Thank you, Mother Nature! A major rain storm that hit the Bay Area last night was suppose to last for 2-3 days, but it STOPPED for my commercial shoot for Zoette Boutique today! The heavy rain started up again soon after I got home. What a miracle!
Today’s shoot was split into 2 mini shoots: babies and little girls. That way, my little models will stay happy and warm because no one will need to wait around. (Thank you, Karyn, for providing snacks and juice for our models and their parents!)
My vision for this commercial shoot was to photograph in an editorial way — capturing babies and girls having fun while wearing these gorgeous handmade hair products. My goal wasn’t to take close up product shots, but rather to paint a brand image for Zoette Boutique.
The result? The images are exactly as I had envisioned them when Karyn (owner of Zoette Boutique) and I talked about doing this shoot. It is such a satisfying feeling. Ahhhhh… 
Enjoy the sneak peek…
The Baby Shoot
The Little Girl Shoot
Today, I had the privilege of photographing Published Author and Certified Life Coach, Roger Kenneth Marsh!
After reviewing his website, I came up with the idea of having him stand on a path since he helps people figure out how to live life passionately and joyfully. In essence, he helps direct people on the right path!
So instead of just shooting some standard headshots and full body shots, we spiced things up a little with some metaphorical images.
One nice surprise was how the weather cooperated. There was light rain on my drive, which made me a little worried about the outdoor portion of our shoot. Then the rain stopped before I arrived. And on our hike up the hill for the path shots, the rain clouds parted and the most amazing sky appeared!
Here are a couple to share…
I’ll post more later. Good night!
I was thrilled when I found out Frank (Owner of Super Franks) and Tracie (Publisher of Active Kids) wanted me to shoot the cover of Active Kids, the September 2010 issue.
The theme for that issue is parties.
I was given allowance to run with my creative ideas, and the only known facts I had to work with was the location — the Princess Room at Super Franks — which I knew well because I had shot there before, and the image orientation — portrait — because that was the shape of the publication.
MY CREATIVE IDEA
The night I found out I was doing the cover shot in the Princess Room, ideas started forming pretty quickly…
~ I knew I wanted only 3 kids in the shot. Even though it was a party theme, I didn’t want a large group because then the cover would be too busy. With 3, the image would be “cleaner”.
~ Since the location was going to be in the Princess Room, I wanted the 3 kids to be girls — specifically, girls who knew each other and girls who were preferably different looking (ie, different hair color), so the cover would a appeal to a wider audience as well as look like friends at a party.
~ I also wanted a tight shot of the girls in the foreground and most of the castle in the background, so that meant the girls needed to be towards the front of the room for me to capture most of the castle in the frame.
~ My vision was that the girls would stand behind a medium-sized round birthday cake. I would sit the cake on a small round stand, so I could see most of the models and their Princess dresses. The shape of the cake was key in this set-up because only a round cake would allow me to capture an image that showed most of the girls. I wanted the girls to be the main focal point, not the cake.
RESEARCH
Once we settled on a date, it was all about the light. I talked to Frank about the best lighting in the room we were going to shoot in, and then did a little research myself.
I went to Super Franks before the actual shoot to do some test shots and take some visual measurements. I even brought Melia to be my stand-in because I wanted to see what the light looked like on skin as well as figure out the height for the cake, table and lighting equipment.
On the day of the shoot, I had only 90 minutes to get in and get out! I had another appointment immediately following the shoot, so I needed to be ultra efficient on the day of.
MY MODELS
I couldn’t have chosen better 4-year old models. They were great listeners, followed direction well, and stunning!
CHALLENGES
Every shoot has challenges, even if they’re small ones.
Challenge #1: Mixed lighting!
Though the window provided ample light near the castle, I needed my models to stand towards the front of the room, which had flourescent light that casted a yellowy-orange tinge on skin. See Melia below. Notice the light on her skin and chairs (yellow) compared to the light near the castle (white)?
Mixed light poses a problem because I can’t properly adjust the white balance in my camera for one type of light without messing up the colors in the other type of light. I also can’t bounce light from my Nikon Speedlight because of the colored walls and ceiling. A reflector would also not work because the window was too far away to catch the sunlight where I wanted it. The only solution: bring in studio lighting.
Challenge #2: Wrong prop!
On the day of the shoot, I found out the cake was the wrong size and shape! This was my most vital and only prop, so it was important it was right. Aiyaiyai.
The bakery provided a large rectangular cake instead of a smaller circular one, as ordered. The funny thing is that we think they changed the size as a gift to Super Franks. Little did they know, they were changing a prop for a cover shot.
I still spent time getting the cake shot and just changed my angle, so I could see more of the girls’ faces, but in doing so, I couldn’t get as much of the castle. I knew it was now time to change it up and get some other contender shots because there was a good chance the cake ones weren’t going to work. I had to think fast!
BEHIND-THE-SCENES
I brought one large softbox that I moved around depending on the set-up. Thank goodness it was on wheels. This softbox provided beautiful white light, which looks the same as sunlight from a window.
I had all the furniture moved to the front of the room, so they were out of the way. The parents and Tracie, the Publisher, watched from behind me and helped with the girls and set up.
THE COVER CHOICES
Below are my favorites from that hour of shooting.
What would you want to see as the cover? Cast your vote in the Comments section.
Image #1
The rectangular cake and table were overpowering in size for the photo, but this was my favorite among this set-up.
Image #2
Close-up shot taken straight on.
Image #3
I laid on the ground and got an upward angle (with my wide angle lens) to get most of the castle in the background. It would need a little cropping, but otherwise, it is one of my top 2.
Image #4
Tea party!
Image #5
Shallow depth of field with the models.
Image #6
Action shot!
So which one should be the cover photo for September 2010 of Active Kids? (I actually don’t know which one was chosen.)
So to see which was chosen, pick up an Active Kids in September to see! You can get one at most Bay Area children’s places, like preschools, children’s entertainment centers, and libraries.
If you can’t find one, you can click here to see the online issue!
Late this morning, I took headshots of a red-head, named Kelsey. She is all of 2 1/2 years old, and she is already “drop dead gorgeous”!
This was a mini shoot because all we needed was one good headshot, but I have so many favorites that I can’t choose just one.
Here are only a few of my favorites!
When shooting kids, I shoot a lot — especially if they are active or shy, so that I don’t miss that one second when they look up, smile or laugh.
Kelsey was warm and sweet when she saw me, but started sucking on her thumb when she knew she had to be “on” for the camera. All it took was a little distraction by mommy who stood behind me, or sat near her (but not immediately next to her, so she could stay out of the shots).
See what I mean? Gorgeous, right?!!
I wanted to highlight her hair — soft, red and curly…
Watch out World. Make room for Model Kelsey!
[To see photos of Kelsey last year, click here. Her mom was my Tribute To Moms Contest winner!]
Today was Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery’s “Taste of Tuscany” event. RM Winery is a family-owned boutique winery in Livermore, CA.
(Check out their new website. It is awesome. And the photos are marvelous too! *wink wink*)
It was a balmy Summery day…. a nice day to hang out outside with a glass of wine, great food and great company! That’s what I witnessed at today’s event.
After I got all my shots, I tasted their new wines — Il Segreto & Primitivo 2008 — and olive oils. Wonderful!
Here are a few to share from today…
Tom Duarte
The music served as a mood lifter at the event.
Duarte plays Latin music with jazz and funk fusion. As the younger folks would say, “The man’s got skills!”
Great for the Palette, Great for the Mind
People gathered to learn about the new wines before tasting them. (They didn’t have to. They wanted to!)
Wine Tasting
Cheers
Welcome
Nancy Rodrigue is one of the owners. Garry, her husband, is behind the bar.
I love meeting genuinely nice people, like Garry and Nancy!
Other People You May See at RM Winery
Oh wait. You won’t see Baby Ava there! Except for today. She and the hubs accompanied me today.
Isn’t her expression funny?! This is Ava saying, “Eek! Mama, it’s HOT out here!” 
Olive Oils
RM Winery just introduced two flavors of olive oils.
The Leccino Olive Oil is my favorite. Yummy!
Deloitte held its annual “Toast of the Town” event last night at the acclaimed 5A5 Steak Lounge in San Francisco.
The people, the speeches, the venue and the food were all fantastic. It was a privilege to shoot this event!
Here are a few images to share from last night. Enjoy!
Standing Cocktail Party
Oh, the Food!
I’ll have to return to 5A5 to actually eat there some time. Doesn’t that look delicious?!!
Mixed Light
The windows were at the front of the restaurant, and they let in the most perfect light. The rain had finally stopped and left clouds scattered across the sky, so the sunlight was bright, but soft.
The interior lights were orange, which is why you see the people standing closer to me with orange skin.
(FYI to Photographers: I could have used my flash as filler light, and that would have diluted the orange color on their faces, but I turned off the flash to capture the soft window light on that man’s face. I did this throughout the entire night based on what kind of light I wanted for the image. Turn on the flash, turn off the flash. Repeat.)
More images by the window…
I love the editorial nature of this photo. You can tell the server is describing the food to this gentleman. You can almost hear them talking!
Half -n- Half
I wanted to take a photo of these two handsome men, but I also love the pattern of the tiles, so I composed the image with half pattern, half people.
(FYI to Photographers: Mix it up. Don’t always put your subjects in the center — but make sure there is a reason for them being off-center! This is also true with holding the camera askew. Don’t take photos that way unless you have a reason; otherwise it just looks like bad photography. Shoot with a purpose.)
High Contrast
I love-love-love how the light outlined this man’s face.
(FYI to Photographers: I didn’t turn up the contrast; this was straight-out-of-the-camera. I just made it BxW in post-processing. Most of the image was dark already because it was in shadow, so it almost looked BxW. Actually changing it to BxW just makes this image cleaner.)
Vertical Half -n- Half
(FYI to Photographers: I composed the shot so the subjects — men and bottles — sit in the lower half of the image. This creates a visual line that is appealing to the eye. Also, having the men in the corner makes them stand out more than if they were centered.)
By the Entrance
The orange tile decor surrounded the main area of the restaurant and created a pretty backdrop.
Type of Function
When I saw all these men in suits, I knew immediately that I wanted to take a shot of just their pants and shoes.
You can tell it’s a corporate event held on a weekday! Love it.
(FYI to Photographers: This is another good example of when I turned off my flash. I didn’t want to see everything; I just wanted to capture a feeling of a lot of people and get glimpses of what they were wearing. The natural light from the window was all I needed to accomplish this. So I bumped up my ISO, had my aperture wide open and a fast shutter.)
Some Speakers
Prizes
Video games from EA, a Deloitte client, were given out as prizes.
These winners were looking at what game they won. They were also probably wondering why I was crouching to take a photo!
Posed versus Editorial
For event photography, I don’t ask people to “look at me & smile”, but if they do it themselves, then great! Lemme at ‘em!
Peeking into the Kitchen
Hey, I walked straight into the kitchen and took some shots of the food dressed to perfection. However, I still chose to take a few shots from outside the kitchen!
I love finding natural frames when I’m on a shoot. This frame is made out of the orange tiles you saw in a previous image.
End of the Event
As always, I still shoot even when I’m leaving! I was getting my bag from the coat check area when this man came to retrieve his hat.
Isn’t he suave with his hat and bow tie?!! I just had to take a photo of him!
Today’s shoot at Super Franks was to capture their exciting new changes.
NEW Set-Up @ Taught Town Safari
Now there is more seating, a centralized play area for the toddlers, a different home for the deluxe slide and some new toys!
NEW Jumpy @ the Gym
Little kids and big kids alike will love this new GIANT jumpy!
Look at the size of this thing! WHOA!
NEW “Pool” @ the Fish Tank
This pool is made of foam and there are two mini trampolines in the middle of the “pool” for little ones to jump to their heart’s content!
There will also be special lights that cast squiggly lines in this area to look like pool water! I didn’t want it for the photos, but trust me, your kids will think it’s pretty cool!
Climbing in and out of the pool will make all little ones happy and tired. I think a long nap is imminent for this little cutie!
Click here to see more photos of the Fish Tank!
The Fish Tank is almost ready for its debut!
I had the privilege of being one of the first to see Super Franks‘ new Taught Town play area for little ones, called Fish Tank!
When you enter the Fish Tank, you enter the mystical underwater “room”, which takes up most of the upstairs floor. And just like the former golf course, this play area is entirely glow-in-the-dark, which the kiddies will love.
The room is not yet open to the public. There are still cool things that need to be installed and moved in!
Here’s a sneak peek of the Fish Tank…
Some of the Coolest Murals
And check out those mini jet skis for tykes! I know my little monkey would be all over that!
Not Just Fun, But Comfort Too
There will be the same luxurious leather club chairs for the parents’ comfort as in the other rooms at Super Franks. Ahhhh… nice!
“Underwater” Fun
Now who wouldn’t want to ride a sea turtle?!
Unsuspecting Models
These two little girls peeked at the room with their mom, and I just happened to need kid models for a couple shots! These girls were adorable.
Woahhhhhhh!
The submarine is in turbulent waters! Hold on tight! Tee hee.
A Beach… in Pleasanton
Coming Soon!
The Fish Tank Party Room
My clients are some of the most thoughtful, caring and coolest folks I’ve ever met! Maybe that’s why many of them turn into friends.
This morning, one of my clients dropped off breakfast for me and my family! It is a recipe that she heard I was drooling about, but haven’t had the time to make since I just had a baby. So she jumped at the chance to make it for me, even after some protest on my part.
I am speechless.
By the way, if you are wondering, the casserole was delicious! Everything I dreamt about.
The kids liked it too. Melia had 3 servings. And Ian had a big slab of it, even though he claims to not like blueberries. He’s a funny guy.
Thank you, Rashmi! And sorry, Sat (her husband who didn’t get to eat any)!
Here is the recipe in case any of you want to try this out for yourself. It is not a lowfat dish, but hey — sometimes the calories are worth it!
Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Ingredients: 6 croissants, 9 eggs, 1 3/4 cup milk, 1/3 cup syrup, small box of blueberries
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Slice 6 croissants open lengthwise and place 6 halves face up in a casserole dish
Mix 9 eggs, 1 ¾ cup milk and 1/3 cup syrup together. Beat mixture until thoroughly blended.
Sprinkle most of one small box of blueberries over the croissants, then pour about half of the egg and milk mixture over the croissants. Push any dry portion of the croissant down into mixture to make sure it’s moist.
Place the remaining croissant halves face down in the dish, so that they cover the first group. Then sprinkle the remaining blueberries throughout the dish.
Pour the rest of the milk and egg mixture over the croissants, pushing them down to make sure they’re moist.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serving idea: Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top, or have syrup available on the side.
I just had some friends over who needed a headshot makeover for their company website or, that’s what I told Kenny when he showed me his newly launched site. Tee hee.
em Marketing is a marketing, consulting, contracting and coaching firm based in San Francisco.
Here are my top picks from their 5-minute corporate shoot (for each person) just an hour ago…
Ken Chen
My favorite is the top left photo.
The smile, the expression, the lighting, the colors — they all work together and he looks approachable, yet professional. I look at that guy and I think, “Wait, is that Tate Donovan?” and then I decide I want to work with him!
Kathy Jung
Kathy gave me variety. Even with a serious corporate headshot, you can change it up a little with different smiles or with the slight movement of your head.
My favorite is the top left photo, though she looks great in all of them. I like the big smile one (bottom right), but more for a social or personal site, like Facebook.
However, the one Kathy should choose as her corporate headshot is….
….
….
(drum roll please)
….
….
Hee hee.
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