photo was of the sisters' sons...TOO CUTE!! they remind me of a very young boy band!

Jamelle and Aaron Wedding

2011-12-24T20:01:00.000-08:00

On December 18th, Jamelle and Aaron said their vows on a beautiful day in Temecula, CA.
Before the ceremony time came about the weather was gloomy and dull but, Jamelle being very laid back and easy going had no worries.
Low and behold... 10mins before she stepped out of a shiny corvette, everything had cleared up to perfection!!!

Photographing the happy couple was an absolute dream for me as a photographer, too in love to worry about everything except for the fact that they're celebrating their special moment.

Modern Basic Catalog "California Style" Shoot

2011-11-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

November 18th my assistant and I drove down to Laguna Beach for a beauty shoot with a cosmetic company, Modern Basic.
As I arrived the waves were splashing and the clouds had past by, leaving the sky nice and open.
Our models helped make the shoot possible, sacrificing their body heat to the vicious November cold and here's a preview!

OC RAW Semi-Finals at Sutra in Newport Beach

2011-11-20T01:47:00.000-08:00

RAWartists.org's Orange County Semi-Finals held November 18th was a crazy night to remember! I got there about an hour early so I wouldn't have to worry about traffic, ect.
Most finalists were at the club since 3pm or earlier, hustling their butts off preparing for the night.

Among the finalists were many artists I have gotten the pleasure to know and work with.
I couldn't help but cheer for them.
At 7pm the doors opened and the venue was instantly packed! Cocktails in hand and good conversations for many.

Fashion Shows and other Performances were back to back. The time literally flew by and then it was time for the votes to be tallied up.
As all of the winners were announced, I was most happy for my favorite Make-up Artist, Desiree Foote won her category :-D

Everyone was amazing and deserved to be there and oh my! Look at these model with such interesting hair!! Hours and hours of work! Love it!

Holiday Photos...The beach for winter time!

2011-11-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I had a wonderful family shoot with the Cornejo family. I was very afraid of shooting because the weather was terrible a couple days before. We arrived at Sunset Beach about an hour before the sun went down. The lighting was challenging of course since we were shooting in the middle of sunset but they were patient with me and I think I was pretty darn fast at adjusting each time we moved to a different location. All and all it was very successful! We got the shoot all wrapped up in time and then the sun was gone. Here are a couple photos of the kiddos..

Noah's 6th Birthday

2011-11-08T15:57:00.000-08:00

Noah and friends celebrated his 6th birthday at Bounce-U in Orange November 5th. U-Bounce is has two separate rooms filled with bouncy fun and awesome lighting to make the experience all the more exciting for the kiddos. It was a real challenge photographing this because it was extremely dark and everyone was running around having the time of their little lives!
I had attempted to get in the bounce machines as well but apparently my balance sucks hahaha
Earlier this year I did Noah's older brothers birthday, Abie, So I remembered a few faces and the kids were more comfortable with my presence there.
I felt like a war photographer because of the chaos!!
At the end everyone was escorted into the birthday room where Noah got to be a king and open a ton of gifts.

Dani and Justin's Wedding

2011-11-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

Early Saturday morning I drove over to Palos Verdes for Dani and Justin's wedding ceremony October 29th. This is a quick ceremony with close friends and family members only. Dani is from London so half of her family had never visited the beach here in California before, they're first visit required a photo shoot! (what a great way to remember it)
After the ceremony, we headed on down to the beach for more photos.
Dani and Justin were not your typical couple, she was wearing a lovely red dress and he complimented her wearing all black and a red tie, a rockabilly theme? :)
The heat was on our backs for a while and it took its toll of everyone so I brought the happy married couple aside for some fun pictures.
Wish you guys a rockin' happy life.

Baby Briar Was Born!

2011-10-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to photograph a live water birth at the English's home however the baby didn't want to come out after the mother's water broke. I waited and waited for the phone call but the baby didn't want to come out! so I finally went to sleep October 16th and woke up to a text the following day. The baby was born around 7am! I was busy in the morning but headed over as soon as I could. Briar is a little baby girl who apparently thinks she's a Japanese tourist here in San Diego!
Below is a photo I took of her with the peace sign, 100% luck if you ask me

New Model?

2011-08-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

August 12th 2011
Model Tylene Turner just got signed with Wilhelmina Hawaii and needed a variety of photos taken. We started at 9am and ended at 3pm which lifestyle, fitness, glamour, editorial and headshots taken. For a new model she had the natural charm and confidence that helped everything go smoothly (also big thanks for Desiree Foote for doing hair/make up/ AND styling!)

RAW Santa Ana Opening!

2011-08-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

August 4th 2011
RAW Santa Ana debuted at the Copper Room in the Artist District of Downtown Santa with a bunch of great artist, even I few have returned from previous shows.
I personally loved the fashion designer Daniel Magana and his effin' amazing dresses.

I am very behind in my updates

2011-07-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

I want to let everyone know that I am still alive.. just too busy lately!
and here is proof that I've been working hard! (my camera hand: thumb has a callus)
August will be a busy month too! every weekend is booked, a few events to cover and birthdays galore... I love the rush and being busy however wedding season will be over soon and then everything will slow down and give me time to prepare for next time ;)

Kareenas Trends Shoot

2011-06-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

June 10th 2011
A long wonderful day of shooting.
There was a team: Make-Up + Assistant / Hair + Assistant / Stylist / Me + 2 Assistants and of course, The Model!
I got in contact with a Clothing Designer and Jeweler and they both let me borrow some pieces for the shoot. Our model Quinn was so sweet and easy going so we had a break in the middle of the shoot for lunch.

Rahe and Lindsay Wedding

2011-06-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Rahe and Lindsay are from Arizona but they made a special trip down to Laguna Beach to elope. Their closest friends join for the ceremony and then we had some fun Bride and Groom photos. Lindsay was willing to jump off of rocks and even play in the water to get the best shots! Both Rahe and Lindsay were glowing with happiness (I was totally smiling while editing the photos! hahaha)

Muahahahah we're so cheesy!!!

MUA AND HAIR!

2011-06-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

As a photographer, building a strong relationship with Make-up Artists' and Hair Stylists' are key to amazing photos.
So, The lovely Erin (MUA), Lauren (Hair) and I had a shoot to test their abilities in different areas of make-up styles.


Hair and Make-up by Lauren


Hair by Lauren / Make-up by Erin

Brandi and Scott's Wedding

2011-06-03T00:49:00.000-07:00

Brandi and Scott had a very intimate wedding at Shelter Island in San Diego with about 20 friends and family. They united they're children together with the sand pouring ceremony and it was very comforting seeing teenagers from different families coming together and actually caring for one another (I remember when I was young, angsty and avoiding anything my parents wanted me to do! haha) Before we were done I took some photos of just the bride and groom and they were tons of fun. I can only wish the best for them because everyone was very nice and it was humbling.

Hahahha I love my job!

Forget me not...Zeplo Designs

2011-06-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

After organizing my 2011 photography I noticed that I had forgotten a few photo updates for the blog! I know I know, shame on me! (didn't forget to send to the client of course!) Anyways.. here's a preview from the spring/summer collection with models Cathy and Harmony.

Louisa and Johan's Wedding

2011-05-31T22:55:00.000-07:00

Louisa and Johan had their lovely ceremony and reception at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena on a warm Sunday afternoon. I started with the groom's room first (bride's room had about half of her family inside helping her prepare for the big day) Louisa wanted to shoot all the of posed photos before the ceremony so it was a little different for me but not as stressful since we had so much time. After the ceremony I ran over to the reception hall to capture the scenery before guests arrived. Everything was running on time and the MC did his job very professionally. Cheers to the happy couple!!

I loved his shirt, Johan has a great sense of humor

After the Ceremony Louisa and Johan had a traditional Chinese tea ceremony in which they exchange red envelopes and gave tea to family members and others who were important in their life.

Louisa's maid of honor hand her a cup for Louisa's father

Everything set up and ready to dazzle the guests

A relative's son sits with the bride for the garter toss! hahaha

Make-up Catalog Shoot

2011-05-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

May 25-26th 2011
A Make up artist and skin consultant Nigate Mamo invited me to shoot for the Modern Basic catalog which includes Step by Step tutorials following with a mini shoot, side by side with Modern Basic's products. Day 1 we used an inexperienced model to do a funky hippie style and Day 2 we realized that we had to get an experienced model only because there were a few people in the studio watching the shoot happen (It catches models off guard to have 5+ people at the shoot, at least I'd assume so)
At the end everything turned out perfectly and everyone involved outside of the Modern Basic staff were gifted a make-up kit!

A Birthday for a King...of Video Games!

2011-05-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

May 21st 2011
Abie's 7th Birthday Party was the most insane kids party I've ever attended. At first I thought it would be a simple party with a few decorations and some friends and family. Never would I imagine that there would be a party game bus or present wrappings made into a gift itself. Abie is one lucky boy! The theme was Mario and almost every boy ended up wearing a Mario or Luigi hat with a little false mustache which were adorable to say the least!

Monthly RAW ARTIST EVENT

2011-05-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

May 19th 2011
Raw Artists Orange County "INCITE" event was a blast! the venue wasn't as glamorous as Raw Hollywood but it made more sense to highlight the artists 1st and then the performances as they occur. Many artists chatted it up before the doors opened at 8pm and I joined in on the fun. The designer Alexis Evelyn and hair stylist Ashley Gannon were amazing! Looking forward to my next show in June and then officially opening with the Pomona venue in July!

Beauty Shots are always fun

2011-05-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

May 9th 2011
Agency model Bianca Ferguson came up to the Los Angeles studio to shoot some clean beauty shots and then switch over the a glamor look. Our make up artist Erin Nakashima was awesome as usual, she makes time fly by I swear! The shoot went so smooth that I actually called in another model for a quick shoot before heading back to Orange County.

A themed restaurant in the Gaslamp?!

2011-05-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

April 29th 2011
Marble Room Restaurant (Gaslamp District in Downtown San Diego) had me come over and take interior shots as well as a mini shoot for their staff which are dressed like a burlesque troupe but covered up a bit more. Later that night my assistant and I went to have dinner at the location while a band was performing. This place totally takes you back in time and makes ya wonder what everything was like back then. The food is delicious, the hostess' are wonderful and very accommodating! So, if you're ever in San Diego you should check this place out!

Center Theater Group

2011-04-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

April 26th 2011, Center Theater Group hosted a mixer for English Teachers in the Los Angeles area to open up the option of introducing Theater and the Arts back into their studies sponsored by Chase and CakedLA at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City. Since California's huge budget cuts, there is no room for creative learning and so that's why I was very greatful to be a part of this event.

Immediately following the event, The Cripple of Inishmaan play had begun! All actors were from Ireland and the accents were heavy and true to spirit! (click here for more information on the play)

Silly me of course! Adios!

SLS Distributors Fashion Show

2011-04-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

This was my 1st Men's Wear fashion line I ever shot and it was definitely different from women's clothing. (very low key, with snacks and a hand full of staff preparing the models)

The designer Stefan and I decided to do a mini shoot before the show to catalog the looks for his website (http://www.slsdistributors.com/)

Some of the male models for SLS Spring line 2011

Love the clothing, great models and staff! I had a blast at Micky's Nightclub n West Hollywood!

Kami Shade Collection

2011-04-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

April 2nd 2011 I had the Pleasure of working with Kami Shade directly for her fall collection "Untouchable" 2011 Line.

Models: Tala Golzar

Hair: Jeremy Nichols

Make-Up: Dari A. So

Our team was fantastic!! Kami Shade's daughter helped change the models for the catalog and website images.

www.KamiShade.com

Tala is a true model, in attitude and professionalism! She's one of the few Persian models in LA and not to mention, an eye catcher!


My Favorite

Thank you Kami, Jeremy, Dari, and Tala! We created some beautiful looks.

Benjamin's 1st Birthday

2011-04-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

April 3rd 2011 Jennifer and Mark celebrated their son's Dohl with family and friends in Pasadena, CA (http://www.korean1stbirthday.com/ for more information regarding "doljabi" a Korean 1st birthday tradition)

This day was perfect! After all the rain storms had passed, the sky and grass were insanely vibrant! A couple hours into the party, it was time for Benjamin to decide his future!

He instantly played with the rice even though there was a lot to choose

As many of you do not know, I have a sweet tooth (like a fat kid and cake). This cake was the BEST I've tasted in a while. French Butter Cream! I hope Benjamin had some too


Attempting to blow out the candle while guests gather around

Eventually Benjamin started to get tired so I had to bug him a little more before he could pass out. Thank you so much Jennifer and Mark! I had a great time being a paparazzi with all the babies and children candid shots :)


I had his rice cake, I'm sorry Benjamin!!

One of my favorite models

2011-04-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Wednesday I shot with a great model! Sarah Beck has some of the most interesting features (huge green eyes!) and shes a delight to work with, very modest and laid back which makes fantastic images. I know it's spring time but I've never shot a autumn look and thought the location was perfect for the mood.

This weekend I have a shoot Saturday morning and a 1st Birthday Sunday morning and a Men's Fashion Line later that day... very excited to shoot something different for a change (wish me luck!)

Eva and Ori's Birthday

2011-03-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Eva is 5 and Ori is now 1 and the girls parent's decided to have an asian theme party. It was very low-key so the adults could enjoy their time as well.
Ori slept in and when she woke up, there cake for her! she ended up having cake literally all over her. (And of course I took several pictures!)

Then Eva start opening all the presents... she really only enjoyed the unwrapping part of the gifts and headed back into the party jumper.


These bracelets were just adorable!


Hi Eva!!.. eva runs away.. Ugh..Bye Eva! someone's sugar high

After all the presents were opened, the birthday song was sung and the pinata was beat open... Little Ori was cleaned of her birthday cake crumbles and happier than ever.

Congrats Tanya and Clint for having an amazing family!

Fashion Shows and other fun news!

2011-03-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

Wedding season is coming all too soon! I'm prepared of course, however my Japan Aid shoot might get delayed. It's okay because I want to do it right, Japan will still need help for a while.
Japan Aid: 3 themed shoots with all proceeds going to help Japan (models, muas, hair stylists, wardrobe stylists.. will help make this possible!)

Lately I've been editing.. a lot
I was the photographer for the monthly RawArtists event in Hollywood and will return in May
Click here to view images from the event

And most recently I've completed my edits for Designer Kami Shade

Long day so this was just a mini update to let everyone know I'm Still Here!

Irvine Park

2011-03-15T00:37:00.000-07:00

About a week ago I went to Irvine Park and the small OC Zoo for a nice day out with many photo opportunities. It was a nice day outside but the park was still just a tad wet from the past couple of nights.

At the OC Zoo the coyotes were pacing back a forth with their OCD (most animals in cages get this problem) and it was a pain to photograph them, So, I moved on.
There's not much here but its worth the $2 to see a few native Californian animals!


Was this taxidermy or a real owl?! Yes! he blinked

I was about ready to head back into the park until I spotted a strange blob in the corner of my eye. A bear was sitting up very awkwardly like a obese man just watching the day pass by.


I like this angle more because the light was much more diffused here

Finally I hungout with a tree, well technically I was just photographing it but you get the point!!

March 13th 2011

2011-03-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went out with my amazing boyfriend to see a friend's band play at the Proof Bar in Santa Ana, CA.
We haven't seen them in a while and the sound had changed from Rock N Roll vibes to Rockabilly, which was a suitable change in my opinion.
Inazuma has been around for about 5 years with Thunders as the leading man, never giving up!

They played like they usually do, crazy with every little bit of energy in them!

I had a blast however, with all the fun everyone was having..INAZUMA (all Japanese members) made a point to ask everyone to donate to japan (japanese red cross, or anything directly going to japan)

Please donate! Anything is better than nothing at all!

Colin's 1st Birthday

2011-03-12T22:09:00.000-08:00

March 12th 2011 at M Grill in Koreatown, Los Angeles little Colin and his parents, Karen and Billy, celebrated his Dol (or Tol, apparently people spell it many ways and I'm not too sure of the correct spelling)

A little bit of info on one piece of preparation for the event:

Birthday Table
The parents prepare a special Tol table to celebrate the child's birthday. The main food includes ddeok (rice cakes) and fruits. Over 12 different kinds of ddeok are prepared, including paekseolgi (white steamed rice cakes), susu-kyongdan (rice cakes coated with rough red bean powder), chapsal-ddeok or chal-ddeok, mujigae-ddeok (rainbow colored steamed rice cake), songp'yeon (half moon shaped rice cakes), injulmi (coated glutinous rice cakes), and gyep'i-ddeok (puffed air rice cakes). Among these, paekseolgi and susu-kyongdan are always included. Fruits can vary according to the season of the birthday. Different colors of seasonal fruits can be prepared and displayed in a row. Also, a bowl of rice, sea mustard soup, and many other various foods can be displayed. (source http://www.lifeinkorea.com/)

All the little kiddos there got a little gift bag which I thought was a perfect idea because theres so many sweets all around, I'd be in heaven if I wasn't working (haha I know, sweet tooth!)

Colin didn't like his ceremonial hat but I don't think any child likes a hat much at that age!

At the end I had a little stalker child but he was obnoxiously cute, I chased him around so he could burn off that sugar high. Strange Fact #1: Young children have always been attracted to me, since I was a teenager, kids would follow me at beaches and I'd moan and gripe about it to my mother ;)

Thank you Karen and Billy for another awesome Dol/Tol Experience!

Sonia her and boys!

2011-03-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

Had a family shoot with one of the Brides’ maids from a wedding I did in 2010. Sonia and the boys were a lot of fun to shoot! (At first they were tired, then we gave them some sour watermelon chewys and pop rocks.)
We shot in Old Town Orange, with so much history around this place, it was just an amazing location to shoot at.

Thursday FEB 24th 2011

2011-03-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

Got to shoot with Jin about a week ago, really laid back guy and I LOVE PUBLISH for the styling! Michael has class! http://publishbrand.com/ and a Thank you to Plan C Group!

ROOMS book is done

2011-02-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

I had only 22 girls that could shoot within such a short notice / period of time because today is my deadline to finish the book. I think I'll continue searching for people to shoot however it's currently not a priority.

Emi is a friend and an amazing model... It's very tempting to just make a book of her.

In other news.. Feb 18th, 19th and 20th were super busy for me and my boyfriend (we tend to help eachother out with events)

A Grand Opening for ArtLab Studios in San Diego, CA

This place was packed I tell you! packed! There were a ton of great acts mixed in with some snobs however, I just ignored them because I had some delicious vegan or vegetarian meatloaf and wine! Never knew how great meatloaf could be without meat.

Tribal Baroque was the highlight of the night, apparently somebody made a documentary about them and it won an academy award... how snazzy!

On the 20th I had an all day shoot..

7am we drove to The Brewery in Los Angeles

Myself / Isamu / Brad assisted ~ Erin makeup ~ Amber hair ~ Sarah photog ~ Caitlin model

We had three different themes to setup which were "alice in wonderland" "the girl that ate the canary" and "a vintage sunday morning with baby heads" (those are NOT the titles however it explains what was happening!)

Later on I called in a model for my own mini shoot and she was fantastic! Ashley had no problem trying anything out and I think we got some wonderful images.

Busy Bee!

2011-02-15T00:40:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated in a while because I've actually been busy!
I'm making a photobook called ROOMS which betrays the theory of one being comfortable in their own room, mostly because I am in there with you ;)

And in other news I'm retaking a class for fun, in hopes that it will push me to go out and shoot more!

photomatix is a great HDR program, I have it at home but our class is still a bit behind. Thank you mister government ;)

This post is really just a reminder that I'm still here.. and I need to update more often!

PHOTO UPDATE: Kristen and Robby's Wedding

2011-01-25T15:22:00.000-08:00

For a half-day wedding we sure did get some great shots! Their wedding was a mixture of tradition and modern day style weddings where its literally about the Bride and Groom and the schedule goes according to them during the celebration.

viewing the marina on a Sunny San Diego day ;)

every bouquet I photograph is 100% different from the last

The ceremony and reception were held in the same location and the hotel had amazing diffused light throughout the venue!

CD cover?? Bride and Groom waiting to be announced into the reception room

And while everyone started eating I decided to get some detail shots in!

The rings complimented each other perfectly!

There were laughs and many tears but the best part of the night was the wedding keepsakes (which were jello shots and jelly beans!) Everyone was having a blast with them!

Zoo time should be a fun time, right?

2011-01-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

Today my friend and I visited the San Diego Zoo for a couple hours and it was packed because of 100's of little girl scouts!
TOO many children!!! CANNOT FOCUS!!! THE HEAT!! Ahhh!

Conure Parrot (much larger than a parrotlet)

There were tons of birds hanging around eating fruits and mocking us humans. Most of the other animals were hidden from plain sight or laying in front of us, passed out.


edited in B&W to dramatize how bored the Sloth Bear was today

Eventually my friend and I got hungry and were not about to pay $4 for water and $6 for a hotdog, so.. We headed towards the exit. Thats when stuff got weird!!!

Gross little monkey was touching himself... There's a lot of weird thing these animals do, not to be mistaken with human nature hahaha

Kristen and Robby's Wedding

2011-01-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

January 22nd 2011, Kristen and Robby shared a beautiful intimate moment with those closets to them at the Island Palms Hotel on Shelter Island.


image from http://www.islandpalms.com/

I'll give y'all a "Wedding Photo" update within the next couple of days when I've started to edit the images but in the meantime, here's a couple of pics from their engagement session (it was raining off and on all day when we shot)


The happy couple, which we exchanged some laughs together!

Balboa park is always a great place to get superb photos!!! Since it wasn't the greatest day to head out to the park we we're able to get the photos done a lot sooner :)

Awwwe! :)

Dreaming in Wonderland...wait, It was just a City Nightmare

2011-01-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

So last Sunday I set up a shoot with a couple models and a MUA.
I had spent 4 hours the previous day researching concepts and ideas for the locations I had planned to shoot at, which was a bad idea considering how worn out I was during the shoot. (always stretch!)

Sunday: Start time was 12pm and we began with lying out all the clothing on the floor and I had instructed the MUA to match the models as twins via make-up and then I proceeded to do their hair the best I could (at first, I thought gross! who would wear this type of hair do but in the end I really enjoyed it) After we were all done preparing, we shot! Yay!!!

City Wonderland (models Kesley & Sarah - MUA Erin)

One of the models was inexperienced as it was her first time in front of reflectors and flashes (not to mention the crew watching) but I think she did great!

City Wonderland (models Sarah & Kesley - MUA Erin)

After the 1st change we went back to one the models apt to get ready for the next location however the sun started to set and we were running out of time.

I decided to just shoot Sarah and have a much darker theme which she had yet to try.

6-inch heels, liquid black ruched leggings and a vintage faux suede poncho (Sounds weird but it went together pretty well)


City Nightmare (model Sarah - mua Erin - hair James and myself)

Later I went to Costco, yes I said COSTCO! and printed out a couple 12x18. They look awesome! :)

William's 1st Birthday

2011-01-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

January 8th 2011 William Hiroshima turned 1 year old and in Korean tradition (on his mother's side) it has a significant meaning.


William and his grandfather first entering the room.

Dol's importance: In the past, due to a lack of medical information, Korea's seasonal temperature differences, and many childhood related diseases, the death rate for children was extremely high. Many children died before their first birthday. After the age of one year, the survival rate steeply increased, making this milestone a very happy one for the child's parents.


William didn't seem to like this traditional hat, after I took the image he threw it down!

Thank you Greg and Helen for my 1st "Dol" experience! It was a pleasure and very exciting to see the outcome of the Toljabee event!


Greg - William - Helen

Nancy and Chris Gomez

2010-11-25T01:03:00.000-08:00

On November 13th

All of Nancy and Chris' friends and relatives came together to celebrate their new partnership with god's blessing and a wonderful outdoor ceremony in Anaheim, CA.
The bridesmaids were ecstatic and eager for the reception to begin, sunset came really fast which made the bridal party shoot very hard to do. However we did it!
At the reception I offered a photo booth where everyone could have a mini photo shoot, it was really neat (first time I've ever done it too!)
Below are a couple photos of Nancy and Chris which they'll be using as thank you cards

Cindy and Frank Humphreys!

2010-11-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

Cindy Cordoza and Frank Humpreys wed on November 6th 2010 at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral.
This place is huge and amazing to say the least. Many tourists and visitors come here daily because of it's history and location.
Cindy was nervous about tripping over her beautiful dress because of the tulle underneath it.
The ceremony was a not a typical Catholic Mass, which I enjoyed very much. Whenever traditions or speeches are changed the slightest bit, I believe it becomes more intimate for those attending.

Here are some preview images from the Cathedral

After the Ceremony, everyone headed to the Dodger Stadium's Dugout Club for the reception.

I took a lot of candids, not really any posed photos because the bride just wanted to enjoy the moment.

Cindy also bought a fuji polaroid camera for instant photos to be added to her memory book.

At the end of the night, I felt accomplished yet drained. This wedding was the kind people really enjoy attending. Everyone had a blast and it felt perfect.

Cheers to the Humphreys!

The beginning of something new

2010-11-06T00:02:00.000-07:00

I've decided to create this blog because every time I've promised myself to update www.paiphotography.com, somehow I'd be to busy or distracted by something.

This month I have two weddings which I'm very excited about. November 6th I'll be shooting at a Cathedral then Dodger Stadium and the 2nd wedding on November 13th, will be at a nice hotel in Anaheim. November 7th is Walk for Hope, supporting Breast Cancer Awareness in Duarte, CA (click link for event website) Happy to give my time and "talent" but I am afraid of being completely drained this weekend though. Garrrh!

Here's to the beginning! Cheers