A few months ago, I bought a few of these cards but didn’t know what or when I would use it…. 

…. until TODAY!

Yes, I voted for Pedro and my wildest dream came true!
 

I just got a chance to unbox it this evening so ofcourse, I haven’t read the manual.  I did went through all the control just to see where they are, and they’re in about the same places as the original 5D.  Not much of a learning curve.  I want to push this beast through it paces just to try shots that wasn’t possible before.  I will field test this during up two upcoming weddings before the end of this year. 

Here are some initial eye candy shots:

so warm and cozy inside its antistatic bag

the official badge

that’s some insane ISO and RAW file size

 

so clean you can eat off it

felt right at home

I want to give a big Shout Out to the guys down at Imagine Spectrum who gave me an unexpected surprise this xmas.  I was at their shop, for the first time, on Thursday picking up some printer paper when I noticed they carry Nikon cameras.  So I asked if they also carry Canon, specifically the 5D MII?  They had sold their last one just the day before.  So I got on their short waiting list as customer #2 and today, I walked out w/ this mystical beast.  The staff there are very knowledgeable and helpful with some of the best services I’ve seen.  Check them out and I bet you’ll agreed.   

Before I forget…. all you guys who helped contribute to my fundraiser, I’ll be contacting you personal for your shoot.

After three long years, Canon finally updated their beloved 5D with their new 5D MarkII, or from Canon Website.  The specs on this beast is more than what I expected or want.  The main features that I really want from this camera are higher ISO and weather sealed.  I’m very excited about the new 5D MKII but somehow felt a bit let down.  Why canon, do you give me all this power but won’t let me take it into the rain?  Oh well, I guess you can’t have everything you want.  But like I said, I’m very excited about the upgrade and probably try to get it for x-mas.  Anyone want to contribute to my x-mas fund this year?  you’ll get a complimentary portrait session, shot w/ the new camera =)

*image is from Canon’s website

update:  Water resistance: 10 mm rain in 3 minutes
wait a minute, did I read that right?  OK… I’m all in. 

It’s been awhile, but I’m so glad to have a few weeks off without any shoots.  I had six weddings in the last eight weeks.  And each wedding came with a pre-wedding day shoot.  Now that I have a few weeks off, I’ll try to post them… in no particular order. 

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Alan+Trang is such an awesome couple.  I meet them last year while shooting their friends’ wedding(which I just remembered I haven’t posted).  I remembered Trang coming up to me and introducing herself then said “Hi Jason, you don’t know it yet, but you’re shooting my wedding.”  I was floored that someone like my work that much to booked me before they even knew their wedding date.  So when their wedding came around, they wanted an engagement session and also a formal session in their favorite city of San Francisco.  I learned that Alan used to fly to SF almost every weekend to see Trang when she was working out there. 

I had to say, SF is so beautiful.  The people there are one of the nicest I’ve ever encountered.  And ofcourse, the weather is perfect.  Coming from Texas, all I brought were shorts and t-shirts, so I had to buy some long sleeves shirts during our shoot.  I am so jealous of all you CA photographers b/c of your beautiful scenery and weather.  Just for contrast, we shot their engagement here in Dallas in 100 degree weather.  Good thing we didn’t shoot their formal in that heat.  whew!  Thanks guys for letting me try out all my crazy ideas. 

Since I haven’t post in awhile I’ll make up for it with two slide shows.  The first is their pre-wedding shoot that took place here in Dallas then in SF.  The second is their wedding day. 

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Prewedding Shoot

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Wedding Day

                                             

 
I was over at my friends Derrick and Carolyn’s two weekends ago to watch some golf.  I don’t usually like to watch golf b/c I think it’s boring. It’s addictive only if you’re playing it.  But the Byron Nelson Tournament was in town and who am I to pass up on a free major golf tournement?  Oh, did I mention that hole#16 run behind Derrick’s house?  His backyard is about 300 yards from the tee, so most big hitters will land their tee shot around there. 

I didn’t get to hang out long b/c I had to go shoot an engagement later that afternoon.  Hey Yen+Chris, now you know why I was a bit late .  Living here in Dallas, I always hear about the Byron Nelson Tournament, but never get to witness it.  It was a really cool experience!  Tiger didn’t played b/c he injured himself after The Master a couple of weeks before, but I did saw some pretty cool golfers.  Of a couple of golfers that I manage to shoot, this is Anthony Kim, he finished tied for 19th place.  Then this past weekend in North Carolina, he won the Wachovia Championship.  Not a bad week turnaround… considering he’s only 22 years old.  He’s also a Sooner, my alma mater. 

Like any pro at the top of their game, he credited his win to hard work and practicing.  I’m inspired by his story because he’s an example of players in their 20s are winning major tournament in golf.  I also see this in the Photography industry.  I’m noticing more and more young people are breaking the stereotype of a golfer or a photographer.  It’s great for both industry because it will be more exciting to watch.  Who knows, I might even return to watch next year tournament .  I don’t think this will be the last time we’ll hear of Anthony.

Yen + Chris’s E-Session

Things has really started to pick up after I got back from this year WPPI in Vegas.  So I’m going to hopefully post more often ( I know, it’s about time). 

Yen and Chris’s wedding is in about two weeks.  For this shoot they didn’t have any idea where they wanted to go.  They were open to all my suggestions and they were brave enough to try them.  Thanks guys for the creative freedom. 

Vy + Tom’s Engagement

After a long and busy winter full of album making, it’s back to shooting for a change. 

This was Vy and Tom’s engagement shoot.  Vy’s wedding gown is amazing… it’s simple but yet elegant.  I’m going to try and showcase that more on their wedding day.  After studying all the bad shots, I can’t wait to shoot their wedding b/c I know they will be awesome. 

Happy Lunar New Year 2008!

It has been awhile since my last blog.  Since I’m no longer on anyone’s clock, I took some time to visit places and do a few things that I’ve always wanted to do, but never had the chance b/c work was always in the way.  I can’t remember the last time I took some time off to go on a vacation that is not work related.  It was a much needed rest, and I hope to get the chance to do it again soon. 

Over the weekend, I participated in the Lunar New Year celebration here in the Dallas Ft. Worth area.   It was organized by the Vietnamese Community and I’m so proud to be a part of the hard work and effort the community puts in every year for this two day event.  I was contracted by OnPac Energy to provide instant pictures of people who visited their booth as a way of saying “Thank You!”  I really enjoyed meeting all these people,  and taking their pictures.  




Kim and I really enjoyed the event and we’re planning to make this an annual thing.  Next time, we’ll make free pictures for everyone.  We did a bit of free shots during the event  for anyone ( mostly kids– we had a blast with them)  who wanted pictures until my laptop decided it couldn’t see my camera anymore. Big bummer, since we weren’t able to print the last couple pictures for people.    I promise it will be flawless by next year. 

Also, thanks to everyone who messaged me and asked about my well being.  I really appreciate your concerns, especially since I have never meet most of you.  I’ll add that to my 2008 List. 

If you celebrated the Lunar New Year, than I wish you much health and success.  If not, then happy Thursday. 

I never thought it would come to this but I had dreamed The Impossible Dream. 
I turned in my two weeks noticed last Friday, so after Thanksgiving,
I’m officially self employed/ unemployed.  I’m trading in a perfectly
good career in the IT industry to be a full time Wedding and Portrait
Photographer.   One might think that I have a long list of weddings
booked for 2008, and one is correct to think that.  My current count
for 2008 is three.  Yes, three (3)… with two of those being pro
bono.  

So to all my future brides, this is a great time to booked your wedding
w/ me.  Secured your date before my ad goes out next month to guarantee my services. Also, by the time I get around to shooting your wedding, my
skills and knowledge would have doubled.

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In other news…
I’m so excited that I got to enrolled in some classes during WPPI’s 2008 Convention in Las Vegas.  I attended my first WPPI convention in 2007 but didn’t get to enrolled in any class b/c they filled up so fast.  I waited all year to enroll for 2008 and finally got through when enrollment started past midnight on November 15th!  I also thought since I’m going to be in Vegas for a whole week, I might as well soak up as much as I can… so I picked up a few Master Classes along the way.  I’m so stoked and can’t wait till March to learn from some of the best photographer in the world.

My schedule for 2008 WPPI: 
     MC12 – David Beckstead
     MC20 – Jim Garner
     MC27 – Marcus Bell
     WPPI Plus – Jerry Ghionis

Thu + Justin’s Wedding
Little Rock, AR

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This will be among one of my most memorable wedding.  The main reason are Thu + Justin are some of the nicest and warmest people I’ve ever meet, it’s a testament to the way their parents raised them.  I was invited to their home the night before for dinner and they treated me like one of their own children (who just happened to be taking pictures) throughout the whole weekend.  I don’t usually get hugs from the groom but I got some from Justin by the end of the night and even the next day before leaving for home !  With all the time that I’ve spent with these two, I can see that they were meant for each other.  Somehow, I don’t think this will be the last time that I will see them .

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I wanted to give a shout out to Kevin Mai aka biGnOoDLeBOi, whom I meet here on Xanga, for assisting me the whole weekend.  For such a big guy, you sure have a small bladder !  But it’s cool, you can handle all the transportation’s duty anytime, if it mean I get to sleep.

Time to get noticed

This whole year has been great.  I spent a lot of time learning about photography so that I can take my images to a higher level. Although I can never achieve perfection in my images, I’m at a point where I can be competitive in this fierce market.  It’s time to advertise. 

Dallas have this magazine called D Weddings (can’t direct link to it, but it’s on the left, half way down), and one of my goal was to advertise in it.  Sure, anyone can plop down a chunk of money and be in the magazine.  The requirement for me was that I must be at the top of my game, both in business and in imagery.  I’m really nervous and excited about this b/c my work will now be compare to other great photographers in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  The public will now decide if my work are worth their investment.  I’ll find out when the issue hit newstands in December.

This is my full page ad that I designed.  Two things that bother me are the logo and the baby blue color on my contact info.  I went with baby blue b/c it ties in with my website, even though it might be hard to read.  And I think the logo might be too small relative to a full size 8×10 page.  Let me know what you guys think, the deadline is next Wednesday.

*** UPDATE ***
Thank you so much to everyone for their thoughtful criticisms.  It really mean a lot to me when you took the time out of your busy day to try and help.  From all your criticisms, I present you… version 2.