Augie Chang Photography

Introducing the NEW Augie Chang Photography

2010-07-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

It has been 7+ months since I started work with my wonderful and talented designer Abbie on the new branding. The goal of this new brand is to reflect who I am as an individual and my style of work from the last 11 years. The idea behind the logo, color palette and the creative touch all speak about the details around who I am and what I do for my clients.

Today, I am VERY proud to announce my new branding, new website and new blog! It's time to go LIVE!! YAY!!!!

Click here to go to my new blog: http://www.augiechang.com/blog

Cathy & Mehraun's E-Session with a theme

2010-07-24T00:55:00.000-07:00

LOL ... Yes, that's how I feel when I looked at Cathy and Mehraun's engagement photos. These two are completely hilarious and fun so they wanted to start their light-hearted e-session at a toy store. They wanted an overall kids, games and "what makes them happy" theme for their e-session. This is what we got ...

New!! New! New! - Coming soon!!

2010-07-20T23:57:00.000-07:00

Published!! - Style Unveiled

2010-07-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

Giddy, smiley, happy, honored ... that's how I felt today when I received an email from Style Unveiled regarding Lillian and Andy's Wedding at the beautiful Ralston Hall in Belmont.

It was an awesome day because I was able to work with some of my FAVORITE vendors!! Check out the list!

Wanna see the post? click here

Ryoko and Chris' Wedding in NYC's Grand Central Station

2010-07-17T23:36:00.001-07:00

I feel so blessed to be able to photograph weddings in both coasts of the nation. It was one of my dreams to photograph weddings in one of the most exciting cities in the US - New York. Last year, that dream came true when I photographed Kate and Russ' wedding in Central Park.

This year, my dream kept coming true. I had the opportunity to document Ryoko and Chris' wedding in the historic building of Grand Central Station. They got married at one of the restaurants inside. It was surreal. The backdrop was absolutely tremendous, glorious and most of all, GRAND.

Thank you Ryoko and Chris for giving this opportunity to be there for you two on one of your most important days of your lives.

It was sooooo hot and humid that day, but I managed to convince the couple to walk around the block for a few "portrait" shots. Thanks to Jenny (my assistant) for snapping these behind-the-scene photos of me working.

Golden Years Through my Lens

2010-07-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of this year, Emily (one of my brides from 2009), whom is an executive director at one of the most established retirement community company (Aegis Living) asked if I was interested in working with her on a marketing initiative at her retirement home in Fremont. At that moment, I really didn't know what to say because I am a wedding and children photographer and I didn't know what to expect from a retirement community. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the senior citizens and perhaps have some fun in between!

The goal of this project was to change how people feel (and view) about retirement communities. In today's world, there is a stigma around retirement homes. People think about retirement homes as a "dumping ground" for old people. That's indeed NOT the case for Aegis Living communities. Their philosophy is to create a pleasant, caring and fun environment for their residents, so they can happily enjoy their golden years.

The people at Aegis Living care about their residents. They are not there to "collect a pay check" per se, but they are there because this is where their passion lies. From helping their residents with reading, to helping them walk down the hall way to get to their room, people who work there at Aegis Living are among the kindest and most genuine people I've met. They are in my eyes - angels.

This experience has opened my eyes to the world. This experience has made me appreciate life in a deeper level. This experience has given me hopes in many ways.

Listening to stories after stories from the residents made me appreciate life and understood how unpredictable life can be.

The initiative that Emily worked on in Fremont was presented to the Aegis Living corporation. The project was LOVED by all of their executive directors from Northern California. Now, Emily, Maria Chang (best make up artist in my opinion) and I are the official team to create marketing materials for all of Aegis Living Northern California! I am beyond THRILLED to be their official photographer who is going to document and help change the way people think about the retirement communities as a whole.

Today, we completed a day-long shoot for Aegis of San Francisco. Here are two pretty funny pictures that I would love to share:

He was being silly and showing me his denture when I pointed my camera at him :)

Here's a loving couple that is spending time together at Aegis. They have a long love story which I have to share at a later time (trust me, very romantic!) for now ... here is a picture of them dancing during "happy hour"!!

Cindy and Dan's Wedding Teasers at Kohl Mansion

2010-07-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Eileen and Jeremy's Wedding Teasers

2010-07-10T10:25:00.001-07:00

Beverly and Jason's Wedding at Cline Cellar, Sonoma

2010-07-08T10:53:00.001-07:00

Beverly and Jason got married at the beautiful Cline Cellars in Sonoma. I forgot that I actually shot there many years ago.

This location brought back a lot of great memories for me. Cline Cellars was one of the first locations that I shot when I started my photography business. My friends Denise and Atsushi had their ceremony there and I was their photographer. I still remember how nervous I was! Nonetheless, I had a GREAT time and that contributed to my love for weddings.

8+ years later, I was back at the beautiful Cline Cellars. This time, I was there to celebrate Beverly and Jason's love for each other. I was THRILLED when I heard that Jason was incorporating his 2nd love (aka his hand-built muscle car) into the wedding. You'll see a few of the beauty below!

Matt - Senior Session

2010-07-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

It is not often do I get to work with high school seniors. I am mainly a wedding and children photographer, and there are photographers out there that focus mainly on "senior portraits". I was lucky enough to work with one of the coolest high school seniors that I've met. At first, I didn't know what to expect walking into the session, but after about 10 mins, I knew Matt was a wonderful, smart and most of all, funny guy. I am not going to lie, he was a bit nervous in the beginning, but after a few jokes and laughs, Matt was like an old pro in front of my lens. I actually had no idea that I can still hang with a high school senior! I always thought I was a bit too old and un-cool for them :) Well, Matt, thanks for hanging out with an "old dude" like me *wink*

Jenny and Randy's Wedding at Martinelli Center in Livermore

2010-07-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

Jenny and Randy have this amazing attitude as a couple. They have a carefree demeanor which enables me, as an artist, to be who I am and be as creative as I can be - absolutely dream clients!

From running through the vineyards on a 90+ degrees day to boogy-ing down next to a freeway, they were ALL game, no hesitation!! It is this kind of trust that they have for me enables me to create fun and beautiful images on their wedding day.

I thank you, Jenny and Randy :)

Cathy & Mehraun's Wedding Teaser

2010-07-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

I on Eye-Fi?

2010-06-30T17:20:00.001-07:00

I am THRILLED to be featured on the Eye-Fi memory card's blog today! Eye-Fi is a very popular memory card that has built-in wireless (wifi) capability to download your images directly onto your computer or even upload them to Flickr and other photo sites! Take a look at the article here:

Lillian and Andy's Wedding at the beautiful Ralston Hall

2010-06-28T01:50:00.001-07:00

These two are among the most loving and passionate doctors I've met. If I don't know them any better, I'd thought they are love doctors :) I know we always say this, but seriously, they ARE the nicest and easiest clients to work with. From the moment they signed to the last goodbye at their wedding day, I felt completely welcomed and needed. Congrats to you two and I hope you both will continue to find time for each other in your busy and respected occupation.

If you all have a moment, check out what they have to say about their experience with me!

Amelia and Kenbo's Wedding Teasers

2010-06-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Casa Real & Palm Event Center's Crew Get-Together

2010-06-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

Every year, I take the time to get to know and enjoy my friends from Casa Real and Palm Event Center. This year, I had a small get-together with the Casa+Palm team at my new studio San Francisco. It's always fun to hang out with people you love outside of work. We drank, ate and laughed a bunch. Thanks ladies for coming out to San Francisco!!

Here is the entire team from both venues

I'd like to introduce them to you all, from left to right ...

Annie, Mackenzie, Michelle, Alyssia, Shannon, Kara, Z, Leslie (she is actually from Westin St. Francis!!)

The "not-so-little-anymore" Roman and his lil sister Lola

2010-06-23T22:38:00.001-07:00

Jacqueline and I knew each other from way back in our Yahoo! days. We've kept in touch ever since and I am privileged enough to be her family photographer for the last 4 years. I've been documenting Roman's growth since he was around 7 months old! Now, with little Lola, I cannot wait to document HER growth as well. I adore this family and I look forward to many more years of memories with them.

Christina and Paradise's Wedding Teasers at Intercontinental SF

2010-06-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

SmugMug Talk Pictures

2010-06-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

It was such an honor for me to speak for the SmugMug group in East Bay. The topic of my talk was around the constant changing world of children photography. The meet up was held at the Hilton hotel in Concord. This was the first speaking engagement I did for SmugMug. The group of members were enthusiastic and fun. They had a TON of questions too! It was a great night, we had over 120 people attended my talk!!

I'd like to thank Gustavo for inviting me to this talk, also, like to thank my associate photographer Vero for taking these beautiful photos.

Tina & Calvin's Wedding at Wente Vineyard

2010-06-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

Tina and Calvin got married at one of the nicest wineries in the Livermore Valley - Wente Vineyards. I started the day by hanging out with the ladies at their hotel room, then found out that the guys were downstairs playing poker before the ceremony!! There were literally 20 guys in one room, surrounding a big conference table while screaming "ALL IN!!!".

Both Tina and Calvin are very stylish people, just check out their shoe selection! One of the most memorable parts of their wedding was when they started to dance hip-hop during their first dance. They got down baby!!!! I loved it!!

Congrats you two and thanks for being the nice couple that you are!! We are honored.

My little nephew

2010-06-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

I don't get to see my nephew often, but when I do, I take a lot of photos of him. Last week, I had the time to visit them in New Jersey. We spent a day at the Jersey shore hanging out and enjoying the sun. What a wonderful day!

Ryoko and Chris' NYC Grand Central Wedding Teaser

2010-06-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hanging in SOHO

2010-06-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

I was out in NYC this past weekend for a Ryoko and Chris' wedding in Grand Central. The venue was absolutely amazing. Having a wedding inside one of NYC's greatest landmark was unreal. From shooting within the train station to walking down 42nd st., the experience was one of a kind.

The next morning, I did a casual photo shoot for my assistant and her best friend in the SOHO area. There, she also snapped a few shots of me for my upcoming new blog. Stay tuned!

OUT OF STUDIO in ...

2010-06-04T23:27:00.000-07:00

... somewhere that you have to come back and see. I am here to shoot a beautiful wedding in one of the landmarks in this city. I will be posting teaser images in the next few days.

See you soon!

SmugMug Talk - Kids kids kids

2010-06-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

I feel so lucky to have been invited to speak for the SmugMug group at the Hilton Hotel in Concord, CA on Monday June 14, 2010 at 7pm. I will be talking about how I got into the crazy changing children business and how I make a sustainable business from it. I'll also talk about some of my tips of the trade and what drives me to be a children photographer in the bay area. Come see me and hear me YEP away!!

Click here for more info or if you want to RSVP!! 115 photographers have already been RSVP'd!

Donna & Zak's Wedding Teasers at Nestldown

2010-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie and Glenn's Wedding Teasers

2010-05-30T22:43:00.000-07:00

The Knot Best of Weddings 2010 Winner

2010-05-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

I was completely caught off my surprise when my assistant was flipping through a The Knot magazine and I was selected as one of The Knot’s 2010 “Best of Weddings” by brides and grooms.

I am so honored for those who voted for me! A HUGE hug and kiss out to y'all!

Lil' Clara

2010-05-25T10:45:00.001-07:00

This is the first time I met lil' Clara, but I've photographed Clara's big brother Christopher in 2007. It is always a compliment when parents book me for their 2nd child's photo session.

It's Official! My business is moving to ...

2010-05-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

...San Francisco!!!

After 10 years of working from a home studio, it is finally time to move my business into its own space in the beautiful city of San Francisco. I am sooooo uberly excited about this! The space is now official and it will take me a little while to get everything together, from buying a couch to stocking the fridge with water. It's going to be a big project!

During this "dusty" time, please bare with me in terms of email/phone call response time. It is going to take me a little longer to get back to you as we prepare for this big move. It's official, it's exciting, it's the next big step for Augie Chang Photographers. I cannot wait to see you at my new space! You are all welcome to come, drop by and say hello!

11/7/10 PART 2 now full!

2010-05-19T13:49:00.001-07:00

Thanks to your overwhelming interest in my PART 2 workshop. My 11/7/10 PART 2 workshop is officially FULL. If you are interested in getting on my waiting list, email me

New Workshop Dates for PART 1 and 2

2010-05-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is the Intro to Digital Photography series (PART 1 and PART 2)

If you are interested in one or both, just fill out this form to secure your seat.

********** PART 1 DETAILS **********

For beginners who are interested in taking better everyday pictures. From children to birthday parties, to traveling. We cover most of the everyday situations. This PART 1 workshop focuses on the fundamentals of photography (lighting, aperture, shutter speed...etc.). You don't need to have any prior knowledge of photography to sign up for this workshop, but having a digital SLR is a must! Come meet other photography enthusiasts just like yourself!

********** PART 2 DETAILS **********

The goal of this Part 2 workshop is to apply everything that you've learned in Part 1 of my Intro class. This will be a HANDS-ON workshop. You will spend a few hours shooting along side with me and you will be partnered with fellow students to experiment new techniques. After the field shoot, we will come back to my home studio to go over high level post processing. Take a look at what we will cover in a very high level.

PREREQ: BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE (understand aperture, shutter speed, depth of field...etc.), AKA MY INTRO TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY PART 1 KNOWLEDGE

On-location Shoot
- How to creatively create an image
- What do I look for when I compose a picture?
- What goes through my head when I take a photo?
- Shooting in different modes (Av, Tv, M)
- Moving vs. Stationary subject
- Demonstration of depth of field
- Shooting in different situations
- Shooting with different lens
- How to use an external flash

Post Processing discussion (high level)
- RAW editing techniques
- Editing techniques
- How to process high and low res photos
- How to make your photos "pop" online
- Demonstrating batch techniques
- How to create your own Actions

********** GENERAL INFO **********

How do I sign up?
Sign up now by filling out this form

Where does the workshop take place?
San Francisco, CA

I want to sign up, how do I secure a seat(s) for the workshop(s)?
I accept online credit card payments via Pictage. Your seat is confirmed only upon payment is received.

I don't know much about photography, I am a true beginner, is that ok?
YES! The series is specifically designed for true beginners!

How many participants are in your workshops?
Usually from 8-10

If I want to see pictures of previous workshops, where do I go?
It's all right here

Neda and Sati's Beverly Hills Wedding

2010-05-16T23:21:00.001-07:00

Neda and Sati had the most Ah-Maay-Zingly colorful wedding in the beautiful Beverly Hill Wilshire Hotel. It is always inspiring as a photographer to be able to shoot at a new location, especially in sunny Southern California. When Neda and Sati told me they were getting married in Beverly Hills, images of palm trees and nice store fronts came to mind. I have always wanted to shoot on Rodeo Dr., purely because of the energy and the glitz :) Guess what? We did just that!!! I took the beautiful couple out on the streets of Beverly Hills. Flashy cars and nicely dressed pedestrians were stopping to watch the shoot. Some of the pedestrians were even asking if this was a modeling shoot. That's how hot they looked! I am not kidding here -- people stopped to watch the shoot. OMG, it was sooo much fun!!

I am still here in ... Hawaii

2010-05-13T23:18:00.001-07:00

When I travel, I usually travel VERY light in terms of camera gear. This time, I only brought my 50mm 1.2L and my 16-35mm 2.8L lenses with me. At the same time, I always have my Canon point and shoot no matter where I go.

Today, we were driving along the shore of Oahu. We were at the east side of the island when I came across a beautiful quiet beach. The beach was empty and the water was pretty calm so I decided to take my kids there for an afternoon swim. I didn't have my "real" camera with me so I shot everything with my Canon point and shoot. Here is one photo that I was pretty proud of, which I shot with my point and shoot! Enjoy!

OUT OF STUDIO - On Vacation in Hawaii

2010-05-08T22:19:00.000-07:00

Yes!! It's finally time for me to take a break before the full blown wedding season begins at the end of May. Although wedding season started for me 2 weeks ago, I am able to sneak in a week in Hawaii to enjoy some R&R. I am going to blog my way through this week so come back for some fun images k?

Melissa and Tom's E-Session in SF

2010-05-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Melissa and Tom both own/work at Thomas John Events. They are well respected and most importantly LOVED by almost everyone in the wedding industry. Melissa and Tom have a loving and very playful relationship, so my goal was to capture that. Tom and Melissa love colors and graffiti, so we shot in the Mission District where vibrancy is part of the area.

Beverly and Jason's Wedding Teasers in Sonoma

2010-05-04T00:06:00.000-07:00

Jenny and Randy's Wedding Teasers

2010-04-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Jenny and Randy were blessed with a beautiful warm "summer day" in Livermore.

Una Bella Sera 2010 Video

2010-04-27T13:11:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, Una Bella Sera was this past Sunday at the Craneway Pavilion. Here is Una Bella Sera's "Choosing Your Wedding Professionals" Video created by the talented Andrew Hsu from StudioMSV

Tina & Calvin's Wedding Teasers

2010-04-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

Una Bella Sera 2010 - Set up

2010-04-23T23:04:00.000-07:00

This evening, I met up with the Una Bella Sera team at the Craneway Pavilion to capture pre-show photos. Since I won't physically be at the show (due to a wedding), my work will be displayed and my interview will be incorporated into the overall video.

Here is a fun photo of Crystal, Nicole and I. We clearly were having a little too much fun before our work day:

Here is the UBS team!

Casa Real's Preferred Vendor Showcase - Casa Amore

2010-04-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Casa Real was absolutely beautiful last evening. With all of the following talented vendors, how can a beautiful space not turn into an elegant venue?

The Flower House- Jinger Leonard
Nicole Ha Floral & Event Design- Nicole Ha
Delford West- Karl Eckel
Pleasanton Rentals- Sherri Creighton
Hartmann Studios- Kelly Burns-Gaoiran
Fantasy Sound- Kevin Dennis
Enhanced Lighting- John & Megan Woods
Get Your Do Up! Armando Sarabia
Cake Delight- Fatema Nuruddin
Jen’s Cakes- Jen Kwapinski
Cards de Luxe- Susanne Wong
Unveiled- Sally Otsuka
J’aime’s Bridal- Jaime Zile

Amelia and Kenbo's Cafe Theme E-Session in San Francisco

2010-04-21T23:26:00.001-07:00

Amelia and Kenbo are coffee fans so for their engagement session, they wanted a cafe theme. We visited two of my favorite cafes in San Francisco: The Blue Bottle Cafe on Mint St. and La Boulange Bakery on Hayes. I think themes are so much fun for e-sessions. Reason has to do with getting the couple involve in the creative process. It's always easy to just "do my thing", but when I incorporate the couple's ideas, it just makes the overall experience THAT much better.

Lillian and Andy's Wedding Teasers at the beautiful Ralston Hall

2010-04-19T01:18:00.000-07:00

The Hills

2010-04-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

I've known the Hills for MANY years. Kim and I knew each other from way back during my corporate days at Yahoo! Inc. Although we both left Yahoo!, we managed to keep in touch for all these years. It is my honor to be able to document her children's growth.

Neda and Sati's Beverly Hills Wedding Teasers

2010-04-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

Cute little Jovian

2010-04-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

Little Jovian is full of smiles, smiles and more smiles. 2 year old and full of character already. He's gonna be popular among the ladies in his school someday :) Check out his styling hairdo!

Una Bella Sera 2010 - Sunday, April 25th

2010-04-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

Time flies!!! It is that time of the year when Una Bella Sera is here once again!! This year, it is being held at an AH-MA-ZING location in the Richmond marina. Don't believe me? go check it out!

I am so honored to be a part of this event that Crystal and Nicole are holding. If you are interested, please make sure that you register

Beverly and Jason's E-Session

2010-04-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Couples usually have great ideas on what they like but they don't usually know where to go to achieve the theme/look that they are after. Jason told me that they wanted a "vintage book store" theme and I immediately thought of this "secret location". I met them near the "secret location" and the moment I saw their attire, I thought to myself "PERRR-FECT!!".

Jen & Karl's Wedding Excursion in La Playa

2010-04-05T10:48:00.000-07:00

You probably remember in Jan of this year, I was in Cancun (La Playa to be exact) for Jen and Karl's beautiful wedding. Jen and Karl had 170-ish of their closest friends and family from all over the world to attend this wonderful weekend "get-away wedding".

The first day of the "weekend get-away wedding" was a Welcome BBQ, then the next day, followed by an all inclusive snorkeling excursion.

Come back for their wedding day pictures this week :)

Jenny & Randy's E-Session in Piedmont, CA

2010-04-02T12:30:00.001-07:00

Jenny and Randy both live in Davis, CA. I personally have a close tie to Davis because it is where I started my college years. Although I finished my bachelors degree at Berkeley, my early college years were spent in the quiet town of Davis. I really enjoyed my years at Davis as I developed many close relationships. One of the closest relationships that I have now is my old roommate from Davis, Fred. So close that he actually married my little sister 8 years ago!! Yes, he is my brother in law :)

Jenny and Randy wanted their e-session pictures to be photographed in Piedmont CA. Piedmont is where Jenny's family is living. Piedmont is a quiet little town that nestles within the busy city of Oakland. The large trees around Piedmont completely transported me to a deep forest of some sort. By looking at the pictures, I couldn't tell this was Piedmont!

If you don't know Davis ... here is a little tidbits. Davis is a bicycle city. I think there are more bikes than people there. Jenny and Randy brought their own props to the shoot!

Kyle + Abby

2010-03-30T10:32:00.001-07:00

If you know me, I've said it many times and I'll say it again. I find Hapa (mix) kids so adorably cute. Kyle and Abby are both 1/2 Asian and 1/2 Caucasian. Soooooooo cute! I just want to pinch them!

Christina and Paradise's E-Session in Presidio, SF

2010-03-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

Christina and Paradise are both from Orange County. They took a weekend visit up here for their engagement session. They were blessed with perfect wind-less 70s weather in the Presidio. If you know the area, Presidio is usually VERY windy.

This was the first time I met Paradise. What an awesome name that is! When Christina and I met a few months back, Paradise couldn't make it to the meeting because was working in Orange County.

The moment I met them on the day of the session, we all felt like we've known each other for years! No joke. Paradise and I hit it off immediately and started to crack jokes. I love it! I love it when my couples know how to have fun :) We had a great time getting to know each other and oh yeah?! we got some great images too :)

Eileen and Jeremy's E-Session in the Ferry Building, SF

2010-03-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

Eileen and Jeremy both live in Chicago right now, but eventually, they will move back to San Francisco. When they used to live here, they spent a lot of time in the Embarcadero area. When asked to select a location for their e-session, it took only a few minutes for them to decide.

An E-session Day in SF

2010-03-22T22:31:00.001-07:00

Weather-wise, today was one of the nicest days in San Francisco. Christina and Paradise came from LA for their e-session so I was pleased that they came on a perfect weekend. Teasers to come but I love taking photos with my couples after a long shoot.

Inside A Church

2010-03-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

After photography became a business in 1999, I don't often have time to shoot whatever I want. Photography was a hobby since I was 8, but now, with a ton of blessings, it has became my career. Once in a while, it is rewarding to pick up a camera and shoot what-ever comes to mind. This time, I was inside a church, scouting out the location, camera in my hand, shot whatever came to mind. This was one of the shots from the day...

Neda and Sati's E-Session Slideshow

2010-03-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

Neda and Sati had so much fun during their e-session. You have to see this slide show to fully appreciate their laughter.

Ryoko and Chris' E-Session in NYC

2010-03-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Ryoko and Chris got engaged last year around November in a little park called Washington Park in NYC. Shortly after their engagement, Ryoko told Chris that she had a photographer in mind for their wedding day. This was the story that Chris told me when I first met them last week in NYC.

Ryoko is a friend of my previous bride Jennifer. Jennifer and Daylan were living in NYC at the time of their wedding planning, then moved back to the Bay Area shortly after their marriage. Because Ryoko and Jennifer are friends, I was indirectly "introduced" to Ryoko through my images. Ryoko contacted me shortly after her engagement and they decided to have me as their photographer after a short but GREAT conversation over the phone. We had an amazing connection and that was so important!

I met up with the couple at their beautiful apartment. From there, we spent the rest of the day at and around West Village, where they spend most of their free time. Although it rained most of the day, we were able to capture some wonderful moments.

This is the spot where Chris proposed to Ryoko. This was NOT planned. I had no idea it was this exact spot where he proposed. It looked beautiful to me so I asked them to stand there for the shot. How ironic!

After a while, the rain was getting a bit cold so we stopped by a cafe that Ryoko and Chris frequent - Extra Virgin. We had a cup of cappuccino, then headed out in the rain again.

What's a trip around the West Village without stopping by the infamous Magnolia Bakery?!

WPPI 2010 Fun Pictures

2010-03-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

I am FINALLY home after 8 days of being on the road. I attended the annual WPPI convention in Las Vegas for a few days, then flew to the east coast for an engagement session. The best thing about WPPI was the opportunity to meet up with many great vendors and other talented photographers in the industry.

Although it was WPPI week, the wonderful team from Casa Real and Palm Event Center was out there for a catering convention as well. What a coincidence!!! We met up for happy hour and thanks to Read (owner of Casa + Palm) for picking up the tab!

The next day, Michelle from MB Wedding Design and Events organized a "bay area" dinner at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill inside the MGM

First off ... Claudia

Next up, my good friend Brook

Here is the beautiful Alisha

Fellow friends, Andrew and Ricky

Here are all the beautiful ladies, Vero, Jessie and Elley

We have Evonne, Michelle and Kevin

This is the night when we crashed the SmugMug party on the 25th floor. Alice (wearing a Snuggy), Kevin, Me and Evonne were there drinking it up.

The SmugMug party was a bit slow, so we decided to hit up the Rouge bar and a few decided to smoke some cuban cigars. This shot was before we headed into Rouge.

Jen, Me, Maria, Michelle and Evonne

My good friend Jen

My good friend Maria

Jen ... what's up with that mischievous look?!

Out of Studio at WPPI in Vegas

2010-03-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year again!!! This is the time when many of the wedding and portrait photographers in the nation attend the annual WPPI convention in Vegas. I will be there along with many of my colleagues and friends in the industry. My goal for this trip is to look for new products to offer my clients, meet fellow photographers in the nation and party with many!

Come back for pictures!!

Anita & Chris' E-Session in Vegas Slideshow

2010-03-04T21:38:00.000-08:00

There were many images that I like from Anita and Chris' Vegas engagement session so I thought the only way you can truly enjoy it, is to view their slideshow:

Neda and Sati's E-Session in the Marina District in SF

2010-03-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

Neda and Sati both have a very upbeat personality. From the moment we met on the day of their engagement session to the very last shot that I took, these two could not stop giggling!!

We were supposed to meet in front of the Gap as a starting point. As I was approaching the Gap, I walked past a restaurant with a beautiful bar within. I looked inside (curious for no reason) and there was my couple sitting there with a drink in their hands. OK, it was only 2pm and these two are sharing a cocktail together! I knew the shoot was going to be a blast.

The shoot went VERY well. My goal of the shoot was to capture the fun side of their relationship. What a better way to portray that than to have them share two cupcakes along the sidewalk!! Below you'll see images of them having a ball while enjoying their Kara's cupcake.

Hey guys! I can't wait til your wedding at the end of this month in Beverly Hills! See you guys very soon!

My boys in San Francisco

2010-02-28T15:11:00.000-08:00

It has been a loooooong while since I posted any pictures of my boys. Yesterday, we spent the day in San Francisco. I took the kids to the California Academy of Sciences. We were there when it first re-opened, but the boys were still a little too young to know what was going on. This time around, they truly enjoyed the experience. From looking at the fishes to enjoying a light lunch in the cute neighborhood of Cole Valley. It was a wonderful day.

Marissa and Keira

2010-02-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

Khoa worked with me back in my Yahoo! days. Khoa and I have always been pretty close. We have kept in touch all these years and once in a while, we get together for a photo shoot like what we did at the end of 2009.

Maddie+Emma+Cameron

2010-02-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

Each year, around October timeframe, my business shifts from wedding focus to children and family focus. 2009 was no difference. I have to say I enjoy this part of the year very much. It's like uncle Augie going to visit all of the kids :)

I have not seen Maddie and Emma for a few years ... this time, they have a little brother Cameron whom I met for the very first time.

2/21/10 PART 2 Workshop

2010-02-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

Although it was raining outside, that did not dampen our mood to learn. Cloudy/rainy days are good days for photography and that's what we did all day long.

I love the silliness :)

2/20/10 PART 1 Workshop

2010-02-20T22:07:00.001-08:00

I was hoping for decent weather today and we got no rain!! YAY!! The workshop was wonderful and all of the students were enthusiastic to learn. Special thanks to Sabrina who flew from Boston and Grace who came from LA for this workshop!

Thanks to Vero for taking most of these wonderful photos:

Tina & Calvin's E-Session in Palo Alto Downtown

2010-02-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

Tina and Calvin were interested in urban photos for their e-session, so my first instinct around the Peninsula is Palo Alto. There is so much Palo Alto has to offer; from cafes to alleys to posh store fronts. These two have been together for 13 years. That's a nice story on its own. After 13 years of being together, they decide to get married at the beautiful Wente Vineyards this coming April.

Donna & Zak's E-Session at Silver Creek High School

2010-02-17T23:32:00.000-08:00

Donna and Zak are high school sweethearts. They met in 1998 at Silver Creek High School. It only made sense for us to document their love where it all started.

Donna and Zak have so much life together. They laughed, giggled and even poked fun at each other. I love it!

See for yourself ...

Let me explain a little here :) ... the backpack is her first backpack from high school, so they wanted to incorporate that into their shoot. How cute huh?!

Coming weekend workshops seats available

2010-02-16T23:45:00.000-08:00

I just received one cancellation for my 2/20 PART 1 workshop and one cancellation for my 2/21 PART 2 workshop. If you are interested in filling both or just one, click here

Maria & David's Wedding Teaser

2010-02-14T11:34:00.001-08:00

Anita & Chris' E-Session in Vegas Teasers

2010-02-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks Anita and Chris for an awesome day in Vegas! It was sooo much fun just to get to know you two on a personal level!

Out of Studio in Vegas

2010-02-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

I am currently out of the studio in Las Vegas for an engagement session for Anita and Chris. We are going to trek all over the sin city for beautiful images. We'll even head out to the desert! Come back for previews.

Ricah & Jeffrey's Wedding in Half Moon Bay Golf Links

2010-02-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

I heart this couple. Ricah, Jeffrey and I have this very special bond from the beginning. So much that Ricah and Jeffrey secured my service without meeting me in person!

Here is a special moment that I would like to share, which is so special to Ricah and I ...

A few months after we finalized our agreement, Ricah called me on my cell. At that time, I was up at Whistler Canada for a weekend get-away. I barely got off my flight and saw Ricah called, so I picked up the phone without hesitation. I said hello, but she sounded distressed to me so I asked her if everything was ok. She was caught off by surprise that I noticed her voice and her feelings. She started to tell me about her problems and we were on the phone for a while. At the end of the conversation, she felt much better and knew that life will be all good once again. Til today, she still mentions to me how incredible it was to have someone that she barely knows to feel and realize that she was going through a tough time in life. That is connection and that is why I love what I do. It is the connection that I have with all of my clients that drive me to be a better person and a better photographer to them.

Ricah and Jeffrey are so blessed... on the day of their wedding, Ricah was about 6 months pregnant. Although the wedding was mainly about Ricah and Jeffrey, I wanted to make sure that we incorporate focus on the baby as well! This way, in 10 years, baby can look at these photos and see how much mommy and daddy already love her.

Jane & Ben's Wedding in Casa Real, Pleasanton

2010-02-08T14:38:00.000-08:00

This was my last wedding in 2009. It was a special one of course :)

Ben, Jane and I hit it off immediately after they contacted me about their wedding. Maybe it was because Ben works for Yahoo! and we have that 'hoo connection :) Once you are a 'hoo, you will always be a 'hoo. For those of you that don't know me so well, I used to work for Yahoo! many years ago before I turned into a full time wedding/portrait photographer.

Ben and Jane are two of the most wonderful people I've met. They are respectful, accommodating and most of all, fun people. Ben and Jane are so lucky to have found each other. As a photographer, I see the passion between them. It's the kiss that sets them apart. They have one of the most passionate kisses I've seen. I love it when couples lash out their love for each other :)

Good luck guys and I am so glad that we became friends!

2/20 PART 1 workshop 2 seats avail

2010-02-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

Two seats became available for my 2/20/10 PART 1 workshop. If you are interested, click here to fill them now!!

Le Papillon's Vendor Luncheon 2010

2010-02-04T10:58:00.001-08:00

Every year, one of the top catering business in the bay area; Le Papillon opens up their restaurant and invite industry professionals to enjoy a carefully prepared lunch. I have to tell you, I look forward to this every year :-) Not only the food is AMAZING, the guests that they invited are also so much fun! It's so wonderful to have great friends and great food together in one place :)

Here we have Jon (Asiel Design), me, Nicole Ha, Duncan Reyes, Armando (Get Your Do Up) and Nicole Lisanne

Me, Michelle (aka. MB), and Liz

Me, Angie, Lara, (oh no! I forgot your name!), Rhee

Jean Marks and me!

MB, the funny Tanja, and me

Jubilee (she is almost like a sister), me

Megan and John Woods (Enhanced Lighting), me and Alyssia (Casa Real, my bud and "date" for the luncheon!)

Minh-Han and Reff's E-Session in San Francisco Downtown

2010-02-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

Minh-Han, currently living in Chicago while Reff lives solo in Singapore have kept these two physically separated for a while. Thanks to technology like Skype, these two have kept in touch daily. How I love technology! It brings the world smaller to all of us :) This engagement session over the holidays brought them back to their hometown; beautiful San Francisco.

I love to be in pictures with my couples!

Lillian and Andy's E-Session in the Mission District, San Francisco

2010-01-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

Doctors by day and models by night perhaps? Lillian and Andy are both doctors, so posing in front of my camera was not something that they are used to. They came with two beautiful bunches of flowers as props. LOVE IT! They did so well in front of my camera. I love how comfortable they are with each other. Getting them to laugh and smile was not an issue. Nonetheless, we had a great time! We even finished the shoot with some Bi-Rite ice cream!

NEW! Post Processing Workshop (PART 3)

2010-01-28T17:03:00.001-08:00

This is a BRAND NEW workshop focuses on post processing. This is Part 3 of my Introduction to Digital Photography series. If you are interested in more info for Part 1 and Part 2, you can go here for more information.

Many of my PART 1 and PART 2 students request for a post processing workshop, so here it is! This workshop will be half lecture and half hands-on work. The first part of the workshop will go through an overview of Adobe Photoshop and its rich features, then the second part will be a hands-on "lab" type environment for you to learn.

Requirement for this workshop:
You need to have a laptop with Adobe Photoshop CS3 or higher installed. You will be using your laptop for the 2nd half of the workshop.

Here is a high level list of topics that we will cover:

- Overview of editing software: Adobe Bridge, Adobe Camera Raw, Photoshop features

- Come and learn how to:

--- batch process images so you don’t spend more time than you have to
--- process images in Camera Raw without having to go into Photoshop
--- create your own actions
--- use the powerful feature of Liquify
--- recover your over/underexposed images
--- fix bad white balanced images
--- successfully convert your color images to beautiful black and whites
--- enhance a portrait without over processing the image
--- remove unwanted blemish
--- master sharpening images for the web and for prints
--- prepare images for the web vs. print

- Augie’s digital workflow on web/blog images and printed images
- Hands on “lab section” to practice your new post-processing skills

***** GENERAL INFO ****

How do I sign up?
Just click here to fill out this form!

It is VERY important to be clear on which workshop you are interested in.

Where does the workshop take place?
At my home studio in San Ramon (directions will be provided)

I want to sign up, how do I secure a seat for the workshop?
I accept online credit card payments via Pictage. Your seat is confirmed only upon payment is received.

Cancun - Wedding Day and Day After Shoot

2010-01-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

Just a few images from our Cancun wedding. It was a lot of work but sooo much fun. After going through all of the images (close to 10,000!!!), it was so well worth it! We even had a few hours a day to relax on the beach!

Cancun - Day 1 - Welcome BBQ

2010-01-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today is Jen and Karl's Welcome BBQ for all of their guests. There are approximately 150 guests that came from all over the US to participate in this beautiful wedding off the coast of Playa de Carmen. The cozy welcome BBQ was held at the luxury hotel - The Tides's private beach where guests can relax in front of the teal blue sea. It is such a beautiful and romantic setting. Sigh...

OMG, the food was A-M-A-Z-ING!! From homemade on-the-spot-fresh-off-the-grill tortillas to custom-made ceviche, to bite size tostitas. YUM!!

Photographing in Cancun Mexico

2010-01-19T20:44:00.001-08:00

This is the first wedding of 2010 and it is taking us to Cancun Mexico! We are so thrilled for Jen and Karl for this beautiful wedding in Cancun. I cannot believe it is already here guys! I will be photographing this wedding along with my close friends Jen Skog and the talented hair+makeup artist Maria Chang.

Come back for pictures of this wedding and more!

Kathy & Ira's Wedding at Martinelli Event Center, Livermore

2010-01-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Ira is Joella's brother so Kathy and Ira knew that they wanted to hire me as their photographer. It's wonderful to be accepted by the family :) I love working with siblings of my previous couples. It feels so warm to be a "part of the family" again.

Maria & David's E-Session

2010-01-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

When I first met Maria at MB's office in 2009, I knew I had a passionate and joyful bride at hand. They greeted me with hugs and laughs, what's not to love?! Hugs and laughs are a sure win for me :)

Maria and David are getting married in Feb this year at the elegant Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. I cannot wait because I know MB is going to create a one-of-a-kind design for this lovely couple.

Published: Style Unveiled

2010-01-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

It is always a GREAT honor to have my work published. This time, San Francisco Style Unveiled decided to publish our wonderful couple Sharon and Lawrence's beautiful wedding at the Four Seasons Palo Alto from this summer.

I worked alongside some of my great friends in the industry:

Wedding Coordinator - Jubilee Lau Events
Floral designer - Nancy Liu Chin
Lighting - Enhanced Lighting
Makeup+Hair - Taylor Pham

To see the full article, click here or at the picture below

1/09/10 PART 1 Workshop

2010-01-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

This was the first weekend that I offered back-to-back (PART 1 and PART 2) workshops. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! I had two great group of students and some of them were in both!

Many students talk to me and ask different questions throughout the day, but this time , I had a great moment that I would love to share. One of my students told me while we were heading to lunch... "You can see how eager your students want to learn!". This hit home for me. His comment made me realized how lucky I am as a teacher. The best compliment a teacher could have is to have his students interested and eager to learn. Thanks to all of you that attended my workshops this weekend.

Fun Faces Collage - Lil' Katie

2010-01-06T04:24:00.000-08:00

Jenn and Erik are our closest friends, so when they gave birth to lil' Katie a year ago, this is what Uncle Augie promised them. I did something very similar for Sophia (Katie's big sis) when she was 10 months of age. Now the sisters have matching "faces".

Weekend Workshops FILLED!!

2010-01-05T16:01:00.001-08:00

Thanks for all your interest and emails. The last two seats are now FILLED!

Space opened up for this weekend's workshops

2010-01-04T00:33:00.001-08:00

I just received a last minute cancellation to my PART 1 (Sat. 1/9) and PART 2 (Sun. 1/10) workshops. If you are interested, you can contact me immediately to fill them!

Little Julia

2010-01-02T23:33:00.000-08:00

Don't you just want to pinch her on the face??

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of my blog readers! 2009 was an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G year. I couldn't have done it without my wonderful team (yay! Go AC TEAM!!!) and most of all, my fun and loving clients.

As I look forward to 2010, I am filled with gratitude and excitement. I cannot believe it has been 10+ years since I joined this wonderful field of photography. It has brought me so much joy and I thank GOD for what I have.

I look forward to another AMAZING year with you all! This year is going to be filled with some new and exciting things! curious? come back to check as I work closer to these new ideas!

What's a blog post with no picture yay?!

Little Kayla

2009-12-31T12:19:00.001-08:00

Been a while since I posted any of my children sessions. Here, introducing the cute little Kayla. We had a rough start because she was a little sick but we managed to get a few giggles out of her. She is sooo adorable yeah?!

Holiday Cards

2009-12-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

This is the time of the year when most of my clients send me their holiday card creations. I get all warm and fuzzy when I see my clients use my images for their annual holiday cards :)

Cline Cellar and Viansa

2009-12-24T10:42:00.000-08:00

Every year, I take a day to drive around the bay area to visit some of the venues that I will be photographing next year. This time, Sonoma, CA.

Beautiful Cline Cellars in Sonoma. I actually forgot that I photographed here before but that was a long time ago!! I shot a wedding here for Denise and Atsushi!

Hello Viansa! One of the most beautiful wineries next to the Cline Cellar.

Dinner at Ana Mandara with Industry Friends

2009-12-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

In California, peak wedding season is in the Spring to Fall. It is usually pretty slow in the winter so this is the time when all of the industry professionals take time to catch up with one another. Last night, I had a great time catching up with some of my SF and Maui (yes! the islands) friends at Ana Mandara. It has been soooo long since we had time to do this. A few beers and a few laughs later, it was time to head home. I am so glad that we were able to do this. I look forward to many more in the next few months.

Evonne from Maui came back for the holidays.

Stacie, Chung and Duncan checking out a video on an iPhone

My great friend, and mentor, Kevin

Alex & Buffy's Couple Shoot

2009-12-20T13:26:00.001-08:00

I've known Alex and Buffy for many years now. They are parents of three beautiful children that I photograph every year for the last few. This year, Buffy wanted to do a session with Alex as a couple and I immediately thought that was an excellent idea. Buffy said to me (not the exact words, but something like this), "...we want some pictures together so when we grow old, we can look back at them." Well, here they are! They look A-M-A-Z-ING!

2010 Assistant Open House Pictures

2009-12-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful and fun night we had! Each year, I open up my studio to a group of photography enthusiasts for the opportunity to work with me for the following wedding year. The pool of talent was very strong this year but I managed to narrow down to 12 of them. Of course, my 2009 assistants came and had a blast as well :)

I'd like to thank Vero for taking these wonderful images! Thanks babe!

Here is Lisa (office manager), Amanda (assistant) and Vero (associate)!

Say hi to Jason (2009 assistant)

Here is Andy (2009 assistant and soon-to-be associate)

Saying my "thank you" to everyone