Susan Bang Photography

Welcome Talea Grace

2011-12-07T14:19:00.003-05:00

This little cutie patootie is Talea. She is just over a week old and was so tiny in my hands. I had forgotten how small newborns can be. Not only is she adorable, but she was the perfect baby. Her mama is very lucky. I was a little sad when the shoot ended b/c she was such a joy to photograph. Thanks Talea!!

Caroline + Andy + Po

2011-11-26T01:11:00.002-05:00

This is Caroline. She is a dear friend of mine venturing out with a business of her own. I took head shots for her upcoming website, and then we spent a few moments photographing her husband, Andy, and their adorable dog, Po. She is probably one of the most well behaved dogs I've met. She was so much easier to photograph than some of the kids I've done. I'm convinced she was modeling for me. Not only is their dog amazing, but they are the sweetest couple ever, and I'm so glad to have gotten to know them in this past year.

Ethan +Family

2011-11-10T10:43:00.002-05:00

This is Ethan...in all his cuteness!! I think I got a glimpse of what it's like to be paparazzi as I was chasing this little guy all over the park, keeping my fingers crossed that somewhere in the set, hopefully there would be a good shot of him. But I guess when you're taking pictures of someone this cute, you can't really have a bad shot. We managed to squeeze in some family shots as the parents jumped in behind him the moment he was still. It was quite an adventure!
I should also mention that his parents are really good friends of ours so it was even more fun just spending the afternoon taking photos and catching up in between shots. They are a beautiful family with big hearts and we are so blessed to have them apart of our lives.

Hunter's Dohl Party

2011-10-31T14:59:00.002-04:00

Thank you to all the wonderful friends who not only came to Hunter's party to celebrate his First Birthday, but to all those friends and family who have helped us in the past year to keep our sanity while learning how to raise a child. It's sad that I went through all this work to organize this party, and Hunter will not remember a single detail of it when he gets older. Thank God for photos!! haha B/c this will probably never happen again!! I have maxed out my creative juices on this one. Now I have to take down all these decorations and bring it with me to NJ this weekend for his 2nd party. yikes!

Hunter's Cake Smash

2011-10-15T23:37:00.005-04:00

It was a cake smash...without the smash.
On 10.11.10 (yes I know so close to being a 10/10/10 baby!!), our son, Hunter, turned 1!!! I can't believe it's been 365 days since he was born. Time really flies these days. I still can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday, I was crying b/c he wouldn't stop crying. hahaha And still everyday is a continual struggle of how to be a good mom to him. I just hope I don't do any permanent damage. ;) Here he is, our little sunshine!!!

Our growing son

2011-09-27T02:06:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's been so long since I've posted anything. Well, it's b/c Hunter's 1 yr birthday is slowly creeping up on us, and I've been busy crafting a way, trying to make decorations for his party. I've gone from photographer to Martha Stewart apprentice. haha In the meantime, I managed to snap a few quick shots of this little guy....modeling in his birthday suit actually. ;) and modeling some new outfits as well. Enjoy!

He actually did not appreciate me taking photos right after he woke up from a nap so that is why he is all teary eyed. He just had a good cry. hehe

Hugh + Family

2011-08-29T00:40:00.004-04:00

This little cutie pie is Hugh. He is just a few weeks younger than my little Hunter. His mom is a very close friend of mine so we are hoping that they become best friends for life!! At this point, they have no choice. :) Hugh is a bundle of happiness all tied up in a ribbon of cuteness. For such a young baby, he already knows how to show affection by giving lots of hugs and kisses. He can also be quite the ham in front of the camera.

This was the very last photo taken of the day.
In the first photo he was all smiles, by the end of the shoot, I think he was trying to tell me he was done.

Seeing Double...or triple...or...

2011-08-25T23:20:00.003-04:00

It's hard enough to get one baby to sit still, imagine trying to get 5 of them and one dog!! For a while now, I've been trying to think of how I can separate myself from the bazillion other child photographers out there. I think this puts a comical spin on things. And can also be a good tool for abstinence...or birth control...take your pick.
On a side note, everyday I look at this boy, and I don't even remember what life was like before he was born. Cause now I can't imagine my life without him in it. I could spend hours just staring at him wondering what his every thoughts are. God has truly shown me patience, joy, and love through this little sack of potatoes. On second thought, I wouldn't mind 4 more of him. More to love and more to laugh with!!

Twins!

2011-07-18T22:54:00.003-04:00

This is Jeena...her husband Eddie...and below, is their soon to be twin baby boys!! At only 7 months pregnant, Jeena is stunning, and you would never guess that this thin frame of hers is housing 2 little baby boys. Wouldn't you say she looks amazing? I have to say, when I saw her belly, I wanted to be pregnant all over again. I think pregnant women are so beautiful!! I can't imagine two more perfect parents to raise twin babies. They brought along their two yorkies, and I have to say, this husband and wife duo definitely have gotten lots of practice taking care of two babies. Even with the nonstop barking in the background, they kept their cool and smiled pretty for the camera for as long as I wanted to go. I had so much fun photographing them and can't wait to meet their little ones!!

Hudson+Family

2011-07-15T12:01:00.004-04:00

This little cutie-patutie is Hudson Lee. I just love meeting babies that are close to my son's age b/c I'm always trying to plan out who he will be friends with when he gets older. haha Yes, I am that crazy mom! Hudson is one of the smilest babies I've ever met. He was such a delight to be around that I just didn't want to stop, even as the sun was beating down on us, and I was clearly drenched in sweat. He didn't cry once during our 1 hr shoot! If you've ever tried photographing your own kids, you know what a rare treat that is. Well, I definitely know where he gets his pleasant demeanor from. His parents, Jane + Brian, are one of the sweetest couples I've ever met. Talk about a motivated mom! Jane was helping me pull out weeds to prep the set, and holding up blankets to block out the sun. Hudson is most definitely in good hands. Thank you guys for withstanding the blazing sun to do this.

Family Time - Crisfield, MD

2011-06-29T16:32:00.005-04:00

This weekend, we took a road trip to Crisfield, MD and in the middle of getting eaten alive by all the mosquitoes there, I managed to snap a few shots of my sister's beautiful family. Before I had a baby of my own, I wanted to adopt her two kids as my own b/c of the cuteness that oozes out of them. I actually thought that I may just like her kids more than my own. But of course, Hunter was born, and yes, there's no other child I love more than my own flesh and blood. It also helps that he is the perfect mix of BOTH my niece and nephew. You almost do a double take b/c he looks so much like them. Despite the beautiful marina view we woke up to every morning, I'm so glad to be back in NJ. I have plenty of bites on my body though to remind me of the trip. I'm still counting down the days till I'm back in CA. There's nothing like CA weather! Enjoy!

Cousins!!

The three of them started out sitting on the couch all nice and pretty. (above)
Then once Richie pulled out the NintendoDS, Hunter took a dive across their laps (below)
b/c apparently he likes anything electronic. I guess the obsession starts at a young age. ha!

Hudson's First Birthday - Dohl

2011-06-23T17:20:00.006-04:00

I had photographed Hudson way back when he was 3 months old. I can't believe how much time has flown by, and I had the honor of photographing his First Birthday - Dohl in Korean. Everything was so beautiful, it was hard to put my camera down. I tried my best to not post every picture, so here are some of my favorites. Maybe when I have some more time later, I'll post the rest.

Hunter's First Cut

2011-06-07T16:22:00.004-04:00

Hunter got his first hair cut. It was long overdue considering every stranger I ran into thought he was a girl. It was one of the longest 30 min. of my life. He was on my lap rolling and turning and crying his little heart out as if it were the end of the world. Well, now it's over and he's still my cute little man!

BEFORE

AFTER

Welcome Tove

2011-05-16T11:45:00.006-04:00

This is Tove and her family. She was a little over two weeks when we took these photos. I had a grand plan of trying all different poses and ideas, but Tove had other plans. ;) And, well, she is the one with the final say so we managed to snap a few shots before she expressed that she'd rather not be doing this. She is a cutie pie and a great sport for putting up with all the "man-handling." Thanks Tove!!

Man's Best Friend

2011-05-08T00:01:00.003-04:00

I wish I could take photos of Hunter more often. I feel like he's changing so fast, and I don't have a step-by-step account of it all. Especially b/c I don't want Dave to miss out on anything. But these impromptu shoots are always unplanned so I realized that he's always in his pj's or has stains all over his shirt or things don't match or his hair is a mess, etc. You get the picture. Anyways, this posting is no different. Again, he looks a little sloppy and then of course, I decided to just throw random hats on him. And then of course after it was over, I realized one of the hats was backwards the entire time. I guess it's more fun to look back at baby pictures and see them in the spur of the moment.
So as I was taking these photos, Zoe must've gotten jealous because she decided she wanted in on the action. or I think she's cuddling up to Hunter because she knows that the only way I"ll like her is if she's nice to Hunter. hahaha What a smart dog! Maybe I won't give her away after all.

This shot makes me laugh. It looks like they're having a man to man talk, and Zoe really seems to be interested in what Hunter is saying.

I know most people say that I should never trust a dog around a baby. But little do they know that it's not Zoe they should be afraid of. The entire time I was taking photos, Hunter was grabbing Zoe's mouth, pulling on her lip and her ear, pinching her skin, grabbing her fur, trying to eat her paw, and the whole time Zoe, like a big sister, just let him do whatever he wanted. But I thought I would only post the "Friendlier" shots. I don't want PETA after me. hahaha

And for all you germaphobes out there, with all the dog petting, yes I did give him a bath afterwards. Bubbletime!!

Meg + Mark

2011-04-06T02:26:00.008-04:00

I had the pleasure of assisting an engagement shoot with Peichi Waite of Peichi Waite Photography. After taking a break from photography so I could learn how to be a mom, it was so nice to spend an afternoon in a large meadow of yellow flowers to remind me that spring is surely upon us. It was a beautiful day, with a beautiful couple, and I wish them all the best in their marriage!

Sadie

2011-03-25T02:20:00.004-04:00

Sadie is just a precious little baby. At one month of age, she was so tiny that even I had forgotten what it was like to hold a newborn. Normally, she spends most of her time sleeping all day, but for our shoot, she decided she was going to be wide awake and alert. It was quite funny as her mom, Jessica and I tried so hard to get her to go to sleep, but looks like she wanted to be apart of the action and smile for the camera.

Happy Family

2011-03-15T13:53:00.004-04:00

All that is missing is our crazy dog Zoe. Thank You to our good friend Peichi Waite for taking these for us!!

Hunter - 5 Months

2011-03-11T23:33:00.007-05:00

Hunter just turned 5 months and WHAT a whirlwind the last 5 months have been. I finally feel like I can breathe again. Every day I waited in anticipation for Hunter to outgrow his fussiness, and that day finally came about 2 weeks ago. Praise the Lord!!! I can finally, honestly, say that I enjoy motherhood. He is just the most precious baby in the world, to us, and I just want to show him off. Finally got my camera back and so the impromptu photo shoots begin. I have to say though, he still is not a big fan of being photographed. He must take after his dad. Well, unfortunately for Hunter, he has no choice.

Hunter - 4+ Months

2011-03-01T16:45:00.004-05:00

So this long break from blogging was due to my lens being sent out for repair. I finally got it back and am back to photographing our precious son Hunter. He is now officially 5 months old. Wow how time flies!!

New Year, New Baby, New Home

2011-01-13T23:03:00.003-05:00

It certainly has been a while since I've blogged...but for good reason! We bought our first home!!! It's been very exciting unpacking and trying to get settled in. But we've been here for a little over a week and there are still boxes everywhere. Having a 3 month old really does put things on a halt. And now everything is about the baby. I knew my life would change, but I can honestly say, I was not prepared for this much change. Then I look at Hunter's adorable little face and all seems right with the world. I've become one of those parents who thinks their child is the most beautiful child ever born. Can you blame me? :D
Here are a few memorable moments from our trip to the east coast.

Merry Christmas...

2010-12-17T17:17:00.004-05:00

...or maybe not so Merry when you're a 2 month old baby and your mom is forcing you to wear a hot, itchy wool hat.
If you were not one of the lucky ones to have received a Christmas card from me...(it was probably b/c I did not have your address)...so here it is!! Zoe, our funny looking yellow lab, was supposed to be in the picture, but she would not cooperate. I was trying to get creative and wanted a photo of just Hunter and Zoe, but Zoe was a snob about it and didn't want to be near Hunter. So then we went to plan B and just decided to do a family portrait style card. Well, Zoe got so excited that we actually let her on the bed for the first time, that she thought it was playtime and would not sit still!! Finally, we had to just kick her out. Poor dog! It's bad enough that Hunter would not sit still, I couldn't afford to have two things blurred out in the photo. :)

Originally Hunter was supposed to be wearing this hat.

But then, he decided he didn't like it, and Dave spent the next half hour trying to calm him down. So I thought, I'll just keep clicking away...

...no such luck...so I'm still clicking...

...so I thought, hmm, maybe Zoe would like to wear the hat. hahaha Who do you think wore it best?

The end of a long day of modeling. I just love this shot of her. She looks so sophisticated.

My Wonderful Hubs

2010-12-05T01:18:00.002-05:00

This is my wonderful husband, the Navy Chaplain, getting ready to attend the Marine Corps Ball in Las Vegas. Doesn't he look smashing?

Hunter In Vegas

2010-12-01T00:54:00.003-05:00

So when Hunter was about 3 weeks old, we took him on a road trip to Vegas. His first trip out into the real world involved a one night's stay at Caesar's Palace with the sound of slot machines ringing all around. The hotel was beautiful!! I should add that the only reason why we went to Vegas was for the Marine Corps Ball.

This first round of shots involved a lot of running back and forth b/c Hunter kept falling sideways.

Hunter - Part II

2010-11-04T12:10:00.002-04:00

So just as I had given up on trying to get more photos taken of Hunter while he was still under a month old, I took advantage of another open opportunity. Hunter has jaundice so I've been trying to put him in the sun as much as I can. That means I have to strip him down to his diapers, blast the space heater, and pray that he doesn't wake up crying. So after his little sun bathing session, I decided to seize the moment and take some more photos "au naturale". He was such a good sport and slept through the whole thing!!! I love my baby!!!

ok so we did start the session off with him awake.

Meet Hunter!

2010-10-25T19:40:00.004-04:00

I can't believe the day has finally come for me to post pictures of my newborn son, Hunter. He is now 2 weeks old, and I just can't stop staring at him. Between all the feedings and sleepless nights, I managed to squeeze in a photo shoot with him. It didn't last as long as I wanted b/c he started to lose his patience with me. Luckily, I had plenty of shots before all hell broke loose. :D

My new bundle of joy

2010-10-21T22:39:00.006-04:00

Say hello to my first newborn son, Hunter Kim. He is now 10 days old and has completely taken over my life. I can't stop staring at him!!! I never thought I could love someone so much. Let the photo-taking begin!! Here's an early snippet of two test shots I took. More to come...VERY soon!!!

Richie Portraits

2010-10-09T03:02:00.004-04:00

Meet Richard Jr, my nephew. He's a total ham, but I still had to bribe him to take these photos. I can't remember what I bribed him with though...it probably involved playing video games with him. hahaha These are the last of the portraits I took while I was in NJ visiting my family. Oh I miss these guys so much!!!

Nesting

2010-10-02T19:08:00.002-04:00

So as I wait impatiently for the arrival of our baby boy, I've decided to distract myself by doing some DIY projects for the Nursery. One of which involved a dresser.

An $8 dresser bought on craigslist to be exact. Before:

After a new paint job and new handles. I think this was well worth the money.
Don't you think?

More photos of the nursery to come...when I'm done. Hopefully I won't go into labor before I'm done.

Sibling Love

2010-09-27T15:04:00.003-04:00

Slowly but surely, I am going through the photos I took while in NJ of my niece & nephew. This was an unplanned photo moment. I just wanted to take advantage of their cuteness at the side of the church parking lot. Luckily I had my camera with me and decided to take this shot. Besides, there will come a day when they are older and will not want to be seen with each other, so it's nice to capture these good times when they come.

Chloe Portraits

2010-09-16T14:32:00.004-04:00

This little cutie is my niece. During my trip home to NJ, I was able to grab a few snapshots of her. Lucky for me, this "Princess", as she likes to be called, loves the camera and playing dressup. I think the camera loves her too!!

Our Baby

2010-09-07T10:59:00.004-04:00

I'm at 35 weeks now and thought, hmmm, 'think it's about time to take those maternity photos I've been wanting to do.' Dave wouldn't let me hire someone else, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Between me and Dave switching back and forth from behind the camera, I had so much fun with these, that I might just have to do some more. But don't tell Dave...hahaha. He won't be as excited as I am.

Hudson

2010-09-04T15:42:00.005-04:00

This little cutie is the first born son to my dear friends back in NJ, Stony & Paul. He was about 3 months old when we took these. I felt so honored that they would ask me to take Hudson's first baby portraits. I was even more excited to try on these new hats on him. I don't think he was as thrilled as I was though. We started out with some smiles, but then when nap time began to draw near, we clearly new who was boss. haha

Lucky Me!

2010-09-02T14:57:00.008-04:00

So I spent the last few weeks at home in NJ and was lucky enough to get a SECOND baby shower with friends and family. I have the best 2 sisters in the world who threw me the most awesome shower! It was so nice to see all my old friends and feel so loved. Sadly, I was not able to part take in the delectable goodies and sweets because of my gestational diabetes. They were so kind enough to make me my own personal dish of eggplant parmigiana. yum! Thanks to all those who came and for the many generous gifts!!! Dave and I are very grateful and blessed and Baby Kim will be the luckiest boy in the world to get such cool stuff! Thanks everyone!!!!!

I have to also add that the super cool hangtags and thank you cards were designed by my talented graphic designer sister, Gloria. And yes she does take orders! ;)

(oops! sorry, didn't have time to take photos of the guests. Well, I was the guest of honor so I couldn't be the photographer too!! c'mon now! hahaha)

Baby Shower

2010-07-26T15:04:00.006-04:00

Dave and I had our first baby shower this past weekend, and we had such a blast! Although I don't know if I should be insulted that my own husband WAY overestimated the size of my belly during the "guess how big Susan is" game. hahaha

I had these silhouettes made up when we got married. So I thought it was only appropriate to make one up of our future son.
The below profile was traced from his 5 months ultrasound.

Feel free to go to my facebook page to see more photos from the shower!

Moore Kids' Portraits

2010-07-20T22:53:00.009-04:00

It was just my luck to schedule a portrait session on the hottest day of the week with no A/C in the house. Nonetheless, the kiddies braved the heat and indulged my photographic whims by smiling for the camera and having fun.
Meet adorable brothers Alexander and Matthew. Matthew is just 3 months old!! I had so much fun watching them interact with each other...or should I say, watching Alexander pick on Matthew. Through all the goofiness, I can tell Alexander is going to be a great older brother to Matthew and can't wait to see them grow up together! He was such a ham!

Where's Zoe?

2010-07-15T15:50:00.004-04:00

I couldn't find my dog this morning. This is where she was:
She likes to hide under things.

Her favorite seat in the house. Sitting at the top of the stairs and seeing the world from the top. She also likes to throw balls down the stairs and play fetch by herself.

Turner Family

2010-06-15T23:42:00.006-04:00

Meet the Turners! It was a chilly Saturday morning at the San Clemente Pier but Elle, their daughter, was such a good sport and braved the cold in her tank top and cute blue tutu. Ok, so it took alot of coaxing and bribing with snacks. ;D But still, she took off her sweater in the end and so the photographing began! Michelle is a fellow native East Coaster so she gets my sarcastic humor. And Glynn is from New Zealand! They were such good sports while shooting.

Elle getting into daddy's combat boots. Started out as a good idea; then suddenly, it wasn't.

What's a day at the beach without some fun frolicking and chasing waves!

Glo + Pat

2010-06-04T23:24:00.009-04:00

Let me introduce you to my younger sister and her husband of 9 months. They came to visit us this week and we had so much fun exploring San Diego and trying out all the eateries that Pat used to go to when he was in college. I don't think I've eaten this much in a long time. We had so much fun!! I will miss them!! We managed to squeeze in some time for a photo shoot at La Jolla Shores. I have to say, shooting was a blast with such a goofy and beautiful couple. Love was in the air!!

While Pat had to take a phone call, we did a mini shoot with Gloria. I just love these!!

This was a shot that Gloria took. Too funny!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-02T13:39:00.009-04:00

We spent the weekend in Newport Beach where Dave had the privilege of offering a prayer at Mariner's church on behalf of all service members who have lost their lives serving this country. Though we never actually made it to the beach, we still had a blast meeting some great people and spending time with each other and our little baby Zoe.

Believe it or not, Dave is not posing for these photos. I just followed him around like paparazzi on Mariner's campus, which by the way is more fancy than some colleges that I've seen. If you haven't noticed, he looks annoyed as usual. He's not a fan of posing for me.

Prayer wall in the Chapel.

Dave writing his prayer down. If you look closely enough, you can actually read what he wrote. haha j/k

Lesson learned, this is what happens when you leave your dog in the hotel room for many hours with nothing to do. hahaha Luckily these are not my flip flops.

Gomez Family

2010-05-27T17:17:00.018-04:00

Family photo time!! I had the wonderful pleasure of photographing the Gomez family at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Gage was the perfect baby who put up with almost 2 hours of being photographed without a single peep. He even put up with all my posing. Not even my own husband, Dave has that much patience with my posing. hahaha I had a blast!

Legoland

2010-03-22T19:33:00.004-04:00

If you've got children, and you've never been to Legoland, I highly recommend you go. Almost everything is made of Lego's. Except for the rides of course. ;) Plus their apple fries were to die for!!! Here are some shots of my cousins' children.

Joel

Ava

Dave was making funny faces at her. That's the look I give him alot too.

Kayla

Must give props to Kelly who took the next 5 photos.
Luke

I must be bigger than I thought. I actually thought the two of us could fit in here.

I know I'm going to here comments about this one.

And finally, I couldn't put up a post about Legoland without actually showing some Lego's.

San Diego Zoo

2010-02-18T17:40:00.004-05:00

I just love the zoo! Enough said...

Who knew that a lion's fart could travel that far!!

Meercat posing like the rock. Some people might say this is a phallic symbol.

Koala bear behind a glass window. He had a really bad itch on his butt that he wouldn't stop scratching. It was funny!

I'm jumping for joy that I actually get to photograph someone in front of all this bamboo, but my "patient" husband is not enjoying it one bit; if you haven't noticed. haha

Ok this time I did not have the patience to photoshop our names in there so just enjoy the nice picture of bamboo.

Winery in Temecula, CA

2010-02-18T15:30:00.002-05:00

It's so nice to be able to have access to all this natural beauty! Moving from NJ to CA certainly has its benefits. The weather was so perfect. Doesn't it make you want to move out here? hint hint

Dave's sister Susan.

Officer and a Gentleman

2010-01-31T18:47:00.004-05:00

That was one of my favorite movies growing up. Who knew that I would actually marry one. haha Congrats to my hubs who passed all his interviews and is now on his way to being ordained in June. Although, I'm not liking the fact that people will actually have the right to call me a Pastor's wife now. haha As he was getting dressed for his final interview, I decided to take some portrait shots of him. Doesn't he look dashing? ;)
Oh, FYI, this is not his usual Navy uniform. Since he is currently stationed with the Marines, this is his Marines uniform. I always tell him he looks like he just popped out of a 1950's catalog.

Denver, Colorado

2010-01-30T16:46:00.006-05:00

With all the lights that are still hanging, you would think it was still Christmas in Denver. We even got some snow this past week. But I have to say, it is so good to be back in San Diego. My skin is thanking me too. I never thought that extremely dry weather could be a bad thing. I'm not sure if I ever want to go back there in the winter, but there was definitely lots to see.

View from our hotel window

Strolling along 16th Street Mall
No that is not a homeless man, that is my husband. hahaha He is such a good sport; I asked him to that. After I got home and looked at the photo, I couldn't figure out what he was doing with his face. Then it finally hit me; he is imitating the bear.

Tilt Shift Lens

2010-01-21T21:36:00.006-05:00

Who says you can't take nice photos with a PowerShot camera? The following photos were taken during our honeymoon in Greece. I resurrected these because I've had a slight obsession lately with the Tilt Shift Lens. And instead of shelling out the big bucks to buy the lens, I decided to fake it in Photoshop. What would the world be like without Photoshop?! So this lens is supposed to make pictures look like toy models, to put it in layman's terms. So I decided to test it out on these photos:

Good Night!

Hiking

2010-01-18T19:16:00.005-05:00

I have to say, it is so nice being in an area surrounded by beaches and mountains. This past weekend, we took a hike in the mountains. The trail back up was extremely painful, but being surrounded by nature, without humidity and bugs, was beautiful. Here are the highlights of our afternoon.

This nifty fanny pack came in really handy!! I'm so glad he got this as a Christmas gift!!

My wonderful husband is looking for a large pine cone for me to take home. Seriously, these things were huge. They were like a freak of nature and I just had to have one! I think Zoe was trying to help him out too.
He's asking me which one I want, but of course I'm not really paying attention b/c I was too busy taking photos of him.

I was being silly and asked him to put his wedding band on the pine cone that we took home with us. That's me trying to be a wedding photographer. haha

So I found this tree that had a couples' carving on it. I asked Dave to carve our initials on it too, but he said it was vandalism, so he refused. So not romantic, my husband. haha So I did the next best thing. Photographed it and then photoshopped our initials into it when I got home.
Didn't I do a pretty good job?

Sorry, no photos of me because I looked like a complete bum.

Basking in the Sun

2010-01-12T13:26:00.003-05:00

These are the moments I love. Zoe fast asleep in the sun - as opposed to the peeing and pooping and chewing stuff up in the house. haha Though to her defense, she has stopped chewing carpet. What a bit of exercise can do for a dog!

The beast has awoken.

Hubs took this shot of me and Zoe while we were napping on the floor.
I just love it!

And last but not least, my whackadoodle husband. ;)

Christmas Eve

2010-01-06T15:55:00.003-05:00

Ok I'm going backwards now. These are some of my favorites from Christmas eve.

Hey! I just realized...doesn't he already have this toy?

Chloe just loved this dress...can't you tell? hahaha Makes for a cute photo though!

These are some more from New Yrs Eve.
Wanted to test out some cool photoshop tricks I discovered.

New Year's Eve

2010-01-05T15:14:00.006-05:00

As Dave and I were waiting to get driven to the airport, it started to snow. What a nice treat to experience snowfall before we head back to San Diego. The kids had fun playing while the men were on a mission to build a snowman. If you want to see more shots from this outing click HERE.

It started with a family portrait.

This is what Chloe was doing the entire time. Shoveling snow.

This is what the kids made.

Dave had no clue that the kids were putting snow on his back. so cute!

If you're wondering where mom was...

And this is what the guys made...they cared more about the snowman than the kids did.

There's always time to stop and pose. What's that fox doing on my head?
Next two photos taken by Richard.

And at the end of my shoot, this is what Chloe was STILL doing. hahaha

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!

...From the Kims
(It only took about 5 takes to keep the dog in place.)
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Me & Hubs

2009-12-21T20:27:00.006-05:00

So lately I've been trying to take more photos of me and Hubs so that we can start to fill our empty frames. He is very impatient with my trial and error techniques, but I think we got a few funny ones.

And how could I end without posting a picture of our baby. These moments of her sleeping are few and far between because usually she is up and about tearing something apart. oh Zoe!

Self Portraits...again!

2009-12-18T19:08:00.007-05:00

This is what one does when they have nothing to do at home. They photograph themselves because their trusty sidekick dog won't sit still long enough to be photographed. Instead, the sidekick dog decides to jump on its owner while she's busy trying to take some self portraits.
The reason I decided to do this is because a while ago when I was taking a photography class, we had to do a self portrait series. I didn't know much about my camera at the time so I wasn't too thrilled with the results. Now that I know a little more about how to use my camera and have a MUCH better lens and camera, I decided to redo this project. Yes I'm a little bit of a narcissist. Can't you tell?

I guess I should've polished my dresser before I took this. That scratch on the bottom drawer has Zoe's name written all over it. She's in trouble now!

Testing out some free textures I found online. Cool stuff! Gotta love the web!!

Now You See It...Now You Don't!

2009-12-14T21:56:00.004-05:00

I was in a nostalgic mood and started looking through our honeymoon photos. There was always this one photo that I kept telling myself how much I loved IF it weren't for that stranger standing in the background. Well now that I'm ALOT more Photoshop savvy, I decided to fix it and just *poof* erase him.

Now you see him...

And now you don't! Oh, and I also decided to make it sepia.

Zoe Modeling My New Chair

2009-12-14T17:29:00.003-05:00

I took these when I first got my new accent chairs. I thought I could get Zoe to model on them for me. haha Dave would not be pleased to see that I let our dog on furniture. I can't help it though, she's so cute! She deserves to be sitting on furniture and not on the cold, dirty floor.

For those of you who watch "America's Next Top Model", I believe Zoe is "smising" as in the words of Tyra Banks. haha

This is her inquisitive look.

And this must be her shy and innocent pose.

Winter!

2009-12-10T22:12:00.006-05:00

Nothing says Christmas like snow in Central Park. I know it's only been 3 months since I left NY, but I forgot what winter feels like. So I went through my photo archives and found one of my favorite shots of Central Park. I can't believe I'll be there in a couple of weeks. Better pull out the winter gear. Yikes!

Meet The Spies...

2009-12-02T20:07:00.004-05:00

...pronounced "Speez". Being a military family themselves, they are one of our closest friends here in Oceanside, CA. As a matter of fact, we wouldn't be living in the house we are now if it weren't for Dawn's resourcefulness. And that's only one of the many things she and Dan have helped us with as we transition into our new life in California. Their son Isaiah is a total hoot and Zoe has developed a liking to him. Almost a little too much than he'd prefer.

So one rainy Sat. morning, over Thanksgiving weekend, Hubs and I managed to take a long hike (half a block to be exact) to their house and take family portraits of them. I had such big visions of an outdoor session, but b/c of the rain and my 30 min. time limit, we decided the fireplace would be the best backdrop. Here's a tidbit of what I caught.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T19:12:00.003-05:00

This was my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner. After 33 years of hating to cook, I was finally able to reach deep into my culinary instincts and whip up a meal that could've fed 10 people. Too bad my dinner was only for 4 people. haha Now it looks like the hubs and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving up until Christmas. So much for going on a diet after Thanksgiving.
So here's what was on the menu:
12lb Turkey, Baked Ziti, extra Stuffing, String Beans with Shallot, Corn on the Cob, Zucchini with Parmesan, Mashed Potatoes, Mac N Cheese (this is different from the one I used to cook), Salad, and Dinner Rolls. Gotta love the candle holders from Home Goods!!

Hubs insisted that I photograph him cutting the Turkey. This was also a first for him and ridiculous Hubs spent half an hour researching online on how to cut a Turkey. I said, 'what could be so hard about cutting a Turkey? Just take the knife and slice!' haha You did good Hubs!!

I figured I might as well show you my finally finished Living Room. But actually, I did change the floor lamp shade to something else and then plan on spray painting the base white. So..hmm...maybe I should've waited till I did all that. Especially since I have yet to fill all the empty frames. Gotta take more photos I guess!!

I am so proud of my bargain hunting skills!! I found the two side chairs on craigslist for only $275...FOR BOTH! What a steal!!

Zoe - a growing pup

2009-11-18T12:30:00.003-05:00

My newest obsession to photograph is none other than our puppy, Zoe. She's the cutest and funniest looking dog both at the same time. Her ears are so big, sometimes when the wind blows really hard, she looks like she's going to flap away. But she has been nothing but a bundle of joy for us. I'm so glad we have her. Especially since she's the only one who doesn't mind constantly being photographed. Actually...I take that back...she does mind sometimes. haha

Diane + Danny

2009-11-13T18:51:00.015-05:00

Before I left NJ to live with my husband down in Mississippi, I had this lovely couple allow me to test my photography skills on them. They are such happy people, and they are very good at being naturally and beautifully happy with each other. Thanks guys for being the "model couple"!!

Welcome Zoe!!

2009-10-13T21:20:00.004-04:00

This past weekend we were blessed with a new addition to our family. No I didn't have a baby. We got a new yellow lab puppy!! This is Zoe and she is 3 months old. She has been quite a handful so far, but nonetheless has been somewhat easy to train. After about 4 days, she is 99% housetrained and we didn't even have to use weeweepads or newspaper. Just ALOT of carpet cleaner. hahaha Her ears are humungus so I'm really hoping her body will grow into it and that her ears won't develop any further. Like most women though, she is definitely strong-willed and extremely stubborn. But her face is so cute, you can't help but smile - even if she did just poop on the carpet. But she still isn't Bailey. :( Weird though, she keeps trying to drink out of the toilet. What is it with dogs and toilet water??

Isaiah's 2nd Birthday

2009-09-22T17:18:00.010-04:00

This is Isaiah and he turned 2 last week. He's the cutest little boy and like all kids, the minute I pulled out my camera, he started running away from me. So I had to do what I always do and just keep chasing him till there was no where to run. Moms must get a good workout from chasing their children all day. I guess I'll have plenty of practice.

Mosaic Baptism By The Beach

2009-09-21T17:40:00.007-04:00

Dave and I had the honor of photographing our church's baptism this Sunday. Here's a snippet of some of my favorite shots:

Our Worship Pastor JD. His family is the Von Trapp Family of the South.

Pat + Gloria Wedding

2009-09-04T08:44:00.006-04:00

August 29, 2009 was a weekend to remember. The last of the Bang sisters got married off and the Bang household was filled with tears as my parents said goodbye not to one but two of their daughters. Gloria moved out to start her bodacious new life in NYC with her new husband Pat and I moved out to finally begin my married life (a year and a half late) with my wonderful hubby, Dave, in Mississippi. It was a beautiful wedding, with amazing detail!!! And the bride, my little sis, never looked so stunning. As one guest put it, she was dressed to attend the Oscars. Well, this was definitely her Oscar night and all the hard work paid off. I didn't take as many pictures as I would've liked b/c I wanted to enjoy the moment, but here's the few I managed to take. By the way, who was that awesome singer in the ceremony? hahaha just kidding!

This is probably the last photo I'll be able to take of the Lee family for a very long time.
The thought of not being able to hang out with them every weekend makes me very sad.

The Kwon clan. I promised my cousin that I'd take pix of her kids.
So here they are:

This isn't the Maid of Honor, but at least I got one of the toats.
Sorry Steph - I was in the bathroom.

My mom dancing the night away.

Generation of moms. Richard, Dave, Pat - this is what guys have to look forward to. hahaha

So after posting, I realized I have no pictures of my dad. Unfortunately, all the photos he was in came out blurry. So, here's the one I found where he's not blurred, but now everyone else is blurred. hahaha Argh!! It was a very frustrating night of fighting with my camera the entire time.

Single ladies - before the bouquet toss

Glo prepping for the toss

Dave+Irene Wedding

2009-08-22T08:04:00.009-04:00

This should've been posted a few weeks ago. August 8, 2009 to be exact...since that was the day of their wedding, but alot's been going on and finally I sat myself down to get it done. I have to say that I had a blast at their wedding. They are the cutest couple. C'mon, what other groom would throw his bride over his shoulder and carry her in to the reception hall like a prized possession? ;) Sadly, I did not get that shot b/c my flash batteries were dying. Big lesson learned for next time.

The last photo I took before my camera shut down.

The ringboy doing his "catwalk thang". He stole the show at that moment and had us all laughing hysterically. ok well, maybe I was the only one who was actually hysterical. haha One photo could not do this moment justice. So here is the play by play.

me and my sis.

The happy, soon to be married couple.
The fun table that I was sitting at.
Mister Softee taking time out to pose for me.

Photo Hiatus - Week 2 as a housewife.

2009-08-18T13:19:00.005-04:00

Since I'm out of town and do not have my camera with me, I don't know what to do with myself. haha So I've been looking into new recipes and what I should cook for dinner for my wonderful husband! For those who did not know, Dave has returned from Kuwait, I've quit my career as a Designer, and now am trying to get settled in Mississippi (no, NOT Missouri) as an old fashioned housewife. It's been great so far. Every night has been a night of experimental cooking. First there was Chicken Parmigiana with Spaghetti, in which I almost burned the kitchen down and freaked out my husband. Then there was NaengMyun (a cold noodle korean dish). After that, there was Kalbi (another korean dish that I love). Followed by some delish hamburgers (that I made from scratch) and Spicy Italian Sausage sandwiches topped with sauteed onions and peppers, made by Yours Truly. And finally last night, I made Lemon Rosemary grilled chicken with Wild Grain rice. It was absolutely delish!! For those who know me, I once hated cooking. And now, I can't seem to stop. Even when Dave offered to take me out to Sushi last night, I declined so that I could try this rosemary chicken recipe. Keep in mind, b/c of my dislike of being in the kitchen, these are very easy recipes!! Prepared really fast!!
Hmm...what shall we eat tonight??
Ooh!! Next time, I'll be sure to have pictures of all the dishes. haha

It's Me!!

2009-08-10T23:10:00.004-04:00

My friend Jenny is such a fabulous artist!! If you ever want to hire an illustrator you must hire her!!! She does some amazing fashion illustrations. Here's one she did of me when we were hanging out! haha I love it!!!

Richard + Theresa Lee

2009-07-31T10:53:00.011-04:00

Here's to my sister and brother-in law! Happily married for...6 yrs...I think. Now here they are 2 kids later and still look as stunning as ever. I will miss them very much. They say that a couple's first deployment is always the hardest. My first deployment was a breeze, and I owe it all to these lovely folks. Never once did I feel alone or without support. Not only will I miss them as my family but also as my pastoral and spiritual guidance. So don't ever take for granted what is right in front of you.

KED's Wedding

2009-07-29T15:00:00.007-04:00

Introducing the lovely Kevin & Esther Doh. What a beautiful wedding they had!! I was so in love with the Venue.

Hey, Mr Buns, I've been inspired to plan our vow renewal ceremony. How's about it?
Stay tuned for more photos from the wedding - couple photo session with the Pastor and his wife. They deserve a separate post all on their own.

Here they are in all their glory. You would think I would've taken more of them considering I'm an aspiring wedding photographer, but I didn't want to get in the way of their photographer so I was a bit camera shy. Here's the 2 I managed to get.

The Flower Girl, acting all demure.
The Ringbearer.
Brother and Sister. How cute!!!

Don't be confused, these two are NOT brother and sister!
Don't worry Buns, the bangs are going away for good. I don't like them at all!!

My next photo victims, Irene and Dave. I can't wait for their wedding to come! It's going to be a blast. They are such a cute couple!!

Stony & Paul, ever the humorous couple. They crack me up!! Love the new hair cut Stony. hahaha

Anchors away? hahaha JUST KIDDING!!

This was the best idea ever. A bubble tea stand!

The monkey that made his debut on the ring pillow.

Bang sisters reunited.

Taking a break from photographing.

This looks like a Sears catalog ad.

What better way to end the post than to show a picture of the future Mr. and Mrs. Lee! hahaha

Bethany Picnic

2009-07-20T21:25:00.004-04:00

This weekend we had some beautiful weather!! It was the perfect day for a picnic and picture taking. Unfortunately, I didn't take that many pictures. haha But I just love the sky in this one!!

Here are some Chloe and Dave series.

Cute little Dallas!

Mags and me. After seeing this photo, I'm beginning to not like my bangs anymore.

Some Extras

2009-07-13T23:12:00.005-04:00

I promised Dave I'd give him a picture of Richie getting in trouble, so here it is!
I know this sounds mean, but for some reason it makes us giggle to see him being disciplined.
Is that bad?
Pat is giving him a "talking to" after Richie accidentally ran over EJ with his mini Jeep.

Just came across this one: Praying for the Blevins (I hope I spelled it right)

Welcome Tess!!

2009-07-11T17:15:00.006-04:00

This little cutie is the new daughter of proud parents Chester and Kristy Han. She is so tiny and adorable I just didn't want to put her down, but I had sweat dripping down my forehead so I had to give her back eventually.

Happy 5th Birthday Richie!!!

2009-07-08T08:31:00.006-04:00

It was my favorite nephew's 5th birthday yesterday so what an appropriate time to post the pictures I took at his BBQ party this past weekend. This little boy always manages to make me laugh till my buttons pop off.

My most favorite photos of Chloe. A model in the making.

Her quintessential "ajooma" pose. This is the pose that will get her discovered.
Look out Kate Moss!!

The Dad. This is usually the look that I get from him. hahaha

The other aunt and future uncle. She doesn't like this photo b/c their noses look like anchors
HAHAHAHAHAHA

The happy Mom!

This one is so sneaky.
She was biting holes in all the dumplings and then putting them back in the plate.

I had so many cute ones of Jaden. He is such a ham!
A photographer's dream b/c most kids run away whereas Jaden will stand there and pose for me
till I'm done. Thanks Jaden!!

This one leaves me speechless and cracking up laughing everytime.
Do I see a Pastor in the making??

Please ask Sean to show you the "wing" magic trick using this dollar bill.

Uncle Pat debutting his new metro outfit that his future wife picked out.

Can you guess who's arm that is?

This was the last picture of the day. Even though his facial expression is not the most ideal it still makes me laugh!! Happy Birthday Richie!!

Monica & Timmy

2009-07-05T00:33:00.003-04:00

I was so fortunate to have this lovely "twosome" (I can't call them a couple just yet) model for me as they debut their budding "friendship." It was totally on a whim. As Maggie and I were taking practice shots, I saw M&T walking to their car and called them over. They were such great sports putting up with all my cheesy poses. Thanks guys! I owe you one!! Aren't they so cute?

These next two shots are very similar but I couldn't help but post both b/c I couldn't decide which one I liked better. So I made one blk/ wht and just posted both. haha

Bethany Retreat

2009-06-29T11:19:00.008-04:00

Saw this random "bike" and thought it was the cutest thing. Don't know exactly what to call it b/c it's not really a bike and not really a scooter.

I can't decide if I'm more fascinated by the bokeh on my lens or by the flowers themselves.

Group photo from the Bethany Retreat:

Yes I am aware that I look pregnant, and no I am not pregnant. It's just a really bad angle and some bad shadowing.

See that "tall" guy sticking out at the upper right hand corner? That's Paul, apparently, he's a jupming bean. hahaha

Here's a closeup crop of him jumping. Hilarious!!!

Round 1 & 2 of the Little Lee's

2009-06-25T22:08:00.012-04:00

Having fun with the niece and nephew again while the 'rents go out on the town. They are like the never ending energizing bunny - testing my patience as well as my shutter speed. hahaha Finally, in the end, my flash saved the day!!

ROUND 1

This is how Richie likes to "play" in my apt b/c of the lack of toys. Being that I obsess over my furniture and keep plastic on my lamp shades, this does not make me happy.

After about an hour of trying to put them to bed, I gave in to their whims and started round 2 of photo-taking. All these shots were taken in complete darkness. cool eh?

Richie wanted to take a "family" photo. hahaha This was my fav out of the 10 we took. Pretty nasty but Johan was licking my TEETH the entire time but I couldn't shove him away in case the camera went off. There must've been something tasty on my teeth. gross!

This is the one that the 4 yr old boy insisted was the better shot b/c we are all looking into the camera, including Johan; despite their deer-in-the-headlights look. hahaha and yes I am wearing pajamas. And yes my hear is a mess from chasing them around the house all night. but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. :)

goodnight!

Out for a Walk

2009-06-15T20:39:00.007-04:00

(FYI, I had to repost these b/c the first set was a bit of a disaster.)

I decided to take my camera out while walking Johan today. It was such a sunny, beautiful day until it started raining. Johan was a great model for me. I photograph him so much, he might start charging me by the hour. hahaha It's great b/c I have him so well trained to listen to me that even though we're outside and I let go of the leash, he doesn't run away from me. Mr and Mrs Lee, if you are reading this...can I have Johan? :D

Bronx Zoo

2009-06-15T00:22:00.019-04:00

So on a whim, Maggie and I decided to go to the Bronx Zoo and take photos. It was lots of fun and we will definitely go back to spend an entire day as opposed to just 1.5 hrs.

The polar bear in the above right picture was the cutest thing I've ever seen. He walks out and then just plops his head on to the rock. Here is a closeup crop of what he was doing.

This little guy was just sleeping there when we arrived. so cute!

Then the zoo keeper walked in and woke him up.

After the Bronx Zoo, we had a chance to stop by somewhere in Fort Lee.
Ask Maggie where it is, I have no idea.

Cool random red door on the cabin.
I can totally imagine having an engagement photos session here. hint hint

And lastly, how can I post animals and not throw one in of Johan.
I think I may have been confusing him b/c I keep calling him Mochi instead of Johan.
Remember Mochi? hahaha

Johan's New Do

2009-06-13T19:09:00.004-04:00

I'm posting these so that the Lee's can see that their precious Johan has been getting nothing but spa treatments. He got a hair cut on his face and ears, thorough ear cleaning, and a face wash. He also learned 3 new tricks today: Down, Paw, and Rollover. I don't think he's going to want to leave!!

Johan - The Mets Mascot

2009-06-11T22:21:00.008-04:00

Ok so my sister and the rest of the Lee brood get to go to Hawaii and I get a mop, oh I mean dog, to watch. hahaha I couldn't help it, Dave calls him a mop. I think we should change his name to Swiffer or Cotton. It's a more approriate name. Anyways, though I should be mad that he totally chewed up my favorite rug, I still couldn't help but post some pix of him that I took last night.

I'm Back in action!!!

2009-06-09T23:39:00.004-04:00

I finally got my camera back today. yay!! Thank God the Lee's came over for dinner before they leave for Hawaii tomorrow. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had anyone to test out my camera on. I promise I'll have some interesting photos coming up soon! Stay tuned...

Bailey Outtakes - The saddest day of my life

2009-05-30T22:49:00.003-04:00

This is a tribute to the best dog in the world. Words cannot express the sadness we feel in losing one of our best friends. It's tough to put these pictures up knowing that I won't be able to make more pictures with him anymore. He was a model dog, both literally and figuratively. He'd get so confused when I'd stop in the middle of playing fetch and pull out my camera and start clicking away at him. He just wanted to keep playing, but I insisted that I needed to photograph him just 10 more min. before we continued again. He was so patient. I don't think there will ever be another dog like him. He was such a huge part of Dave's and my life.
For those who did not know, vets speculated that he was suffering from lymphoma. To see him transform in the last 3 months from a vivacious, energetic, loving creature into an emaciated, fatigued dog who could barely stand on his 4 legs was mortifying. To witness the life being drained from him as he was being euthanized on the hospital table was probably the most heart wrenching experience of my life. Whether it is a dog or a human being, witnessing death right before my eyes was something that I hope I won't have to face for a very long time. To see his lifeless and limp body lying there just broke my heart. How could this happen to a dog that brought happiness into the lives of so many people. These are just a few of the countless photos that I took of Bailey that never made it into my blog. (To see other old photos of Bailey click HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

This is the most recent photo I have of him taken 3 weeks before his death.

And this is the last photo I took with him. I wish my eyes weren't closed.

Lying under the table at my In-Laws. Even in his sickness he tried so hard to be around people as much as he could.

Taken before he showed any signs of sickness.

Rest in peace Bailey. We will miss you very much.

Franchia, NYC

2009-05-26T18:43:00.009-04:00

Wow! It's only been one week since I've been without my camera and it feels like an eternity. I still haven't it gotten back from repairs so I'll have to post some old photos again. These were taken at a shoot that I went on with Maggie. This gig had our stomach's growling till the very end. If you're ever in NY I highly recommend that you stop in for lunch or dinner. The food is vegan but absolutely, mouthwateringly delicious!!!!!! Being that I am an avid meat lover, you should take my word for it and go there!! Check out the site for more of our photos: Franchia
Aren't you hungry now? PS, none of these photos have been retouched so yes, the food is actually really this good!

More pictures from Mother's Day

2009-05-19T22:36:00.006-04:00

So my camera is getting repaired, and I feel so naked without it. I didn't want my VERY FEW readers to stray away so I decided to post some more pictures from Mother's Day. It's a slew of different kids as usual. Gosh I hope I'm not pigeonholing myself into doing children's photography. Don't forget folks, my ultimate goal is to be a wedding photography. hahaha