Perpetual Bliss

Urizar Wedding

2011-08-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was really looking forward to tape Crissa and Oscar's Wedding. I have known Crissa from taping her sister's wedding and her sister's friend's wedding, so I was really grateful and excited that she had approached us to tape her wedding too.

I love how her wedding was very untraditional, unique and fun. This was my first time being at a vineyard and being at Park Farm Winery. It was so breathtaking. And as usual, Joan Ney, the wedding coordinator, blew my mind away with her magic touch. There were so much details in this wedding, each decor had its own unique meaning. She was extremely dedicated to her job, I wasn't even sure if she sat down and ate her dinner, as she was always on her feet making sure everything ran fine. I really adore her dedication and talent. She really is one of a kind.

We also enjoyed the opportunity to work with Paul and Nicole from Catchlight Imaging. They happened to be friends of my ex-colleague. I love their pictures - extraordinary! Every now and then, we were lucky to run into photographers who too respect the work of videographers :).

It was such a beautiful day for Crissa and Oscar's outdoor wedding. You could tell that everyone really enjoyed themselves and was having lots of fun, even though it was hot. I always tell people that when I do video shoots, I always feel like I know these people, partly because I have an upclose and personal view. Just like when you watched your favorite TV show and you happened to run into the star of the show on the street. There are weddings where you can feel that there was more passion and connection between the couple and their families. This was one of those weddings. Crissa and Oscar were so in love, I think people who were there felt that. And their families were very close and supportive. I felt really happy to be around them and to be capturing the most important day of their lives.

At some point, I was very disappointed with myself when I was caught off guard with a brief attack of heat exhaustion. I was very concerned if I was able to last through the whole wedding. I was also very thankful that my new assistant, Nick, was there to help me out with all the heavy equipment. I have never seen anyone work so hard and have such great work attitude. I was not even intending to hire an assistant for this wedding, but I was really glad I did. I really did not think anyone would exceed my expectations, but he did.

Thank you, Crissa and Oscar, for having us at your wedding!

Martin Wedding Highlight Video

2011-07-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

I love doing weddings in Cedar Falls where I don't even need to print a map to know where I am going. I don't really mind the 1.5 hour drive. I was very hyped and inspired to shoot this wedding after watching the Tony Romo wedding video. It gives me some new ideas to try out and to improve. I can tell you that every wedding I shoot, I do get nervous. I see it as a good thing because I care a lot about weddings. I can't help it, it is a live event and I need to get it right the first time. My goal is always to exceed a bride's expectations, to capture the details that she was too overwhelmed to notice. I wanted someone to watch my video and say "wow". I feel like I am still getting there but I know I will get there.

This wedding has so much beautiful details that I wish I had more time to capture. First of all, my assistant arrived half an hour late, I almost felt that I was better off if he didn't show up. Hence, I was in such a rush setting up all the cameras, talking about the standing positions and lighting with the wedding coordinator and capturing some details around the church... all in one hour!

I love, love, love Samantha's entrance at the ceremony. The music, her coming down the stairs... The Heartland Vineyard Church is indeed a beautiful church, with a great sound system and nice theater seating. The people are absolutely wonderful and very helpful.

And I love doing weddings at Pipac Park Place Event Center too. It's probably the most beautiful location for a reception in Cedar Falls. And Joan Ney did a great job with the decorations at both the church and the reception. I am always excited to shoot a wedding when she is the coordinator. I haven't seen anyone else with such talent, putting together such a beautiful and elegant wedding. I am excited to shoot another of her wedding coming up in just 2 weeks!

For some reasons, I always run into some friends when I shoot weddings in Cedar Falls. Like the whole 6 degrees from Kevin Bacon. By the way, I swear I am 2 or 3 degrees from him.

Weddings are stressful to me because I want to do a very good job. I am very attached to the weddings I do. I can't help crying after listening to the vows and the speeches. But it is an amazing feeling to be able to work with and be surrounded by such wonderful people. That is why I'm still doing them.

I was actually upset while driving home from shooting this wedding. I thought I had found THE assistant to help me out on shoots. I have been trying out several but none had worked out. This assistant might have good technical skills but not only was he late (contract stated punctuality is very important), he had some attitude issues and was not enthusiastic to perform. It's really hard to shoot a wedding video and hold someone's hand at the same time. I understand most people work for the money, but it is important to love what you do because your work shows. I am a picky employer, I have no doubt about that. But anyone who has seen my work would know that I put a lot of heart into it. I just do not settle for low quality or bad attitude, it would be wasting my client's time and money if their shots are unuseable. I haven't been using assistants for that long, in fact I have done weddings by myself for many years. I think it's time I run a one-woman show again.

Esau Wedding Highlight Video

2011-07-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

It was forecasted to rain on June 25, 2011. I even got rain covers ready for my equipment. But strangely enough, there was no sign of rain and it turned out to be a perfect day for the Esau Wedding.
The wedding took place at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Guthrie Center, IA. It was a very small church and camera placement was very limited. Cara was looked simply radiant in her dress. It was an emotional day seeing the father of the bride teared up. Brandon occasionally couldn't hold it in as well. There were some laughs at the ceremony, with the pastor describing how he received a LONG detailed email of the wedding schedule and him dropping the rings right before handing them to the couple, it made the ceremony an unforgettable one. It was a "Wild Weddings" moment.
Cara and Brandon then took off in an unique double decker bus, which I have never seen before in Iowa. We arrived at the Lake Panorama Conference Center and the inside just took my breath away. What beautiful decor - the lanterns, the flowers, the name cards, the cake... everything in great details. Due to the tight schedule, I managed to sneak them out of the reception hall to do some private shoots. They were really great to work with, very organized, flexible and understanding. You know they are people who treasure relationships when you see the room filled with their friends and families who have traveled far from all over the States to attend their wedding. I was happy to be apart of it. Thanks Cara and Brandon!

A little visitor

2011-07-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

It had been 3 years since our friend, Ling and her husband Vincent had left us for China. While they were there, they had an addition to their family, little Miss Serena. This was the first time we got to meet her and she was turning 2!

Don't you just love her curls!

Even though dealing with jetlag, this little one was a little ball of energy!

All the little friends taking a pic together.

My favorite pic of the day - little Serena was due for a nap.

And then her second wind kicked in.

Little Evan sitting up all by himself.

What a cheerful little boy!

The iPad - Vincent's life saver handling little Serena on the 1-day flight. It was a great day, it was great to see all our friends. Miss my friend, Ling though, she didn't come back on this trip.

Who is your photographer/videographer?

2011-07-09T11:04:00.000-07:00

I love posting pictures and videos on my blog but I realize that part of blogging is telling your story and that seems to be missing from my blog. So I've decided to start by sharing something about myself.

I come from a little country called Singapore. It's not part of China, nor is it close to China. I do get that alot. In fact, it's somewhat close to Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia, it's that little dot right at the equator. Yes, the toilet flushes anticlockwise (or as you say it here "counterclockwise") there. Somewhat similar in culture with China, nobody is raised to become an artist. You can be really good at something, but you have to "realistic" on what would put food on the table.

The very first ever compliment I got was from my primary school vice-president whom I had photographed when I was twelve. She said I'd make a good photographer. Honestly even at that age, it was nice to get a compliment, I had never really put much thought to it.

I considered being in a photography club in secondary school but I wasn't interested in the dark room. I then went to a polytechnic to pursue business studies. My mentality was that I wouldn't go wrong with a business major since anything we do would be related to businesses.

I graduated at 19 and started working as a shipping officer for Shimano, a Japanese bike parts manufacturing company. If you have a good bike, it will have Shimano parts in it. I loved it there, everything was great - great people, free transportation, free uniform (no need to worry what to wear for work!), free lunch, great employee activities etc. We were very well taken care of there. I had learned to deal with a lot of stress and focusing on work details. I'm a spelling-nazi. I think if you can't spell, you probably should be refrained from graduating. Spelling is an important part of communicating. In this job, any spelling error in a shipping document would prevent the importer from getting their goods. It was that serious. We worked long hours, sometimes over holidays. We had to talk with our customers all over the world - Taiwan, Belgium, United States etc. Believe me, it wasn't pretty when Taiwanese customers started yelling at you. I knew it was time to move on when I started getting constant nightmares about shipment problems. So I decided it was time to pursue my dream.

At 21, I sat my father down with a financial plan of a university I wanted to attend in the States. I wanted to study in the US since I was 16 but I was too young then, my parents didn't think I was ready. I had never held a video camera and I wanted to study film. I wanted to do something that will make people feel good at the end of the day and that is what movies did to me. Several of the film programs needed existing credits for taking video classes in high school, which I lacked of. I also wanted to challenge myself in extreme conditions in every opportunity - so I chose a place that had very cold winters, that had a 1% asian population (where I would live as a minority), that was surrounded by farm lands (the only cows I've seen were at the zoo). A place that was completely different from where I came from. If I can handle this, I can handle anything. So I ended up at the University of Northern Iowa for their electronic media program.

The surreal moment came only when I boarded the plane at the Singapore airport. I started to ask myself "what in the world am I doing?". I had to calm myself down and remind myself that "there is no right or wrong path and everything that we do only shapes who we are". And with that, I studied very hard for 2.5 years (as my dad paid for my tuition, my goal was to graduate at the fastest possible speed), taking the maximum 18 to 21 credit hours and working the maximum 20 hours for international students on campus as a custodian and computer lab attendant. I finally graduated with a summa cum laude.

Upon graduation, I was lucky to get an entry level job as an audio specialist at The Mudd Group - an advertising firm in Cedar Falls that does car commercials. I worked my way up to become an Avid video editor, sometimes churning out 6 to 8 TV commercials in a day. It was a great place to work at, I love my colleagues, they were the best! We would have BBQs on some work days. That was also where I met my future husband - the nerdy computer programmer who sat in his cubicle all day.

We got married in June 2004 and did not have a large budget for our wedding. Being raised in a different culture, I did not think I need a "princess" wedding, it was more important to just have friends and families to share the day with us. So we just had a small ceremony and reception in a tent in our backyard. We were also saving up money for a trip to Singapore for a "second wedding" and to get our wedding pictures taken there. We had looked all over town but nothing came close to the quality work you would find in Singapore. So we decided to have a friend take our pictures with our cameras. I even searched the internet and prepared an idea shot sheet (little picture thumbnails) on how I wanted my pictures to look. I also traded video services with another friend who was getting married the week after us. So the result was atroucious. I had never blamed my friends because it was a bad decision on our part. We really appreciated their time and effort to help. If anything, I would thank them for it because it was instantly clear to me what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I can do it and do it well.

A year after my wedding, I finally quit my job and started my own photography and videography company. Because my standards are so high, it is difficult for me to even find an assistant that will match what I do. Till today, I still run everything by myself. Much of what I do for both photography and videography was self-taught. My father is an entrepreneur. He started off as a sewing machine sales person and an electrician but his work had evolved to engraving by hand and now engraving by computers on bulk jobs for large companies. He was an inspiration to me and my business because with very little education, my dad was able to teach himself, relearn, change and evolve with the economy. I truly believe that is where my company will be heading. My pictures and videos looked a ton different now than when I first started out. I look for new ideas and invest in new equipment to keep up with the trends. I have a broad perspective on an international level, not just on a local level; I love to see work of artists all over the world. I believe in lifetime education for me to stay current and relevant. Even though I didn't end up in Hollywood, I ended up somewhere better.

Iowa is an extraordinary place. I have met people who have cared for me like I was family. Strangers are open and friendly. People are not preoccupying their lives with technologies,.. well some people. And people are polite and very appreciative. And what better place to raise a family than in Iowa.

Well, that is the summary of this photographer/videographer. I've spent enough time blogging... time to log off and spend time with my kids. Cheers!

Schaudt Wedding

2011-06-23T21:01:00.001-07:00

Highlight video of the Schaudt Wedding - June 11, 2011 Saturday (Ames, Iowa)

East Coast Park

2011-06-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

It was the school holidays and the kids were able to spend time with their cousins at the beach.

A beautiful location - quiet and airplanes coming by every 5 minutes.

Connor pointing at the airplane above.

Playdate at the IMM

2011-06-23T20:52:00.001-07:00

Had a playdate with some new friends at the IMM playground.

Glamour Shoot

2011-06-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

My friend enjoyed a surprise makeover session for her birthday present. She looked prettier than ever.

Erin's First Birthday Party

2011-06-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

Erin turned 1! We celebrated her birthday at the Atlantis @ Delta.

What a beautiful cake! Her mom hand decorated it with some figurines herself.

Singapore Flyer

2011-06-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Another first time - being on the Singapore Flyer. Don't think many Singaporeans have been on it yet, it's fairly new and not to mention - expensive. It's a good experience, great when one of the adult tickets is free.

The futuristic looking entrance.

Please stand clear of the door.

The beautiful skyline of Singapore.

They really need to work on getting better pictures for the postcards they are selling. If I could take better pictures, there must be something wrong there.

The historical trishaw - now a tourist attraction.

An interesting food court at the Singapore Flyer - set up to resemble the street eateries in the olden days. But of course, the beautiful set means higher food prices.

Singapore Bird Park

2011-06-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

What a fun place to bring the kids - The Singapore Bird Park. Even today, my son still tells me he enjoyed his trip to the bird park. It's interesting to see a peacock upclose with its feathers spread open. It was hard getting by it though.

The gigantic manmade waterfall.

Pelican feeding time.

Beautiful bird but they don't smell that great.

Henderson Waves

2011-06-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, I've been rather laid back, really need to get back to updating my blog! I've been back from Singapore and still haven't updated some pictures I've taken there. Here is the Henderson Waves we visited. It's an unique bridge that's part of a longer bridge system. This is the first time we're here, it wasn't here 3 years ago.

Part of the Southern Ridges, the map indicates where the Henderson Waves starts and ends.

What a unique structure!

Hard to be a photographer mom with a kid who always wanted to be held.

Who needs a playground?

Not a fan of spiders, especially LARGE spiders.

Lot One

2011-02-22T03:29:00.001-08:00

We've made a new friend on our trip. It's great to meet some stay-at-home moms and be able to arrange playdates to stay busy.

Connor enjoying a splash on his back.

It was such a hot day that the ground was scotching. Connor burned his feet and started to walk on his heels even on cooler grounds.

Devon exploring the bigger kid part of the playground.

A smile that will brighten everyone's day.

Visiting the triplets

2011-02-22T03:21:00.000-08:00

Once again, our cousins are kind enought to drive us to go visit my brother's triplets. On our drive there, I observed an adorable photo op.

My little 10-month-old niece with his adorable hairstyle.

My other niece who looks like a Japanese doll.

The girls love to smile and they enjoyed the company from their cousins.

My little nephew having fun.

I always thought it's important to capture all the expressions of a child, even when he or she is crying. Because looking back at these pictures, it brings back fond memories of being a parent, no matter how tough it might have been.

Singapore Zoo Visit

2011-02-22T03:10:00.000-08:00

Took on the challenge to bring the kids to the zoo all by myself. What a beautiful day!

Heliconia Rostrata - a beautiful tropical plant found in many parts of Singapore. The Singapore Zoo is always so flourished with all sorts of vegetation, providing a feel of natural habitat.

Giant crocodiles fascinate the kids. An interesting fact shared at the zoo is that it takes very little strength to hold down the crocodile's jaws, as little as one rubber band. Wouldn't you think after all these years of keeping their mouths open and not getting "wild animals" caught in their jaws, they would learn to keep their mouths shut? You wouldn't see many animal pictures, it's hard to manage kids and snap at the same time. I was trying more so to enjoy the day with the kids.

Interesting wooden sculptures at the "Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia" where they showcased several baboons.

The new addition to the zoo since I was last there - a giant splash park! Splash parks seemed to be very popular everywhere in Singapore, which is great, it's so cooling to be there. Kids (except mine) enjoyed being splashed by the giant elephant bucket up top while it filled up.

Connor enjoying the splash park without letting go of his new toy.

Splash Park Galore!

2011-02-22T03:07:00.001-08:00

Our first time to the Lot One shopping mall splash park. The kids really enjoyed it, great for toddlers.

With so many visits to the splash parks, Devon is starting to conquer his fear of water in his eyes.

Marina Barrage

2011-02-22T02:46:00.000-08:00

My cousins are kind enough to drive us to the Marina Barrage. It's our first time there. What a beautiful open park. The kids seemed to be excited to be there.

Bubble fun with the cousins.

It was a beautiful day by the dam.

It's a place for kite enthusiasts!

The kids having fun on the bridge.

West Coast Park

2011-02-22T02:27:00.000-08:00

Our first time to the West Coast Park since we were back. One of the very few sandy playground left in the country. It's interesting that you don't find any playgrounds with swings here anymore.

This pirate ship playground is somewhat challenging to a two-year-old.

Playground fun

2011-02-14T01:14:00.000-08:00

I got together with my old friend, Fiona, and her 2 little girls for a playdate with my boys.

The kids played very well together. Seemed to enjoy themselves to the merry go round.

The sisters were so much fun to be with. So adorable!

Honestly it's so much fun here, we could come here every week. Shaded playground and free water park all to ourselves ... more visits to come.

A visit to the Botanical Garden in Singapore

2011-02-13T07:32:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we decided to visit the Botanical Gardens in Singapore.

I love water lilies. They looked beautiful, especially with the dragonfly on it!

The orchid is the national flower of Singapore.

More water lilies.

This tall tree came from Borneo.

Bonsai Garden.

Swan Lake.

Kids get to have water fun at the children's park at the garden.

We ended the day with same kite flying by our residence.

Our Trip to Singapore

2011-02-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

We have traveled to Singapore for a long trip to visit family. Chinatown in Singapore is filled with beautiful lights to welcome the year of the rabbit.

On Chinese New Year, all families and friends visit one another in their beautiful new clothes.

Everyone joins in with a pair of chopsticks to mix a popular dish called "Yu Sheng" which consists of some raw fish.

Here's me and my boys in our traditional clothes. The mandarin orange resembles gold and we would exchange them with friends and families to wish them fortune.

Kids gather to play in our playroom.

Kids too get to play outside on the playground.

Kids get entertained with Thomas trains and hamsters.

There's lots of candies on Chinese New Year.

The kids love being with their cousins. Here they are on a car ride home after visiting friends.

Here they are on a phone call with their cousins. Can't get them apart.

I brought the kids to a shaded playground at the IMM Building. This place was usually crowded with kids over the weekends. I love weekdays.

They turned on the waterpark just for us. The waterpark is located at the top of the mall. The boys had tremendous fun there!

Looks like this will not be the last time we'll come here. How fun!

Walsh Wedding

2011-01-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

We went to Storm Lake for a beautiful New Year's Eve wedding. The energy out there was like no other. No one cared about the icy roads or the cold, they were all having a good time and celebrating Holly and Michael's big day. The most romantic first dance and the new year's celebration made this wedding an unforgettable one.

End Credits Video

Highlight Video

Trailer Video

Liu-Zhao Wedding

2010-12-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

It was great to be back in Cedar Falls again. This morning before leaving the house, my 4-year-old son gave me a big hug and told me he will miss me when I'm gone, almost made me not want to leave :).

It was a beautiful day for Young and Yue's wedding, who both have traveled long distance to have their wedding in Cedar Falls.

I must say the bride and her bridesmaids have been very cooperative taking pictures braving the cold.

Yue looked so radiant on her wedding day!
I do like taking pictures outdoors even if it's snowy. The snow acts as a natural reflector. I love natural lighting.

We were trying to hurry with outdoor pictures, limiting our creativity in posing, trying to get back into the limo as fast as possible. Poor girls!

I think smiles came a lot easier and more natural when we were indoors.

Here is Young and his grandma. I thought his grandma looked really young.

Yue's dad came all the way from China to attend their wedding.

I love the typical Chinese wedding where the bride gets to change into their evening dresses.

What a beautiful wedding! Young and Yue will be heading to China to hold another wedding for their friends and relatives there to attend. I wish for Young and Yue many years of blissful marriage.

Baby Maegan Video

2010-11-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

Baby Maegan is 3 months old! She was able to flip over but didn't do it for me while I was filming there. This is a video to capture all the beautiful moments of her life with her family.

Robert and Janey's Engagement Pictures

2010-11-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

It was fun doing the engagement photo shoot for Robert and Janey. They were very adventurous to try out the night time photo shoot at Downtown Des Moines. We were lucky to have a great weekend weather in November to our outdoor shoot.

Music Video

2010-11-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

Here's an engagement music video we did for Robert and Janey.

Rank Wedding - Trailer Video

2010-10-11T22:19:00.000-07:00

Rank Wedding - Trailer Video from Karen Tsia on Vimeo.

Rosenberger Wedding

2010-09-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

It was a rainy afternoon but a beautiful wedding took place at the Walnut Hills Methodist Church. Right when the ceremony started, sunlight started to peek through the windows. Mallory was such a beautiful bride. As you could see, she looked so radiant.

This was the first time I saw the pouring of sand - a unique personalized custom, with a little bit of laughter when the sand was not cooperating.

The reception took place at the Stone Creek Inn where we barely got some natural lighting shots before it got dark.Thanks Mallory and Jerry for having us for your wedding.

Betlach Wedding - Trailer video

2010-09-19T00:55:00.000-07:00

Betlach Wedding - Highlight Video

2010-09-19T00:54:00.000-07:00

Betlach Wedding - End Credits

2010-09-18T00:05:00.000-07:00

Perpetual Bliss was featured on Ankeny Living

2010-09-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

It's exciting to be on the cover of a magazine. But I still prefer to be behind the camera :). It's nerve wrecking to know that everything you say over the phone might be read by several people in your neighborhood. But I thought Ashley, the editor, did a great job on the article. Very grateful to be part of the article.

Eddy turns 4!

2010-09-17T11:34:00.001-07:00

Eddy came to visit us all the way from Cedar Falls on Ohio State's Game day.

Eddy's going to be a big brother soon when his baby brother arrives in October!

Eddy definitely knows how to have fun! Happy Birthday Eddy!

Schmidt Wedding

2010-08-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Movie Trailer Video

It was a warm and humid day but there was no rain as predicted. I was really happy to be part of the Schmidt wedding. They had a beautiful wedding. I must say I love their selection of bold and unique colors.

End Credits Video

I thought the Michael Buble song went well with their love story. The song might be overplayed on the radio, but hey, it's a good song.

Highlights Video

The meeting

Here's just a clip from the main wedding video where the bride and groom saw each other on their wedding day.

Wignall Family Photo Shoot

2010-08-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

I should really keep up with my blog. Been so busy working on a wedding and spending time with my kids, and the much needed sleep. Here's a photo shoot I did in July for the Wignall family. With all the rain and vacation time, we finally found a great weekend for the shoot!

Jayden's 3 month's old!

2010-07-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

It was fun meeting little Jayden. He was very wiggly like a little baby ought to be, very chatty and he seemed to "know" the camera. It was a fun session. Thanks Jayden!

Astoria's Pictures

2010-06-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

We visited Cedar Falls for Sturgis Falls and I got to visit some of my friends. I also got to take some pictures for my friend's daughter, Astoria, who has grown prettier each time I was there.

Practice, practice, practice!

2010-06-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Always looking for ways to improve my work. Here's a test on some new equipment on my son's train table. My son loves the movie "Cars" and its soundtrack, so I thought it was appropriate to use the song "Our Town" for this short clip. I'll be practicing to make my shots smoother. My focus is always to make something good even better. I do hope the high expectations of myself pays off for my customers.

Cinematic Wedding Videography

2010-06-14T20:26:00.001-07:00

Perpetual Bliss is offering couples cinematic wedding videography at $1,500 (plus 6% sales tax) for all day unlimited hours. We have recently acquired some new equipment and getting ready to build some new portfolios for 2011. This offer is applicable for weddings taking place in 2010.

It includes HD video recording (film look and widescreen 16:9), with the usage of steadicam. Video will be edited with enhanced colors, animated intros and music. It will be a 2-camera coverage for the ceremony and reception (with 1 unmanned camera). Wireless mics will be used on the groom and officiant (if permitted) during the ceremony. Package also includes End credits, Highlight video and Trailer video. The couple will receive in 5 DVD sets (converted to standard definition) with DVD authoring, custom designed menu, labels and covers.

Elena's 3 years old!

2010-06-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

The very adorable Elena turned 3 recently. It was lot of fun on the photo shoot, we got to see some geese and ducks and their youngs waddle by.

Bollwinkel's Family Pictures

2010-06-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Got back to Ankeny after the wedding in Cedar Falls just in time for another family photo shoot. The Bollwinkel family is a very busy family and I was really glad they were able to make time for the photo shoot.

Courtney & Greg's Wedding

2010-05-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

I've been really busy in May. After vacationing in Disney World, I found myself still surrounded by fairy tales :). Courtney & Greg got married in Cedar Falls, IA, and I had fun capturing their wedding day. The above is the end credits of the wedding.

Highlight Video

Trailer Video

Brennan - Newborn pictures

2010-05-06T22:08:00.001-07:00

Baby Brennan is only 6 days old. He was very good during the photo shoot, just a little bit hungry. I had several ideas but was only able to incorporate less than half of them on this shoot. But I do look forward to working with more newborns. It is so peaceful to see a sleeping child.

Mallory & Jerry's Engagement Pictures

2010-05-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

It's a busy week, just catching up with my blogging. Over the beautiful weekend, I was shooting some engagement pictures for Mallory and Jerry in Ames. We started at the Iowa State University; they had on Iowa shirts and I had on a UNI shirt, I thought that was funny... but the students on campus didn't.

I was glad we were able to catch the sunset. Thanks to Mallory and Jerry, they were very easy to work with and open to ideas. I do look forward to shooting their wedding in September.

Pries Children Pictures

2010-04-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day and a little bit windy. I set out to get pictures taken for the Pries girls.

I love how blue the water looked, it helped bring out the blue in her eyes.

It was a lot of fun on the shoot. The girls were a little shy but they enjoyed having their pictures taken.

Geest Family Shoot

2010-04-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

It was Earth Day and the Geest Family and I took advantage of the free admission to take some pictures at the Botanical Center in Des Moines.

Every shoot has its own challenge. This time, because of the free admission, there were lots of people around, and the challenge is to get a good angle while avoiding getting other people in the shot.

It was tiring but enjoyable "playing"with the kids. I think photo taking can sometimes be stressful to kids, so I usually like to play and run around with them. Preschool aged kids are best photographed when they are at play. Thanks to the Geest family for a fun evening!

Lundahl Family Photo Shoot

2010-04-19T10:19:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful weekend morning to go on a shoot with the Lundahl family.

A beautiful view overlooking the Saylorville Lake.

The little guy's smile is simply precious.

I see an adventure seeker. That's what's fun about capturing kids, you can't tell them what to do but they can show you what they can do.

Somehow throwing kids in the air always get great laughs.

Thanks to the Lundahl family for the photo shoot.

Portrait shoot - Min

2010-04-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

It was great to be able to grab a friend and go on a shoot together. Today Min and I were just having fun, helping me to practice.

We visited the Valley Junction in Des Moines. Lots of neat backgrounds. I love vibrant colors, don't you?

She's a natural poser. We had fun doing the shoot. Good thing she had some free time. Thanks Min!

Hilscher Family Photo Shoot

2010-04-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Another busy weekend. It was fun shooting with the Hilscher family. We visited the rose garden at the Des Moines Arts Center.

We then headed out to the Raccoon River Park. It was another beautiful and the park was filled with people. It was my first time there and I love the beach!

Thanks to the Hilscher family. It was a lot of fun shooting with the children.

Park Hopping

2010-04-14T11:15:00.001-07:00

We visited some parks in town to see what they have.

We went home for a picnic lunch. Connor enjoyed exploring the deck.

Devon was having fun on our lawn.

Here was a neat bridge near a playground. We had been "park hopping", visiting different parks and playgrounds.

Big Creek State Park

2010-04-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful evening and we visited the Big Creek State Park.

There were lots of beautiful spots for pictures.

Dickinson Family Photo Shoot

2010-04-05T08:42:00.001-07:00

All little boys like a little swing in their walk.

It was not difficult getting some big smiles out of the little one.

The little explorer was off again.

He did a great job walking on the tracks all by himself.

It was great to be able to capture all the fun the Dickinson family had.

Mosdal Family Shoot

2010-04-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

Started my day doing a shoot for the Mosdal family.

It was somewhat chilly this morning but the little one did a wonderful job posing for pictures.

Possibly my favorite picture.

Thanks to the Mosdal family, it was so much fun doing a shoot for them.

Playdate

2010-04-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

We went on a playdate today. Devon got to decorate a cupcake.

It was a great idea to turn the cupcake into an Easter basket with licorice and chocolate eggs.

The cupcakes looked so good that the kids were not eating them.

I see a future chef... 4 years old and already decorating cupcake all by herself!

Devon couldn't resist.

Can't have a playdate without music.

The little one plays quietly all by himself.

Backyard fun

2010-04-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

Another nice and hot day before it gets cold again. Time to bring out some new toys. Got this "fun roller" toy from a garage sale. The step pump didn't work on it, took a long while to blow it up. But it looked really fun, even my husband and our neighbor wanted to play with it.

Connor held on to his ball real tight, brought it everywhere he went.

Time to wash down the dirty kids. Once in a while, Connor made some interesting faces.

Let's take a walk

2010-04-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

I love walks in 80 degree weather. I love looking for new spots to photograph. I love bridges, they add textures and depth of field to

First Strobist Attempt

2010-03-30T19:48:00.001-07:00

Our neighbors were kinda curious as to what was going on. After seeing all the beautiful pictures, I want to be a strobist too. It basically means getting an off-camera flash. I love the effect it produces. I was happy with my first attempt. It was really fun... except for my husband.

I love the weather

2010-03-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful week with some high temperatures of 80F, almost unbelievable. No one should really stay indoors at that temperature, LOL.

Full Moon

2010-03-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

Supposedly 2 days to full moon. It is so bright that I shot this in ISO 100 1/1250.

Visiting Ames

2010-03-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

I think Ames is a beautiful city. We went around scouting for more photography locations.

There were several historical building structures that gave pictures an interesting rustic look.

Strolling down the streets after lunch.

We were exploring the back alleys.

We then went over to the Iowa State University.

Here was the Historic Water Tower at the university.

Exploring some parks nearby.

Backyard adventures

2010-03-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Longing for warmer days, even though it was 52F, it was windy. But we did find time to play in our backyard. Our little boy is growing up fast, he is able to play on the slide all by himself.

He was having so much fun, it was hard to go back inside the house.

Blank Park Zoo

2010-03-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

I love the outdoors, we just can't wait to get out of the house when the day warms up. We went to the Blank Park Zoo to have some fun! In the Australian caged area, we met an emu up close.

Looked like we weren't the only one enjoying the day. The tiger roamed around in his cage.

Great day for the lions too, they looked a lot happier than the last time we saw them (which was a few months ago).

Devon enjoyed his visit to the zoo even though he didn't get to see his favorite animal - the zebra.

Parrots are always great subjects for photographers.

I love photographing jellyfish, they are so beautiful.

The really cool rope bridge at the zoo - a must-have for pictures for weddings at the zoo.

Up close with the boa constrictor.

John Pappajohn Sculpture Park

2010-03-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

We are always scouting for locations for photography. It is always a fun excursion for us and the kids. We visited the John Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines. What a neat place! It was nice to see people strolling in the park even though it was a little chilly still.

The only sculpture you could stand or sit on.

The thinking rabbit and the creative horse... It was interesting to find the park located in the middle of the city.

65F outside!

2010-03-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

Spring is near! I can smell it. The nicest day of the week. Connor woke up early this morning but the tired boy refused to nap. He was too excited being outside.

Connor was excited to see the birds.

Pirate Devon with his telescope on his playset.

Connor was fascinated by the neighbor's dog.

Devon was trying to pat the neighbor's dog.

That evening, we went on a walk with our neighbors. Here were Devon and Elena holding hands while walking.

Elena wasn't a fan of Devon's "death grip".

Along the way, we met other neighbors and their dogs.

Sleepy but not sleeping

2010-03-18T22:07:00.000-07:00

Must sound familiar to many parents. My kids are difficult "nappers" and "sleepers". I think they are born to play.

Great photo op while Devon watched TV.

It's a beautiful day

2010-03-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful weekend! A little chilly still, but the kids love to be outside. Today we drove around and looked for parks to shoot some portraits.

Here we were at the Rose Garden in Des Moines. Lots of beautiful stone structures. Tips for photography: advise subject not to wear a watch. You can see how the watch took away your attention from the subject.

Devon was pre-occupied by a squirrel.

Nothing beats outdoor photography. Look at that beautiful natural lighting.

Then we went to the State Capital building in Des Moines.

Connor was excited about the fountain area.

Portraits

2010-03-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

A portrait of Devon in natural lighting.

Devon can't help himself with the funny faces.

Up in the air

2010-03-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

Great exercise for kids while practicing capturing fast movements.

Trial with my new lenses

2010-03-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

I'm always getting inspired with other photographers' work and trying to learn new techniques. So today, I received some new lenses and "played" with them.

I love the field of depth it produces.

Devon loves his "superhero" poses.

Practice, practice, practice. There's always room for improvement. I don't want to be a photographer who "cookie-cut" pictures with the same pose and background. The moment when you think you know everything is the moment when you start to fall back.

Pajamas day

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

Naps are rare and appreciated.

I love textures in pictures, they give pictures an element of art.

Devon watches "Curious George" - one of his favorite cartoons.

Connor takes interest in the books and creating messes.

Life is not fair

2010-03-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

It's hard being a baby. You can't eat cookies all day long. It's not fair.

Brotherly love

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

It is a challenge to get the wiggly brothers to sit down for a snapshot together.

Fearless Connor

2010-03-08T20:57:00.000-08:00

A fearless baby is a dangerous baby. Connor likes

to climb onto the dining chair and table.

Vintage baby

2010-03-05T22:49:00.000-08:00

Always learning and trying out new looks.
Here's a vintage look in pictures. I thought the colors look great.

Bath Time Fun

2010-03-05T20:57:00.000-08:00

Bath time is the best time for great pictures.

Kids having fun and staying calm at the same time.

Connor watching TV

2010-03-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Teething is not fun. Connor finally calms down for the night and watches some TV.