To read about Amy and Bryon’s story and to view the first part of this Cinematic Engagement Photograhpy series: Click Here

When I described my Cinematic Photography Session to Byron and Amy; they decided that it was what they wanted.  Cinematic Photography Session is an approach that I have created for couples who want more than just the standard photos.  They were also willing to give me the whole day to work with them. Boy, did I have a hard time falling asleep just thinking about their up coming shoot!

After talking to Byron and Amy and listening to their story, I know that travel was an important element in their relationship. It was how they met and how their relationship was formed, tested, nourished and blossomed into what it is today. So travel, distance, and longing are some important elements that I would like to incorporate into the images.

Here is Byron and Amy’s account of how their story began.

Byron: “It was in Edinburgh, September 2004, I was an engineering undergrad and decided to “broaden my horizon” that semester by auditing a Business Law class at the Old College.”

Amy: “I was a visiting law student from Hong Kong and was looking forward to my first lecture abroad. The lecture was not particularly informative or inspiring. However, it turned out to be the most influential one for us.”

Byron and Amy: “Because that was when we first met; when we found the love of our life in each other”

Byron: “The year flew by fast, before we knew it, Amy had to return to Hong Kong to finish her degree and I headed further west to the United States for my exchange program. This marked the start of our long-distance relationship.”

The long distance was no obstacle to the love they feel for one another. In fact the marathon relationship made their bond even stronger.

Byron and Amy have traveled together to 19 countries, including France, Italy, the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Spain, the US, Mexico, China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Korea just to name a few. In fact, Byron proposed to Amy during a surprise trip to Japan which he put a lot of thoughts and planning into it to keep it a secret and a surprise. He had previously planned an elaborate proposal involving helicopter and tall buildings in Hong Kong, but someone leaked it to Amy before Byron got a chance to execute it; however, Byron was unfazed by the temporary upset of plan A and went ahead with plan B which he kept it only to himself.

Byron and Amy’s wedding will be held in Hong Kong later this year. This will conclude their long distance relationship, but not their passion for each other and for traveling the world!

Here’s Amy and Byron’s experience with the Cinematic Photo Session:

Byron: “New York City is a place that meant so much to both of us and we want our memories to be preserved in a special way. Willi was able to capture that flawlessly. We had a great time being photographed by him.”

Amy: “We truly appreciate Willi’s professional attitude and tremendous help throughout the process – you can’t possibly find anyone better. He has offered helpful guidance on our outfit, props, etc. We especially thank Willi for sacrificing his Thanksgiving Day to fit our visiting schedule, in particular starting from the wee hour of 6.30am and finishing after 8pm! His energy level is just unbelievable and lasts longer than the Duracell batteries! We only wish that he will start his second base camp in Hong Kong soon enough so he can capture our memories in Hong Kong cinematically as well!”

If you enjoyed this post, you may want to come back soon and check out part 2, 3, and 4 of the series where you can see more images from the entire 12 hour shoot.

Engagement sessions allow me to explore a wide gamut of styles base on the personalities of the couple. It’s an awesome way to spend a couple hours or a day with two happy people. I always come away from an engagement session charged, elated, and totally happy, because I have been infused by love and creation.

The photos I’m about to show below from Stefanny and Wilson’s shoot in Central Park and the streets of New York City is one of those sessions that blew me away. Stefanny and Wilson are a very theatrical couple! They enjoy bold colors and posing and I am usually not much into posing, but Stefany and Wilson challenged my habits and I am glad that I went with the flow. As you can see, the images are awesome and what’s more, it’s who they are: theatrical, bold and beautiful!

To  view more engagement photo sessions:  Click Here

Life is funny in it’s unfolding of our destiny.

A and D, two people destined to be together grew up in New York’s old Chinatown, but didn’t meet until recent years. They probably have walked past each other many times on Mott street, or Pell street, or any of the old streets in this historical neighborhood, orbiting each other day in and day out. Their lives were connected before they even met.

Here’s A’s account of their story: “We should have met many years ago, but because timing was probably not right then, we finally met in spring of 2006. We quickly learned that we have a lot of mutual friends – and that we grew up in the same neighborhood with practically the same groups of friends. Our shared interest of playing Tetris and snowboarding have bound us. But the true test of our love for each other came when life throws its wrenches into our relationship and nearly broke us. In the darkest moment of our relationship, there was uncertainty, there was doubt, and there were rivers of tears, but love does conquer all. After a year of “figuring stuff out”, we decided to give our love another try, only this time with a bigger challenge ahead — “long-distance”.   D was in Alabama for a year and a half, while I stayed put in NYC.”

D was training as a helicopter pilot in the Army.  And on May 5th, 2011, D kept his promise and proposed to A, on the day he received his wings for the completion of his pilot training.

This is truly “an officer and a gentleman” story with a Chinese-American touch. A and D not only love each other, but they love their families, their Chinese culture and this country. And the story comes full circle with the couple celebrating their wedding in where else, but Chinatown!

To top it off, we celebrated our daughter’s first birthday by connecting with friends and family in D.C.  She had so much fun and learned so much from this trip and she’s now walking with confidence too!

Here are some images from the wedding followed by a slide show, hope you enjoy it!

Ceremony and Reception:  Halcyon House
Day of Planner:  Monique Marwani
Makeup: Monique Marwani
Hair:  Ofeer Marwani
Florist:  Philippa Tarrant
Caterer:  Ridgewells Caterers
Ceremony music:  Celebrated String Quartet
Reception music:  Kristen & the Noise
Rabbi:  Jessica Olean, Temple Sinai
Decor:  Julie Shanklin, Syzygy Event Productions
Lighting:  John Farr Lighting Design
Invitations:  SIMPLESONG Design
Candelabra Chandeliers:  Beehive Events

A: Good question. Let me try to answer it  before showing you the images from Ruth and Bert’s Cinematic Engagement Session. A Cinematic Engagement Session should be epic in color, lighting and composition, and yet it captures the intimate personalities of the couples. It’s like a grand scale romantic movie in it’s visual impact, but a small independent film in its character creation.

This kind of shoot requires pre-plannings. If you want to create a Cinematic Engagement Session of your own, please contact us for details.

Without further ado, here are some breathtaking images from Ruth and Bert’s Cinematic Engagement Session.

Images taken with Lensbaby Sweet 35

Can this be possibly answered in a blog post? Depending on who you are or what your mood is; you may say it’s impossible or simply smile and point at a flower.

Mikaela and Brian are one of those flowers that I believe can shed some lights on what is a wedding.

They took the time out of their busy schedules as ER doctors and in the mist of relocating to Atlanta to come to my studio to share their story.

I have broken up the interview to different parts so you can come back and listen to them at different times or if you have lots of time on hand and are procrastinating at work, feel free to listen to all of them in one sitting, but don’t blame me if you are caught at work listening to these wonderful wedding stories from Mikaela and Brian.

Mikaela and Brian’s Story

Buying the Engagement Ring in India

The Road Less Traveled to the Proposal

The Dirty Secret of the First Dance

Moments from the Wedding – Please click on the PLAY button to start the slide-show

Why we chose Willi, you should really listen to Brian on this one, and Mikaela too!

Click HERE to view Mikaela & Brian’s sunrise engagement photo session at Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo

Mikaela and Brian celebrated their wedding nuptials at the Lighthouse located in the heart of Chelsea Piers, New York City’s premier sports and entertainment complex.

This little spirit that came from the stars had kept us up all night for 3 weeks. I was pushed to the limit of my sanity. It was basic training for my other full time job as a stay at home Dad. Yes, I became a Mr. Mom for my little one and she has totally consumed every waking hour of my life for the past 6 months. But don’t worry I’m still available to capture your life stories and blissful moments, just contact me.

I know that this time is short and if I don’t pay attention; it will be gone in the blink of an eye! I enjoy carrying her in my arms, tossing her up in the air and catch her landing softly into my arms; these and many other things I will not be able to do with her if I had waited.

These photos from the slide-show were taken mostly on impulse inspired by her angelic spirit as I was taking care of her during the day and when Mommy wanted to dress her up, we made a photo session out of it. She has been an incredible subject, natural, willing to play along, and always never cease to please her Daddy’s trigger happy finger.

I will leave you to enjoy these blissful moments from my life as a first time Dad.