So guess what I did another graduation today but I bet you didn’t expect it to be another couple! I bet if this couple weren’t wearing caps and gowns you would have guessed this was an engagement shoot. Why? Because I love shooting people in love and Rovy and Rosanne were another graduating couple that wanted me to capture their achievements together. If you have been avidly reading my blog, then you would know that I’ve been enjoying shooting couples recently. Here’s another one: Rovy and Rosanne. They are both graduating from Cal State Long Beach in business administration and health care administration. Rovy is one of my brothers from Zeta Phi Rho and his girlfriend, Rosanne, is a sister of Kappa Psi Epsilon. We even got a few pictures with them wearing their organizations’ stoles. Rovy and Rosanne were both a little awkward at first, but I convinced them that it takes about 30 minutes for an average model to loosen up *wink. Eventually they warmed up and we were able to get some great shots. Hope you enjoy these pictures!

Also, recently, I did Frances’, who is an old friend from high school, and Kim’s graduation pictures. We took pictures at Cal State Fullerton but Kim is graduating from UCI next month. Special thanks to Frances’ boyfriend, Sheldon, for holding the lights. We played with spot lighting and artificial lighting all at the same time. It was a really fun shoot and I hope you guys had a great time!

And here are frances and kim’s photos from Cal State Fullerton, both of them are sisters of Delta Phi Gamma and Frances and I have been friends sinceee way back when i can remember :) We use to play counterstrike together and she’d kick my butt :)

This one’s Sunday afternoons Cal State Long Beach graduation portraits for Lizelle, her brother Jon, and his girlfriend Johanna. Jon and Johanna went to college with me and i’ve known for at least 5 years now. I met Jon the spring of his first year and we have become great friends ever since. Johanna and Jon both were really amazing to work with, they also helped me on my February Project, Project Paradise with a couple amazing pictures. Honestly one of the cutest couples i know, it was a plus getting to shoot some romantic type of pictures with them. All in all though we were able to get over 250 amazing pictures in the 2 hour session but here are just a few of my favorites. Congratulations to all of you and thanks for asking me to shoot your milestone achievement :)

Another Thursday gone to photography was dedicated to Liezl and Val’s graduation portraits, we did a quick session at the park and a couple shots in studio for their session, it was really fun working with them, we ended up having alot of mutual friends who we literally went thru facebook stalking. Oh the power of facebook, how did i ever get around without it? Liezl is graduating in Kinesiology Physical Therapy and Val is graduating in my college, Business emphasis in Marketing both from Cal State San Bernardino. They brought letters so they could do some prop shots which were super cool and fun. Alwaysss always bring props to a fun shoot, it brings some versatility to the images, jus like Nai’s headphones and Macbook :) Thanks for asking me to take your grad portraits girls, I had a blast!

My teacher once told me: “just because you own the camera and pressed the shutter doesnt mean its your image. if your assisting or using someone elses lighting or set up, its their copyright, its their image, and you need to ask them permission”

I’ve never had this problem even though he’s warned mee dozens of times to stop letting people just have the pictures i set up or light on my own, but i’ve been seeing it pop up alot lately that i know at one point i would have to stop someone from using my images that are unique to my education. Although i’m not too sure about the morality of this, I have always believed that photography is a sharing experience and that if an assistant helps me, then he can shoot whatever he wants and use it in his portfolio.

Its good to remember though, 1. raws are your negatives, proof the image is yours, if you give it away you give your image away, and 2. if you didn’t set up the image or your working for someone else, the image is not originally yours, ask permission. Either way, what i am saying is, don’t lose friends by stealing their work, if you want to steal their work, just ask them, :) for the most part they will be fine with it as long as there’s no alterior motive. This is my opinion, but to each his own ofcourse. So hows that for Photography 301?

Anyway to a more lighthearted story line…

I am a wedding and engagement photographer! I can do other things if needed but my passion is in couples, I like posing them, making them look places, having them life, kiss, smile, and find that passion inside of them. People in love are in their element, and thats what i love shooting. So when i did Angela’s grad pictures today, I got really into it when Angela’s boyfriend Daniel got into the pictures. In the end though, i got some great shots of both Angela, and Angela and Daniel. Angela is graduating from Cal State Long Beach and we did a bunch of pictures at the pyramid area of the campus. Hope you like your photos!