Event: Wedding Reception
Location: Willows Event Venue, Vallejo, CA

Frederick and Geraldine hired me at the last minute to be their wedding celebration's photographer in early February. Their civil wedding had taken place a few days before, but the party was when family was able to celebrate with them at Willows Event Venue in Vallejo, CA.

Willows Event Venue is an intimate space that hosts all kinds of events. Its interior is smaller than a community hall, and is customized to each event. For Frederick and Geraldine's reception, the flowers were all decorated by themselves and an aunt. The rest of the decors were by the venue. We took a few portraits in the outdoor area behind the building, and the rest of the day was all about celebrating: first dance, cake cutting, money dance, bouquet toss, garter toss, line dances, and lots of food :)

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. B!




File under: california wedding photographer, vallejo photographer, vallejo wedding photographer, vallejo wedding photography, event photographer, vallejo event photographer, vallejo event photography, bay area photographer, bay area wedding photographer, san francisco wedding photographer, willows event photographer

On the day of the Lunar New Year, there weren't activities in Chinatown but we went anyway. The parade and celebration actually happened a few days afterwards, which we skipped. Chinatown is always decorated with colors throughout the year, and the children enjoy walking through on a nice day. So many shops for both tourists and locals, cheap haircuts, cheap food... it's San Francisco's Chinatown!

Instead of taking the bus from the Sunset to Chinatown, we drove and parked (free) at Fort Mason. We walked for the next 30 minutes to Chinatown.

No, we don't surf, but husband and I took a walk down to Ocean Beach @ Noriega St, to snap some shots of amazing waves. It was the weekend of the Maverick Surf Competition in Half Moon Bay I think, which we didn't go to, but we were having some really beautiful waves in San Francisco as well.

Luckily, the sun was also setting, so that added some welcomed drama here.

We wouldn't really recommend swimming in that dirty water, but to admire it dryly from land, it really makes our time worthwhile here.

Photos from January 20, 2013.

Portraits: Family Photography
Location: Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, CA

Cathy is a longtime friend of mine since we were in junior high. Over the years, we never really talked or spoken to each other until the social media explosion. I've since learned that she's become a mom and lives in another state.

She approached me on one of our Facebook chats to do her family portraits, and she brought her whole family from Las Vegas just a few days before Christmas 2012. We decided to do the photos at Palace of Fine Arts. It did rain, but we managed to get plenty of shots in between the pouring madness. Plus, that dome and the columns at the palace served as a mediocre shelter, but it was more of a wonderful prop (or backdrop). I loved their simple outfits of white tops, blue jeans and Chucks. The ladies each had a red accessory on them.

Evidently, this family has a very goofy side.




File under: sf family photographer, san francisco family photographer, sf family photography, sf family photography, palace of fine arts photographer, palace of fine arts family photographer, bay area photographer, children's photographer, san francisco photographer

Event: Wedding and Reception
Location: Our Lady of Mercy (Daly City, CA), One Ferry Plaza (San Francisco, CA)

Nicco was the videographer at Travis and Amanda's wedding, and that was my first time meeting him. He is very good at what he does, and so I couldn't say no at a chance to work with him again in another wedding. He asked me to help out at Gerard and Sophia's wedding in October. The ceremony was at Our Lady of Mercy in Daly City, CA. It was a traditional Catholic wedding.

For entourage portraits, the group went to Legion of Honor. There were many other wedding parties that day, but once Nicco got his shots in, off we went across town to One Ferry Plaza for the reception. It was a gorgeous venue with the Bay Bridge as part of its wide backdrop! Loved the windows, loved the lights, there was nothing not to love.

The official photos are presented by Paderna Photography, but I would like to share my personal favorites that I shot. :)

Click here to start the slideshow!


File under: daly city wedding photographer, daly city wedding photography, san francisco wedding photographer, san francisco wedding photography, sf wedding photographer, sf wedding photography, sf photographer, legion of honor photographer, our lady of mercy daly city photographer, our lady of mercy wedding photographer, our lady of mercy church, church wedding photographer

Event: Wedding
Venue: Wildwood Acres Resort in Lafayette, CA

Back in September, I had accepted my first second-shooter opportunity for PXL Photography to help with Travis and Amanda's beautiful wedding. I started with documenting the groom and groomsmen getting ready, and proceeded to the venue and took detail shots of flowers, props and of course the ceremony. It was a very long day, but this is one of the funnest weddings I've witnessed.

These photos are not the entire collection (those are presented by PXL Photography), but rather, my personal selection of favorites that I shot and edited.

Thanks to Nino Nucum for taking me under his wings on this :)



Click here to start the slideshow!


File under: wildwood acres resort wedding photographer, lafayette wedding photographer, lafayette wedding photography, bay area wedding photography, bay area wedding photographer, san francisco photographer, san francisco wedding photographer, east bay wedding photographer