ES-Sense Photography - International Wedding Photographer - Ako'y Iglesia Ni Cristo! Based in Southern California, City of Long Beach » engagement http://blog.es-sense.com Thoughts of a Wedding Photographer Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:55:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Long Beach, CA Engagement : Aldrin & Meghan http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/12/14/long-beach-ca-engagement-aldrin-meghan/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/12/14/long-beach-ca-engagement-aldrin-meghan/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:30:35 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=5056 A few weeks ago, I met up with my friends, Aldrin and Meghan. I pretty much grew up with Aldrin and it’s always nice when my friends asks me to document their important events in their lives.  When we started the session, Aldrin says to me, “Wierd huh, Joan?”. I asked him why did he think it was weird for me to be taking their photos and he said, “Cause I’m grown up now.”  HEHE :)  Well, I didn’t expect that answer because I thought he was weirded out because I was going to see him kiss Meghan and stuff HEHE!! It’s always starts off that way when I photograph my childhood friends… BUT I have to agree… a little bit… that Aldrin is all grown up now. What a lucky guy to be able to find Meghan as his better half !

Aldrin and Meghan: I’m really happy and excited for the both of you! By looking at these photos, it looks like you both still haven’t really “grown up” because of silliness of some of the photos, but who wants to grow up anyway :) Stay the way you are right now in these photos; Happy, Silly, and in LOVE :)


]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/12/14/long-beach-ca-engagement-aldrin-meghan/feed/ 7 My New Years Resolution for 2012! http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/12/07/my-new-years-resolution-for-2012/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/12/07/my-new-years-resolution-for-2012/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:33:56 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=5053 In a month, Ryan and I will be celebrating our 9th Year Anniversary. We don’t have any plans yet, but no matter where we will be and what we plan to do, I know its going to be a day to remember because we’ll be together. Time just seem to fly by nowadays and I realize that although we take photographs of people, we hardly take any photographs of one another.  So my new years resolution for this coming year is to photograph me and Ryan more often.  I don’t think I can do that 365 photos for 365 days project that other people do, but yes, for 2012 I’ll be taking more photos of me and my husband!!

My excuse for the past nine years for not being in photos is, “I belong behind the camera”.  Well, this year will be different because I plan to take more photos of us wherever and doing whatever! Then, when the next nine years of marriage comes along, we’ll have ton of photos and memories to reminisce on…

I also realize that Ryan and I never really had an “engagement session” done. I think it’s because we’re just not used to cameras being pointed at us.  Maybe after a year of practicing how to “be” in front of the camera, we’ll be able to get a photographer to take portraits of me and Ryan (which I know will be an interesting session) on our 10th year wedding anniversary!

I have to admit that after reviewing photographs that we take of our brides, grooms, family, and friends, I have this wish that one day, Ryan and I will have cool photos to share on this blog!  Until then, here’s a teaser for my friends Aldrin and Meghan! Here’s a photo taken during their engagement session a few weeks ago!  Argghhh… i’m so jealous how gorgeous they look!!!  ;-)

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/12/07/my-new-years-resolution-for-2012/feed/ 3 Long Beach, CA Engagement Session : Mida & Marissa http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/09/24/long-beach-ca-engagement-session-mida-marissa/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/09/24/long-beach-ca-engagement-session-mida-marissa/#comments Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:34:01 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4807 It was a random thing… how they met. They were in In-N-Out when Mida first saw Marissa. He introduced himself but she didn’t think much of it. However, Marissa, being the sweet and friendly person that I’ve known for years, befriended him. She invited him to go to church with her one day and although he didn’t think much of the invitation, something more actually came out of it. Not only did he find a new friend, who is now his fiance, Mida also found the true church, the Iglesia Ni Cristo.

I had the pleasure of taking their engagement photos two weeks ago and I’m excited to be documenting their wedding next month! Here are a few my favorites from the session and the slideshow.

Special thanks to Natasha for referring me to Animoto!

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/09/24/long-beach-ca-engagement-session-mida-marissa/feed/ 1 Long Beach, CA Engagement Teaser : Marissa and Mida http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/09/14/long-beach-ca-engagement-teaser-marissa-and-mida/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/09/14/long-beach-ca-engagement-teaser-marissa-and-mida/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 06:47:12 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4752 I think what I enjoy most about doing engagement photos, is finding the perfect location to do them. Just when I thought I had run out of places to take photos, I found an awesome place in Long Beach!! It’s always a challenge especially when the couples ask me where to do the sessions… Usually, I have them pick a spot that is special to them, but when it comes down to the point when they really don’t know where… it’s always good to have a few locations in mind…

Thank you Mida and Marissa for trusting me and spending an afternoon with us and for going with the flow in finding the perfect spot for you both :)

Here’s a teaser for you guys  :D

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/09/14/long-beach-ca-engagement-teaser-marissa-and-mida/feed/ 0 Long Beach, CA Engagement : Andrei and Eunice http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/08/07/long-beach-ca-engagement-andrei-and-eunice/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/08/07/long-beach-ca-engagement-andrei-and-eunice/#comments Sun, 07 Aug 2011 07:20:00 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4664 I’ve known Andrei and Eunice since they were kids. They were a part of the Children’s Worship Service Choral Group that I had the privilege of training in 1994 and that’s how I started to get to know these two! That was about 17 years ago and they were probably around 7 or 8 years old!! Gosh, that just totally made me feel a bit old! :P Fast forward to 2011… these two are getting married in October this year!! Although I won’t be their photographer (because I’m going to be a guest!!! woohooo!!!), I wanted to document their love so I told them as a gift from their kuya Ryan and me, I wanted to do a fun engagement session with them! Now, they are a part of my blog and I’m happy that I can share a portion of their love story! Below are some of my favorite photos, but to view more, check out the slideshow!!

Andrei and Eunice: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to capture a special time in your lives! I hope you enjoy these photos and that you also enjoy the slideshow. I believe I picked a perfect song for you both sung by Colbie Calliat called: Dream Life, Life – because when I see you two, you truly are living a life that is a dream come true for you both!

love,

ate Joan and kuya Ryan

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/08/07/long-beach-ca-engagement-andrei-and-eunice/feed/ 4 For Eunice and Andrei http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/08/01/for-eunice-and-andrei/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/08/01/for-eunice-and-andrei/#comments Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:13:47 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4658 Dear Eunice and Andrei:

SORRY THIS IS LATE! I hope you two weren’t waiting up last night refreshing the blog to see these teasers!!  Since I care and love you both very much, here are two photos from your session with me yesterday :) I hope you like it because I love it a lot! I can’t wait for you guys to see the rest… but for now, just two photos because…….. I have the power!! haha I’m just kidding (blame Erika because she told me to “milk it”). In actuality, I was finishing up an album and I have another one to work on. :) However, I hope to post up more photos if not tomorrow, before the end of the week. PROMISE!!!!!

With love,

ate Joan and kuya Ryan

P.S.

I have the power!! jk jk jk jk :))

Eunice’s Make Up was done by: Juliet Patterson. For her contact information, please send me a message. Thank you.

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/08/01/for-eunice-and-andrei/feed/ 3 Santa Monica, CA Engagement : Clint & Hershey http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/06/15/santa-monica-ca-engagement-clint-hershey/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/06/15/santa-monica-ca-engagement-clint-hershey/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:01:27 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4527 I’ve known Clint and Hershey for a long while now. They are both members of my church (Iglesia Ni Cristo) in the local congregations of Montclair (Clint) and National City (Hershey). Like what I had mentioned in my teaser post of their engagement, I had prayed that they would choose me as their photographer. There is just something about their love that I adore, I prayed to be the one to capture it.  I guess it’s because a few years ago, Hershey and I had a nice talk about love and relationships. It was then, on our drive home from Phoenix, Hershey told me all about her and Clint and I was enthralled about how they came to be.

Ryan and I met up with Clint and Hershey two weeks ago at the Santa Monica Pier. Before starting, they told me how nervous they were.. yeah right ;).  They were so natural at being in front of my camera, I could’ve taken their photos all day long!

To view more photos, please check out the slideshow!

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/06/15/santa-monica-ca-engagement-clint-hershey/feed/ 2 Santa Monica Engagement Teaser : Clint & Hershey http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/06/08/santa-monica-engagement-teaser-clint-hershey/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/06/08/santa-monica-engagement-teaser-clint-hershey/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:27:09 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4519 Hershey told me it made her laugh when I told her that I prayed for them; that I prayed they would get me as a photographer. She probably thought I was joking, but I am for real when I say that I pray for my brides and grooms to be :D

When I found out that Hershey and Clint got engaged, I had this simple prayer that they would get me as their wedding photographer. Guess what!? My prayer was answered. Last Saturday, I met up with Hershey and Clint in Santa Monica. I’ll be posting up more photos of them soon, but for now, I am going to tease them with one shot :D.

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/06/08/santa-monica-engagement-teaser-clint-hershey/feed/ 0 Sacramento, CA Engagement : Robert & Golda http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/05/04/sacramento-ca-engagement-robert-golda/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/05/04/sacramento-ca-engagement-robert-golda/#comments Wed, 04 May 2011 17:33:52 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4441 It was great spending more time with Robert and Golda! Their wedding is only a few weeks away, in June to be precise. I’m so glad they were able to meet up with me and Ryan at Sacramento a few weeks ago.  We decided to meet up at the hotel we were staying at called Le Rivage and we decided to take photos around the hotel premises. Time was of the essence, so we started right away :) Below are some photos, but to see more, click on this link to view the video!

There were these nice lawn chairs overlooking the Sacramento River, but then a group of people also decided to sit there, so I only got to take a few shots in that area and then we went somewhere else. 

I’m glad we decided to go somewhere else because there was this walkway and I knew I could take some awesome shots of them there. :)

I hate heights. I’m deathly afraid of it, but I’ll do anything to get a shot of the couple on this bridge!

To view more of their photos, click on the video below!

 


Robert & Golda’s Sacramento Engagement Session from ES-Sense on Vimeo.

Music: Colbie Caillat – I Do

]]> http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/05/04/sacramento-ca-engagement-robert-golda/feed/ 0 Sneak Peak : Sacramento Engagement Session : Golda & Robert http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/04/27/sneak-peak-sacramento-engagement-session-golda-robert/ http://blog.es-sense.com/2011/04/27/sneak-peak-sacramento-engagement-session-golda-robert/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:58:03 +0000 Joan http://blog.es-sense.com/?p=4422 I’ve been blogging nonstop about our weekend in Sacramento. Sorry, but there were just so many things that happened!

One thing that I didn’t want to forget was our drive back home. I wanted Ryan to rest so I decided to drive first.. but whenever that happens, he ends up bothering me while I’m driving. How? Well, he would recline the passenger seat way back and just stare at me. I can feel it. His stare.

It bothers me because he’s suppose to be sleeping/resting but instead he just stares at me. When he realizes that I’m about to check if he is sleeping, he immediately closes his eyes! However, my peripheral vision is better than his reflex so I always catch him “pretending to sleep”. Then I ask him why he isn’t sleeping. Usually he starts laughing, but this time he reasons out saying that he was asleep, but he “blinked opposite”.

Blinking Opposite?? Is there even such a thing?  He said it’s like a regular blink, but instead his eyes were closed and he meant to open it quickly and close his eyes right away but it’s just not as fast as a regular blink.  I know.. confusing huh?? Oh well… whatever makes him happy…

ANYWAYS… I wanted to remember that moment, so now it’s on my blog! Speaking of which… I also wanted to remember another thing and share another moment on my blog which is another engagement session with Golda and Robert. When she found out that Ryan and I would be visiting Northern California for the weekend, we scheduled another engagement session because we wanted to hang out and get to know one another even more before the wedding.  So…Here’s a sneak peak of what’s to come… until then, please try to avoid blinking opposite like Ryan.. :)

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