Jordan and Alex both graduated from San Jose State University, sharing a love for drama. Naturally, they wanted to reenact one of their happiest moments—when Alex proposed—in the SJSU theater where they had spent so much of their college lives.

But fun-loving Jordan and Alex have more than just a theatrical flair; they also have superhero alter-egos!

Many, actually, as in their engagement photo session, we played up Alex’s love for comic books by bringing to life some of DC’s and Marvel’s most beloved icons. Like the Gotham bat signal projected against a dreary sky and Green Lantern’s power ring, Jordan and Alex are each others’ light through dark times, their mutual symbols of hope and strength.

The fun does not stop with a mere studio shoot, however. Since Alex grew up around the redwood trees and beaches of Santa Cruz, we also photographed them spending a day out in nature and enjoying each others’ company (this is what superheroes do on their days off).

We all can relate to the appeal of superheroes, those larger-than-life legends who live in a fantasy world not too different from our own reality. At some point, we have felt like cast-out freaks, different from the rest, harboring a dark side no one else could possibly understand. Like Venom, this side of us threatens to take over, drown and incapacitate us.

It takes a pure and true force of nature to allow us to see the “freakish” as “unique,” to accept us for who we are, to help us conquer our dark sides. Believing in superheroes is a way for us to cope with the mundane and to bring out the best in ourselves through impossible and trying times. Not much different from the power of love.

One of our favorite kinds of photo shoots to do is pregnancy photos. Couples always tell us they’re so glad they captured this moment, because they’re so busy in the moment with getting ready for the new baby that the whole experience becomes a blur in their memories. The pictures will always be there remind them of the excitement and anticipation of bringing a new baby into the world. And for us, it’s amazing to be there with a couple as they get ready to welcome their new child.

We recently had the honor of doing a pregnancy photo shoot with one of the most beautiful, totally in love couples we’ve ever met: Tess Fike and Tavares Gooden. You might recognize Tavares from his work as a linebacker for the 49ers this past season, but these days he’s in training for a really tough job: dad to his baby Kadence, who is due in April.

It was so much fun to shoot Tess and Tavares because a) they’re both so good-looking and b) they were filled with that glow that only parents-to-be can give off. The camera just loved them!

We decided to shoot in the studio with a basic grey background so the focus would be on Tess and Tavares, with no distractions. We wanted the lighting to be a bit dramatic, so we played with the contrast between light and dark, shine and shadow.

This shot of their hands making a heart on Tess’s belly is so simple but so moving, right? Many couples are a little nervous in front of the camera, but these two were completely comfortable together.

Tess was totally radiant with that special pregnancy glow. She’s already overflowing with love for Kadence, and you can just tell she’s going to be a great mom.

Congratulations, Tess and Tavares! We wish you both the best.

When we decided to renovate the studio, we wanted to create a cozy, inviting space with lots of natural light and elegant furnishings. But we weren’t just thinking about the inside environment; we wanted to do something good for the outside environment, too.

That’s why on top of all the other renovations we made to our studio—literally—are 28 SunPower solar panels. They are the most efficient panels in the business, and will help us save money and cut way down on greenhouse gas emissions.

I don’t want to bore you with too many numbers, but this is pretty impressive: the panels will offset our power costs by $300 a month. Over the next twenty-five years, we’ll save a whopping $92,000.

But the environmental benefits are even more amazing. By installing those 28 solar panels, we’re saving the equivalent of driving a car 354,000 miles. We’re saving the amount of CO² produced by 3,400 trees. Imagine if a family that never recycled anything started recycling all their cans and bottles and paper. Twenty-five years later, they have saved 98,400 pounds of solid waste from ending up in landfills. That’s the equivalent of how much energy we’re saving!

With all the lights and equipment we need to use, photography shoots can suck up a lot of energy. But we believe creating a beautiful photograph shouldn’t come at the expense of the natural environment. The new solar panels help us give back to the planet while bringing our power bill down—a real win-win!

We decided to go with SunPower because they have been around for over 25 years and offer the most efficient solar panels on the planet. They’re so efficient that they even generate power on cloudy days! The panels sit low over the roof, and their sleek design makes them barely noticeable. We don’t have to put in any extra effort at all. And whenever I want to see something that will make me smile, I can just pull up the SunPower app on my iPad to see how much energy we’re saving.

Come visit our newly renovated studio to see all the improvements we’ve made, inside and out!

As we say goodbye to 2011, we also say goodbye to the headache of renovating our photography
studio. We spent 3 months dealing with the fine white dust from the drywall, the teeth-shattering jackhammering, and the noise from dawn till dusk. Renovation is super stressful, especially if, like me, you’re someone who is meticulous about the tiniest details: light, color, the shape of the tiles, design, ambiance, and on and on.

But the good news is that our studio renovation is finally complete! Champagne all around, please! Happy New Year!!!

We decided to go through the remodeling process because we wanted to be able use the studio as an elegant backdrop in photos. Renovation of this proportion usually takes 6 months, but we
completed a majority of it in just under 3 months because we are utilizing the space as a studio and can’t have such a long downtime. We had to be extremely creative in making the renovations in sections.

We did all the interior design ourselves, and we’re so please with how it turned out! The studio used to be really dark, but now light pours in from skylights and windows. Glass doors open onto the yard, creating a flow between indoor/outdoor living space.

We created more light by adding 7 new skylights, and a bunch of new windows. We also installed at least 60+ new light fixtures into the studio, most of which are LED (energy efficient and non-toxic).

The interior has a wedding theme with a glamorous, contemporary, warm and extremely sexy feel. The furniture is modern and cozy, the perfect place for couples who are getting married to get comfortable, have some wine and cheese, and chat with us about their plans.

The fireplace is elongated, see-through and set into beautifully curved tiles, bordered by wood. The other side has a large black granite surround, sitting on a sensual red wall. The see-through fireplace is fun because it’s essentially 2 fireplaces in one.

The salon also received a facelift with new light fixtures, glass French doors and new flooring.

With its beautiful lighting, flowing design, comfortable furnishings and elegant touches throughout the space, visitors tell us the new studio has the feel of a high-end lounge.

So exhilarating is the experience of getting to know two people in love. We felt very blessed photographing Jed & Becca’s engagement session in San Francisco and San Jose. The photos are possibly one of our best so far. We strive for unique photos every time and it makes us super delighted.

Oh, about the best shot, here it is. Thoughts?

And here are the others shot in San Jose’s HIstorical Park, beach, Palace of Fine Art, etc. So MUCH fun! At the end of it all, Jed, Becca and I had a blast. They also decided that they also wanted us to be their wedding videographer. It’ll be fun doing photography and videography / cinematography in the Stanford Memorial Church in Palo Alto and the San Mateo County History Museum. Can’t wait!!!

Will Fanizzi is a fantastic painter (4th generation painter with Generations of Painting, he is a good friend and a business associate in a networking group I attend to every Thursday morning at 7am. You read that right. 7am. You may think I’m crazy since I love to sleep late, past 2am at times, so that I can work in peace…

Now, not only is Will good at what he does, he has a great heart and a lot of love for Lisa, his wife. Recently, for their anniversary, Will decided to surprise his wife, Lisa to be pampered with a wonderful massage by Cara, followed by natural and skillful makeup artistry and hair styling by Tiffany Chiang. After all that, we went to Santana Row for a short 1-hour photography session.

The party began with a nice glass of magarita at Left Bank. Now, how many amazing photos can you capture in an hour? Check out a few of them here,

Angela, a social worker from Department of Family & Children’s Services called a mere 4 days ago. “Will you be willing to donate your family & children photography services to two foster care children who are separating? The sister who turned 18 and her little brother. The sister’s parting gift are photographs of she and her brother together”, she explained somberly.

I was left speechless for a few seconds and replied, “God, yes, of course!!!”

You see, most of my unsolicited calls are from so-called SEO-experts who wants my money to “put my website on the front page of Google” and ones that tells me I’ll receive a big fat check from Nigeria. So, this came in an unexpected (but pleasant) manner.

The photoshoot was quick but the energy in the room was boundless and fun. Jack & Jaylyn were shy but not for long. Jumps, screams and laughter filled the room. It felt like a normal photoshoot but significantly better. The very fact that I know these photos will be great memories for these kids now and forever. Not much different than a worn old photograph that was kept in the wallet of my 70 year old uncle, that reminds him of his lost brother…

Gave the kids a super big hug after the session. I felt sad, but very contented.

Bram has the largest eyes a baby can have while Cade tore up and down the bunk bed with a jedi saber. Keeping up with them is one thing but photographing bad moments are impossible with these children. They are absolutely adorable. I had my super duper assistant with me, Ethan. My 10 year old whose main job is to hold my reflectors while playing with the kids. haha! He barely makes minimum wage but shhhh….don’t report me. He still needs his dad.

These are the children of one of my buddies, Terel Beppu of Intero Real Estate. Terel is definitely not your typical realtor. He is the type who goes above and beyond for his friends and clients alike. You can’t help but trust this guy. I remember a story of him buying groceries for his sickly neighbor whom he does not even know, and checking in on her for her son, who soon became his good friend.

Another story from his wine-loving clients, was that he took them out to Alexander Steakhouse in Cupertino and presented a surprise gift to them, none other than the wine they always wanted to try, the 2000 Lafite Rothschild. The record price at auction for a Lafite Rothchild was $156,000, for a 1787 Chateau Lafite which was once thought to be owned by Thomas Jefferson. [/end winesnobness]

Photographing children that will end up in a baby album is very different than just shooting say, fashion. It’s previsualizing what can go into the album. One thing to keep in mind is the consistent lighting and color rendition. Interior lights tend to be yellow (2900 Kelvin) while outdoor window lights is a bit more neutral (5500 – 6500 Kelvin). So, you’ll have to make sure that the lights you bath the child in, is much stronger with one than the other.

Kids love to run around and at times, so, be spontaneous. Not all good photographs need to be sharp, as it showcase the fun factor of the photos themselves of the child’s character.

Bram & Cade brought a lot of joy to the few hours I spent in their beautiful home. Thanks to the Beppus for such a great opportunity!

I always thought I’m getting a little old. But standing next to possibly the oldest person in Canada, Mrs Fung, a good 112 years old, I felt like a baby, still in diapers. Born in 1899, Mrs Fung lived in 3 centuries. These family portraits that we photographed in Los Altos, California during Mrs Fung’s visit are now all over the web. They were first published by The Vancouver Sun. As for photographing a legacy of a beautiful family, multiple generations of amazing people, I only have Dr Barry Fung and his lovely wife, Dr Lien Nguyen to thank.

What better way to enjoy good food and wine is to have them with great friends. An invitation to fine dining with Carol + Chris and Terel + Stacia is met by a surprisingly gorgeous home, a warm family and friends, Stroy + Laura and Danean + Brad.

How much fun can a few hours be? Watch and find out!