Kimmie's Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth El, San Mateo

The most fun in a party is or event is capturing and blasting it back with music !!!

A Bat Mitzvah or a Bar Mitzvah is no different. Beyond excellent reading of the Torah, giving her personal bima speech, Kimmie, daughter of our most fearless director in Sun Microsystems, is resplendent in her white dress (and later apple green). She is the embodiment of the party itself !! Her ceremonious Bat Mitzvah was held in Temple Beth El of San Mateo, an elaborate temple with an Ark-like architecture.

The evening fun took place in San Mateo Marriott in the evening and boy, was it a party. Every detail of the party was planned 8 months well in advance and you can see how well the themes work together in the movie above.

Mazel Tov, Kimmie!!

- Michael Soo

Yi Ching & John's Wedding, Palo Alto, California

"I am booked on 8/18 with a Bat Mitzvah", I told Yi Ching, the bride.

"I can't shoot your wedding," I continued.

But she insisted on having me, even for a mere few hours of the ceremony.

Yi Ching already had an engagement shoot back in Taiwan but after seeing my work in Cypress Hotel, Cupertino, I think we were just meant to work together. It was fate, what's meant to be! She is an artistic graphics designer and she seemed to know what she wanted. What the bride says, what the bride gets. ;-)

The only issue is that I needed an assistant badly because most churches has severe restrictions on photography and boy, was I right. Patty, the director of First Methodist Church in Palo Alto listed the things I can't do. I was not allowed anywhere nearer to the bride & groom when the ceremony starts. I was, however, allowed another photographer behind the choir benches. He/she, must not even flinch during the ceremony. No flashes either. The list goes on.

Yi Ching got the wedding dress from Taiwan. Very unique and different. Lots of sparklies that got me interested to take a closeup. She was having a sweet conversation about the ceremony with her mom when I shot this.

Savory Food Photography launched

My new website on Food Photography is now officially launched. It has details on food styling, photography and obviously, beautifully rendered food imagery.

You're still reading this blog??!!? Doh! Go check it out!!

>>> SavoryPhotos.Com <<<

- MS

Modeling Workshop, Buddha Lounge of Mountain View

I've been constantly inquired on when, where and what my next photography workshop and/or seminars may be.

• When because I only give workshops and seminars when I actually have time to do it
• Where because my workshops tend to be fresh and changes in location every now and then.
• What because I teach a variety of subjects, from modeling photography; to learning about lighting; to advanced photography; and to various disiplines of photoshop.

My last Modeling Photography Workshop in May 12, 2007 was filled within a week. So, it come as no surprise that students who wish to sign up early, will email me with the 3 big questions, every now and then. Unfortunately, I don't always have the answer since the when elude me due to my filled calendars.

However today, I have all the answers!

It'll be on September 15th and 16th, 2007, the 2nd Modeling Photography Workshop, follow by a portrait retouching workflow class, a 2-days event. The first day will be held at Buddha Lounge in Mountain View, California and the second class will most likely take place in a classrom environment at the Santa Clara University.

Of course, none of you would have an idea of what the Buddha Lounge looks like nor have an idea of what images may sprout from this workshop. Hence, Paul and I went to the club to take some shots with some of models that will show up in the class. That'll give you some ideas on the possibilities.

This image and 10 others alongside it, shot only in a small section of the large club.

- MS

Blurry imaging

The ride on the tram is rough, the smell from the diesel engine of the green colored truck that is towing 50 of us made me cough.

No, I'm not an illegal immigrant. I'm riding the tram that carries 50 visitors every hour in Yosemite National Park's Sequoia Big Trees. Therein lies one of the largest trees in the world.

A heavy set gentleman sits a mere 2 feet across me. His double chin flabs back and forth, swaying to the dance of the tram, resonating the textures of the mulch and rocks of the forest floor. He holds a large Canon SLR camera; next to it, an expensive looking watch. "1ds Mark II" is marked on the camera with a worthy looking red line drawn around the outside perimeter of the large lens. He lays the camera down on his long brownish khaki photovest that looked rather professional. He then peers down at my small green camera bag, then at my camera, examining it for a good second. He descended a quick look upon me with a slight smug, adjusting the strap on his camera at the same time, and looked away.

The tram moved faster and the ride got bumpier. We drew nearer to a dark area of the redwood forest that has an interesting dappled light dressing the redwoods and grass surrounding it. I love the light, the smell of pine cones, the busy background, grass and all. I picked up my camera and took one shot. The shutter clicked open for one-eighth of a second. My hands shook violently following the movement of the tram. After what seemed like eternity in the world of fast action photography, the shutter snapped shut loudly.

The man across me snickers to himself softly, put his hands on his camera, his lens cap is still on.

I took one more photograph. He then state in a matter-of-fact voice, "ya know, you won't get crap out of shooting in this situation".

I understood what he meant and began to explain what I was doing when he interrupted me.

"Light is bad and tram moving. Never shoot in a moving vehicle like that", he continued.

Once more, I tried to tell him....when he cut me off once again, "all those pictures you just took will just be blurry."

Hmmph...

This smart Michellin man may be on to something !!

- MS