new blog up and running

hi-
please change all links and come see the new blog/webpage at

www.studio3511.com

let me know what you think! thanks.

wedding album pages

a few images from the next album...

new blog & site

new blog and site coming soon....
will keep you posted on the details. email me if you want to be notified of the changes!

hams

trying to keep my kids out of trouble at the first hawaiian bank, the ray yoshida opening, we went outside for a bit and took some photos...

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: the professional photographer

i've noticed a lot of trends during these rough economic times, and one of them, really isn't a good one. people are trying to cut back and have great weddings, i believe it can be done, but don't cut out your photographer in favor of a good friend or uncle bill, who owns a camera and has taken some pictures before! it is like getting your photographs printed at costco vs. the professional labs. (see here)
they will come out all right, but it really does pay to have someone with experience be there to capture your most intimate and precious moments. you can't go back and redo them!

photographers run the whole gammut and you can choose from artsy/haute couture to documentary and somewhere in between. prices run the whole wide range as well.... pick someone who shares your vision in the wedding: extravagant, elegant and simple, artsy and wild... and pay them for their services. great vision and beautiful photographs don't have to cost an arm and a leg! email for my price list

tcm- ray yoshida exhibition- first hawaiian bank

the opening for the ray yoshida memorial exhibition opened last nite down at the contemporary museum's gallery in the first hawaiian bank tower. wonderful family gathering, and a lot of beautiful artwork. try to get down and see this show.

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: the masseuse

i was lucky, privileged and humbled to take photographs at her wedding a few years ago, and after a few years of study, daya is now both a doula and a amazing masseuse. now, hopefully you won't need her services as a doula right away, but keep that in the back of your mind. a doula is someone who helps you during those painful and crazy hours of childbirth. A Doula is someone who is informed of the physical, emotional, and mental processes of labor & birth, advocates for the mom when she doesn't understand the procedures doctors are suggesting, helps with position changes, imagery, anything to help you achieve the type of birth you want.


her massage skills come in handy then, but especially now, with all the stress upon you with the wedding planning- or with the daily stresses of everyday life, work & play. i have had her work on the sore spots and i felt amazing afterwards, and a day after as well. she knows all the latest techniques, can do deep tissue, lomi lomi, trigger point release, lymphatic drainage, even cranial sacral (which is what i tried- and it was brilliant!) she practices out in kailua- the drive back over the pali has never been so amazingly green, tranquil and calming!!

please find more information on her website, dayaakina.com

the P family at HAA

what a great day saturday turned out to be, even though there was a threat of a tsunami and we were all glued to the tv sets, i was able to get out and take pictures with the P family. what's a little tsunami threat when you got pictures to pose for???

this is the 2nd time i've gotten to work with the P family- its amazing how much they have grown up in a few short months. love the new poses, smiles and laughter... few pictures to share below. enjoy your week.

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: the hair stylist- mimi

so i have to post about how cool and awesome my hair stylist is. her name is mimi, and she works at the marsha nadalin salon at kahala mall. she is fabulous, has great hair herself - love it when its pink or blue- but knows hair, the different types of hair, and how a simple, easy cut works on your head. i was talking with 3-4 other friends, who were raving about their own hair stylist- and it turns out we all have the same one! and all of us have very different hair- wavy, thick, thin, long, short- mimi makes us all look great.
(and the best part is, even though she works at marsha nadalin, she doesn't charge marsha nadalin prices)
check her out. tell her we sent you!

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: professional prints vs. costco prints

nothing like a tsunami warning to cancel your days plans, and let you catch up with things! i've been meaning to post about professional prints for a while. i had an experience in which my local costco did not live up to its billing. up until now, i have been happy with the quality and pricing of prints from costco and even longs. support our local photography labs, ya know? but i had a photo that just wasn't coming out as brilliant as on my screen. (now, there is that whole thing about your monitor being off color from your prints, but mine is calibrated and pretty accurate and this is a whole 'nother story...)
luckily costco has a return policy on their photos. if you are not happy, for any reason, you can return it with your receipt and get a refund.

i sent the picture off to the professional lab that i use on the mainland and the results were amazingly different. more brilliant, better clarity. i urge you to use professional labs to print your images that you will be displaying, or giving as gifts. the cost is somewhat higher than costco, and often times, you will have to order through a professional (me) but the images and photographs are worth it. i knew this was the case, but it has been reaffirmed. please let me know how i can help your images be better!

gallery wraps

new and the rage... these are high quality, canvas wraps without the thickness. easy to hang on your wall and very cool...

the contemporary museum- elizabeth berdann, judy fox, fay ku and allison schulnik

another great opening at the contemporary museum in makiki, and artists from new york are in the house!
fay ku will be here for the next 3 months, conducting workshops and talking to school groups- part of the museum has turned into her studio space as well. you are invited to stop by, chat, check things out.
for more information on the artists and their works, please visit the contemporary museums website for more info about the artists and the new exhibitions - here.

Tidbits: hawaii wedding finds, tips & ideas- the wedding planner

i have had the honor of working with one of the great wedding planners in honolulu. susan o'donnell and aloha wedding planners can take the stress out of planning and help find great services that fit your needs for your special day. she will work until every last detail is perfect and you are satisfied. she is honest, helpful, and a blessing to work with. give her a call now!
alohaweddingplanners.com or (808)943-2711

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds, tips & ideas- the good tailor

so i had to start looking around for a tailor, and it hit me that probably a lot of other people (and brides) are too. if you are planning a wedding, you are also looking for a florist, photographer, reception site...
i know a few things here and there, and will start posting little tidbits, things i wished i knew before my own wedding, things that i have found over the years that are cool thoughts for making your wedding special. if you have a request, please let me know and i'll look into it, otherwise please sign up so you can get tidbits sent to you when i post them- will try for 1 a week...

so for my first tidbit is a good tailor. linda's alterations, on king st. on the left hand side, after keeamoku.
very polite and helpful, she is hemming my new (and too long) banana republic pants for $11 each ($20 for a cuffed ones) and will have them ready in 5 days. she also specializes in wedding alterations. ideas for wedding dresses: next post. :)

my philosophy

happy february 1st to everyone! hope all of you had a great weekend, and are ready for the 2nd month! hope all the brides out there have had some time to sort through all the info at the bridal show- someone asked me my philosophy behind how and why i shoot... here's what i've been thinking about...

starting up my own company began after my own search for a wedding photographer a long time ago...(can you believe that this march will make 10 years?!?!??gets better everyday too. :)

but i digress. back to the philosophy- i was on a budget (and still am) and couldn't find any great rocking, artistic, responsible photographers in our price range. (we did find a great one though, and are still great friends with her) 

 i resolved that i would be a great, artistic, responsible, fast photographer that was affordable. great service, artistic photos, quick turn around, laid back yet able to focus people to the photographs ahead. i love taking photographs and would do it all for free if i could.... but can't- still have mouths to feed... and i believe that photography should be affordable. being on a budget doesn't mean that you have to skip and skimp on quality, professionalism and beauty. i am able to give you everything you need from a dependable, artistic photographer AND i know of others in the business who feel the same way and can help you get your ideas going. it shouldn't cost an arm, a leg, two brain scans and three years worth of medication to pay for great services! give a call, lets talk about your wedding and how i can make it be remembered with style, grace, love, fun and smiles.

hawaii bridal expo show specials

good morning-
looking forward to 2 more days of meeting all you great brides and grooms over at the hawaii bridal expo at the blaisdell. come by and say hi- booth B 32 (ish) (they moved me down a few, near the snack bar)
and sign up soon!

SHOW SPECIAL- get $150 off  the paris and casablanca packages if you book (and put retainer fee down) by valentines day.

Also- if you happen to be my 15th booking for this year, get $300 off a paris or casablanca package! Sorry, can't tell you where i am on the list- but please go for it, and i am looking forward to working with all the great couples i met last nite, and today and tomorrow! aloha.

wedding wire member

hey all-
i've joined the ranks of wedding wire, a website that you can go and find vendors for your wedding! please stop by and write a great review if you can? i would really appreciate it. something i can improve on? please let me know too.

of course, the Oahu Wedding Association is one of the best sites you need to use if you are here locally and want the very best professionals on the island. most of us travel off island too. :)

check em out- be sure to tell them i sent you!

pearl city urban gardens

i went with my son on a field trip to the pearl city urban gardens. what a great place! it is connected with the university of hawaii and volunteers and people who want to become master gardeners can go and take classes and grow things to share... they had a hawaiian garden, a pizza garden, and some great ideas for growing herbs... gotta get out there and start working on our own gardens now!!

M & J's wedding blessing at kaimana beach

the voggy skies weren't grey enough to keep the brilliant colors away for a small, beautiful hawaiian blessing for M and J over at kaimana beach this past weekend! they recently moved back here, and had a the 'real' wedding in germany. but because M's tutu couldn't make it, they had this small ceremony here! it was short- but so full of emotions and love with family and friends-  a great way to start off the new year.

thanks so much to KM for the referral and i'm looking forward to seeing you at the bridal expo on jan 22-24!
booth B32.

the D family

happy new year!
a few photos from a big family photo shoot... its pretty awesome to see everyone in one place again, once all the kids have grown up, moved away, and now have kids of their own. beautiful families. bit hard to keep the focus, but that turned out for a bunch of great shots that can be put into a small sequence to tell the story... love these kinds of shots. have a great thursday.

2010- a great year for weddings- bridal expo coming up!

happy new year again! it sure did go by quickly... and the new year will be passing by just as quick!

 looking forward to your beautiful wedding in 2010!

i will be at the upcoming bridal expo, at the blaisdell, jan 22-24- so please stop by and say hello.
i already have a few weddings for 2010, so please add yours onto the list before it fills up- specials if you book before valentines day!