While going through our pile of magazines once more before they are recycled; I found this very interesting article from Fast Company magazine.  We may be in wedding industry and photography is our speciality, but we do not know all the facts and figures on weddings except for fact that June is the most popular month for weddings.

2,190,363 couples were wedded in the U.S. in 2008.

The world’s longest-married living couple, Zelmyra & Herbert Fisher of North Carolina, were, at press time, preparing to celebrate their 85th anniversary.

$707,051,028 worth of wedding cake and fondant frosting (more than 16 tons) was consumed last year in the U.S.

The average American wedding costs $28,704.

In frugal Mississippi the average drops to $18,562.

In spendthrift New Jersey that jumps to $36,113.

Behemoth David’s Bridal claims roughly 30% of the wedding-gown market, with dresses that start at $99.

Steel tycon Lakshmi Mittal spent an estimated $60 million on a five-day French wedding for his daughter, Vanisha, which included a 1,000 person engagement party at Versailles.

The discount chain Filene’s Basement has held its Running of the Brides event at dozens of stores each year since 1947.

At one store, shoppers cleared the racks of 3,000 marked-down dresses in a record 37 seconds.

In 1960, an American bride was typically 20 years old and a groom was 23. Today, they’re 27 and 29, respectively.

Six countries currently allow same-sex marriage: Belgium, Canada, Holland, Norway, South Africa, and Spain.

December is the most popular month to pop the question, accounting for one in five engagements.

Yes, I have joined the Lensbaby club and became a “sissy photographer.” Before you stone me, let me elaborate. I am not making fun of anyone’s sexual orientation or manliness. When Lensbaby came out from the closet of its creator, Craig Strong, I really thought this cheap plastic toy lens is for the babes and not for a manly man like me.

Well, I admit that even an open minded fellow like me could get pretty dense at times. My mind was finally opened last night, when I could not get my hands on the $1200 Canon 45mm tilt shift lens (it’s been back ordered since I became interested in buying it).  It’s a pro lens that makes a photographer feel like a photographer. And if you are a photographer who spends a lot of time talking about his equipment, you know what I mean.

Anyway, I decided to check on Lensbaby on the web and what I found changed my mind. A fine art photographer, Luca Lacche’s work convinced me to finally get this “sissy toy”. This afternoon I decided to splurge $300 and got myself a Lensbaby Muse with all the different optics.

From the store I walked all the way back to my studio and shot some photos along the way. Here are some photos from my first try with this free spirited toy!

Few days ago, while channel surfing, I heard a female voice in Mandarin asking, “What did you get me for our anniversary?”.

“That’s my commercial!”, I screamed out to my friends.

About two years ago, I was approached by Kim Wang of Digital Art Video to submit a concept sales pitch for a Chase commercial. To my surprise it was selected and made into a commercial.

If you have dined in a Chinese restaurant or attended a Chinese wedding, you have probably seen the double happiness symbol. This Chinese character “Double Happiness” is a very important symbol in Chinese culture.  Since the commercial is to target the Chinese community, I kept to theme of Double Happiness.

The commercial shows a young couple celebrating their wedding anniversary. The wife gives her husband a handbook for first time fathers, letting him know she is pregnant. He gives her a set of keys to their new home — financed with a mortgage from Chase.

Digital Art Video did a phenomenal job with the filming and editing of the commercial. Just imagine what they can do for your wedding, birthday party and other celebrations.

I was told that the commercial debuted last year on the Chinese cable channels of New York and Los Angeles. Maybe it is time that I get a TV and subscribe to cable.

Summer is here. School’s out. The 4th of July is just around the corner. Instead of the usual BBQ, fireworks and a Will Smith movie this year; little girls can celebrate with Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. The film stars Abigail Reslin (Little Miss Sunshine) and is the first in the American Girl film series to have a theatrical release.

Moms, aunts, sisters and cousins with little girls (preteens) in their family are familiar with American Girl.  American Girl is a premiere lifestyle brand that offers a variety of age-appropriate, high-quality dolls, books, clothing, and accessories.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl opens nation wide on July 2.

one strawberry…

two strawberries…

three strawberries…

who’s that?

“A photograph should not only capture the soul of the subject, but also the soul of the photographer.”

- theStoryteller