P.A.R.I.S. from the Galeries Lafayette

I recently just returned from a Paris/Spain trip a month ago and enjoyed every minute of it.  Last time I was in Paris, I went to the rooftop of the Printemps.  This time, I made a trip up to the Galeries Lafayette.  Here is the view of the enchanting city.  A bit rainy that day, but it was still nice as some light shone through the clouds.

 

Sheilaugh and Ryan's Wedding (Newport Beach)

Congrats to Sheilaugh and Ryan!!
They knew each other for so many years and I am so honored to share their special day with them.  Set in Newport Beach at the Balboa Inn, the day was perfect and it was so easy and fun to shoot this beautiful couple because they were so in love.  These are just a few photographs and samples of the album layouts of memories of their wedding.

fun times...!!

Wedding guests going after the bride's garter... These guys really got into it. (The one in the black shirt was the lucky one. Too bad for Uncle Phu. He tried really hard).

"Fly me to the moon..."

As I was photographing this model, she seemed so intense and real that I felt as if she was really meditating or praying to the moon and stars or feeling the energy of the wind.  I felt as if she didn't even notice my presence as I was clicking my camera.   

A song comes to mind by the adored "Ol' Blue Eyes"... 

Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On a-Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me

Fill my heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you

another look of the streets of Paris at night

Another look of the homeless on the steps of Paris' Printemps shopping mall.  In one of my previous posts, I wrote how ironic it is that these homeless people are separated by just a thin glass from a world of luxury and lavishness.

capitvated

I passed by a corridor leading to an upscale boutique in Geneva, Switzerland.... I saw the lonely eyes  of this woman in the Bvlgari ad during this cold night.  Her piercing eyes looked so real, so mysterious and melancholy at the same time.  I was captured by her eyes and felt the energy through this picture.

Venice bound...

My friends and I took the overnight train from Geneva for a day trip to Venice. It was cold and a bit rainy, but the night provided a quiet stillness in the air as we passed the quiet Italian towns. 

At one of the stops, I stepped out to take a shot of the beautiful and calm lighting as passengers hopped on the train. This was about three in the morning.

 Because of the rainy weather, Venice was a bit deserted with only a few folks tugging onto their coats and scarves tightly.  But I was glad to see fewer tourists so that I can experience this charming, floating city more intimately.

Romance is in the air!

It's 3:00 am. Still jetlagged from my flight from the states, I wandered the Parisian streets in the middle of the night and on my way back to the hotel, I ran into this affectionate couple. Romance is all around this beautiful city.

Rain in Lausanne, Switzerland

I didn't let the rainy weather in Lausanne slow me down on this trip. Although it was raining, the beauty was everywhere - the trees, the lake, the architecture, and even the tiny cars. Though some of the trees were bare and only their branches exposed, the water reflections on the sidewalk are reminders that there is still life left and spring is yet to come, when leaves and life will abound.  

Rental Bikes in Sausalito

Sausalito is a beautiful waterside city that takes you away from the chaotic city life of San Francisco.  A bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito is a nice way to get a bit of fresh air here.