Jon Chan Photography

Hi, I've Moved.

2009-10-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

The new blog is at www.jphotoblog.com

See you there!

warmest,

Jonathan

Cindy & In-Seob | San Francisco Wedding Pt2.

2009-09-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry Everyone for not updating in so very long. I've been slowly [and EXTREMELY painfully] making the switch to wordpress. The switch should be done soon....

Part 2 from this wedding shot for Tim Sohn Studios. More good stuff....enjoy!

I've been noticing a trend of guys getting more teary-eyed than the bride. Love it.

I love this picture. It is what I call the "last breath". When the Father of the Bride comes and tells her it is time to go walk down the aisle. There is always this moment of reality...of "is this really happening". To capture it...priceless :)

much love,

jc

Sleepless 09 Pt2

2009-08-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Man...I totally forgot to publish this. Sorry! This is from a ways back...but I'm stoked about some of the pics so I gotta show 'em.

more from Sleepless 09...

Check out edgar.org! [Everyone Deserves A Roof....I love it] They offer homeless a mobile housing solution. Basically this windproof/waterproof shelter can fold up into something smaller than a shopping cart. Its rollable. Inside has a foldable mattress thats actually pretty comfortable. Its like McGyver...Impressive!!

For some reason, I REALLY like the next two in black in white. Something about the hands...

This brother can singgg!

Probably my favorite shot of the night.

They had a stack of cardboard for people to build their own shelters

Some of the shelters

Gettin Creative

This kid is way cute!

All I can think of is "Polly"

Kimberly Hunt made an appearance!

It takes a real man to wear a balloon hat.

People were woken up by the sound of the a team from Intervarsity....sweet sweetin singing.

Hitman Hayes!

I love this one...he's all bundled up!

Cindy & In-Seob | San Francisco Wedding Photography

2009-08-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

This amazing San Francisco wedding was photographed at the Julia Morgan Ballroom for Tim Sohn Studios. Tim and I are like bestest buddies...we shoot together all the time in the Bay Area/San Diego. Good times! It's always a blast working with him.

Anyways, On to the pics!

This place has some amazing Light.

Some people just aren't meant to be serious...

what ring?

more to come. I'm beat from my weekend.

Mike Colón Workshop day 3

2009-08-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

The last day of the workshop we got to do some work outside. We found a random field and went to town on it. Thanks Megan for letting us put you through all that :)

This could totally be in a magazine.

One of my favs

hotness.

I call this picture...cali :)

much love,

-jc

Mike Colón Workshop day 2

2009-07-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

On the 2nd day, we got in a bunch of shooting. We first started off by photographing a room for the Pelican Hill.

love the way the room was set up.

One of my favs.

Does this girl look familiar? She's one of the girls from Deal or No Deal!

Hello Ralph Lauren ad :). Check out the details on that dress...

How can you not love california sun :)

Gotta end with this shot of Mike and Ray Santana. Man don't even get me started with Ray. That man is straight up legit. Associated Press + Professional Sports Photographer turned Wedding Photog. He's an alum to Mikes workshop and came along to help us out. This man made me shoot manual mode the entire workshop. I owe him bigtime for making me learn it.

much love,

-jc

Tim & Candy Wedding

2009-07-27T00:12:00.000-07:00

Man I'm tired. Just got back from the bay area after attending a wedding for my friends Tim and Candy. Congrats you two!

Here is the money shot...straight outa camera baby :). Manual WB + Manual Mode....I'm learning!

have a great week.

much love,

jc

Mike Colón Workshop Day1

2009-07-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

A little while back, I had the awesome opportunity to attend a Mike Colón workshop in Newport Beach. Mike has become one of the luminaries of our wedding industry...but talking with him, you'd never know. He's one of the most genuine, sincere and humble guys that you'll ever meet. [But don't think he's a wimp...Mike's got mad brazilian jiu jitsu skills!] Anyways, to put it briefly, Lids were popped...minds were blown...massive influxes of knowledge were transferred.

Here are some images from Day1. The workshop was held at the Pelician Hill. The neat part of everything was that we got to actually shoot some promo material for the hotel. sweet :). Anyways, enough blabbin from me...

This is the Legend, using the Nikon Legend. [In case you don't speak nerd, the translation is Mike using the Nikon 200 f/2. The 200 f/2 is basically the manolo blahnik of the camera world.]

If you think that getting photographed by ONE photographer is intimidating, check out this firing squad :)

More to come!

much love,

-jc

Cindy + Bob Pt.2

2009-07-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

The 2nd part of this awesome wedding.

The bridal party surprised the guest by busting out into song...

Then Bob surprised Cindy with a song! I love her expression.

Guy with the guitar always gets the girl.

much love,

-jc

Monday

2009-07-13T01:15:00.001-07:00

I am not a fan of monday. If I had my way, the work week would only be 3 days. Monday would officially be known as "recover from the weekend" day. and Friday would be known as "prepare for the weekend" day. Alas, we don't live in such a perfect utopia. So I've got two images to help you get through today.

Here's a sweet image from my wedding this past weekend.

and their super-adorable-I-wanna-steal-him dog. I told Zeus to give me his "I-hate-mondays-as-much-as-Jon" face. He brought it big time. :)

Happy monday!

-jc

Mike Colón Workshop Teasers

2009-07-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

So over the weekend I finished the images from the Mike Colón Workshop. Here are a couple more that I absolutely loved. The GLORIOUS full post is on its way! =P

2 blog entries in one day. That is a big deal for me. [Don't worry, I already gave myself a gold star :) ]

-Jc

Cindy & Bob

2009-07-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to share some images from Bob & Cindy's wedding. This wedding was seriously awesome. And you kind of knew right off the bat. From the girls having a giggle-fest while getting ready....to the guys rockin' the chucks.....to the wonderful guest-turned-party people. [So apparently the groom and the pastor know each other from way back. So it may or may not have been subtly mentioned that the faster the message was finished, the faster the open bar could begin. =P] It was such a beautiful wedding!

So to kick things off, the vendors.

Hair: Done by the awesome Theresa Huang. She seriously does flawless work. Cindy's hair looked as good that morning as it did at the end of the evening!

Makeup: Everyone knows that a good makeup artist is KEY. And a good makeup artist makes makes my life easier :). So they're like my best friends. haha. Cindy decided to go with Andrea Steele Makeup. Andrea's done a lot of high end fashion and weddings. Girl just flat out knows her stuff.

Flowers: Shirley Liu. Beautifully done. But why take my word for it...the pictures speak for themselves :)

So we started the day off in Agoura Hills...

So money! Oh yeah, they had a grooms-woman. sweet :)

Flower Balls. if you let guys hold this, you're pretty much guaranteed to get something like this.

The Ceremony was at Stauffer Chapel [Pepperdine]...so we did the first sighting on this grassy area.

Getting all choked up...

And Cindy just laughing at him :)

mmmm....bling bling!

Give me sexy.

One of the flower girls

The bearer of rings! And matching chucks too!

The best man tried to get frisky with the groom.

OMG aren't they adorable?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture.

Its probably my favorite...the emotion is priceless.

More to come :)

- Jc

Lori & Jackson

2009-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

I attended a wedding this weekend! And for once, I wasn't photographing it. Steph was the Maid of Honor...so she had to work for once :). Guys, we have it SOO much easier. Our pre-wedding routine involved rolling out of bed, hopping into the shower, shaving, putting some smell-good on and then just put on that tux. The process for girls....I'm not even going to try

Anyways, took along an 85mm to snap some pictures. My hands feel weird without a camera. The fingers get antsy and twitchy. Have I really become a camera nerd!??

Anyways, enough of me blabbing...

Jackson looking studly

The lovely bride :)

I love this pictures because its like the father looking on...at his baby

awww. Such a sweet moment as he's dabbing away her tears. [you can't wipe or else it smears!]

Ok so seriously I picked the worst seat in the sanctuary. I decided to sit down behind a 6'2" Uncle Bob. So not only was I not able to see over him, he constantly had his camera up. And not like a little point and shoot. We're talking about a massive 70-200 with flash. I decided to get creative with it

SUCHHH as sweet moment.

When you're an artist like Lori...its expected that your handwriting looks like a font.

The decorations were awesome

Yes. The cake toppers are rats. Rats dressed up as bride + groom.

I like how you can feel the love between them in the picture. It warms me all over.

during golden hour, we had our friends take some pictures of us. The light makes me look slightly amazing.

Stef lacks hand-eye coordination. And she gets on my case for playing video games. sheesh!

When its your wedding, you have an entourage.

This was the wedding coordinator. What she wants, she gets.

And this is what happens when Action jackson + Lori try to mimic it.

Hello lovely sunset.

Congrats you two!

Sleepless 09 Pt1

2009-06-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

This is long overdue...but I really wanted to show you guys some of the images from this event. It was a smashing success...and I think everyone left with a better understanding of homelessness. [and they raised $$$! ]

One of the new things that they added this year was the cardboard stack. People could come and grab as much as they wanted to build their shelters for the evening. creative huh?

They had shoes for all the people who had passed in the last couple of years that were homeless.

Give your Sole. So clever!

I really like this one.

This kid went crazy with his shelter.

*munch munch*

Herb giving interviews again.

More to come!

Stacey & Scott Pt.2

2009-06-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

Now for some more details and reception madness!

Told you the venue and details were awesome!

When the parents get choked up during the speeches...I always get misty eyed.

As the night progressed, Michael Jackson made an appearance!

duddee...she got him good.

Alcohol infused fruit. THAT is brilliant.

much love,

-jc

It's Coming...

2009-06-15T02:09:00.001-07:00

What is coming? The awesomeness that is known as Bob & Cindy's Wedding!

Amazing

2009-06-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have so much appreciation for this. All shot in one take! THAT is skills.

Nyle "Let The Beat Build" from Nyle on Vimeo.

Stacey & Scott

2009-06-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

Stacy and Scott had their wedding at the Turnip Rose Grand Newport Plaza. Stacey was actually one of the event planner at a previous wedding that I had photographed. So you KNOW her wedding is going to be awesome. First off, AMAZZINNGGG venue. We're talking gorgeous here. And the staff there was seriously second to none. I gotta give Scott & Stacey major props for all the decorations. The way everything was set up...just lovely! Almost as lovely as the way Stacey looked...and the way they look at each other. Thanks for the fun time guys!

I love this bridal portrait!

Don't deny it. You know you messed with mom's face when you were small :)

The priest clapping in the back totally makes this picture.

Now some lovely details.

Devera Family. Joy . Pt2

2009-06-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

ok ok, I'm sorry. But I gotta show you the rest of these. This seriously might be my favorite family shoot of all time.

Kids can be easily convinced to do things. Like the promise of a stuffed shamu toy at Sea World :)

Talk about some gorgeous light.

Oh my heart is melting!

Pure.Joy.

Right after sandy face-plant :)

much love,

j

I'm BACKKKKK!!

2009-06-04T21:26:00.001-07:00

Man its been a busy two weeks. First the AWESOME Mike C Workshop where I got my learn on. Met so many new awesome people. Then friday, I hopped on a friendly southwest flight to the bay area for a weekend packed with weddings. It's totally awesome when you get to immediately apply what you have learned.

Then flew back to SD on monday. Only to fly out on Wednesday to Hawaii for another shoot. Hawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. I love that place. I think I've found my new dream job. Wedding Photographer in Hawaii...preferred vendor at the Moana Surfrider and Kahala Resort :). Super relaxing and super fun. [and of course, lots of Mai Tai's!] So after two weeks on the road...my room in disarray. Stuff is everywhere. Tons of work to do. welcome home Jonathan.

and although Hawaii is awesome...theres no place like home. And your own bed.

Greetings from Newport Beach!

2009-05-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

This week I'm learning from the one and only Mike Colon. The man is seriously a marketing master...great shooter...overall awesome guy. They don't mess around. Seriously. I have to do push-ups every time I don't shoot in Manual mode! =P

Our schedule is pretty packed, but I wanted to share an image with you guys. More updates to come when I catch my breath :).

P.s. I'm sure the burning question on your minds is in regards to the 200 f/2 that Mike loves.

Have I tried it? Yes.

Is it heavy? heck yea!

Is it a stunning piece of glass? All I can say is WOW.

Do I want one now? Yes :(.

CRAPPPPP. hahaha

Joseph & Jen Pt.2

2009-05-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Now for the reception! They had their reception at the absolutely stunning Hyatt Regency in the OC. Totally sweet :)

This kid was following me everywhere I went. Everything I photographed, he photographed. Talk about some serious competition!

awwww...father-daughter dance

I love this picture.

Then it was time to get dowwwnnn.

Apparently the tradition is that whoever catches the garter has to put it on the leg of the single lady who caught the bouquet. And apparently the higher you go, the happier the married couple will be. =P. that's news to me!

Next they blindfolded the groom. He had to identify his bride by the smell of her knee. Seriously? haha. who thinks up this kinda stuff?!?

And of course, you gotta put guys in the line

Then back to the dance floor!

i think this is the perfect way to end it

much love,

-jc

Devera Family . Joy

2009-05-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Photographing the Devera Family while they were on vacation in San Diego was a total blessing. I mean seriously. We did our shoot at LJ Shores. Dearest Beach, it has been far too long. I can't remember the last time I ran barefoot through the surf. Squeezed the sand between my toes. Crisp sea breeze. Flip-flops. Gentle sunshine that embraces you and warms you to your core. Life doesn't get any better.

or maybe it does.

How about all that PLUS chasing this family up and down the beach. Having this much fun on a shoot shouldn't be legal!

Totally diggin the tongue stickin out

WHeeeeeeee!!

When I have kids, I'm totally going to throw them around. Gently of course.

I love the joy in the next series

mann...I want kids just like them! Until next time, stay class San Diego.

j

Sleepless SD

2009-05-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from photographing Sleepless in San Diego 2009. Sleepless in SD is a yearly event put on by the San Diego Rescue Mission. SDRM is a well established institution I wholeheartedly support. The purpose of this event is two fold. The first is to bring awareness to the homeless situation in San Diego. The people that you see on the street corners carrying cardboard signs with"any change will help. God Bless!" are actually only a small fraction of the homeless. And because the Rescue Mission does not accept any Government Money, the second reason is obviously to raise funding.

And while the thoughts are fresh in my mind, I wanted to share what tugged at my heart this weekend. As part of the activities they played a short video titled "Is Anybody Listening". This video was done by an English AP class in Northern California.

The affect of the economic downturn and potential homelessness on children was never something that crossed my mind. Up to this point we've been hearing about unemployment lines, loss of jobs, 401K's disappearing, Economic downturn, decrease in stock market and the greed of our highest financial institutions. However very little has been shown about how all this has affected the younger generation. The fact that they KNOW when rent is due or how many months they are behind. The fact that they constantly fear for being homeless. Or the fact that it stresses them out so much they can't focus in school. Perhaps President Obama said it best when he addressed this video by saying "It was heartbreaking that a girl [from this class] so full of promise, was so full of worry that they titled the video: Is anyone listening." Obama then went on to say quite dramatically, "I am listening. We are Listening. America is Listening"

Needs are all around us. The question is, are we listening?

Joseph & Jen

2009-04-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

These two are great. From the very first time we sat down for breakfast...we totally clicked. [Why breakfast you ask? Cuz its the best meal of the day. duhh!] The "click-ness" probably came from the fact that they did a long distance relationship for a while before finally taking the plunge. Needless to say, I made sure to bring along pen and paper. Gotta write down the good stuff! Their wedding was absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for letting me share in your big day!

Then we went out for some fun time :)

Some kids gave the lovely bride a cupcake :)

-jc

Standout

2009-04-08T22:05:00.000-07:00

Be Honest. Be Unique. Be Yourself. There is no one else in the world like you, nor will there ever be.

So what will you do with your gifts?

-jc

Tommy & Christine Pt. 2

2009-04-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

More goodness :)

I love this one. It's got a very vintage-y feel.

some lovely details.

Traditional Dance

I love this moment

What are the chances of the Best Man and a bridesmaid catching the garter and bouquet? Now what if I told you there were already together? If that isn't a sign, I don't know what is :)

much love,

-jc

fmylife

2009-04-01T17:28:00.001-07:00

So I'm a big fan of the site fmylife. What exactly is this site? Its a site where people go and share non-pleasant [probably an understatement] life experiences. For example today, this one girl shared:

"Today, my boyfriend brought me breakfast in bed, told me all the things he loved about me, got down on one knee and pulled out the little blue box I had been hoping for, for so long. He opened the box and there was a note inside that said, "April Fools!"

What she failed to mention was what happened to her boyfriend. Did they just have a good laugh and eat breakfast? [not likely] Did she throw the breakfast in his face? Did she punch him? Was there a need to go to the hospital? Stitches? Seriously this guy has cajones. I would never dare to pull a stunt like that. I would cease to exist. Jon Chan Photography would be game over. Don't believe me?

Stephanie: i would kill u
Sent at 5:26 PM on Wednesday
Stephanie: seriously
Stephanie: HAHA

Don't let that "HAHAH" fool you. It's for reals. In the words of Batman's butler Alfred, "know your limits" :). Happy April 1st!

-jc

Tommy & Christine Pt.1

2009-03-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite weddings of all time.

No, not because Christine is full of sass and absolutely wonderful. Not because Tommy is one of the most caring people I've ever met. [And he's a bit of a softie. I heard there were bets going around to see who would cry...Tommy or Christine]. Not because they absolutely adore each other and are perfect soul mates.

The reason? The huge amount of trust that they bestowed on me. Right from the beginning they made it clear. You're the photographer. Do your thing. We trust you.

Can't really ask for much more. Love you guys!

Have a good weekend!

-jc

May & Chris Crazybooth :)

2009-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is from a while back...but I had to share it.

Can we say...awesome time? :)

So Darren, when are you getting married?

much love,

-jc

Leah & David Engagement

2009-03-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

I did an engagement shoot for these two during the Valentine weekend. They were an awesome couple. Sometimes you know you're totally going to get along with somebody before ever meeting them. Leah and David would be one of those couples. David is here in SD. Leah is in Colorado. And when asked to describe each other, they're hilarious.

David says I am a hippie.

I say he’s a slacker.

I’m a perfectionist.

He is OCD and dyslexic. LOL. I just laughed thinking about that.

He’s a pastor.

I’m a scientist.

Leah & David met during college. They attended the same fellowship. And their first first meeting was anything but smooth. David called her to set up some rides. She thought he was a different David and chatted him up. awkward :). Nothing really developed though. But then as fate would have it, they got together right before David came out to California to study seminary. Timing is everything. So after countless flights back and forth, David decided to take the plunge. Leah had once made a surprise flight out to SD to visit David...and for that, he promised that he would get her back.

David is kind of a stud on the guitar so he made a recording of himself playing some songs for her. Then he used some trickery. He went to the post office to get the package stamped and "post-dated". To give the appearance that it had been mailed. Then he jumped on a flight and coordinated this feat of deception with Leah's family. David dropped off the package at Leah's house...and Leah's family had convinced her to come home that weekend. When she arrived at home, she was given the package from David. In went the disc, out came the tears. In the middle of the waterworks, the door bell rings. Who could that be? Later that night, under the twinkling stars, David asked her to be his ~~boss~~ wife. and I think she said yes.

on to the pictures!

I asked Leah if she was jealous that her husband-to-be was getting so much attention. [See him in the right corner? ]

"my name is charlie and I will BITE you!"

This is a mean looking bird. don't mess.

Boys will be boys.

I love this one. David has this look of joy on his face.

Yay sun!

This is kind of a concept shot. Initially the idea behind it was that "this space" was pointing to their hearts. Which they give to each other. That is the sweet explanation. Then I was looking at it more and realized it could also be seen as David's single days expiring. =P HAHAHA.

One of my favorites.

oh sexy time.

I love how David holds her.

Perfect way to end the set :)

-jc

Exihibt J

2009-02-25T14:49:00.000-08:00

I found out the other day that my friend Jill Olson is also an amazing jewelry designer. Aspiring would be an understatement. Who knew. We both endured through Engineering together at UCSD. [Although, she enjoyed it MUCH more than I did]. After we both started working, she discovered jewelry designing. I discovered photography. And we both ended up with creative outlets when not gazing at a computer screen. Check out more of the goods here

Anyways, she asked me to shoot some promotional material for her company. I agreed but under the condition that she would hook me up with some serious BLING. ok I kid. BLING looks terrible on me. You women get all the cool accessories.

Sweet huh?

-jc

Valentine.Shoot

2009-02-24T00:20:00.000-08:00

I spent part of Valentines day shooting David & Leah. More to come :)

much love,

- jc

edit: Transform

2009-02-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

So the other night I was watching this.

After I had finished, I went back and watched it again. and again. My heart was aching. What touched me so much about the video was Zack's ability to articulately say everything that I feel in my heart. And judging by the huge response, it has struck a huge cord with a bunch of other people as well.

Particularly the part about arrogance. Our arrogance to think that we can have everything figured out by our age. [In my case, 26]. The arrogance to think that what has taken other famous photographers a lifetime to learn, we can learn in a few short years. The arrogance to think that we are somehow entitled to things.

Being patient. Don't rush. We're all on our way.

*SNAP!

2009-02-18T23:01:00.000-08:00

So I absolutely LOVVEEE my Maui Jim sun glasses. Ok ok, I'm not the most gentle person with these...but I take care of them. Honest! They're virtually indestructible. Or so I thought.

Good news tho. Called up Maui Jim HQ. They're gonna send me a replacement. Woo-hoo for customer service! :)

-jc

Joyce & Yuki Pt. 2

2009-02-10T00:05:00.000-08:00

More Goodness :)

Probably my favorite pic of the afternoon

They released doves. How cool is that!??

Then navy tradition is for the couple to walk through the sword arches.

And at every section, they have to smooch. kiss kiss!

And at the end, the bride gets a friendly smack on the butt with a sword and a "Welcome to the Navy Mrs. [insert last name here]". Cool huh??!

I thought this was cute

much love,

- jc

Starbucks Wisdom

2009-02-06T16:24:00.000-08:00

I'm an avid coffee drinker. No point in lying. I love starting the day with a cup of black gold. And long nights are the perfect excuse for a coffee run. Now I must say, I'm rather anti-starbucks. I'd much rather go to a Peet's Coffee or a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf....or even those small independent coffee shops before stepping into a "corporatified" starbucks. :) Last week in a moment of weakness [and being unable to find any other alternative] I ran in to get a venti Pike's Place. I never noticed that the cups have quotes written on them. Kind of like fortune cookies for white people. haha. Anyways, mine read something like this...

"By the time executives get married, take on a mortgage, raise kids, cope with crabgrass, climb the corporate ladder, do their best to manage career pressure, build their net worth and get in their 40's, they've lost touch with what they believe in and care about most deeply" - Allan Cox

and for some reason, I was unable to shake this quote out of my head for the remainder of the day. Now I'm pretty much the farthest away from any kind of "executive" position...but this quote basically describes the future of young adults my age. marriage. kids. house. lawn. work work work work. and its a pretty sad outlook. And I began to wonder why. Why do we loose touch with what we believe in? Is it because we do what it takes to survive? Is it because we put our families happiness above our own? Or is it more the acceptance that this is the way things are must be. Either way, if I ever get like that, slap me. and make sure you put some arm into it.

much love,

-jc

Joyce & Yuki Pt.1

2009-02-03T23:26:00.000-08:00

He's a Naval officer. She's on her way to becoming a world class chef at Le Cordon Bleu. and me? I'm super jealous. The thought of having gourmet meals every day for the rest of my life. *sigghhh* A guy can dream can't he? Yuki, you're one lucky man. You're totally set for life...and the love part isn't bad either. I kid. These two are totally mad about each other. You can see it in the way Yuki holds Joyce. The way they hold hands. The way they kiss. The way they dance. [and boy can they dance.] All the best!

I guess those medals really are real.

Theres always a certain crispness to military weddings. One of my favs

2009??!?

2009-01-30T00:56:00.000-08:00

So I haven't done a "OMG its 2009 already!" post...so its only fitting that one month in, I actually write it. Over the past month, I've had time to finally take in all that happened in 2008. And after taking it all in...it blows me away. I first started with things that I was thankful about. Good Health. Loving family. Still had a job. A girlfriend that will cease at nothing to make me pop the question. Living closer to work so I could reduce my carbon footprint. Stuff like that.

Then I started thinking more and began to see how truly bless I was. This was a year where, for the first time in my life I found something that I really enjoyed doing. There is no doubt that Photography has been huge in my life. But don't get me wrong. I've had many infatuations in my life. For the longest time I thought I was called to be a artsy musician. Then later on I thought my call was to be mechanic. [I still love cars..but mainly driving them now :)]. I'll leave the dirty stuff to the pros. So its easy to think that photography would be yet another such thing. It ended up coming much more natural and being a far better fit. Like when you're there, you know it. However this year I felt disappointed because of the way I defined success.

And in all this, my dear friend Jesh pointed out something very important to me. But its taken this long for it to really sink in. [Yes yes, I know. Some of us get it faster than other. =p] As "adults" or "grown ups" we tend to put labels on everything. What exactly does that mean? We take everything at face value. What others have told us. How society and everyone else around us defines things. We compare. Success for example. For some it means making X number of dollars. Others doings X number of weddings. Being recognized. Significant. Published. These are all well and good, but is that what it is to you? Rarely do we take the time to explore what something means to us. Take children for example. Why are children so joyful and infinitely more creative? Why is it that children can play in an empty box for hours. To us, its just a shipping package. Ment to send stuff from point A to point B. But to them, they don't know what it is. and they don't understand when people try to define it for them. They look, feel, touch, taste, smell. They explore. A box can be a tunnel. castle. fort. window to another time. In the same way when we stop comparing and just define what things mean to us...that's when creativity happens. That's when joy happens.

I've had an amazing year. I've gotten to meet people that I would never have imagined. I've learned and grown so much. I get to photograph people in love. What more can you ask for. I can't wait to see what this year brings.

-jc

Blueprint

2009-01-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

How fitting that they should use Jay-Z's song Blueprint. And that SD is playing Pittsburg tomorrow. leave nothing

Bailout Failout

2008-10-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

So I know its a tough time for many people. And yes, everyone needs to be bailed out at one time or another. We all make mistakes. We all do un-smartish things. But the way I was raised, everything you do has a reward/consequence. [That's why you always try to make the right decision.] You know the saying "You've made your bed, now sleep in it". Basically means you man or [woman] up to your choices and live with the consequences. But no one wants to admit mistakes. Its a lot easier to point fingers. Maybe the bailout is needed, maybe it isn't. But it for sure isn't helping those who need it most.

Seriously?? This is going to help how?

EXEMPTION FROM EXCISE TAX FOR CERTAIN
21 WOODEN ARROWS DESIGNED FOR USE BY
22 CHILDREN.
23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 4161(b)
24 is amended by redesignating subparagraph (B) as sub301
O:\AYO\AYO08C32.xml S.L.C.
1 paragraph (C) and by inserting after subparagraph (A)
2 the following new subparagraph:
3 ‘‘(B) EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN WOODEN
4 ARROW SHAFTS.—Subparagraph (A) shall not
5 apply to any shaft consisting of all natural
6 wood with no laminations or artificial means of
7 enhancing the spine of such shaft (whether sold
8 separately or incorporated as part of a finished
9 or unfinished product) of a type used in the
10 manufacture of any arrow which after its as
11asembly—
12 ‘‘(i) measures 5⁄16 of an inch or less in
13 diameter, and
14 ‘‘(ii) is not suitable for use with a bow
15 described in paragraph (1)(A).’’.
16 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
17 this section shall apply to shafts first sold after the date
18 of enactment of this Act.

update!

2008-09-10T01:38:00.000-07:00

So alot of big changes going on around here. The first is the brand spanking new website. [www.jonchanphotography.com] Head on over. It even smells new :)

So looking at the last time I blogged...its been way too long. I've got alot of new stuff i wanna share with you guys. I just need to find time actually do it. [This wedding season has been running me ragged just a bit. But man, I love it so much.]

Besides photography, I had the pleasure of attending a highschool friend's wedding. Its kinda nice to be able to sit back and just enjoy the festivities...enjoy the moments and tear up a bit. [without having to worry about how to best capture it with a camera.] I can't really post pictures from the bachelor party...but I will let this picture do the talking :)

much love,

Jc

Olympic Commercials

2008-08-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

So I've been watching A LOT of the Olympics as of late. [I mean how can you not? USA Basketball, Phelps, May-Walsh dynamic duo. So much good stuff]. But you gotta check out these two commercials. I think they're absolutely awesome.

Nike Hit this one outa the park.

and I think this one is super cute. Is the guy really that cute? seriously? haha.

much love,

jc

Some pics from the workshop

2008-08-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share some of the stuff I got =)

Can't have Seattle without the Needle!

Trying to work a bit more on my composition using wide angles.

Tried some new processing techniques.

"I'm Flying! Jack!"

Probably one of my favorite images. The eyes are freaking intense!

and heres one of the spreads that I worked on. Jim laid out alot of things to look for when you shoot and lay stuff out for albums.

thanks for looking!

much love,

jc

Jim Garner Workshop

2008-08-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I was in Seattle attending a workshop held by Jim & Katarina Garner. I'll give you the low down just in case you're not really into the photography "scene" or an avid WPPI attendee. To put it quite frankly, they're kind of a big deal. =) J.Garner Photography is considered to be one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world. Every year they win a bucketload of awards at WPPI for their prints and their albums. So an opportunity to learn with them is HUGEEE.

This workshop was organized by the amazing Dawn Shields that I met out at a workshop in Springfield, Missouri. Life is full of weird connections. I registered kidna late...and got squeezed in. hahaa

The workshop itself was absolutely amazing. Jim and Katarina are such wonderful people. They love to share and help out people. It just kinda emanates through everything that they do. and they're so humble about it. Something about the way they do business just really clicks with me. I think it comes from being on the same page and valuing the same priorities. [and the fact that we're both kinda goof-offs =P] Anyways, on to some pictures.

Our instructors. using a canon 200 f/2L That lens is pretty sexy. Same with the subject

*gasssspppp* Can this be? Another Nikon shooter? haha. This is Michael Muramoto...based out SF. The man was shooting nikon while i was still in diapers.

Doing some shooting in Seattle. Jim getting his teach on.

This guy DJ. He gets the craziest angles and awesome shots. But always somehow ends up shooting lying on the ground.

I rest my case.

This is Dawn trying to be gangster. It's not going too well.

So after shooting in downtown...we went to their beachouse...no, beachmansion on Whidbey Island for the remainder of the workshop. It was absolutey GORGEOUS here....and it felt soo nice to just get away from city hustle bustle. Its nice to just take in the view and never get use to the beauty of nature.

food glorious food. we ate SOO well.

Nothing like beer from a kegarator after intense Photoshop learning.

or red wine if thats your thing.

This is Whitney...part of Team Dawn. The youngest of the group. But married. So that makes me the odd one out. Everyone else was married! [and everyone was SUCH amazing photographers. Totally makes you improve when everyone around you is that much better!]

Greg. That Claire flare is so studly =)

Jim...being Jim =)

Kiss the fishy.

Rockstar and the AMAZING Cafe Ladro coffee indirectly sponsored this workshop. [cuz we drank so much of it. No time for sleep when there is so much to learn!] I miss having a double shot expresso in the morning.

Miss you guys! Hope our paths cross again very soon.

much love,

Jonathan

Joyce & Yuki Crazy Booth!!

2008-07-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

So after having the time of my life in Seattle [more on that to come...I miss you guys!], I flew back to San Diego for a wedding the very next day. The pictures from the crazy booth were just too good to not share. They crack me up. big time. If you could only see the huge smile on my face... :)

Is there something in my teeth?

Oh so clever!!

Adults. that never grew up =)

Is this on?!?

HAHAHAHA. Genius!

Probably one of my favs...

Why photographers stay behind the camera.

Hope you guys enjoyed it. Much Love.

- jc

See you in a week =)

2008-07-21T00:57:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be in Seattle this week learning from Jim Garner. You may have hear of him...he's a top 10 world wedding photographer. :) But I think my draw to him is...despite his great success, he is so very humble about it all. A lot of times people go to workshops just because the guy creates great work. More important that than connecting with someone's work, you have to connect to them as a person. Learn from people that you want to become like...learn their shooting style as well as their character. After all, photography at its base is nothing more than the way someone sees the world.

Stay tuned! I'm sure I'll have lots to share =).

much love,

jc

The Dark Knight

2008-07-19T12:23:00.002-07:00

that was a friggin awesome movie. More on this when I can actually wrap my head around everything that happened.

Who are you?

2008-07-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

So at The Rock we're going through a series on identity. They were talking how having a good reputation and identity can get you far. Having a good reputation isn't just a "religious thing". Think about it...if you were deciding between two companies, you would look at the reputation and ratings of both. Then pick the better one. If I'm going to get my car serviced, I want to take it to a place that has a reputation of being honest and good at diagnosing problems. Your reputation speaks more about you before you even open your mouth.

So it got me thinking. Is the way we see ourselves the same as the way other people see us? If you ask someone who doesn't really know you...or a friend of a friend...the answers might totally blow you away. [You gotta be careful with who you ask...depending on the relationship, you might not get honest answers. =P]

It was actually something at work that got me thinking today. I've always thought of myself as a giving person. I'm not really good at receiving things. I'd much prefer to be on the giving end of things. [crazy, i know.] But today I had a realization that I'm a convenience giver. I'm a giving person when its easy for me. When things work out and the impact on me isn't that great. But when there is a greater cost...suddenly it becomes more difficult. And by this, I've missed the entire point of giving in the first place. It's so easy to give out of our excess, but much more difficult when we have little as well. Just some food for thought. So go out and see if you know who you really are. The answers may surprise you. =)

How come Organic Milk has a longer shelf life?

2008-07-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sharing with you this information so you won't have to pay for it like me. The other day I needed to go to the grocery store for milk. [There is nothing quite like a bowl of cereal for breakfast...or lunch. OR dinner for that matter :). Oh the college days]. I was complaining to my coworker how I could never finish the milk I had in the fridge before the expiration date. Then she suggested that I get Organic milk because it has a longer shelf life. I thought she was crazy. Organic Milk and "regular" milk should have the same shelf life right? RIGHT? So we made a bet...and I was wrong. [Lunch is one me]

It turns out that Organic Milk has a considerably longer shelf life than regular milk. Why you ask? it has to do wit the way the milk is pasteurized. [Pasteurized? You know? Where they heat it up quickly to kill off all the bad germs and such]. "Normal" Milk is subjected to this thing called HTST or Hight Temperature Short Time. [ohhh...so clever!]. So its basically heated to about 73 degrees C for 30 or so seconds. Organic milk on the other hand is pasteurized using a process called UHT...or Ultra High Temperature. [Remember kiddies, anything with Ultra in its name...means its is immediately better and 100x cooler.] Normal for UHT, the milk is heated to around 130 degrees C for 2-3 seconds. Why does organic milk need such a high temperature? Because your cows aren't constantly being shot up with anti-biotics and meds to keep them healthy...hence this higher temperature is needed to kill all the bacteria.

And since the higher temperature kills off the bacteria...milk doesn't go bad as fast. And it is said the milk taste a bit sweeter as well. I'll let you know =). Cool huh?

Alex & Betty

2008-07-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

Should I be blogging at 2:00am on a work night? The answer is probably not. But it has been a while since I last posted...and I wanted to show you guys what I've been working on. I photographed this wedding a couple months ago in Vancouver, Canada. I guess now I can say I'm a "international photographer". Woopie-de-do. Alex and Betty...thanks so much for all your love and your trust.

This is probably one of my favorite images. What happened here is we were shooting in the park...and it suddenly began to rain. Rain HARD. Everyone ran for cover...and i snapped this picture of them hiding under a tree with Alex looking up at just the right moment. I love how he's protecting her from the rain and his eye show the love he has for his wife =)

Sexy time!

So these guys were acutally designed using Lego software. *cough* nerdy *cough*

This is what happens after you get hitched.

it was quite a challenge keeping these two from kissing

much love,

jc

I <3 Think Tank Photo

2008-06-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

So if you ask any photographer whats the most important thing after his camera...most will say their bags. Camera bags to photographers are like purses to women. Certain bags can only be brought to certain events. Certain bags will only fit certain lenses. Certain ones don't match with certain outfits etc etc. [ok ok, I made up the last part, but you get the picture.]

Anyways, I've been using a roll-y bag called the Airport International from Thinktank. I absolutely love this bag. I can stuff all my camera gear into here with no problem. And best of all, it has locks so you can fasten it to [hopefully something immovable.]

So to get on with my story, the Airport International comes with a tripod pouch that you fasten to the side. At the last event I worked at, I somehow lost the pouch. Searched everywhere for it...and it was nowhere to be found. Bummer. Look online to see if any retailers sell it. Nope. Give Thinktank a call. Told them my situation and how I'd be even willing to pay for a new one. The customer service rep told me that they don't sell these separate from the bag. Double bummer. But he said that he would keep an eye out for me if there were any floating around. yeah right. rigghhhtt...like some are just gonna "magically appear". So I was pretty much resolved that I'm screwed.

Then yesterday, a package from USPS comes. Apparently they somehow were able to find one. I totally though they would've just forgotten about me. Thats what I call customer service. You guys rock!

Jen + Joseph Esession!

2008-06-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

This has got to be one of the sweetest couples that I've ever photographed. I actually learned a lot from them. [They did the whole "long distance relationship" for many years. and now are getting married. I was busy getting pointers! =P] They're so cute. hahah. We had a wonderful time. Thanks for trying all those strange locations =)

I'm doing their wedding this weekend!

much love,

-jc

Mantastic Review - SATC

2008-06-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

The only reason why you wouldn't know what SATC stands for is
a. You're a mans man. The ones that live in forest and use leaves at TP.
b. You've been under a rock for the last 10 years
c. Those 4 letters have been compartmentalized in your mind and are to never be mentioned together again...after the media overload that it has received in the past months.

SATC stands for Sex and The City. What City? New York of course silly! So like many fellow men this past weekend, I was dragged to the theaters to watch this movie. So I figured that guys, I'd do you a favor and break it down for you. SATC is about 4 women in NY who are trying to find the 2 "L". Labels [the LV's, the Channel etc etc] and of course, the cliche: Love. These four women Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Charlotte York and Miranda Hobbes.

So now on to the movie summary. Being guys, we like our stuff short and concise.

Samantha is in LA representing her bf Smith

Charlotte is being mommy to their adopted chinese daughter

Miranda is being a Lawyer & mommy at the same time. Married Steve and moved to Brooklyn. Tough stuff.

Carrie & Big have this awkward conversation about getting married. [What the heck kind of name is "big"??]

Find this amazing penthouse suite. Big builds her a walk in closet that would make
any woman woozy.

Carrie tells girls that she's getting married and of course they all freak out. [as expected]

Lots of pretty dresses

more pretty dresses

expensive shoes

more shoes.

more dresses

more shoes

Dresses

expensive shoes. Seeing a pattern?

wedding planning. Wedding get bigger and bigger.

Steve Cheats on Miranda. once. Big breakup. muy unhappy time.

Miranda mentions something to big about how marriage is the worst.

Wedding Day. Big gets cold feet. Worries that Carrie won't be the same person. That all that frilly wedding stuff has changed her. Stands Carrie up at the wedding

But wait! To add drama, at the last minute he has a change of heart! Pulls an illegal U-turn on a one way street. And on the way back to the church...who does he see? Ahhh...he see's Carrie passing by the opposite way.

Tires screech. Beatdown with bouquet is in order. [queue tears from all people with XX Chromosome. and maybe some from the XY group also]

Drama

Drama

Drama

Drama

Drama

Drama [excellent product placement by Sky Vodka. Nothing like a hangover the next day to make you feel better. Should've used the Goose Carrie!]

Trip to Mexico to make Carrie Feel better. Major girl time. [Major product placement from Smart water]

Girly talk stuff happened here. I zoned out a bit.

Girlie Stuff.

Charlotte pooped herself. wtf. I know.

Get back to NY.

Denial about the wedding happening

Denial

Drama

Denial.

Drama.

Carrie hires awesome CS Programmer from St. Louis as a personal assistant. The fact that this girl got some attitude is more awesome. The fact that she uses a easily crackable password like "love" is not so awesome.

Carrie gets life back together.

Miranda and Steve try to work things out.

Charlotte is Preggerz

Samatha gets fat cuz because she "eats so i won't cheat". Thats one way of doing it girl. Of course, its the gay guy that points out her weight. Girls are much too nice to tell each other this.

Samatha breaks up with Smith

Charlotte just HAPPENS to to have lunch where Big is. Big is all tore up of course. But Charlotte is pissed. Curses the day he was born. [wow...talk about tough words]. Then Charlottes water breaks.

New Baby.

Miranda + Steve work out their problems. yay!

Carrie + Big are reunited over a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Thank goodness for expensive shoes! Finally get married....in City hall. Girls are back together for good.

Overall I gotta admit...the movie was pretty good. Alot better than what I was expecting.

Guys, now you know what to expect. And knowing is half the battle.

much love,

Jc

Alex & Betty Esession

2008-05-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

I am notorious for not updating. I seriously cannot understand how some people can crank out new entries almost everyday. Do they eat and sleep? are they even human?!? hahah. Sorry! I'll try to do better

These pics are from my good friends Alex & Betty's Engagement session. I miss you guys!

much love,

-J

The Office Season Finale

2008-05-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

GahhhH!!! I hate you Andy Bernard!!

Connection

2008-05-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

In a world that is increasingly concerned about dynamic range, high iso performance, and "rules of thirds" it is easy to forget that the core of photography is about connection. It is about being able to connect with the subject of the picture without knowing who they are. So as many of you have heard about the earthquake in china which has been devastating. This evening I was looking through some pictures from the news and saw this picture which wrenched my heart.

Do I know the woman in this picture? no. But do I feel something when I see this picture? heck yeah I do. The caption to this picture was that it was a mother that had lost her son in the tragic collapse of a school in china. While i'm not sure how it feels to have kids, I can only imagine the pain of loosing a loved one. The emotion and anguish on her face just wrenches my heart. Its so real and I feel for her...without ever having met her. And this photo has may layers of interest as well. On the ground there appears to be a body with something over their head. [its assumed that this is the womans son]. Just lying there lifeless. Then there is a woman who is consoling and holding up the grieving mother. is this a friend? another concerned parent? And you have these people who are standing behind her. Also concerned parents? what are they thinking? feeling? Anxiously awaiting to see if the next body dug up will be their child.

powerful powerful stuff. Our prayers are with those who have lost loved ones over the past couple days of natural disasters.

-J

Flying

2008-05-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

So lately I've been doing a lot of flying. Last week I was in Boston, and this week I was in Vancouver photographing a friends wedding. It seems like regulations are getting stricter and more complex. Like this year the TSA added a portion in about Lithium batteries and the "amount" of lithium that each battery can contain. Does the average jane or joe really know how much lithium his camera battery has? [or care for that matter?] This however does affect professional photographers directly. Alot of our camera batteries are lithium. I've found this blog Flying with Fish immensely helpful. Not just battery help...but with just about flying in general. He's got some clever stuff. Check it out if you have time.

much love,

-J

Jesh De Rox

2008-05-06T23:30:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week in Boson at a Jesh De Rox workshop. Guest speaker was talented photographer Tamara Lackey [pronounced Tam-ara. Rhymes with camera. funny huh?]. So at first I was kinda bummed that I had to travel ALL the way out there. Right after I signed up for the Boston workshop, Jesh opened up one up in SF. Which would've been quite a bit closer. But after all this...I think I was exactly where I was supposed to be in the grand scheme of things.

For the record, if you're looking for a lot of hands on and "1/80 f/4 iso200" type of instruction...then this isn't your kinda workshop. A fellow attendee described this workshop as "having nothing to do with photography, and at the same time, having everything to do with this photography". deep huh? I know. This workshop was wayy deep...and I don't think I've ever felt more safe or open before. I came to this workshop with the hopes of finding myself and coming to a better understanding just how Jesh gets what he gets. If you look at his images, they carry such a power and connection to them....such love. And I wanted to learn how to best convey that.

I don't want to give away too much of Jesh's workshop....because I feel everyone should attend it. But I will share one thing that I found particularly important at least to me. It stems from the way we interact with people. These days, its so difficult to find someone who is just open and genuine. The problem is that when we approach people....there are two main thoughts. Either we think about what we can get from the other person. Or we think about what the other person wants from us. [Very business-ey...the whole you scratch my back, I scratch yours] Very rarely do we take the time to not judge...and just listen/understand. When we meet someone its so easy to give a pre-programmed response. [You know...the hello how are you doing? What major are you? etc etc] How often do we take the time to delve a bit deeper into getting to know someone. Not wanting anything from them. But wanting to know who they are. When you do, there is this wide open door of openness. But it's so hard. We don't want to deviate from the norm. Being open is vulnerable. Theres so many things that cause us to build up these brick walls to protect ourselves. And sometimes these walls are so thick to prevent stuff from getting in...that our true self can't get out. Sorry if this was a bit too philosophical. Can't help it. Love and knowledge can't be kept to yourself...it has to be shared.

So some pics are in order...

The beach outside our studio

This is our wonderful host Brittany of BKB Studios who took such good care of us

My home away from Home.

Mike of Kate Rose Photography

Photographers chimping. haha. From Left to Right: Brittany from BKB Studios, Tara with Hitched Studios and Maureen Ford. Everyone is sooo talented.

Jesh and Tamara having a moment

This is the view from outside our studio location

if I were to sum up the entire workshop in one picture...

I'm so full of love.

-J

Have you ever wondered...

2008-05-03T13:13:00.001-07:00

So I'm gonna start a new section on this blog called "have you ever wondered". Basically asking the weird questions that seem to just pop into our heads. So the question of the day is this: Why does sour cream have an expiration date?

First off...whats the purpose of an expiration date? If you go into any grocery mall these days...you will notice this on just about everything. From yogurt to bread to milk to juice. [This is with the exception of Spam....which has the lifespan to potentially outlive me and you.] Expiration dates tell us when something goes bad. When it isn't good anymore. For example, you wouldn't use/buy milk after its expiration date. After a certain point, it gets funkkkyyy. We're talking floating chunks, greenish tint and it isn't pleasant on the olfactory. Likewise, with bread. After its expiration date...you get to see these cute little furry patches known as mold. [don't pretend you were never in a rush...and needed to make a sandwich. and saw the mold. and just cut out that part with the mold and still used the bread :P ]

Which brings me to sour cream. Sour cream like yogurt has live cultures and bacteria in it. Streptococcus diacetilactis is the bacteria in this case, and is used to give sour cream its desired sour taste. So my question is this. If you already have bacteria swimming around in there...why does it matter if you have some more stuff swimming around. You'd figure the longer you had sour cream, the longer it would get "aged" and hence it would be "better". Apparently not. thats just weird.

-j

Sleepless in SD

2008-04-27T01:38:00.000-07:00

Sleepless in San Diego is an event that is put on by the SD Rescue Mission as a fund raiser. They work with the homeless, needy, battered, abandoned...anyone who is in need. Whats amazing is that they're completely funded by donations. They don't take a penny from the government. But anyways...people get sponsored to sleep over there for an evening to raise money and awareness. I was asked to photograph this event for them....and jumped at the opportunity. Putting photography to good use for once. =P Ended up sleeping the night over there as well. really really cold. I wore 2 shirts, a long sleeve, sweatshirt and windbreaker and huddled in a sleeping bag. I have a new appreciation on how it feels to be homeless....and its totally taken me out of my comfort zone.

This is my pastor. Miles McPherson. He's great

Talk to you guys in a week. Much Love.

-j

2008-04-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

Dear reader,

So its been quite a while since I last posted. Alot of stuff changed. First...I moved. Yes, after almost half a decade [majority of the college years] of living at the Ferber house, I've finally moved on. I'm now living in PQ. It's alot closer to work...and the best part is this. I have my own bathroom to store all my girlie facial and body products. And I love the fact that I can get up at whatever time...and not have to worry about someone beating me into the shower. Priceless.

So this new place does come with the addition of a special friend. Her name is Tina....she belongs to one of my roomies. Tina has a knack for sneaking into my room undetected and scaring the crap out of me.

I really like this photo stuff. I wonder if I can really turn it into a career. Keeps me up at night.

I'm all for being honest...

2008-03-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

but this is rediculous. haha do I really want/need to know that the train carrying my precious package was derailed? oh the mere thought hurts. pain!

Grey Matters

2008-03-19T00:45:00.001-07:00

So I've been a pretty avid reader of Sports Shooter as of late. What is Sports Shooter? Its like a community of shooters the primarily shoot...well..sports =). Alot of the technical mumbo-jumbo is kinda way over my head. Like when is a landscape/wedding photographer gonna need to know how to ai-servo continuous focus track a speedy nfl punt returner. What I do read it for is the insights that they present when shooting.

One such article, Grey Matters deals with basically the conflict between older generation photographers and upstart rambunctious punks like myself. These days one can learn so much from the internet. And its so easy to just pick up a camera and call your self a professional photographers. [Stick it in P mode =P ]. But the fact of the matter is that some things can only be taught from experience. And I've found that the more you're open to learn, the more you come into your own. Old people just....know things :)

About Me

2008-01-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to the blog of Jon Chan Photography. I'm a San Diego based Wedding Photographer and this is my personal journal where you can see some of my recent work. Feel free to poke around, leave some comments, and get to know me better.

Right off the bat you should know that I love people. I love photography. [And everyone and their moms love weddings. Duhh.] It's a perfect fit. I'm a firm believer in this little thing called integrity. Hard work and constant improvement come standard. I also believe a simple smile goes a long way. Oh, and I don't believe in having "clients." Only friends.

All the best!

Jonathan :)

Contact Me

2008-01-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to contact me, you can find me...

online at www.jonchanphotography.com
via email at jc@jonchanphotography.com

OR you can send me a message below: