What can I say about this couple that isn’t already described in the pictures? Sachee and Abhishek are just hands down great people that are not only fun to hang around but also a joy to photograph. We had a little thirty minute break during their engagement party so we decided to take a few photos.

In the end I had so much fun shooting their party that I even stayed afterwards for a couple hours! Here are a few frames that I would love to share.

Vivian and Calvin are two special people who we can literally shoot forever and have tons of fun doing it. We took them to one of our favorite spots in Costa Mesa and ended our night at Southcoast Plaza, somewhere I always wanted to shoot at. Along the journey we avoided mall cops, snaked through prickly bushes, and even got kicked out of our first location. Our efforts created some of my favorite images thus far.

It’s been awhile since San Diego residents Elaine and Paulo have been up to Orange County so we gave them a tour around the city while taking some pictures on the side. Our first stop was Old Towne Orange where we found plenty of vintage shops. Katrina actually got a little carried away and we almost came home with four pieces of matching luggage! We ended the day at Milk and Honey where they serve the best frozen yogurt and shaved ice combo in town. Elaine and Paulo are one of those couples that are just so much fun to shoot. They were in their own little world for every shot and we had the best time capturing that.

We had a quick engagement session with Christina and Andy’s at the Viceroy hotel before their rehearsal dinner at Shutter’s. We had a great time and even had one of the best meals in our lives. It definitely helped when Christina’s mom kept on telling us to grab more Lobster. We couldn’t help but oblige! My stomach never felt so great after a shoot.

Gianna also did a wonderful job coordinating the event.

I received word from Ambereen a couple months ago that Sameem would be taking a break from working on his MBA at Harvard to visit her who had just finished up dental school in Chicago. We figured this was perfect timing to get some engagement shots in before their huge wedding coming up soon in Detroit so I flew out to hang out with them for a day. Although we were hoping for sunny weather we were given clouds and rain, which was actually a nice change for me coming from Southern California. It was my first time in Chicago and I was surprised at how much I loved about the city. Exploring it with them was a blast and I can’t wait to shoot their wedding.

Sony and Sunil are an amazing couple getting married later this summer in D.C. I wasn’t able to shoot the wedding so I covered their engagement party they held in LA for their friends and family here. We also snapped a few quick frames after the party before they went off to enjoy the Laker game.

It was our first time in Singapore when Ai Ling and Nicholas showed us around the city. We started the day off at a local fishing spot where they once camped out on a rainy new years eve to watch the nearby boats light up the sky with fireworks. After that was a whirlwind of eating local foods and sightseeing. One of the day’s highlights was visiting their unfinished apartment in Singapore’s highest residential building at fifty stories. Their apartment is on the 47th floor, with a great view to boot. We ended the night close to midnight with a full stomach and with a better knowledge of the small city they call home.

Katrina found this great location below

Ellen is a foodie who is in love with Thomas Keller, so naturally we would start our engagement session off at Keller’s new Bouchon in Beverly Hills. To all you Keller fans out there, Ellen received a call the other day confirming her reservation his most famous restaurant, The French Laundry. From all the excitement I have been getting from Ellen, I am positive that the dinner will be the highlight of their honeymoon in Napa. Jerry the assistant general manager at Bouchon and was very accommodating and even gave us complimentary wine and champagne throughout our stay. Afterwards we walked across the street to the gorgeous Montage hotel and experienced their breathtaking tea room. To end the day, we drove over to Japan Town in an attempt to eat the famous Daikokuya ramen. Upon our arrival we found out that we were the 22nd party on the waiting list, so we decided to eat somewhere else. Coincidentally the next day Katrina and I bumped into the couple at Mitsuwa getting their ramen that we couldn’t get the other day. They had just signed their marriage license and are now well on their way to their wedding in February.

Everyone picks up their first camera for a reason. With this camera they hold in their hands the ability to show the world their own unique rectangular outlook on life. I bought my first camera with one goal in mind – to document the wide array of emotions that us humans are capable of. The most powerful and my favorite emotion of them all of course, being love. And to my luck we are in the season where it is the most abundant. This holiday season I wanted to thank the viewers and supporters of my photography by giving back something special.

I will be offering to one lovely couple:
2-3 hour engagement session
DVD of all fully retouched digital negatives
10×15 Framed print of your choice
Credit towards your wedding if you are engaged

What I need from you:
Now that you briefly know how I started my relationship with the passion of my life, I would love to know about your love story. Along with that, I will need the following information from you:
Both of your names
Your location
Contact information
A photograph of the two of you
A few paragraphs of how you both met, interesting facts, and why photography is important to you

E-mailed to wongphotography@gmail.com. Anyone is free to apply, whether you are married, engaged, or two people merely beginning your journey. You can even apply for friends, co-workers, and family. If you are located outside of Southern California, then some travel fees may apply. The deadline is midnight January 31st, 2010. The winner will be chosen immediately after the deadline and e-mailed more details afterwards. To all the couples applying who help me keep me doing what I love, good luck.