ANNIKA + JOSHUA  //  PASADENA, MARYLAND

Annika and Josh were married on Chesapeake Bay in Pasadena, Maryland last month.  I feel truly blessed that they had enough faith in me and my work that they would fly me halfway around the world from Seoul to have me document their rehearsal dinner and wedding.  I actually tried suggesting to Annika that it would be more convenient and cost-effective if they hired one of a handful of photographers I recommended on the East Coast instead.  Annika didn't find that an acceptable alternative, and a few months later I found myself on a week-long trip to Washington DC by way of Shanghai and New York City.  I'm grateful that she was insistent.

This was actually my first wedding that I documented completely on film -- I used primarily my Leica M6 with a 50mm Summicron f/2.  I used Kodak Tri-X 400 for the black and whites and shot a handful of rolls on Portra 400;  22 rolls in total over the two days, or 792 frames.  It was definitely a lesson in patience waiting for decisive moments.  The camera itself is so quiet and non-intrusive.  I felt like many of the people I was photographing had quite an easy time letting down their guard, allowing me to focus on the moment at hand.

I hope you enjoy the photos as much I as enjoyed being a witness for them.

BORA + DAVID. KOREA PRE-WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.

David and Bora flew in from New York City to honor Bora's parents and her heritage with a traditional Korean wedding. I was very blessed to be a witness and to be entrusted with documenting their singular love for one another. David plays lead guitar and backup vocals for The Vanguard.

Shot with a Leica M6 and Contax 645 on Portra 400 film.

SHIFT/TILT:NYC  //  MAYA VS. IRENE

Shot on Leica M6 / Portra 400 / Tri-X 400

SHIFT/TILT: NYC WORKSHOP TEASERS

We just wrapped our SHIFT/TILT workshop at the ACE Hotel in New York City with some lovely and amazing students, talent and staff.

We're holed up at the hotel for a few extra days while Hurricane Irene prepares to rear her ugly head.  It was planned as a two-day workshop, but we decided to consolidate the bulk of the workshop into a single day, just in case things were to go crazy on Sunday.  At this point, every out-of-town student who was planning on coming decided it best to stay with their families and play it safe.  It was a tough pill to swallow after months of planning and much personal and financial investment, but we all have to play the cards we're dealt.

A handful of local students decided to weather the storm and join us for a day of sharing, shooting and running through the empty streets in the rain.  In the end, we were able to get some amazing photos (think 'I Am Legend' or 'Vanilla Sky') because the streets were deserted.

Props go to Jove Meyer for coordinating the weekend, Tony Yang for being my partner in crime, our amazing models Ali, Maya and Kelly, my gifted brother, Riky, who provided video coverage -- and most of all the dedicated students who stared a little girl named Irene in the face and kept shooting anyway.

FIRST ROLL  //  LEICA M6 + KODAK PORTRA 400

My first roll of color film with my new(ish) Leica M6. It's a bit grainy because I had pushed the ISO to 640 from the night before my early morning stroll. The rangefinder system has taken some getting used to -- however, having complete control over absolutely everything the camera is doing is much more suited to my approach to and style of photography. The shutter is so quiet, and the camera is diminutive. I can get away with street and candid photography a lot easier than with a DSLR.

I bumped into my friend, Amarisse, who works as TBS Radio as a live broadcast announcer for traffic and weather. It was a lot of fun getting a peek inside the live radio broadcast world. The shutter was even quiet enough to take a few shots while she was giving a live traffic update.