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.

In this tough economy, consumers are being very selective about where they choose to take their business. Before they pull out their wallet, people are performing online research. The Pew Research Center survey on Internet use shows that 78% of adult Internet users look for information about a service or product they are considering buying, and 69% search for information about someone they know or might meet.

What does this mean for your business? You can bet your potential customers are carefully comparing you with your competition. If you want to capture their attention, you’ll need to find that extra thing that will separate you from the pack.

The best new way to draw in potential clients is with a video testimonial. Written testimonials, as you may have noticed, are overused and overabused. Many websites have them, and while visitors may take the time to scan the page, the information doesn’t really sink in. It’s nothing like staring into the eyes of someone who is raving about the person or company the viewer is considering. It’s an easy sell, and the best part is that you don’t need to brag about yourself.

Video testimonials are a great marketing tool to separate you from a million other competitors. We recently put one together for Terel Beppu, a real estate agent with Intero Real Estate. There are currently NO other realtors who are doing this, so it really makes him stand out from the crowd.

The video shares stories from actual clients who worked with Terel, and shows several families in the houses he helped them purchase. The impact of their statements is much greater than it would be in a block of text; you can see their faces and really tell how much they mean what they say.

The video also shows Terel in action, his demeanor, his professionalism and ethics. You get to know his personality well even before meeting him, and to see how dedicated he is to what he does. What is it like to work with Terel?

Because they can present a ton of information in just a short time in an interesting way, video testimonials are much more effective than plain old text. They are great for all kinds of businesses and products, and can even be made for dating services, showcasing a person and his or her personality.

Oh, and I should mention one more thing about the Pew survey: 71% of adults watch videos online. If you post it, they will watch.

A wedding day at San Mateo History Museum & Stanford Memorial Church, Palo Alto , filled with fun, art and dancing. And talk about dancing, Becca & Jed’s first dance is nothing short of spectacular. I’m particularly fond of Becca’s wedding dress that floats on the dance floor under the beautiful dome of the San Mateo Museum as she dance gracefully with Jed. Wowza!

And oh, we had to work with the Samuel L Jackson, I mean the officiant with the thunderous voice again. I love this guy.

Capture the Love team came out in full force, from photography to videography/ cinematography and even our makeup artist, Tiffany had fun.

Photographers – Michael Soo | Ed Tran

Cinematographers – Paul Ferradas | Viet Mac | Aaron Lee

Cinema Edit – Viet Mac

Makeup Artistry – Tiffany Chiang

Megan and Ken are both educators in a world that desperately need teachers. They are patient, soft spoken and in love. Their wedding was held at the Hollins House at Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz, overlooking the spectacular Monterey Bay. It was the precursor to a larger reception 2 weeks after.

We shot photo + cinema for this wedding, edited the 20 minutes long feature presentation that surprised the couple 2 weeks after in their reception in HS Lordship, Berkeley.

The great thing about having a photo • cinema team is that the photographs can also be embedded into the cinema, something most videographers can’t do.

Kanoa is an artist who has constantly been dreaming about a beautiful woman in a jade green dress. What do the numbers in his life and in his dreams mean?

(be sure to watch in HD by clicking HD)

Mark practices his first dance with his groomsmen in the Four Seasons Hotel of Palo Alto / Silicon Valley while Janet practices her walk up the stairs in the prestigious Stanford Memorial Church in Palo Alto. Their beautiful first dance in the Palo Alto Golf Club is a small part to what makes this wedding so elegant.

The wedding photos in the Four Seasons, Stanford Memorial Church and Palo Alto Golf Club are a real match to Mark & Janet’s style.

We chose a cinematic musical piece with Scottish intonation and blend to showcase Mark and his cool British accent (when they are entering the church). Check out their cinema!

What I found endearing is how Mark holds Janet’s Victoria Secret’s bag proudly as he exits the ceremony with her into their Rolls Royce.

We’re tickled to find Westin St Francis’ blog featuring our photography for the wedding where we were the photographers and cinematographers / videographers, just 3 weeks ago. They seem to have found our blog of photos that showcase their wonderful stairways.

So, where’s the cinema / video , you ask. Worry not, here it is, the highlights from Lara & Elie’s wedding in San Francisco, aboard the trolley and all.

(be sure to turn HD on)

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!

We are very blessed to be one of Yelp’s highest ranked photographer in the bay area. Yup, with approx. 50 FIVE STARS reviews, we feel loved. However, today came an email stating that we now have a negative FAT ONE STAR review in Yelp! A one-star what?!!

We’re breaking the mold ! Making history and causing chaos in the industry. People officially now hate us on Yelp!

- Michael Soo
Sad Photographer of the Year

18 year old Reilly is leaving Atherton, California for college in Texas. Everyone is excited for him, but at the same time, sad. As fine art photographers and cinematographers, our imagery and video/cinema speaks about the family we photograph. Even more so when each family members have so much love and fun with each other.

We almost felt like close relatives, being there, absorbing the love and resonating and reflecting the TLC back into our photographs and cinema. This was photographed in the backyard of their home during our family portraiture session in Atherton, CA (next to Menlo Park and Palo Alto). Enjoy Texas, Reilly!

(Notice Georgia whispering “I love you” to Reilly when she was leaning on his shoulder? )