Jason W. Photography - Wedding and Family Photography

Eagle Park - Mountain View Family Portraits

2011-12-09T00:24:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would be talking about what makes glasses fashionable, what's the best and worst things about being a twin, and who's the best Star Wars bounty hunter all in the same conversation... but that's pretty much what happened with this family session! Yup, I wouldn't have guessed that these adorable sisters were in fact twins (... of the fraternal kind). It was sooo easy to capture their personalities as all they could do was laugh and do silly poses the entire time i was with them. All i had to do was say "Pose!" and in the blink of an eye, these two would swap places, make funny faces, or just lay out the biggest smiles for the camera! In the end, we had so much fun that I really cant figure out how the conversation of Bobba Fett being the best bounty hunter even came up. Huh?! You say?! ... Yeah... Me too :)

Emma Prusch Farms - San Jose Family Portraits

2011-11-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

The last time I had photographed this wonderful family, they were still a family of three - and now they've become a family of four! Even though it's been two years, their son still had the same curious personality I remembered during their first session. He spent most of this time wandering through the farms exploring every part of it. Not to be out done, when their baby daughter was let loose, she scooted her self all over the place as well, with no regard to the outfit her mom had picked out for her! At the end of our session, Mom and Dad surprised their daughter with a birthday cake to celebrate her upcoming one year celebration. I only wished they had cut me a slice before she dove into it!

Jason and Trang - San Jose, Half Moon Bay, CA

2011-11-17T22:21:00.000-08:00

I love it when couples choose to incorporate "the little things" that mean the most to them in their engagement session. In Jason and Trang's case, it was spending time in their local neighborhood park and then in following with their tradition, heading out to the pumpkin patches that were setup for Halloween. So that's exactly what we did for our photo session... breaking out the Jordan's, we started in the park and then just before sunset, we managed to make it out to Half Moon Bay in search of a quiet little space amongst all the families and their quests for the perfect pumpkin. As a bonus during our time together, all of the pumpkins helped shine warm light over the couple even though the field was covered in fog. Gotta love natural reflectors :)

Min and Esther - Hotel Sofitel, Pacific Athletic Club, Redwood Shores, CA

2011-11-09T01:06:00.000-08:00

This wedding's a bit overdue but I wanted to share highlights of Min and Esther's amazing wedding at the Pacific Athletic Club. I loved photographing every aspect of it - from the getting ready to the final dance, I had such a great time! I actually had not met Min and Esther until their rehearsal but being the easy going couple that they were, we got into our flow working with each other right from the start. Plus with a bridal party ready to dive in at a moment's notice, it made for an awesome day. Congrats again Min and and Esther!

Getting Ready - Hotel Sofitel
Makeup - Styles By Ann
Ceremony and Reception - Pacific Athletic Club

Glenn and Robyn - Allied Arts Guild, Asian Pearl Restaurant, Menlo Park, CA

2011-09-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful and sunny day when Glenn and Robyn got married at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Luckily for them, the ceremony site had a huge tree that offered just enough shade in the noon sun to keep them comfortable. While the ceremony and afternoon reception were held at the Guild, the dining and dancing was at Asian Pearl Restaurant in Fremont. And boy was there dancing... I'm pretty sure no one even noticed that the wait staff at the restaurant had already wiped down and folded up the last remaining tables by the time the last song was played!

Ceremony: Allied Arts Guild

Reception: Asian Pearl Restaurant - Fremont

Day of Coordinators: Perfect Pair Weddings

Floral Design: Honey Pear Floral

Chair Covers: A Touch Of Elegance

Paul and Monica - Mission Santa Clara, Hakone Gardens, Santa Clara, CA

2011-08-02T22:35:00.000-07:00

So let me just start by saying that any couple that gets introduced to Weezer's "Dope Nose" is pretty darn cool in my book :) Having said that, Paul and Monica were also super sweet and based on the guests' reactions throughout the day, I could tell that they were very well loved by their family and friends. This wedding really did have everything - From the church service and the Korean Paebaek ceremony to the outdoor reception at Hakone Gardens, the couple blended tradition with modern flair. And of course, they both injected their own styles into the evening... I say a little Weezer and Bob Marley should be played at every wedding! Congrats again Paul and Monica! I feel so privileged to have been there!

Pulse...normal...

Beautiful overhead shot captured by my second shooter, Kelly

Wedding Coordinator: 8 Events

Floral Design: Thistledown Designs

Hair and Makeup: Meaganne McCandess

Cupcakes: Sibby's Cupcakery

Getting Ready: Cypress Hotel

Ceremony: Mission Santa Clara

Paebaek Ceremony: Bok Shin

Reception: Hakone Gardens

Glenn and Robyn - Capitola, CA

2011-07-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

For Glenn and Robyn's engagement session, we chose to head over the hill to Capitola. This seaside town was such a great place to shoot at - In the span of just a few blocks there were so many colors and settings to play with! And although it had rained the night before (I know, this post is a little late) it seemed like the sun had come out just for this couple :)

Quang and Jenny - Dynasty Restaurant, San Jose, CA

2011-05-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

Quang and Jenny's wedding was all about toasts, cheering, laughing, and singing all day. Jenny was absolutely gorgeous in both her chinese and western bridal gowns and the entire bridal party kept their energy going the entire time. Although traditional in the "tea ceremony / chinese banquet" sense, this is not to say that there wasn't any excitement and celebration radiating from everyone in attendance. I cant even remember how many toasts in the end were done by the end of the evening - maybe 50? But who's counting, right?!

Getting Ready - Doubletree, San Jose
Ceremony - Private Home
Reception - Dynasty Restaurant, San Jose
Flowers - Flower and Paper

Jay and Melanie - St. Mark's Church, San Francisco, CA

2011-04-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

This was a beautiful wedding held at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in San Francisco. Jay and Mel were a complete a joy to be around the entire day. I couldn't tell if either of them were nervous at any point but you could definitely feel the love and emotion during the ceremony. Since their reception was in the east bay, we also took a detour to take a few portraits on Treasure Island just as the sun was setting. Gotta love that warm natural light! Great couple, great day, and a fabulous wedding!

Ceremony - St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Reception - East Ocean Restaurant
Flowers - Michael Daigian Design

Eric and Diana - Highlands Inn, Carmel, CA

2011-02-26T12:34:00.000-08:00

For a January date, Eric and Diana couldn't have had better weather on their wedding day! Sandwiched between two weeks of rain, they miraculously had the one day where it was complete sunshine. Their wedding was a casual one, surrounded by their close family and friends, and was celebrated with a luncheon at the fabulous Highlands Inn. I had never been to this location before but I hope to come back for an extended weekend if I can! A gorgeous location for a beautiful couple!

Great angle captured by my second shooter, Dennis. Seriously...this was in January! The price to pay for living in California are for days like this...

UCLA Bruins colors were the going theme for this wedding!

Ceremony and Reception - Highlands Inn

Paul and Monica - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

2011-02-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

It's a rare sight that during a photo session, i have to stop to collect myself from laughing so much... but that's what Paul and Monica pretty much did to me. In a good way of course :) I had such a great time with this super fun couple! We spent a sunny Saturday together wandering through Golden Gate park and lucky for us, it was also free museum weekend so were also able to check out the De Young at the end of the day as well. Their affection and playfulness towards each other was really something else and I cannot wait for their wedding - I'm sure my stomach will be sore again on that day as well from all the laughing that I'm sure will ensue!

Nothing cooler than wearing Batman cufflinks to an engagement session!

Quang and Jenny - Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, CA

2011-02-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

I had such a blast with this engagement session! I actually had never met Quang before and although he said he was a little nervous, was a total pro in front of the camera! Jenny of course was quite the natural as well. We started our session just outside of the Fairmont hotel then went inside to take advantage of some of the empty conference room areas. Nothing like a little exploration to find some great backdrops!

Nathan and Marla - San Francisco, CA

2011-01-06T00:35:00.000-08:00

Nathan and Marla were on vacation from the Philippines and although their wedding is back home, they enjoyed San Francisco so much that they decided they'd do an engagement session while out here! When we first met, they let me know that they wanted to revisit all of their favorite spots in the city and with that, our schedule was set. We started at Baker beach and ended at the wharf, capturing great moments throughout - and although we were expecting rain, not a single drop interrupted our day! Congrats Nathan and Marla and here's to a memorable wedding back home!

Belmont Family Photographer - Twin Pines Park, Belmont, CA

2010-12-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

These two boys have really grown up since last year's family photo session. Needless to say, I found myself chasing them down a bit more than before. But I it was sooo much fun! Even though it rained a bit in the beginning, it didn't dampen any of their spirits and we were able to get some great shots of the family at their local park.

Jay and Melanie - Monterey, CA

2010-12-16T21:10:00.000-08:00

Braving some pretty cold weather, Jay and Melanie "troopered" it out all around Monterey County for their engagement session. We started at a few beaches near Carmel and traveled up the coast, ultimately ending up in downtown Monterey. I had such a great time getting to know this couple and can't wait for their wedding next year!

Thu and Roland - St Justin's Church, Decathlon Club Wedding, San Jose, CA

2010-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Thu and Roland's wedding was such a treat to photograph, bringing together all of their family and friends to be part of their big day. And boy did they all know how to celebrate! With the dance floor pretty much packed the entire time the music was playing, and with a photo booth line that never seemed to end, the night was full of non-stop cheering and toasting!

Great shot by my second shooter, Dennis!

Ceremony - St. Justin's Church
Reception - Decathlon Club

Family Playground Session - San Jose Family Portraits

2010-11-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

With most of my weddings done for the year, it gives me the time to focus more on family sessions. One of these sessions was with a wonderful family down in San Jose. We spent the day exploring new playgrounds with the kids and it seemed that every slide we came across was a new discovery for them! I'm convinced running around after kids is at least the equivalent of a gym session on the treadmill :)

The San Francisco Giants Victory Parade - San Francisco, CA

2010-11-04T19:16:00.001-07:00

52 years in the making and the wait is finally over!!! San Francisco Giants, World Champions!!! Needless to say, I took a little break from editing wedding photos to make it out to the city for the team's victory parade. And what a parade it was! With a few hours still before the parade's start, all of Market Street was pretty much taken over, and, by the time the first classic car drove by, the entire curb was packed! Everyone was in attendance, and Bochy, Cain, Posey, Lincecum, Wilson and the rest of team all showed up to thank the fans! This was definitely one for the memories (you can only win your "first" once, right?) and I was so stoked to have been there! And to those kind "neighbors" that I was with me there in the crowd, send me an email and I'll be sure to get you the group shots I took of you!

2 hours to go... patiently waiting...

Anything for a good view...

Finding a new use for the vuvuzela

Hall of Fame announcer, John Miller!

Viral Video Guy... look up "Don't Stop Believing SF Giants" on YouTube for more

So shiny...

Ross the Boss!

Torres!

Posey... Rookie of the Year!

Where's the Machine?!

What's a Victory parade without a rally thong!

The Man!

Jo and Jason - San Francisco City Hall Civil Ceremony, San Francisco, CA

2010-09-15T17:08:00.001-07:00

Although Jo and Jason will be celebrating their "real" wedding later this month, they opted to have a much smaller civil ceremony beforehand with just their families present at city hall. Let me just say that I LOVED photographing this day! Not having all of the fanfare such as the flowers, the toasts, and the DJ, this day really focused on quite simply, the union of two people who love each other. Don't get me wrong though, I love full blown weddings also! But the simplicity of this day was really touching for me. Starting with the anticipation of getting their "number" called to see the judge, to the enjoyment of a simple take out lunch to soak in the day, and finally to the laughter heard at their family tea ceremony, I feel truly blessed to have been there. Congrats Jo and Jason!

Ceremony - San Francisco City Hall

Fred and Nga - Nestldown Wedding, Los Gatos, CA

2010-09-11T22:29:00.000-07:00

With sunny skies the entire day, Fred and Nga's wedding at Nestldown was absolutely gorgeous! I was honored to be their photographer having known the couple for quite some time. We actually did a few engagement sessions beforehand which helped them to be completely comfortable in front of the camera on the big day. After the wedding at Nestldown, we managed to take a few shots in downtown Los Gatos before heading to Mayflower restaurant in Milpitas for their tea ceremony and reception. Even though their day started before 6AM and ended close to midnight, it was all smiles and laughter the whole time!

Special thanks to Dennis Hu for capturing the above image and for second shooting with me the whole day!

While in downtown Los Gatos, we stumbled upon this school bus in front of the high school whose driver happened to be there. Seeing our lovely bridal party, he was more than happy to let us use it for a few shots! Thanks Mr. Bus Driver!

Ceremony and Reception - Nestldown
Flowers - Flowers By Ivy
Reception - Mayflower Restaurant

Playground Family Session - San Jose Family Portraits

2010-09-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time photographing this family, who wanted some shots before their Baby #2 arrived. You know how the attention span of kids can last oh...say 30 seconds?... and then they move on to something else? That's pretty much what this family session was all about :) There were so many activities to do in the playground that Baby S just had to try everything! And after 30 seconds, she'd move on to the next thing! Good thing I had my running shoes on! Super cool parents with a super cool baby equals a blast down at the local park!

Above - I love this picture! She was sliding down the plastic slide, building up all this static electricity on the way down!

Kyle and Olga, Gardens at Heather Farm Wedding - Walnut Creek, CA

2010-08-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

This wedding was such a treat to photograph! With a mix of Greek and Russian traditions all throughout the day, Kyle and Olga truly made it their own. And of course, who could forget Olga's wedding dress which was handmade by the groom's grandmother!

Above - Thanks to Eric Chang for second shooting and capturing this shot!

Above - Another great image from Eric!

Ceremony and Reception - Gardens at Heather Farms

Introducing Baby J! - San Francisco Family Portraits

2010-07-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

A few favorites from Baby J's "fourth week" photo session in the city. It was such a thrill to capture these images and his parents were awesome at helping put J at ease during the entire photoshoot. Who knew that the sound of a hair dryer in the background could relax a crying baby! If you look closely, you can even see his little Superman curl!

Jimmy and Porcia - Maternity Session, San Francisco, CA

2010-07-19T00:30:00.000-07:00

Jimmy and Porcia are great friends of mine who came out to visit me and Jeannie for a few days. I've known Jimmy for over 10 years now (we pretty much act like the same immature kids now as we did back then), so I was honored to be able to capture these moments for them. Can't wait to meet the little one soon!

Olga and Kyle - San Francisco, CA

2010-06-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

I had such a blast with Olga and Kyle during their eSession! When I first talked to them, they mentioned that they loved everything about the city and were both nature lovers. So of course, we chose a couple iconic spots in the city to capture these images, the Sutro bathhouse ruins and Golden Gate park. They were both troopers in the wind and sun and were completely easy going in front of the camera. I'll see you two in a few months for the wedding!

Gooooooooaaaal!!!!!!

2010-06-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

The four year wait is over! Who's gonna be up at pub with at 7AM?!

Europe 2010: Italy and France - Part 5, Paris!

2010-06-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

After almost 12 days in Italy, Jeannie and I ended our trip in Paris... our final stop! Since we had both visited before, rather than do as many tourist stops as we could (e.g. the 2-day Museum Pass), we opted to just wind down our trip wandering through the Paris streets and spending as much time as we could in the local cafes. Each day started with us sleeping in and then waking up to immerse ourselves into the amazing city life Paris had to offer. Such a great way to end our journey! Can't wait to come back!

Gotta love the Parisian skyline!

Admittedly, this was our first food stop in Paris. After eating nothing but Italian food, we felt like we deserved a little taste of home :) Pho done French style!

Inside Notre Dame cathedral with its beautiful stained glass.

In front of Notre Dame was what looked like a bread festival. Local kids were invited to learn how to bake bread by the seasoned bakers. Above, you can see some of the bakers taking a quick paddleball break outside the kitchen tent.

Nothing like fresh pastries right out of the oven! Hmm...I wonder if those kids baked this batch.

Random trinkets from some of the many tourist shops we passed.

I really think Europe got it right when it comes to tiny modes of transportation to get you through the city streets.

The Louvre...

One of the many bike share stations we spotted all throughout Paris. Such a great idea and I hear they are going to start testing this in San Francisco too!

One of the many cafes Jeannie and I ate at. At this particular location...

... we enjoyed Pommes Frittes!

Another skyline shot... we were so lucky to get breaks from the rain while in Paris so we could wander around!

Two shots from the Louis Vuitton flagship store on the Champs Elysess. There was so much incredible detail in this store!

Not to be outdone... the Nescafe store, also on the Champs Elysees was more art museum than store!

Shots from the Jardin du Luxembourg. On this particular day, the rain clouds finally left letting everyone to enjoy the fabulous sunshine!

Public transportation at its best!

Shots of Paris at night!

Europe 2010: Italy and France - Part 4, Tuscany!

2010-06-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

While Jeannie and I were in Florence, we took some time to head out into Tuscany! Think... Sonoma in the middle ages and I think that might describe it. On our trek we visited the towns of Siena, San Gimignano, and of course, Pisa. Each town had its on charm and character with the locals fiercely proud of where they had come from. According to one woman we spoke to, pregnant moms-to-be from Siena would carry a canister of the town's dirt with them when they were near their delivery date. In the event they went into labor away from home, they would place the soil under their bed so when their baby was born, the could still claim that the baby was still born on top of Siena soil. How's that for local town pride!

Shot of the beautiful Tuscan landscape. Despite the overcast, you could still appreciate all of the beauty the scenery had to offer!

While in Siena, we visited the world's oldest bank. Rather than gargoyles protecting their rooftops, we spotted these crazy heads jutting out of the top of the building. Wish I knew who all these heads were but I'll assume they were all famous...

Inside the Duomo in Siena was this older man on his knees doing what I can only imagine is painstaking work. He was using some sort of filler to repair the microcracks that were in the marble floors. Even though my back hurt just watching him, I was in awe admiring his patience and attention to detail he put into the repairs

A view from a roadside in Siena. The church you see in the background is the Church of San Domenico where the remains of St. Catherine are held

Il Campo, one of Italy's most famous squares and home to the Palio horse race. The whole square was shaped like a seashell that slants downward to a single drain.

Jeannie and I had the opportunity to visit a local organic farm in Tuscany. Raising their own cattle, growing their own grapes and olives, the owners introduced us to their organic wines and wonderful olive oils. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip!

Selection of wines from the farm we visited, Fattoria Poggio Alloro. Super pleasant and mild wines all of which were very tasty. Gotta find me a local store that offers their wines for sure!

Doggy that I spotted enjoying his patch of sunlight during the break in the rain on the farm.

Let me introduce to you... The Man. I wish I knew his actual name, but let's just say that for three years straight, he and his gelateria in San Gimignano have won the Ice Cream World Championships for Italy (yes, apparently this actually does exist).

Shots of some of the many towers in the medieval town of San Gimignano

I really don't know what it is, but when you're in the town of Pisa, people do crazy things like this for that "check out this totally unique picture I was able to get!" shot. Haha! Sometimes you just have to be a tourist and take the obligatory cheesy photo! Gotta love it!

Europe 2010: Italy and France - Part 3, Florence!

2010-05-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Ah Florence... Gelato, Bistecca Fiorentina, Lampredotto sandwiches, and more Gelato! In other words, Florence was all about the FOOD! Of course, there were the sites and museums as well. From the Duomo to the Ufizzi Gallery, Florence had sooo much to offer! Such a wonderful city with so much culture all around. Live music could be heard from the squares each night and there was a warm bustle through each of the markets. And of course, let's not forget about the food! No matter where we went, tourist joint or local dive, the quality of the Tuscan cuisine was apparent everywhere. Bold flavors and fresh ingredients were definitely the name of the game here! My mouth is watering just thinking about it again!

It seemed that everywhere you walked in Florence, you'd stumble across a gelateria. Of course we had to try as many as we could! Alas, gelato will never taste the same to me back here in the states. Florence has made us spoiled with their wonderful and gooey dark chocolate and pistachio concoctions!

Shot of the Duomo bell tower... didn't make it up there unfortunately but at least it looked pretty good from the ground!

Inside a local church we stumbled across in the city. As much as I love churches, this one gave me chills as it was extremely dark and empty inside

Frozen gelato on a stick. Genius!

This was a food cart we stumbled upon walking through Florence, L'antica Tripallo, which served up one of Florence's staples, the tripa and lampredotto sandwiches. In other words, tripe and cow's stomach, which was to die for! So so tasty. That's all I can really say about it. Between Jeannie and I, I think we ate four of them during our trip!

Now this I don't get at all... but for some reason, amongst all the fine tasting european beers, Duff Beer was sold all over the place in Florence!

Maybe the freshest basil and tomato bruschetta I've ever had!

Jeannie checking up on the latest news at one of the hidden wifi spots we were able to find.

Kids playing soccer up against a church wall we passed

Scarves and pashminas were huge sellers in Florence. With all the colors to choose from and at 5 euro a piece, it was hard to resist not picking up at least of few of these for back home!

Bellisima!

Nice to meet you too Mr. Piggy!

...yet another wifi finding!

What the?!... more locks!!!

Europe 2010: Italy and France - Part 2, Venice!

2010-05-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

Our next stop on our European vacation was Venice! The pictures really don't do justice to how beautiful of a city this was. Unfortunately for me and Jeannie, we both ended up catching colds during this leg of our journey so didn't spend as much time exploring as we would have liked...plus it was raining as well. Although some people actually told us that this was a blessing in disguise as we couldn't smell any of the fabulous odors that would creep up from the canals! I was also told that roughly 1000 residents a year move away from the city due to a variety of reasons so its slowly becoming more of a amusement attraction over any actual place where people live. So if you ever get the chance soon, Venice is definitely a "must visit"!

Check out Jeannie trekking through Europe with her backpack! This girl knew how to pack light too... I think it was no more than 15 lbs when all was said and done. Here we are navigating through the alleys trying to find the B&B we stayed at.

Pigeons were EVERYWHERE in Venice, especially in St. Mark's Square. These brave souls brought bread to feed the birds and I think every pigeon in the square eventually hoarded around them for a bite.

Venetian gondolas... as iconic as the "It's a Small World" ride at Disneyland! Each day, a line up of gondolas would take willing tourists around on a 40 min loop of the canals.

I'm pretty sure Pinocchio is Italy's national mascot as trinkets with his image were all over the place.

Venice is known for their masquerade masks as well as glass work from the nearby island of Murano. Just a few shots of some of the wonderful detail of both of them.

Each morning, the fish stands would take over one of the squares to sell their daily catches. Here you can see a wonderful octopus salad prepared at a local fish market, Pesce Pronto.

I still haven't figured this one out yet. But on quite of few of the bridges and gates in both Venice and Florence, we'd see tons of locks with little messages left of them shackled to the railings. Anyone know?

Ah Venice in the evenings... despite the rainy weather, the reflections on the wet ground helped create a wonderful glow each night that would light up the city and create a warm sense of feel.

Europe 2010: Italy and France - Part 1, Rome!

2010-05-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yay! After two weeks on vacation with my wife, Jeannie, we're finally back home. As much as traveling to Europe really is a delight, there really is something irresistible about sleeping in your own bed. Don't get me wrong though, Europe was fantastic! In two weeks, we were able to backpack through Rome, Venice, Florence, and Paris. Here's the set of highlights from our first stop, Rome! We did all of the touristy stuff of course and had the pleasant surprise of attending mass at St. Peter's Basilica where the Pope himself made an unexpected appearance!

Jeannie lounging around at Heathrow waiting for our connection

Lining up for the Sistine chapel. Wall to wall tourists all shuffling along...

Surprise visit by the Pope at a mass we attended in St. Peter's Basilica. We were so surprised to be even allowed in the mass at all as it as a funeral for a cardinal that had recently passed, but we were lucky and got to be 60 ft from the alter with about 100 other tourists who they let in.

...probably the most diverse selection for chocolate gelato I've seen in one place! The dark chocolate was HEAVEN!

... and Jeannie enjoying her two scoops! Clearly, the kids are checking our which flavors she decided on.

Obligatory Coliseum shot...

One of the many fine meals we enjoyed during our trip. Each dish was a guess to us as all we told the waiter was that we liked surprises! In this case, it was a mixed antipasto of cured meats and smoked seafood!

Waiting around with the thousands of other visitors for the Pope to give his weekly address and blessing

This clown was giving away "free hugs" in one of the piazzas we visited... he had a sign translated in English as well so the tourists wouldn't be freaked out.

Bridges Golf Course Wedding, San Ramon, CA

2010-05-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I helped second shoot a wonderful wedding with Dennis Hu, at the Bridges Golf Course in San Ramon. It was a perfect day, not too hot, not too cold... with a couple who braved the onlookers to capture their beautiful images. Here are just a few shots I was able to capture of the couple and their bridal party. Check out Dennis' blog for more pictures!

Ceremony and Reception - Bridges Golf Course

Graziano Family Hike - Henry Coe State Park, San Jose Family Portraits

2010-04-25T20:44:00.001-07:00

The Graziano's were such a joy to take pictures of! We started early in the morning to avoid the sun but still got our share of the heat as we began hiking. Luckily the kids were troopers and I could tell they all really enjoyed spending time out on the trail. On our way back to the cars, it seemed everyone was a little hungry as all we could talk about were our favorite things to eat! Both the boys and I traded our favorites from hamburgers (with no ketchup as I was reminded by one of the boys) to salmon nigiri. Even though we had our own favorites, we all agreed that we'd rather be eating meat than veggies any day of the week! Boys will be boys I suppose!...

Fred and Nga Part 2: Engagement Session, San Jose, CA

2010-04-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

You may have remembered the engagement session that I did with Fred and Nga a few posts back. Finally we got to do the "official" session down in San Jose. Even though it rained, they were both troopers and together we were able to find a few wonderful spots throughout downtown to grab some shots! Looking forward now to the actual wedding day!

Drew and Lisa - Nestldown Wedding, Los Gatos, CA

2010-03-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

This wedding was especially meaningful to me as it was my sister's! As a guest this time, I played the "relative with the camera in everyone's face" role... so of course, I still captured a few photos of the day. The setting at Nestldown was gorgeous and the weather was perfect. The entire event couldn't have gone more smoothly and was such a blast! From the mini wedding cakes to the community cookie bar (a Pittsburgh tradition brought to the West Coast), all of the creativity the couple put into the wedding made it completely their own. Congrats to Drew and Lisa on your big day!

Love this spread... little wedding cakes inspired by the Wayne Thiebaud painting, "Cakes"

The Cookie Bar! Guests were invited to bake a batch of cookies for everyone to enjoy! Such a great idea! And so many cookies to try! Every time a plate would empty, a new variety of cookie would be brought out!

Leave it to the scientists to have "science-themed" cookies as part of the cookie bar!

Getting Ready - Pruneyard Plaza Hotel
Ceremony and Reception - Nestldown

Albert and Edlyn - Casa Real Wedding, Pleasanton, CA

2010-03-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Albert and Edlyn are friends of mine and Jeannie's and we had such a great time at their wedding at Casa Real! While just a few tears were shed during their ceremony, there were many more laughs to celebrate their big day. Who knew that Edlyn's father had so much energy! I swear he was on the dance floor longer then anyone else that night! Congrats to the beautiful couple and thank you for letting us be part of it!

Fred and Nga Part 1: Snow Session - Truckee, CA

2010-03-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

Although Fred and Nga still have an "official" e-session coming up, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to get some pictures in the snow coming back home from snowboarding. Despite getting a little wet, we braved the cold and marched out into a field we saw off the freeway. A little freezing wind didn't stop us from getting some great images! Can't wait for the real shoot now!

Introducing "Tipsy" Bartender Services!

2010-02-20T15:13:00.000-08:00

While shooting the weddings I'm at, I get the chance to meet some great vendors also in the business. Tipsy Bar Services were one of those vendors from the last wedding I was at, where bartenders, Richard and Tien, kept the beverages flowing the whole night! I've seen them in action a few times now and they are alway professional at what they do. Prior to the reception, they work with each bride and groom to come up with custom cocktail menus and help figure out how much alcohol you'd need as well too keep the costs manageable. They are a great option if your reception location allows you to provide your own drinks!

Quoc and Lien, St. John Vianney Church - San Jose, CA

2010-02-18T21:07:00.000-08:00

Quoc and Lien had a beautiful wedding at St. John Vianney church in San Jose, surrounded by close family and friends. This was followed by a crazy amount of food at their reception at ABC restaurant with a red velvet wedding cake that was to die for! Despite the long day and all the great dishes, the couple was still able save up enough energy to dance the night off. Congrats Quoc and Lien and cheers for putting on such an awesome celebration!

Checking Out The New Vegas Landscape

2010-01-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

So its been awhile since I've been to Vegas with something "new" to actually see. Over the weekend, I made the trip down and was able to check out the new Vegas City Center...and talk about modern! I cant really tell if there is a theme (e.g. Pirates and Beaches) here but it definitely exudes sophistication and style in everything you see. From their store selection to all the details you see when you walk around, the city center has definitely raised the bar on the Vegas Strip. Now if only I can find the buffet there...

Jocelyn and Albert - San Francisco, CA

2009-12-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

Despite rain and grey clouds leading up to Albert and Jocelyn's engagement shoot, blue skies appeared in the city for just enough time to capture some great images of the couple. Albert and Jocelyn were such a fun pair - relaxed and ready for anything! From battling the ocean waves to sneaking into unsuspecting residential nooks, we had such a great time! Leave it to the Inner Richmond to have so many patterns and colors all on one street! And go figure...just as we were wrapping up our day, the rain came back in again!

Liz and Ryan, Five Wounds Church - San Jose, CA

2009-12-18T00:29:00.000-08:00

Liz and Ryan's wedding was truly an intimate affair. Although the day started with a bit of wet weather, this didn't stop the happy couple from celebrating their marriage with close family and friends. It was such a joy to be at this wedding and was thrilled to be able to capture their special moments. Congrats Liz and Ryan!

Ceremony - Five Wounds Church
Reception - ABC Seafood Restaurant
Flowers - Flower and Paper

A Boy And His Teddy Bear - San Jose Family Portraits

2009-12-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

While the weather has finally to take a turn for darker skies, this family and I were able to find a lovely little park to snap a few shots before getting too cold. Their little boy was such a treat to capture pictures of - though when it came time to posing for the camera or exploring with his teddy bear...I think the teddy bear won most of the time. Nonetheless, we were still able to catch him for a few smiles before he would run off again to continue discovering the park.

Bayside Photo Session

2009-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about the SF Bay Area has to be the random days of great sunshine weather despite it already being December. That said, last Sunday was a great opportunity for a session by the bay for this particular family. Once they saw the playground, the two boys had me running all over the place - through the sand, in the grass, and embedded in the occasional shrub. It was all worth it though as we captured some great moments on this "not a cloud in the sky" day!

SF Bay and Playground Shoot

2009-11-30T22:02:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, you get to meet a family whose kids have absolutely no fear in front of the camera. For this particular shoot, this brother-sister duo were just that! Within just a minute of meeting the family, I was welcomed by their kids, with their son quickly sharing with me his favorite toys. Both of the children were ready for the shoot with grins from ear to ear the whole time. Despite the overcast, we had a great day near the water and playing at their local community park!

Vy and Hau, Mission Santa Clara, San Jose City Hall - San Jose, CA

2009-11-22T22:37:00.000-08:00

Vy and Hau are friends of mine who just had their beautiful wedding at the historic Mission Santa Clara. The church was an intimate, traditional wedding for friends and family while the reception at San Jose City Hall added the contemporary touches to the evening. Who would have thought that the normally empty rotunda could be made so elegant for the evening! Congratulations Vy and Hau on your fabulous day!

Sisters Shoot, Lafayette Community Park - Lafayette, CA

2009-11-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot for two sisters after school at a local park near their house. What was supposed to be a portrait session quickly became a frantic chase after the girls with their mom as they jumped and ran through the park's playground and surrounding fields. Thankfully, we had just enough afternoon light left to grab some great shots of the two!

Introducing "Flower and Paper"!

2009-10-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

"Flower and Paper" is a locally based company that specializes in fine custom invitations, fun floral presentations and a daily dose of inspirations for all stylish things. Run by a close friend of mine, here are just a few samples of her wonderful work over this past year that I was able to snap! Beautiful!

Plane Ride To Vegas!

2009-09-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, a few friends and I headed out to Vegas for a guy's weekend. Rather than fly the typical Southwest leg, my friend, Alejandro, who's has a pilot's license, offered to fly a few of us down on a private plane! Granted the plane only held 3 of us and it took a bit longer than a commercial jet, it was still a great way to start the weekend! As this was my first private plane ride, of course I couldn't help but snap a few shots of the bird. Thanks for the great experience Alejandro!

Gemma and John - Berkeley, CA

2009-08-30T01:27:00.000-07:00

Gemma and John were such a great couple to shoot! Although there was sweltering heat and the sun was beating on us all day, they were troopers - always keeping their smiles up. We started on the UC Berkeley campus and then made our way to Tilden Park for some shots by the barns. Little did we know that we'd stumble upon the merry-go-round and get some great shots there as well! Thanks again Gemma and John for the great day!

Who's shooting who here?!

2009-08-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

In addition to karaoke mics and cell phones, Victoria has now discovered the wonders of digital cameras. Although it took her a while to get the hang of pressing down the shutter button, once she figured it out, she was a paparazzi machine. The funniest thing was that she actually would wait for you to smile first before taking the shot. Then, in true photographer fashion, made sure the shot looked good in the preview screen before working the next pose... a true natural!

Wet Your Whistle, Moisturize Your Face

2009-07-23T22:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight I finally made it up to my old college roommate Ami's store in SF, On The Fly - Solutions For the Modern Gentleman. Ami and his team were hosting a social gathering sponsored by Craft Distillers, makers of Hangar1 Vodka and Amea Skin Care. While there, in addition to catching up with an old friend, I was also able to try out some new drinks and get my skin analyzed. Apparently I am quite hydrated and I really enjoy fruit-infused vodka and Rose liquors... Quite the evening!

Paul's 40th Birthday

2009-07-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, I was able to shoot at Paul's 40th birthday and boy did he know how to celebrate! From the backyard taqueria to the bouncy house to the latin band, all of the guests were treated to a night of eating, laughing, and dancing! Thanks Paul for having me there...it was a real pleasure!

Emily and Greg's Wedding, Palm Event Center - Pleasanton, CA

2009-07-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I attended my friend's wedding at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton. From the food to seeing faces I hadn't seen in a long time, it was such a great time! Lots of dancing and less drinking than I would have thought... but always fun when you're with friends! Congrats again Emily and Greg! Props go out to Junaid the Officiant as well. Couldn't have run a smoother ceremony!

What Do You Mean You've Never Heard Of Unicycle Basketball?!

2009-06-23T23:14:00.000-07:00

That's ok... neither did I... until I met Adam (the guy in the mustache in the first shot) and his gang of single-wheeling buddies. Meeting up at a local Berkeley basketball court, these guys (and gal) spent a couple hours racing back and forth through several games. Apparently, they are all practicing for this year's Unicycle Olympics to be held in New Zealand. Yeah, I never heard of that either... Good luck Adam and team!

Oooo... Duckies!

2009-06-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

On Father's Day in the city of Los Gatos, the Annual Charity Rubber Ducky Race was held. Basically, each rubber ducky was adopted by a person with a donation and the person with the winning duck got a prize. Pretty fun day even though the race itself lasted about 10 minutes. In one of the pics, you can see Steve Wozniak, the honorary guest who led off the race. Kathy Griffin was nowhere to be seen...

Maker Faire

2009-06-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, the San Mateo Expo Grounds hosted the 2009 Maker Faire, a two-day, family-friendly event to make, create, learn, invent, craft, recycle, think, play and be inspired by celebrating arts, crafts, engineering, food, music, science and technology. Jeannie and I spent the day wandering through the exhibition halls taking a look at all of the gadgets people had brought in to show. Definitely a place for inspiration and just general wackiness!

Visit to the Academy!

2009-05-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was at the Academy of Sciences up in the city and got a chance to snap a few shots of my cousin's baby as well as her friend's children. They were all so fun to shoot! With every shot, the eldest insisted on checking out the preview on the camera to make sure they were good. Hopefully she'll like them! Baby Calvin got caught up in a trance staring at all the fish too!

New York City!

2009-05-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, my fiancee and I had a chance to head out to NYC for a little R&R. It's been years since I've been there and even longer for going there for reasons other than work - so this mini-vacation was well needed. Although the weather called for rain, we got lucky with warm sunny days during the entire time we were there! This was also my first opportunity to try out some new camera gear that I recently purchased so I shot as many things (albeit random) as I could. Here are just a few of my favs...

Victoria Learns To Wink

2009-05-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

As much as I tried to take a "regular" photo of Victoria this evening, I caught her in her, "Look everyone, I can wink!" phase. So now I have about 50 photos where she insisted on looking like this in every shot...still precious though!

Love Them Kids!

2009-04-27T11:08:00.001-07:00

So while last year was the Year of Weddings for me photo-wise, so far, for 2009, most of what I've been able to shoot have been kids. I never realized how much fun shooting kids could be! From crouching down to their level to running after them, it's amazing what kind of shots you're able to get when you get them to laugh and just be themselves. Taking such spontaneous photos of kids has been so rewarding, especially when you know they're normally camera shy! Here are just a few of my favorites from the past few shoots...

2008 Wedding Highlights

2009-03-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

Long overdue... but here's a slideshow of some of the weddings I was able to be at from last year. Enjoy!

View all

Welcome To My Blog!

2009-03-01T22:52:00.000-08:00

Hello! So after a lot of doing nothing, I've finally decided to take the time to put together this little blog of mine. If you've made it this far, thanks for checking it out! Hopefully over time, I'll be able to use this blog to share some of my favorite images that I've been able to take. Whether its of people, places, or food...photo-wise, nothing makes me happier than capturing a moment that is able to put a smile on a friend's face!

Jason's Other Work

2009-01-01T00:01:00.002-08:00

Thanks for coming to visit my blog! Feel free to click on any of the labels below for to be taken to all of my other work! A couple of the biggies though...

Travel

Events

Work With Jason

2009-01-01T00:01:00.001-08:00

While I'm currently available to shoot all types of photo work, my focus continues to be on family sessions and weddings. However, please feel free to contact me to discuss what you are looking for and we'll go from there!

All base sessions include a disc of all digital negatives from the day with a selection that are further post-processed as "My Favorites". They are saved as high resolution jpeg images. Of course, if there are images that are particularly special for you, I am more than happy to touch up those images as well! Additional services such as prints and custom albums are also offered a la carte.

For scheduling and current rates, feel free to drop me an email at jasonwphotos@gmail.com

Meet Jason

2009-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hello and thanks for visiting my blog! Since I've picked up a camera, I've always tried to capture different perspectives of ordinary things. I guess you could say that's my style... snapping moments that when caught in a photograph, express the emotions and feelings of that time - from a viewpoints you might not expect! During my sessions, don't be surprised if see me sprawled out on the ground, back behind a shrub, or even with my feet in the water to capture that unique angle!

While I'm currently available to shoot all types of photo work, my focus continues to be on events, kids, and weddings.

All base sessions include a disc of all digital negatives from the day with a selection that are further post-processed as "My Favorites". They are saved as high resolution jpeg images. Of course, if there are images that are particularly special for you, I am more than happy to touch up those images as well! Additional services such as prints and custom albums are also offered a la carte.

For scheduling and current rates, feel free to drop me an email at jasonwphotos@gmail.com

Also become a fan of my Facebook page for updates!