A bit belated, but wanted to do a quick post on WPPI 2010! It was a fantastic experience in so many ways & since rehashing everything will be a bit overwhelming, I’ll do a quick recap on what I learned in lovely bullet-point style:

– Having a fantastic second-shooter boyfriend to hold your hand through your first WPPI experience is totally amazing & invaluable. But leaving the guys behind and making it a girls trip is also a good call :) Road-tripped it to Vegas with the best roomies a girl could ask for – Serena Grace, Caroline Tran, & Sarah K Chen. It was so fun & inspiring sharing the trip with them!

– Take some classes. I only browsed the trade show last year, but took 2 classes this year – Elizabeth Messina & Jonathan Canlas – which both blew my mind. They are both utterly fantastic film photographers, and though I’ve been infatuated with the depth & color of film forever, I never strongly considered shooting it until I heard them speak. I don’t think the change will be happening in my professional work anytime soon, but I am definitely hoping to start shooting film personally.

– Bring a point-and-shoot to capture all the fun moments & DON’T FORGET THE CHARGER. My 5D was charged up all nicely but I didn’t quite feel like lugging it all around the MGM. My point-and-shoot died literally 1 hour upon entering into Vegas city limits. Sad day!

– And lastly, what happens in Vegas apparently does NOT always stay in Vegas, since I basically caught the bubonic plague there and it followed me all the way home to Los Angeles. Lame.

Some quick photos of a few of my favorite memories…

Roomies before the Airhorns & Lasers party..

One of my few shots with my 5D.. Sarah & Serena peeking out the window upon our arrival to our suite:

So happy to finally meet Tey Garcia & Karen Atrero – the sweet girly halves of amazing husband & wife photog teams!

A shot from the Fuji booth… with the cost of Polaroid film starting to cost me all my limbs, I would love to get my hands on a Fuji Instax!

Fun at the SmugMug party (my first time donning a Snuggie!)

A pic with my SD girl Jackie Wonders.. I [heart] her!

On the way home from Vegas (after a quick stop at the delicious Mad Greek), we stopped off in the middle of nowhere for a quick impromptu portrait session. The light was gorgeous!

Sarah’s Contax.. you can see some of her lovely film captures here:

And one of yours truly, courtesy of Serena. It’s been ages since I’ve had a portrait taken of me, but these girls are excellent at making you feel as un-awkward as possible.

And a quick last group shot before heading back into LA!

Carrie & Matt’s story begins at the Hollywood Bowl. Carrie was performing in the choir of a show and Matt worked behind-the-scenes at the Bowl. When they awesomely suggested doing their engagement session there, I was a) completely elated and b) a little confused. My visits there were always happy, involving balmy summer days & amazing sounds courtesy of The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, & Tegan and Sara. But they have also been marked by insane crowds, sitting at the tippy-top of the wooden bench seating, and tandem parking webs of death. It boggled my mind to imagine that the bowl was open to the public during the day, that we could run amok through ALL the seating (box seats! box seats!), and that we could possibly be – wait for it – THE ONLY ONES THERE.

It was a beautiful morning. Carrie & Matt are so fun & laidback and they were kindly on board with me asking them to run to all corners of the Bowl (we’re standing in the box seats!!) I am beyond excited for their wedding next month at Senshin Buddhist Temple. Not only is it going to be unlike any wedding we have done, Senshin holds fond memories for me of obon festivals, gatherings, and taiko practices/performances. I know it is going to make an amazing backdrop for their wedding!

We started off the session at Griffith Park. I love how green everything was due to the recent rains…

It was so cool being on the other side of the stage & peeking through…

Below is the very spot where they first met. It was so sweet watching them get a bit teary-eyed as they reminisced…

I first met with Sharon & Roger over Pinkberry (mine with strawberries + tons of mochi!), introduced by my friend & amazing coordinator Uyen. As in all initial meetings, I’m always looking for that “click” that makes for an awesome photographer-client relationship, and Sharon & Roger knocked me off my feet! They were so fun-loving, silly, laidback & sweet, so it was no wonder that when their wedding day called for rain, they remained completely happy & calm. Seven Degrees has an unmatched artsy & modern vibe both inside and out, so we were still able to get some stunning indoor portraits, and the tent set-up, even if it wasn’t part of the initial plan, was breathtaking! The pastel lanterns made my heart skip a beat!

A fun midday moment was when one of the groomsmen asked how we met Sharon & Roger. When we explained that we were introduced by Uyen, he said he had thought we were all friends from way before :) That completely warmed my heart as it means the world to me when clients become friends!

Enjoy this peek into their beautiful wedding day, starting with Sharon’s three swoonworthy dresses…

Venue: Seven Degrees
Coordinator: Sassy Girl Weddings
Florals: Commerce Flowers
Videographer: Alumiq Productions