Waszajclan

It's hard to say goodbye...

2009-10-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

...always.

But, it's not so hard anymore, when you know you can still keep in touch.

So long, blogger.

Come, follow me here.

{Lisa & Ed}--We're Married! Sneak Peek

2009-10-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Alright. I asked you to stay tuned. Because there was something I was and still am so excited about--another opportunity to shoot a wedding. And remember that cherry on top?

Many months ago, when I first found out about this wedding, I was informed that I needed a second shooter. I pondered, wondered, and there was a name that came up. I prayed about it, thought long and hard about it, and decided to ask her.

She said yes! Sarah, a wonderful, talented, amazing self-taught photographer, was going to be my second shooter. We were going to work together.

You can't get better than this. An opportunity to shoot a wedding, and to work with Sarah. That was my story.

What an amazing experience I had. I can't even begin to tell you, how much fun I had with her. As we begin to sort through these photos, I ask you to wait for them patiently. Between six children, two husbands, and many other personal stuff to take care of, we will get them done. With an over-the-top eagerness, too.

A Little Reminder

2009-10-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
O Lord of Heaven's Armies,
what joy for those who trust in You.

~Psalm 84:11, 12~

What an encouraging, beautiful promise. Just when you think you are too insignificant to accomplish great things, He opens a door and surprises you. With a cherry on top, too.

Stay tuned..

Way Overdue {Baby Shower}--Irvine, California

2009-10-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

My apologies. Soon after this special baby shower, we flew out to Maine for my brother in law's wedding. Then I was consumed with finishing up the wedding photos. Just very recently, I was finally able to get back and work on some of these photos.

The [then] soon-to-be parents

The Shower

Way overdue...but not too late (hopefully).

Autumn Starts

2009-10-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how nice it is to finally have the temperature cooling down a bit. It means shorter days, longer nights. It means Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. It means sweaters and coats. It means summer has officially left.

It also means discovering new things, playing outside, taking shoes off, getting close and personal with nature..

For the first time since I owned a DSLR, I went out there and shot RAW. I never wanted to try it because the truth is, I really didn't have to. But thanks to Sarah, I tried it for the first time. And have to say, it was nice to step out of my comfort zone to experiment something new.

I ♥ faces week 39--My Favorite Things

2009-10-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Alright. So this week over at

there is no contest.

Whew. Yep. No stressing out this week, no guessing who's going to win, no darn-I-thought-my-photo-was-pretty-good-but-I-was-wrong. Instead, it's a nice, simple, mellow getting-to-know you week. Actually, getting-to-know-me week.

A few of my favorite things...

Coffee (but not necessarily Starbucks). I need it in order to function in the morning. Yes, I have morphed into that type of person. I need my caffeine in order to function.

Food. I. LOVE. Food. But not just any food. I have adapted my husband's side of culture. South American BBQ. They call it Asado. It's the real stuff.

My Rainbows. Oh, these are the most comfortable, versatile, good-looking beach sandals exited. If you don't know anything about Rainbows, you are missing out. I have had my pair since college--and that's a long time. Lifetime guarantee. That's right.

Sales. Yes, just any sales. But especially Nordstrom sales. Anniversary, half yearly, whatever (Although, my husband's not too thrilled about me taking my son there).

My children's feet. I don't know why. I can't explain. I just love to look at their feet. Maybe it's because they are so small, maybe it's because they are so chubby..maybe, it's because they are my children's feet. I'm responsible for such cuteness.

New York City. Enough said.

My books. Especially my Francine Rivers, and my vampire books. (Do you like it that I put them together?)

Spring. No, not spring here in California, but spring in New Jersey. My husband's home state, where he was born and raised. Everything looks so new, so vibrant, so..green.

Old things. I love stories. I believe old things tell stories, in ways only old things can.

Vacationing. Each year I look forward to going back to New Jersey for the summer. Because that means food, New York City, and family. Nothing feels better than seeing my husband bonds with his four brothers. Nothing beats seeing the boys being boys (you can't really tell here..but there is actually a 30-ft. drop under the railroad tracks. There is a river running through right beneath the boys..right beneath me when I took this photo).

Black & White photos. Like I said, I like old things. Black & White photos will always be classy, timeless. Black & White photos remind me of the old days, where everything was what it was supposed to be.

Catching random moments. A moment like this is priceless: My daughter, who is only 16 months old, showing her personality. The if-my-older-brother-can-do-it-then-so-can-I attitude.

Lastly, friends. Friendship is important to me. Without my friends, I would not be who I am today.

Now, what are some of your favorite things?

Randomness

2009-09-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned this in my previous post, randomness can sometimes surprise you..in a good way. One of my favorite things to do with this thing that has permanently attached to my body, I call it a camera, is to photograph randomness. Random things, random people, random moments. In my mind, I believe that anything can happen at any time, at any place. One way for me to practice on getting better in capturing this kind of random moments, is to really do the capturing part.

Sunday afternoon. Long Beach, California. Shoreline Village, where the Queen Mary rests.

Really. The next time when you go somewhere, take your camera with you. I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone, don't be afraid, and capture some randomness. Chances are, many will come out better than you will expect. And some, will surprise you, in a good way.

I ♥ faces week 38--Blue

2009-09-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

Blue

Blue is the color of the deep, dark ocean.

Blue is a sparkling flag.

Blue is a beautiful rainbow in the sky.

Blue is on my pants with

Butterflies and flowers.

Blue is the color of Tara's watery eyes.

Blue is a book with blue words.

Blue is the bookshelf

That Mrs. Stein puts books on.

Blue is the ice that is cold.

Blue is a nice color.

This was taken a few months ago, at The Grove in Los Angeles. I love just taking my camera there and capture people. Random people. This is the perfect example that you just never know...sometimes randomness can surprise you in a good way. This one surely did.

The joy of becoming parents

2009-09-26T22:39:00.001-07:00

Ahhhh...the joy of becoming parents..

If you have children, you will know that there is nothing else in the world that can fill your heart like the way your first child can.

Remember that excitement, that oh-the-wait-is-finally-over, the at-last-I-get-to-meet-him/her feeling? That jittery sensation, that readiness to be in charge??

Well, two of my good friends finally became parents, for the first time, a few days ago. They finally get to meet their first child--Lola.

This is Lola. The cutest, most adorable, carefree puppy I have ever met.

She has the face to kill..

the heart of a child.

She is independent, she minds her own business..

She is every parent's dream.

Having only photographed people, this "shoot" was definitely something different, something interesting, something...fun. I was completely distracted by such cuteness, thank goodness my lens did its job. She [Lola] is so photogenic, it's not even funny.

Congratulations, you two! There will be some sleepless nights, many cleaning sessions, a few disciplining episodes. But there will also be tons of memory-building, dream-weaving moments. Enjoy every minute of her being a baby. She will grow up so fast. The next thing you know, she'll be ready to take on the world, and she'll act like she doesn't need you any longer (so I've heard, English Bulldogs are extremely stubborn). Too bad you won't ever be able to kick her out.

Ahhh...the joy of becoming parents.

I'm in love!

2009-09-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

..with Lightroom, that is.

Last night, I was playing around my LR and decided to search for some presets to download. I then found out this was probably the best thing I have searched on the internet in a long time. Not only I was able to find many easy-to-use presets, I was ecstatic that I didn't have to work too hard to achieve what I wanted done. Thus, another reason that I am in love with LR.

I have become more and more familiar with this amazing photo editing software. It is fairly easy to use, and it saves tons of time. If you are just getting to know LR and want to learn what presets are, this and this sites are extremely helpful. It is also from these two websites that I found my downloads.

Let me show you why I have fallen in love with LR:

SOOC:

Edited through LR and its many presets:

Now you see what I mean? All I have left to do is to adjust the finer details: exposure, contrast, sharpening, etc. No more spending five minutes on one photo. No more worrying whether or not your photo looks too red. Or green. Or blue. Or orange.

If you are contemplating on whether or not to use LR--contemplate no more. Go for it. Dive in. Take the plunge. You will not regret it, I promise.

I ♥ faces week 37--Completely candid

2009-09-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

I take a lot of pictures. A lot. When I saw the theme for this week's challenge a few weeks ago, however, I didn't have any idea which picture I would like to use.

You see, I am into candid shots. All of them. That means, most of the pictures taken starting March of this year were candid shots. I had more than 10,000 pictures to choose from.

I even went out again a few days ago, just to capture some candids. To no avail.

So, I went back to my photo library, after a few days' search, I dug this baby out:

Completely Candid

I took this back in March, when I first got a hold of a DSLR. I loved to capture people and moments, even back then. Chuck E Cheese. A Photo booth. Two boys, who were totally unaware of my existence (a good thing). It was just the boys, the machine, and a precious, special friendship captured.

Completely candid.

A day (ok..a few hours) with Caleb

2009-09-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

Children are so simple. The things they desire, the things they want to do.

Really want to do.

On this day, Caleb wanted to take a ride on the trolley.

Really wanted to..

But not his sister.

"Uh-oh mommy.."

"Uh-OH!!" (At this point, he began to panic. He just realized he was not getting on the trolley that day.)

"Mommy..Caleb go that!" (translation: I'd like to go ride on the trolley, NOW.)

"Caleb go THAT!!"

Right after this, I had to deal with a crying child, whose dream of going on a trolley ride that day was shattered. Completely destroyed.

But this trolley desire was soon replaced by something else.

Children are so simple.

She is a girl, but she is determined

2009-09-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

Little Abigail, who was born to be difficult..I meant, different.

Once she has set her eyes on something(other than her daddy), she will not give up until she gets it...

...or gets to it.

Little Abigail, my precious princess, my love...she just turned 16 months.

I have been experimenting with Lightroom the past few weeks. The above photos were edited through it, and I am fairly happy with the result. I was able to set up exactly the same adjustments for these photos in Lightroom, which was something I wasn't able to achieve through Photoshop Elements.

Conclusion so far? I love LR, and still need PSE.

I ♥ faces week 36--Contemplative

2009-09-13T16:53:00.001-07:00

This week at

Contemplative: the act of contemplating; thoughtful observation; full or deep consideration; reflection(not in the literal sense, of course).

I am sure as Sarah looked at herself in the mirror that day, there was a lot that went through her head.

Contemplative.

Photo Editing Discovery

2009-09-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to technology and easy access to personal computers, editing photos has become so easy (well, after you get the hang of it, that is) nowadays. Editing has also become one of my favorite parts of photography. The choices to edit one photo is just..well, limitless. I have always been a fan of PSE (and still am), but have also heard so much about Lightroom. I finally had a chance to experiment with Lightroom recently, and have to say, wow, I am in love.

Since I am fairly new to Lightroom, I am not going to use this post to show you the "How-to's" Instead, I want to show you what I have discovered Lightroom is capable of, and show you a comparison with PSE.

Here's the original photo (also SOOC):

And here are my attempts:

In the PSE version, I used my favorite technique I became familiar with, and I did write a post with the "How-to's" here.

The first attempt in Lightroom--well, it was pretty horrible, now looking at it. Although at the time, I thought it looked good. Until I realized, the overall tone is too "cool". My husband's and daughter's skin looked....dead. Then I tried again, and was finally satisfied with the "Attempt 2" result. The final photo looked warmer, and their skin looked...alive.

Like I have mentioned, since I am fairly new to Lightroom, I am not going to try to explain what I did here..because to be quite frankly, I really don't remember. When I experiment, it's always "a little bit of this.." and "add a little that". Once I become more familar with this software, I will do some more "How-to's". I just hope you enjoy seeing the differences, and may want to go out and try to utilize these photo editing software to the max..in other words...to get your money worth.

Until next time,

i ♥ faces week 35 challenge--Back to School

2009-09-06T12:53:00.001-07:00

Back to School!

I don't have a child who is ready to go back to school...although, at times, I wish they were old enough...

And so I tried to envision....this is what they would've looked like if they were ready (and eager, can you tell from my son's exciting face??) to leave home for school.

Yes, I Can Wait

2009-09-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of the saddest days in my life. I say, one of the, because I know that as a mother, each year marks another sad year when you see your children growing, and I know there will be many more of those years coming.

You see, Caleb turned three yesterday.

It's so hard to believe, that once-a-bundle-of-joy little thing has grown to become an individual who is capable of thinking on his own, making his own decisions, and at times, making his mother go nuts.

As I look at his little face, I am reminded everyday, that even when he makes his mother go nuts at times, I am so blessed to have him as my son. I am so grateful for him, I can't get enough of him..but I can wait till the day he will leave me for another woman...

Happy 3rd birthday, baby..I love you.

{Family}--Cerritos, California

2009-09-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

It was hot. So hot. It was only August, and it was 102 degrees where I lived. So I thought it was a good idea to head over to where I grew up--Cerritos, where it is usually cooler. It was so pleasant working with this family--sweet parents, adorable children. Little "I" and "N" were so happy, the whole time. Which, made my job so much easier.

The Cline Family--August 30, 2009

i ♥ faces--Before and After

2009-08-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

Wow..so much has changed since I first held a DSLR--back in February of this year. My next door neighbor, who is an avid photographer, kindly lent me his Canon 20D. It was love at first sight. I loved how the photos came out--the DOF, the clarity. Then I used one of my friend's old, very old version of Adobe Photoshop--and that was the rebirth of this passion (I said, rebirth, because I first fell in love with photography when I was 16).

It's so funny to see, how much I have come..here's a picture that I took of my daughter. I don't even remember what in the world I did in terms of editing. I just remember I played around on Photoshop with it. And yes, I was so proud of the result:

..and this (now I look at it, I am slightly embarrassed..)

And these two are the (hopefully) new and improved, taken from a wedding that I was blessed to shoot just two weeks ago:

For the second set, I really took the time and fixed/edited them, using my still-not-too-expensive PSE. I know I will look at these two in a year or so and laugh at myself again...but this is what photography is all about--you learn and improve as you shoot away.

{Siblings}--Newport Beach, California

2009-08-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Facebook these days, I was able to reconnect, and stay in touch with many of my friends from high school. Through this addicting, I mean, useful social network, I was able to reconnect with one of them.

Amber, who was literally my *first* friend when I first transferred to Whittier Christian High School eons ago, is now a mother of four. Yes, FOUR! I was so delightfully excited to meet her beautiful children this past weekend.

By the end of the shoot, I couldn't help but think, Amber is a super mom. Four little ones, 4X the energy that she has to deal with each day...but she's always kept a light, positive attitude. God bless her heart.

Photo [editing] Tip

2009-08-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned this before, but I am not very good at explaning the "How to's". Over here at Sarah's blog, she is so good at it. Not only she has the patience, but she always has the right words. That said, bear with me--I am about to explain one of my favorite photo editing tricks today. Feel free to write to me and ask me any more questions you may have.

I have been experimenting lately, trying to fish out one particular photo editing style that I like. Having looked at almost hundreds of photography sites, and having attempted to mimic the different colors, I have come up with one that I am pretty fond of.

I'll give you an example:

From this (SOOC):

To this:

I love the look of the second picture--that blue tint, with a little bit of magenta--you can still see the original colors, but the whole thing looks softer.

Now, I assume you have some kind of knowledge with PSE (Photoshop Elements). I also assume that if you have something more sophisticated like PCS4 (Photoshop CS4), the procedures are somewhat similar. Correct me if I am wrong.

Here's what you do (under the circumstance that the photo is at a right exposure):

1. In your PSE, open file to a photo you'd like to edit
2. Go to Enhance---->Adjust Sharpness
3. Make the adjustment to SHARPNESS @ 100% and RADIUS @ 1.0 pixels, and check the MORE DEFINED box. (Now, after you have adjusted this once, the next time just go to ENHANCE and AUTO SHARPEN, it should do it for you.)
4. Go to Edit---->Fill Layer---->(under contents choose color. Now a color box will pop out. Scroll to a pinkish color. To be more specific, my color number is e971b5.)
5. Under Blending, choose Color Burn @ 10%.
6. Hit Ok.
7. Now your photo should look slightly darker with a pinkish tint.
8. Next, choose Enhance---->Adjust Lighting---->Levels.
9. Under the "Channels", instead of RGB, choose Blue.
10. At the bottom of this box, slide the OUTPUT level to 50 (by this point, your photo will look rediculously blue, but it's ok.)
11. Next, go to Filter---->Adjustment---->Photo Filter and choose Magenta (and make sure the density is only at 25%)
12. Now, your photo should look horribly blue and pink...but it's ok, because what we are about to do next will save this problem...
13. Now, go to Enhance---->adjust smart fix---->25%
14. Now..your photo should look pretty good.
15. Lastly, go to Filter---->Adjustment---->Photo Filter and choose Yellow.
16. Voila. Done.
17. Sometimes, if I want to lighten up my photo a bit, I go to
Enhance---->Adjust Lighting---->Brightness/Contrast. Only adjust the brightness by 25%.

I know, it sounds a bit crazy..these are the procedures to edit one photo. But trust me, once you get used to it, it becomes routine, and it's going to be fast.

Not bad..going from this:

to this:

..all within a few clicks...

Good luck trying!! And let me know how it works for you!!

i♥faces week 33--Nostalgia

2009-08-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Wow am I late..I really had no intention in entering this week's challenge. Not only it *is* a challenge to find a photo that fits the theme, but I was going to take a break from it--all the anticipations and excitements wear me out (if this makes sense at all).

But I was just going through some old photo albums, and I found something.

This is Farrington Lake in Central New Jersey, where my husband grew up. When he was a boy he used to live right by the lake. He and his brothers had many years exploring in the woods and fishing right by the lake. This past summer, we took our son to the same place where his Daddy grew up. It was a fun experience seeing the two sitting right by each other; feeling two completely different sensations: my husband, feelings of nostalgia, and my son, feelings of new adventures.

{Engagement}--Lisa and Ed--Malibu, California

2009-08-24T08:22:00.001-07:00

I had such a good time photographing this couple. The soon-to-be bride was a little nervous at first, but soon she turned pro. The couple was able to enjoy the beautiful weather, gorgeous location, and most of all, being with each other.

Lisa and Ed--Save the Date:

Black n White

2009-08-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

I love looking at black and white photos. My very first encounter with photography was from a black and white photo. The image stunned me in reasons I couldn't explain; but it was that timelessness and class I was attracted to. That was fifteen years ago. I remember buying black and white films and loaded them into my very first Pentax SLR camera. I also remember my excitement as I couldn't wait to go outside and photograph away. People, buildings, cars, whatever I could capture.

I love black and white photos. I love the fact that they were *in* years ago, and they are still *in* now. I admire how you don't have to use colors to see the stories behind black and white photographs. I also enjoy seeing people's emotions and the world through these frozen, colorless images.

I will give you a few examples; you will know what I mean.

Don't these look great in black n white? Don't they look timeless? Now let me show you the originals. When you see the comparison, you will understand why I love black n white so much better.

And you know what the best thing is? It's so easy to convert. I don't use PCS4. I simply use PSE. Just convert your image to black and white, now I usually choose the [newspaper] effect, and add a little color burn in 50% gray, adjust the level a bit, and add a bit midtone contrast and voila! It's simple, and it makes your photographs look so classy. And classy is a good thing.

Jonathan & Sarah--8/15/2009

2009-08-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

Tease Peek

2009-08-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, I had so much fun doing my first official wedding as the wedding photographer this past weekend. The setting was unbelievably beautiful, the people, gorgeous. It was more than just an opportunity; it was an incredible blessing. Although the traveling part was more than a nightmare, I would not have it any other way.

As I sort through the 1400+ photos that were stored in my memory cards, here is a little **tease** peek--it may take me a few days to complete the whole project. I pray that I will always be able to tell you a story through my photos. Thank you, for those of you who have always believed in me. I couldn't have done it without your loving support!

Jon & Sarah, 8/15/2009--New Limerick, Maine

i♥faces--Bubbles

2009-08-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

I was ecstatic when I found out my win last week at i&heart;faces. I was in Maine, getting ready to shoot a wedding...when the news came. Now I have no doubt people will always remember me as "the weird photographer" who jumped up and down (literally) on that special day.

That said...I just want to thank those of you who took your time to email me and wrote me your sweet encouraging words. I know this is such a small accomplishment (which wins me but a "button" to display on my blog), but it is fun, and it always challenges me to be more creative with my photos.

This week, bubbles is the theme. I took this photo a few weeks ago at a wedding. I think one could never be too old to enjoy some of the simplest things...

To see the rest of them, hop to i♥faces.

I will be gone...for a few days

2009-08-11T12:58:00.001-07:00

Wow..it's finally here. Tomorrow, we leave for Maine. I will be taking a few days off from the blogging world..but stayed tuned.

There will be (crossing my fingers) great things coming after this trip. I will bring back something presentable (hopefully). Think of me as you read this short post. Pray for this LONG trip with our two children under three (fly for the first five or so hours, then a whopping twelve hours' drive up to Maine).

Yay, I can hardly wait....

...for this trip to be over, that is.

I ♥ faces Week 29--Funny, Silly Faces

2009-08-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time. Since my last entry here at i♥faces.

Well, here I am again, with this week's silly theme. I could pull up so many funny, silly faces that my children have made before my camera; well, you see, that is just the problem. I couldn't choose just one.

Then, I pulled up this photo:

I knew this was it.

For the rest of the funny entries, go to

To Flash, or Not to Flash

2009-08-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

Before I start, I'd like to point this out--this post is going to be written based on my personal experience. I am not very good at explaining technical stuff, especially with things I'm not too familiar with yet. Also, I would hate to pretend I know what I am talking about--because, quite frankly, I am not too sure, either. I will refer you to a few sites that I found that have been helpful to me. I enjoy learning, and I have said this before--the learning process is endless. I don't think I will ever stop learning.

Anyhow. Ever since I became addicted to, I mean, fell in love with photography, I have been attracted to the beauty of utilizing natural light. I have taken more than 10,000 pictures, but only less than twenty that my built-in flash has actually popped out and helped. Some of those were accidents, but some weren't. I like to experiment with different shutter speeds and apertures. I also like to keep my ISO at the highest 400. As a result, I purchased a few faster lenses (50mm f 1.8, and 85mm f 1.8), and the photos that came out from those two particular lenses were beyond satisfying. With those two lenses, I was able to keep my ISO at 200 most of the time. Sometimes, in darker situations, I will raise it to 400. No big deal.

The challenge came when I was practicing shooting at a wedding a few weeks ago. I refused to use my built-in flash, and I didn't know much about external flash units, so I brought my camera to the wedding, thinking I would do okay.

The shots came out beautiful--that is, until nightfall, when we moved to the reception site. Like most weddings, the reception was held indoor, with different types of artificial lighting. I tried to keep my ISO at 400, to no avail. Then I adjusted to 800, when my skin began to crawl. Still horrible. Finally, I screamed (in my head), and cranked it up to 1600 (I have a Rebel Xti, which only allows you to adjust your ISO in those increments). Here's a shot with that result:

Not too horrible, you would think I added the "noise" on purpose...right?

Well, I hated it. I had no choice. The only good thing was that both the bride and the groom looked pretty sharp. That was the moment I began to ponder, whether or not I should make a commitment to purchasing a flash.

And so I began doing my research. I asked my next-door neighbor, whose photography work is amazing (here is his website). Long story short, he introduced me to the Speedlite 580 EX (not to be confused with the Speedlite 580 EXii).

Fancy name, I know. And I'd be lying if I were to tell you that I knew exactly what Speedlite 580 EX was. Not only did he allow me to come and bother him and his lovely, pregnant wife (on a Friday night), he took the time and explained how to use this thing in the simplest form of English. On top of everything else, I got to play with it.

Holding this what I considered a "high-tech" gear, I went straight to my computer. I googled away, and found this article, which basically was an "external flash 101". Looking at the many buttons and functions, I became discouraged right away. How in the world would I possibly become familiar with every single function, and every combination of different settings??

So I tried. I fired away, flashed away. I only played around with a few settings, and I fell in love with it. With this unit, all I know is I can keep a low enough ISO and still achieve a natural look. I'll show you what I mean (the picture with my sister at the dinner table--the left side was shot using a built-in; the right, external):

At the end of the day, I can safely say that I have changed my perspective on using a flash. No, I still won't use my built-in flash. But an external flash unit?? In my opinion, it's worth the investment.

If you want to further your knowledge on how external flash units work at a deeper lever, my neighbor wrote this article.

From Another Perspective

2009-08-02T23:08:00.000-07:00

You know it's always comical to see things "behind the scene"? For example, when you see a picture of an amazingly beautiful girl looking into the ocean, hair gently blowing, with a golden-colored sky painted in the background...you wonder how in the world do photographers catch such a perfect moment at the perfect time, with the perfect girl. Then when the picture zooms out, you see ten people standing around this girl, with cameras, flashes, umbrellas, an industrial-sized fan, and make up artists standing around? It looks pretty funny then.

When I have my appointments with clients, I always wonder what I look like from the clients' point of view. Especially when I try to be creative with different angles and such. Well, I have to wonder no more. One of my recent clients took a few photos of me "at work". The funny thing is I had no idea until she sent me these pictures via email. I laughed out loud, then really studied the pictures. I have to say, they looked comical to me. Well, okay, you be the judge.

Zooming Out--

Zooming In--

Zooming Out--

Zooming In--

Pretty fun, right?

Also, my friend Jane, took this photo when she and I took our sons to see Elmo Live a few months ago. I was too busy catching moments with other people in them; Jane didn't want me to miss out a picture with Caleb. You see, he was even making a funny face--only I was one second away from being ready.

Newborn Photography--Torrance, CA

2009-08-01T23:20:00.000-07:00

Remember this couple?? I had so much fun getting to know them a few weeks ago at The Montage, Laguna Beach. They were expecting their first baby boy. I could see the excitement, the I-can't-wait-to-meet-him looks on both of their faces that day.

Well, a few weeks has gone by. It was once again my privilege to work with this adorable couple, to meet their new baby boy. I couldn't help but wowed and oohed and ahhed when I saw him. He reminded me so much of my son, Caleb, when he was this little. That was nearly three years ago..three!

Ahh...meet Skylar. He inherited the same personality traits as his parents--sweet, friendly (he did not object when I held him), and easy-going. Just like every other newborn, Skylar eats, sleeps, and dirties his diapers--that's about what he does all day. Pretty easy life, if you ask me..

Blessings, Opportunities, Shockers..and a Bit Overwhelmed...?

2009-07-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

Life has been sailing through some unpredictable, but adventurous waters lately. It's exciting to watch things unfold in ways that I never expect; it is also scary at the same time. It's exciting because I know for sure the Big Guy upstairs is orchestrating every incident. It's scary because humanly speaking, I feel completely unfit, unequipped, and insufficient for what is laid out for me.

But I also remember,

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Romans 8:31, 32

I want to do this right. I am pursuing after this incredible opportunity, and I am making more plans. But I have to wait for His timing at every step. I have to remember that I am a follower of Christ, a wife, a mother, in that order. Whatever comes after becomes a gift, a blessing. I have to keep my eyes focused, set my mind on the things above, and not on the things that are here on earth. Once I lose my focus (which happens often), everything becomes meaningless. I have to allow the Big Guy above to lead the way..even if it means one step at a time, even if it means I can't see too far ahead yet.

Meanwhile, during this amazing, unbelievable journey, I am so thankful for my dear husband's constant support. He's a man who is hard to please, and to have him support me full on with this journey of mine means the world to me. I am also thankful for my friends' never-failing encouragements, and my kids' never-ending inspirations. All I can say, much, much is brewing at this moment, and it would not have happened without any of them. I truly am grateful.

Life has many blessings, opportunities, and some shockers. For now, it is a bit overwhelming...in a good way.

A New Little Sister--Family, La Habra, Ca

2009-07-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun photographing my friends and their growing family this past weekend. I love to see this sweet family interacting with each other on a daily basis (literally--they live right across from me). It was my privilege because, well, the boys are my son's friends, and their new little sister will be, in a few more months' time, my daughter's playmate. I cannot wait to see, when all the little ones get together, what kind of disaster, I mean, fun it will be.

A Match Made in Heaven--7/25/2009, Orange County, California

2009-07-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

I was not the official photographer at my friends Paul & Ashley's wedding, nor was I pretending to be. I present this to you purely for the purpose of my own portfolio building (in progress). There are obvious things that need improvement, but I enjoy the process of learning. I pray that you will allow the photographs below to tell you a beautiful love story, written by the Creator, Who foresaw this day, even before they were born.

With this Ring, I Thee Wed..

(This is one of the advantages watching the real photographer working, at his best)

Practice

2009-07-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

I am not a big fan of the title, "photographer". I am a fan when the title refers to the real thing. Someone who is established, someone who has been doing this for a long time, and someone who has years of experience. As for me, this word feels a bit unfit. Actually, too much unfit. It's like when someone finally decides to pick up some pots and pans to cook, and being called a chef.

I love the art of photography. I love taking pictures. But I don't feel entitled to be called a photographer. I am not qualified to be called such a thing. Which is why, I was a bit hesitant when I brought my camera to a friend's wedding rehearsal yesterday.

But I had to. I needed to practice. There were many times when I wished I was invisible--so I could walk up to the stage and really get some unique, once-in-a-lifetime shots. I chose not to, because I really wasn't the official photographer. Besides, all I had was my little humble Rebel Xti body with an 85mm lens. Not to compare with the many 5Ds I saw at the rehearsal. Everyone has a 5D now..which was another reason why I felt so insignificant.

Nevertheless..I did get some good ones--and I enjoyed more the process of practicing, rather than the actual outcome, result. I hope you will enjoy browsing through these photos; I pray that you can tell this couple's love story through these photographs.

Paul and Ashley--

...who were brought up by their loving, God-fearing parents...

...who have invited families, friends, to celebrate this special day with them...

who...are having a huge wedding party...

..who are also having the cutest nephew/niece to be a part of this special day...

..and also having the most beautiful music...

are quite ready for the big day!!! While documenting this special event, it was also fun to get a bit distracted by the innocence of children...

But then again, who wouldn't??

...and..at the end...the perfect conclusion of this evening was accompanied by an Italian dinner, which was hosted by the groom's father, who has, along with his wife, prayed for his sons (seven of them) all his life...

...along with some laughters, and a good time.

Happy wedding day, Paul and Ashley!!

A Package in the Mail

2009-07-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

They came today. I found myself ripping through the box, shredded it into pieces. The content was priceless, and it is a glimpse of my future. My unknown future.

No more fumbling through my purse just to find a pen and a piece of paper, trying to write down my email address when I attempt to advertise myself to my friends. No more trying to spell my last name to people and hoping they will remember (they don't, 100% of the time). Now, I can just say, "here".

Here.

i ♥ faces week 28--feet

2009-07-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Feet. I wish I could say a loud enough "yesssss"! Call me strange, weird, or whatever in the world you want. But I have this love/hate relationship with feet. You see, I love feet, and I hate feet. I love children's feet, babies' feet. But I hate adults' feet in general. My husband and I have been married for six years. I have never, ever allowed him to touch me with his feet. I have never, ever touched his feet with my bare hands, either.

But I would rub my children's feet on my face, I would kiss them until both kids become angry at me. I would also catch myself stare at their feet, for no reason other than they are super adorable.

Can you understand my excitement when I found out this week's theme at i ♥ faces??

I took this when we visited New Jersey for vacation a few months ago. My new niece--she was born the same day we arrived. Aren't her little feet so precious? So tiny, comparing to Mommy's and big sister Mac's.

For the rest of the entries,

A little sneak peak

2009-07-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

It is 45 minutes away from tomorrow. I am sitting here, wide awake, trying to organize my thoughts as I type these words. There are so many things I want to share with you, and believe me, I wish I could. But I better control my urge and wait until I have everything put together.

What I am going to tell you, though, is that I am stepping out of my comfort zone, and allowing God to take me to a place where I never thought I would be. I am scared, in doubt, but I am also at peace. I am at peace for the very reason that I know this is where God wants me to go, at this point in life. I prayed, and I have asked Him to show me signs (which, I don't ask often. I don't like limiting God's wisdom, and tell Him what to do). He has, and I know for sure that He has answered my prayers. Now I just have to carry the plan through.

What plan? You ask. Well...since my sister is in sales, I will use one of her famous analogies. In the business, sales world, people often categorize two types of people: farmers and hunters. Farmers are those who worked hard all year, but at the end are just sitting there waiting for the harvest. Hunters are those who work hard, as well, the difference is, well, they don't just sit there. Ever. They go out and hunt. The hunters are considered good salespeoeple and good businessmen. I was born a farmer, and in my mind, I will always, for the rest of my life, be a farmer. That was why I chose Elementary Education in college and became a teacher rather than climbing my ladder for Donald Trump. But God actually nudged me and told me that it's time to be a hunter. I refused, thanked Him for His offer, and moved on with my life. But He nudged again, and again. Finally I prayed and asked Him to show me some signs, if He was serious. He did. And He was serious.

Like I said, I'd like to put everything together before I reveal the whole plan. I don't want to sound pompous, or pretend I know what I am doing. I am giving you a little sneak peak. A very small portion of His HUGE plan.

I have decided to going into business. Photography business.

To say that this is a dream come true is an understatement. When I first started doing photography four months ago, I thought this hobby would stay as a hobby. I had no problem with that. Going into business with this hobby was such a far fetched idea, calling myself a photographer was a HUGE no-no. There are too many talented people out there, and the photography industry is beyond competitive. Just when I thought I was becoming better, God showed me that I was not nearly good enough. Feeling disappointed, I had to constantly remind myself to stay humble. Little did I know, the Lord had a bigger plan brewing for me already; I just wasn't ready to hear from Him yet. Then, after His numerous gentle nudges the past few weeks, I finally had a glimpse of what He was trying to tell me all along.

^"3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

⁴ See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of the peoples."

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

⁹ "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

¹³ Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."

~Isaiah 55: 3,4; 8-13~

Now I say this. I don't mean to tell you how great I am that I have decided to go into business. And..you and I both know that, just because I finally decide to use the word, "photography" on my logo, it doesn't mean that I am a big shot. I am giving all the credit to my Lord Jesus, Who has blessed me with many wonderful opportunities, Who has sent me clients, and Who is teaching me how to bring glory to His name through my work. For those of you who are faithfully stalking me and my photos, thank you so much. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. The only thing I am not telling you is that I am stalking your photos and websites, as well.

Some of you know, that my whole photography journey started because I am reponsible for my brother in law's wedding in August. I will be the photographer at that event. I figured four months ago that I better get to know my camera, quick. That was the beginning of this passionate love affair with photography. Since then, I have taken more than 10,000 pictures. Sounds crazy..but the filing numbers in my camera don't lie. To say the least, I enjoy it. I am still reading books about weddings, browsing through sites that explain the functions of my little Rebel. I am still asking questions, bothering my next-door neighbor (who is an avid, professional photographer) every chance I get, trying to get answers to the differences between lenses..and what settings I should use in what situations. In other words, I am still learning. I will keep learning, until the day this love affair ends. For now, that sounds like a far-fetched idea.

Lastly, I'd like to share with you my new logo. I have decided not to use my last name, simply because, well, not many people can actually spell it. I like it simple, elegant, to the point. Although I did go back and forth with a more complex design..I have decided not to. Simple is what I need. Simple, humble, just like Jesus when He came to this earth.

Thank you so much for reading through this long post. Thank you for your support. I am walking with Him one step at a time. I am not even sure what is next in His book. I just know, after the August wedding, I will be busy doing more planning. Once everything is figured out, I will let you all know. Meanwhile, if you do live here in the Southern California area, especially Orange County, feel free to contact me about a session. I have to say, I am blessed.

Family--Tustin, California

2009-07-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Once again, I was blessed with an opportunity to shoot a cute, adorable family. Meet Robin and Scott, and their two beautiful girls.

We met three years ago, when we first came back to California from New Jersey. They were our small group leaders; it was friendship at first sight for us. They are still serving faithfully at their church today, their warm spirits and giving hearts always humble me.

Tustin is such a cute little town. It is like finding a hidden treasure for me to discover such a cute place when, all along, I live only 30 minutes away from it.

A Summer Evening Concert--Brea, California

2009-07-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

You know it's summer when there are concerts at different city parks. It's not news that I have a camera attached to my hips at all times. Not just for vacations. Not just for birthdays. Not just for weddings. Not just for celebrations. But for all the above and all the in-between.

I really enjoy shooting people (not in the literal sense), especially when people are in their most natural, naive, relaxed state of mind. I love to capture their emotions, and believe these shots tell so much more story than anything else. I should have majored in photojournalism in college; I chose elementary education instead. Although I never regretted teaching, I now wonder where I would be if I had chosen a different path.

A summer evening concert--Brea, California

The bottom line is...if you want to practice on your photography skills, this is an example of an excellent place to be. There are so many people, no one is going to care about being photographed. Act natural, most people will think you are from a local newspaper or something.

Go, shoot away!

Afterward, reward yourself by paying a visit to Cold Stone Creamery. Now life is almost perfect.

Happy Birthday, Alex!

2009-07-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend, Alex(andra), turned 25 this past weekend. 25 years young..it was enough of a reason to celebrate.

It was a nice day, a scorching, sun shining, relaxing, summery, July day here in Southern California...

...where the adults had a chance to catch up, drink beers, and just do our thing...

..when the kids went off, and played with ice, trying to cool off...

...when, out in the corner, came a little thing named Ernesto..who stole the birthday girl's thunder for a brief few minutes.

We ate, drank, ate, and ate. Catching up on life, work, life with children, life without children. We talked about the past, the future, and all the what if's. That's what happens when old friends gather together in one place. We loved every minute of it. Every. minute.

Happy birthday, to a beautiful, God-fearing, warm-hearted, and wonderful friend, Alex. 25 fabulous years, and many, many more to come!

Happy Birthday, to you, Happy birthday, to you. Happy birthday, dear Ale-x! Happy birthday, to...you!!

i ♥ faces week 27--Sports in Action & Pets

2009-07-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

After a week's rest, over here at

is holding yet another weekly challenge. This week, Sports in Action is the theme. I chose the bottom photo for the adults entry, because for my husband and his four brothers, they were born to play. Basketball, that is.

Sports in Action--Adults Entry:

Pets Category Entry:

We took Caleb to a petting zoo this past weekend. He enjoyed getting up close and personal with these baby goats, and I enjoyed photographing him.

Come on over to i ♥ faces and check other great entries!

Staying home with my kids...

2009-07-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

.....is a noble job. I have voiced my opinion before, how difficult it truly is. Click here to see more, if you haven't already.

.....is something I never thought I could do. Growing up in a family where Mom worked all the time, I never thought I had it in me.

.....is something my husband had told me, I will never be able to do (after staying home with the kids while I went grocery shopping), which, makes me feel this much better. I can do something he can't.

.....means I have to constantly fight the urge to clean up after my kids. I say, fight the urge, because there is really no point. You see, there is constant mess everywhere. At every corner of the house. Every. Corner.

.....means I have the opportunity to photograph my one-year-old doing a somersault at the edge of the couch, and not telling you what happens next.

.....means I become excited when they have friends over.. It's always fun to see how your children interact with other children and just do their thing--until you leave them alone for three minutes.

....makes Daddy and me time much more precious. After seeing me all day, it's nice to finally have someone who is willing to run around the house with them...instead of telling them to stop running around inside the house.

.....is rewarding. Really, despite the constant mess, it is very rewarding.

Did I say it is a noble job??

During the Operational Hours..Anyone's Welcome.

2009-07-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Cerritos Library, Cerritos, CA

2009-07-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's summer, it's time to have some fun.

This is the lazy, I-do-not-have-to-get-wet-but-the-kids-are-still-having-a-great-time way to spend an hour at the library.

To be honest, I wish I could jump in for the fun, too.

She is a girl...

2009-07-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel guilty--photographing my daughter, Abigail, much more than my son, Caleb. The reason behind this is that Abigail is oftentimes way more dramatic than her brother is, or ever will be; I thought it would be great to document such temperament, so I can show her future husband what he should be looking forward to for the rest of his life.

She is a girl, and this is how she was made, I have to remind myself.

The first time I realized this is how she operates, I told my husband that we have to pray hard, starting now. I am all for bringing up a princess, but I am definitely not for bringing up a spoiled princess.

You see, there is a big difference.

Then, every so often, our girl decides to flash a killer smile, which melts the hearts of many.

She is a girl, just like me...and this is how we are made.

Maternity--The Montage, Laguna Beach, Ca

2009-06-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

Oh...the joy of knowing you are about to meet this new little life..I remember that, and miss that.

i ♥ faces week 25--Wedding Bells

2009-06-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating weddings here at

Meet Alex and Steve. They said their "I do's" in front of close friends and families, they made their vows before our God, and they just had their first kiss. Ever.

No wonder the bride was ecstatic, and the groom..blushing.

Come over to

and see many other wonderful entries!

Summer....is here.

2009-06-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

It is summer all year long here in Southern California. We go to the beach during the Christmas Season, have ice cream in February, and complain that it is never cold enough to wear those cute coats advertised at The Gap.

Nevertheless, summer is here. You see it everywhere.

This Journey...Potty Training

2009-06-24T12:04:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the blogging world, I, a mother of two, am now able to share anything and everything that happens in the Waszajclan household, whether or not people care to know. If you are a mother who has been through this journey called potty training, or a mother who is about to go through it, read on; you just might find yourself nodding your heads.

I will try to keep this short, and to the point. I have to admit, I have been dreading to potty-train my kids. Of all the things a mother looks forward to do for her kids, potty training them is not on my list. It is hard work, and it requires much patience. Worst of all, every child is different, so there was no way to gage how well my child would do.

Well, the day finally came, when Caleb woke up, demanded his diaper to be changed. Although I have attempted many times to toilet train him in the past, I took this demand as a sign that he was truly ready. So..I went cold turkey with him on that day. That was exactly 48 hours ago from the time I am typing these very words, and at this moment, I can say, he is done.

Just like that? Yes! Of course I am going to skip the part where I made him sit on his little potty while Sesame Street was playing on the TV screen in the living room. I am not going to tell you how many pouches of Haribo gummy bears I allowed him to have during the past 48 hours, when he is normally allowed to have only one a day. I am also going to pass the part where I took out a wooden spoon and threatened him to stay on his potty seat. Lastly, I won't tell you the moment when I found both he and his sister were happily engaging themselves in throwing and splashing his toy cars inside his potty.

Of course, there is the big celebration chant after each deed; it is absolutely necessary, if you ask me.

Two days. Done. Well, most likely, done. I know there will be accidents, but if I knew it was this easy for him, I probably would not have been so stressed out. Just look at how excited he is.

Bottom line is--only you can decide when and if your child is ready. Don't rush. Don't look at his age and compare with your other friends who has trained their children when they turned 1. Relax, let your child tell you when he or she is ready. Then it will only take a few days. Maybe less, just like mine.

Family--Santa Ana, CA

2009-06-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to do a family portrait session this past weekend.

Meet Hermelinda, and her adorable family. We have known each other for more than ten years now, and she has always been a wonderful example for me. She is a courageous woman of God, who is not afraid to step out and stand up for Christ. I have always loved this part about her; she has taught me so much in my walk with Christ.

This is her husband, Kurt, and her lovable, kissable, hug-able little boy, Peyton. Kurt has been an amazing husband, and an incredible father. And Peyton. Oh, little Peyton. I thank God for this family.

i ♥ faces week 24--Let's Hear It For The Boys!

2009-06-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

To honor special men in our lives, over here at

It's all about the boys!

Kids:
This is Caleb, my son. This is a face he's learned from one of his uncles.

Adults:
This is a picture of my husband, who is in the middle, and two of his brothers (He has four in total). This was taken when we were on vacation this past May. I know how much he misses being with his brothers.

Fashion Island, Newport Beach, CA

2009-06-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

One thing about living here in Southern California is..there are many beautiful places. This was one of them. Fashion Island, an outdoor mall, built right across the street from the Pacific Ocean, in the heart of Orange County. Beautiful mall, beautiful merchandise in beautiful stores (that I can not afford).

Beautiful place to photograph, as well.

I learned

2009-06-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

It's not news that I have picked up photography these past few months. I have engaged in this hobby with a burning passion. I have read books, searched the internet, browsed many professional websites. Most of all, I have been experimenting. Experimenting by taking many photographs. Many, many photographs. In fact, I have my camera sitting on top of my kitchen counter, collecting whatever it may come its way. I take it wherever I go, and I mean wherever. No place is too insignificant for me, and nowhere is too unimportant. Because you just never know, when is there a photographing opportunity. Opportunity seeker? You bet. Borderline obsession? Maybe.

There are many things that I have learned these past months. Many things I can write down, but many I can not. Everyone has a different experience with her camera, and I do not want to speak for anyone. Below are some significant things that I have encountered that I see as valuable lessons. I hope this helps some of you out:

1. The camera itself, contrary to popular belief, does NOT make a photograph greater or worse.

Many people think, the more money spent, the "better" the camera. While this may ring true in many aspects, you know a camera does not make a photographer as a typewriter does not make a writer.
Megapixels. The larger the number, it really just means the larger the pictures can be printed out without a grainy look; it has nothing to do with how clear a picture comes out. You may find this surprising, but a camera with a 5 or 6 megapixels are really what we, the everyday, average photo-takers will need. When will you ever want to print out a picture that is the size of a door? In addition, the larger the megapixels, the larger the picture files will be. Do you have enough space on your harddrive to store all?

2. The composition, or how you set up a picture, makes or breaks a photograph.

Many of you are familar with the word, "composition". Just like writing a paragraph, you want everything to flow in a photograph. You can photograph a cute, adorable face your child makes, but if you do not see the trash can that is sitting in the background, it will ruin the whole thing. My cousin, who's worked as a photo editor for Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar magazine in NYC, gave me this advice: "Take care of the edges, and the rest of it will take care of itself." I can't thank her enough for that advice.
The rule of thirds. It sounds more complex than it really is. This just means, it is better, aethetically speaking, to position the subject(s) of your photograph in a one-third position of your photograph, whether vertically or horozontally. If you cut your photograph in three parts, your subject(s) should fall into at least one of the sections. Positioning it right in the dead middle usually, not always, is not very pleasing.

3. Get familiar with your equipment.

This is so vital. You have spent almost a grand on a camera, if you don't know how it works, it is such a waste. Don't get stuck in the Auto modes; get creative, use the manual mode, shutter-priority, aperture priority modes, adjust the ISO, adjust the white balance, do whatever you can to manipulate, take control of your photographs. When you are manipulating, that's when it's fun, and that's where it becomes addicting. You want to be a better photographer, you have to be addicted to your camera!
Know when to use flash, and when not to. Personally, I never use my flash. I hate the look of the flash on a cute little face. I use as much natural light there is, then I adjust my ISO number, my shutter speed. When all else fails, I bust out my tripod. I will do whatever I can to avoid using the flash. I hate the flash.
Focus, focus, focus. You can adjust your focus on all your DSLRs. I always use manual, this way, I focus on my subject(s), and the pictures come out clear. Clarity, isn't that what you really want? Find out how to turn your auto focus mode to manual focus. This will change your life.

4. Do not be discouraged. DO NOT!!

I am proud of my work. Most of it, that is. Here's a little secret. Out of 500 photos I take, maybe less than 20 will really come out. Then out of the 20, I will pick and choose the best five, and then I will present them to the world. This is absolutely, positively normal. I know that even pros have only about 10 to 20 percent of their pictures come out. Every time I photograph my kids, I ended up deleting most, if not all, of them. Then I do it over, and over, and over again, until I have a few that will come out. Do NOT look at others' work and wonder, how come their pictures always come out so good? Know that every photographer keeps this secret to herself. So don't be discouraged if your pictures do not come out; keep trying.
Do not compare yourself with anyone! I was guilty of doing this for a long time. Not until I realized that I have only started this long photography journey, and that I should enjoy every moment of it, I stopped comparing. Then I developed my own style, which I feel very comfortable with. You always want to become better than what you already are. Don't look at others and wish you are at that level. It took them years, and so should you.

5. Your photographs should convey a story.

What do you want to tell the world through your photographs? Don't let them be just merely snapshots.
What do you want to tell the world about you, the photographer? Your photographs will say it all.

Finally, I have a few photographs to share. Usually I share with you the goods, but not the bads. But I want you to know that not all of my photos come out, either.

Problem: you can see the handle for the fridge, a composition no-no. Also, it is clearly blurry, because there was not enough light. A low ISO number plus she was moving, and my unsteady hands caused this horrible photo.

Again, not enough light, unsteady hands, and movements cause this.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But the world may be different because everything worked out right together:

Last, but not least..you can photograph anywhere you choose. You don't have to choose the most beautiful park, or when the sky is at its bluest. Learn to photograph anywhere will help you improve your skills, trust me on this. ♥

Tutu, my little tutu

2009-06-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

This is one of those posts that I will just let the pictures do the writing.

How fun it is to have a girl...and you can tell, she enjoyed every single moment.

Every, single, moment.

i ♥ faces Week 23--Sepia Toned

2009-06-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

This week, over here at

sepia tone is the theme for this weekly contest.

Adults Entry:
These are two of my best friends, whom I knew since high school. They are turning the big 3-0 this year. I don't think they are too thrilled.

Kids Entry:
This is my husband and my daughter, Abigail. We took her and her brother for a pony ride yesterday--she had a great time.

Now, it's time to hop over to

and check out others' entries. There are many, many talented, wonderful, inspiring photographers out there, you may be next!

The Big 3-0

2009-06-12T13:58:00.001-07:00

Turning 30 was a big deal to me. It meant I was no longer in my 20's, and that was devastating. I was now on my way to the 40's, my back would start to ache, my hands would start to wrinkle, and my eyes would begin to fail. Bottom line was, turning 30 gave me no reason to celebrate.

That was last year. This year, I turned 31. On that day, I just went into my room and cried.

One of my best friends turned 30 yesterday. I felt her pain, but I also knew, this was really a celebration of yet another year of life. And life is a gift.

Look at that. She even learned how to pick her nose already.

The end

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We girls have know each other since college. Like my not-too-long-ago post, I feel like we've know each other forever. We definitely have seen the worst of each other: denim overalls, baggy jeans, over-sized t-shirts, dating the wrong guys. We thought we were so cool that everyone wanted to be a part of our group.

(laugh)

But now that we're all grown up, half of us are married and have become mothers. Yet we still try to keep this never-dying friendship. We are not as cool as we used to be; we are wiser. We are so thankful for each other, and I know no matter where we end up in the future, we will always be friends.

(from left to right):

-Kimmi, I've know her since high school--oh, she is the best person to laugh with. You will never get enough of her.
-me
-Hermi, she is an awesome woman of God, who is also a children's pastor at a church in Cypress, California.
-Tanya, who is an inspiring actress, miss adventure. She wants to travel around the world. You can always count on her to cheer you up.
-Val, who is a school teacher, and an inspiration to me. She has a wonderful husband and an adorable one-year-old son.
-Charnel, who has been in my life forever. She is my sister.

My weakness....Target

2009-06-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

This is for all you mommies, women, ladies, misses, girls out there--you go to Target because you really need to purchase one item. One. Then somehow you become distracted, you tell yourself, "Let me just check out the...." and you end up leaving with 42 more things.

I meant well when I walked into Target this morning. It's my friend's birthday, and I really wanted to get her a birthday card. Just the birthday card.

Then, somehow, like a robot, I had no control over my own movements, I wandered off to the very back of the store, and laid my eyes on these adorable, irresistible, colorful, lovable, delightful, magnetizing, cute, charming tights.

How do you, I mean, really, how do you resist?

Just because you are married..

2009-06-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

..it does not mean you can't have a little fun with your newly-wedded husband, right?

Well, not exactly just newly-wed. This is my best friend, Charnel, and her husband of a year, Michael. These are the Mr. and Mrs. The love birds.

I love my best friend. She has been in my life since I was nineteen years old. That feels like a century ago. God certainly has His way of intertwining different lives together, for His purpose. I can not imagine my life without her. We may look as opposite as opposite can be, we may act as different as different can deliver. But we love each other. She is my sister.

Meet her husband, Michael. Michael is an incredible artist, click here to see his God-given talent.

Aren't they so adorable?

we picture {this}:: a mamarazzi photoblog--Before and After

2009-06-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

This month (June), there is a "before" and "after" contest here at

and here is my submission:

SOOC (before):

After:

Here is what I did (using PSE):

-Convert into B&W (portrait)
-Auto sharpen (which was an amazing discovery!)
-10% color burned
-Adjusted level and contrast

Camera:

-Canon Rebel Xti
-50mm lens
-1/4000 @ f-2.0
-Maunal

This theme runs between June 7th-June 20th. You have plenty of time to submit one of yours, too!

A Date With My Son

2009-06-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, one of my friends called me and excitedly announced that Elmo and the rest of his crew are coming to a theater near us, sometime in June. Since we both have sons who are probably Elmo's most faithful fans, I signed up for this event, no questions asked.

Today, was the big day. Let's just say, in my 31 years of short life, I have not seen this many little fans all gathered in one place. I have not seen the same number of frustrated parents, who were trying to enjoy the performance, while chasing their kids down the dark theater isles. It was quite entertaining.

The average age of the audience, not including the parents? Probably three and under.

And we had a full house of them.

This, was a date with my son. Sesame Street Live!!

Another Day at The Park

2009-06-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

Caleb, my baby, who is turning three this September, now enjoys the park, not because he can climb, jump, scream, or run.

But because he is making friends, and enjoys playing with other children.

As a mother, I am so reluctant to see him grow up, as he is parting with me, little by little, everyday. Yet, I am so blessed to have a healthy, balanced child who can't wait to explore his world in every possible way he can. At the same time, I am so sad to see his desire to be independent and self-reliant.

Wasn't it just yesterday we took him to the park for the first time, laughing at his expression when he was sitting on a swing for the very first time? Wasn't it just yesterday that he didn't know what to do and started crying when his little hands touched mulch? Wasn't it just yesterday that I finally felt like a real mom because I could finally take my baby to a park?

Those days are long-gone. My baby now has friends, he enjoys socializing, and being a boy.

Nevertheless, I am still blessed.

We All Struggle

2009-06-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

Thank God for His Grace. To which I am sustained by from day to day. Without it, I would be lost. In complete, utter darkness, trying to search for that one glimpse of light, but without hope.

I will be lying if I tell you that as a Christian, I will always make the right choices, I will never do anything wrong, and I don't ever struggle. I will be lying if I tell you that my life is always simple, easy, and perfect. I will be lying if I tell you that I will always be blessed by my Heavenly Father with everything I want.

But I don't want to lie. I want to tell you the truth. I want to tell you that I do struggle. I make wrong choices, and I suffer the consequences from those choices. My life is not always simple, easy, and perfect. My Heavenly Father don't always give me everything I want. But He gives me everything I need.

I am so grateful to Him, Who provides me a Shelter to run to, Who keeps His arms wide open. He speaks to me through His Word, in a perfect tone, at the perfect time.

"For the Lord is God,
and he created the heavens and earth
and put everything in place.
He made the world to be lived in,
not to be a place of empty chaos.
"I am the Lord," he says,
"And there is no other."
-Isaiah 45:18

It is so good to know that He puts everything in place. Nothing is an accident, no one is a mistake. You are in my life for a reason, and I am in this place for a purpose. My struggles are not a result of my wrong choices, but a symptom of my sinful nature. I am not, and will not be a perfect Christian. I am, and always will be a child of God, who can run into His loving arms, in times of need.

Laundry Day

2009-06-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

One of the many benefits of being a stay-at-home mom is...you can train your children to do chores around the house.

Well, in this case, it was not in the house.

But it was worth it.

iHeartFaces Week 21 Challenge--Pets

2009-06-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok...this is a first, but why not?

Pets:

Come to

and enter one of your own!

I ♥ faces Photo Challenge--Week 21: Happy Birthday!

2009-05-31T19:51:00.001-07:00

This is our little girl, Abigail, who had just turned 1 on May 17th. We celebrated her first birthday with just some close family and friends. No fancy parties, no mountainous piles of gifts, no running around stressing out because there are 400 people in my house.

Just us, but it was plenty.

Kids:

Come on over to

and check out many, many great entries. Maybe you will be next, too!

First Year

2009-05-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

I feel like Caleb was deprived. I was not so into photography when Caleb turned one. All I had of him were snapshots and sorts. But with our girl, she was born to be privileged.

She even had her first official photo shoot.

A Gift

2009-05-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we celebrated Mother's Day while on vacation, in New Jersey. Benny wanted to surprise me with something different, bought me a tripod. It was not grand, just a simple, easy-to-use tripod. I was ecstatic. With this small gift, I am able to take my hobby to a different level.

And I put it to use yesterday.

This was right by our house, just a 5-minute walk away. With the sun setting, and a little help of Photoshop, the result was satisfactory. You can see another version here.

Trust me, it was a little awkward. With so many cars passing by, joggers staring, shoppers walking, kids playing, we were quite the main subject on the street. We laughed at the whole idea, attempted to hide our identities, and were risking falling flat on my face (trying to run into the scene within 10 seconds on these rocks was not exactly easy). Thank goodness they came out. Not quite how I imagined, but they came out. Now we will always look back at these photos and remember the process of creating them. I know we will always crack up.

iHeartFaces Fix-it Friday #15

2009-05-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today, over here at

you can use your creativity, to edit a photo however you want. This is my edited version:

Original:

Edited (PSE):

Now it's your turn to give it a try. It's fun, and it really doesn't take too much time!!!

Heart-shaped

2009-05-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

Today was Abigail's one-year check up. Other than the normal "Everything looks good, she is in the ____ percentile for her height and weight (the second time around... these numbers don't mean anything anymore), blah, blah, blah...", she received three shots.

She was also given these heart-shaped bandages. They are way too cute.

iHeartFaces Week 20 Challenge--Silhouettes

2009-05-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

This week, over here at

is all about silhouettes.

I have to say, I was looking forward to this week's theme, until I had to choose the photo. It was one of those "I have many good ones, but which one?" moments.

This was when we took the kids to Laguna Beach, California a few months ago. Daddy took Caleb to go walk on the reef. Caleb was scared, but he had a good time:

Back to normal

2009-05-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

Right now is really not a good time for me to sit down and write. I have so much to do, so many things to accomplish. The worst part of coming home from a vacation is putting stuff away. I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate doing this, nevertheless, I have to do it.

That said, while trying to toilet train Caleb, having to say goodbye to Benny, and doing the dishes, I decided to choose this very time, to sit down and write. Man, I do have my priorities straight! Really, I have realized recently, that I am not the type of person who makes a to do list, and follows through thoroughly. I tackle my tasks in random orders. I work better this way, weird, I know, but this works for me.

I knew when we left for our vacation a few weeks ago, that I would grumble once we get back. Although it was four weeks, seemed long, it was never long enough. It pained both Benny and me to see the difficult separation between his parents and their grandchildren. It made us think twice about staying here in Los Angeles for the next ten years. I remember hearing someone said once, that you always go back to where you came from. Maybe it is true; it is time to think about going back, going home.

On the other hand, if you ever wonder, how it is like to go on a plane ride with two children under three...well, let me put it in this way: it was pure torture. For us, at least. While sitting at the gate, waiting to come home, I spotted a young girl, traveling by herself. There was nothing else besides one clean, small suitcase standing by her feet. Then I looked around us, there was one huge diaper bag (with stuff coming out), one packpack, two camera bags, one car seat, and one stroller. I never appreciated the freedom of traveling by myself before we had kids; now we will have to wait for another few years before we get to travel free again. Once we got on the plane, the nightmare began. You know how you never wished that one noisy, loud, wailing child was yours when you go on a plane ride? Well, in our case, this one noisy, loud, wailing child was ours--our princess. For almost an hour straight, Benny and I were praying, pleading, almost shedding tears, for Abby to stop crying. To no avail. I could feel the heat from everyone's stare; it was burning through my seat.

Looking back, I am just glad we survived another plane ride. I am glad we are home, safe and sound. I am also glad the kiddos can get back to their normal routine, back to normal. Although it is hard to comprehend that it will be another year before we can go on another vacation, it is easier this time, knowing that we are moving back home, soon.

Signature

2009-05-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have been praying, thinking, constructing, testing. On a signature I can use on all my photographs, to claim ownership, as well as give credit to the right One. It has been a very frustrating period. It is not easy to make up something that is unique, simple, and meaningful.

But finally, it happened:

"Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." ~John 15:5

Indeed, it is true. Without His vision, His guidance, His blessing, without trusting everything that I have to Him, I have nothing, I can accomplish nothing, and I am nothing.

That is the meaning behind the Waszajclan signature..and I hope you do enjoy looking at these photos, as much as I enjoy creating every single one of them!

iHeartFaces Contest--week 19 Blub Photo Book Contest

2009-05-17T10:40:00.001-07:00

I never, ever, ever, ever, ever thought one of my photos would be posted on iHeartFaces. But I was wrong. This past week, one of them finally made it to this site

click here to see...I still can't believe it, and still am stoked about it. Thank you, iHeartFaces!!

Well, this week, on this same website, all participants are encouraged to enter one of their favorite photos ever taken. It was not an easy decision, nevertheless, I have decided to use this one:

I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites

Amateur category:

Abigail, my baby girl, who just turned one today, 5.17.2009. This was taken during one of her favorite time of day: bath time. I love you, Abby, and happy birthday, from Mommy.

Countdown starts

2009-05-12T18:32:00.001-07:00

It is hard to comprehend that our vacation is almost over. Three weeks has already flown by, and the last week will go by even faster. It is also difficult to say goodbye once again to this place where I became familiar with that I call home. Each time we leave, I wonder when we will be back again. For good.

I have enjoyed so much spending time here with my in-laws; eating so much food, and just do nothing. I was also delighted to see how much Caleb and Abby grew to love this place. One day, I tell myself, we will be back. Although, not soon enough.

This weekend, I am looking forward to our 10-hour drive to North Carolina, to visit families, and to meet up with our best friends, who now live in Georgia (I miss the mobility of living on the East Coast. You really can drive to anywhere, and to everywhere). It is also the big weekend for our princess Abigail. She is turning one. I am excited to report that she is almost ready to walk. She now is able to stand on her own and walk a few steps. My little baby is not a baby anymore. This is such a big milestone for us parents; I am excited, but devastated at the same time.

Until we start packing, I will enjoy the last week and a half here. Wow, how time flies. We will go home next week; the countdown starts.

IHeartFaces--Laughter

2009-05-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

This week, "laughter" is the theme over here at

There are many, many wonderful, talented photographers. I have learned so much since I have decided to enter this weekly contest. To me, this is the best way to challenge myself; I am motivated to pick up my camera and wring out ideas from my head, just to capture some shots. Any shot. This is the first week I am entering the adults' category. This is a shot taken for my bother in law and his soon-to-be wife. I love candid shots. I believe candid shots tell so much more story than posed shots.

So, here it is, laughter. Adults' category:

Beauty. Here.

2009-05-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

I once thought I could move to Hawaii and live there for the rest of my life. I was so sure that I would attend University of Hawaii, and marry a Polynesian, and have a dozen babies. When I die, I would be cremated. Then, my beloved husband would dump my ashes all over the Pacific Ocean, overlooking the beautiful horizon, for the rest of eternity.

Yeah, I know. Corny stuff.

Then, when I did finally marry, I moved to New Jersey, some 5,000+ miles away from the original destination I vowed to spend the rest of my life in. And eventually, fell in love with this place.

I never thought I would become adjusted to the harsh winter cold, and the muggy summer days. Growing up in the Golden State, I could not imagine living in a place where people embraced the first signs of spring. I could not comprehend the beauty of the fall, where every part of land became different shades of red. Yet, my eyes were opened, and my heart sang, when I finally experienced the differences of the four seasons, six years ago.

When we drove through Princeton a few days ago, sitting in the car, I was once again awestruck by the beauty of this historic town, only some 20 minutes away from where we lived. It is early May, where every branch of tree blossomed new life. The neighborhoods elegantly stood, where every house was curtained behind tall, slender woods. The cobble stoned walls, the wood planks that showed off their old ages, and the antiquated churches all displayed the quality character of this 1756 town. I wish I could jump out of the car and snap away every bit of beauty I saw. But I did not. I could not. It was too dark, and I did not have the right equipment with me. But I will. I cannot wait to go back and try to capture a very small scale of what I saw in photographs. Still, I will not do justice. You will have to be here to feel the essence, the experience the spirit.

Beauty, is here. It is in these old walls, and tranquil streets. In the end, God knew me better. He moved me here, instead of Hawaii. And I owe it to Him.

This is one photo I found from the internet. I did NOT take the photo. This is a very typical house in Princeton.

Some

2009-05-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

Photo shoot opportunity today:

Click here to see the rest!

It rained today

2009-05-01T19:46:00.001-07:00

I know I have mentioned this before, but I just can't get over how green the world is around here....

It rained today. We stayed at home, played a few games.

I lost, of course.

This afternoon, we..

2009-04-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

..were on a hammock.

Breakfast

2009-04-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

I forget

2009-04-28T18:07:00.001-07:00

There are many things that I forget from time to time. I came to realize today as I was driving around town this morning, how green everything is around here. And how beautiful an ordinary church can be.

I also realized how much I miss living here. It is during this time of the year that everything comes to life: acres of new grass, fields of flowers, children playing outside.

I forget how much I loved this place.

4.27.09--Terere

2009-04-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Click here to learn more about Terere.

iHeartFaces Week 16--Reflection

2009-04-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Ahhh..this was another hard week. Since it was just last week, I did a "self portrait", where I photographed through a mirror, this week, I almost gave up because I could not come up with a semi clever idea.

This was the best I could do--Abigail and I, sitting on a rocker, where I discovered our reflection from a cabinet glass. There are many, many more wonderful entries here at

go and see!

4.26.09

2009-04-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

Vacation is...

2009-04-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

food..

..time to relax..

..free roaming on the grass, and not afraid to be ran over..

..no worries..

...driving through our old stomping ground...

..driving through the Lincoln Tunnel into the City..

...being in Time Square..

...and being able to leave the kids at home and revisit our pre-engagement site, on our 6th anniversary.

Ahhh...Vacation

2009-04-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry everyone, this is not going to be a long post. I know you are just dying to know how we are doing. How our 4 1/2 hour plane ride was, and how the kids were...

Well, besides the Benadryl failed to work on Abigail, besides the fact that she struggled to get out of her baby carrier the whole entire flight, besides dirtying her diaper during the time when we were not allowed to get out of our seats, besides turning green while the plane was circling around in the New Jersey sky for 45 minutes before landing, besides being starved because we refused to pay $4 for a bag of peanuts...our flight was great. No major complaints.

Driving on Route 1 on the way home, seeing familiar buildings and shopping centers, sensing that home was not too much further away, smelling the not-summer-yet-but-spring-is-in-full-bloom aroma, I was glad to be here. So glad.

Seeing Caleb roaming free on the green grass, eating, exploring in the nearby woods, eating, wrestling with his uncles, eating, and cuddling with his Nana and Papa, I knew this was going to be a great vacation. I also know, that these four weeks will fly by, nevertheless, I will savor every minute of it.

We had arrived home.

Servant's heart

2009-04-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Something's on my mind. I tend to think too much at times, at the wrong time. Somehow, my brain does not work well during the day, and it is when I am supposed to be deep asleep at night that my brain decides to work.

Or, to receive His voice.

Many of you know, lately I have been consumed with this new-found passion of mine: photography. I feel it's almost like the hidden monster in me has been awoken, ready to take on the world.

I often wonder, what is that one special talent, gift that God has bestowed upon me when He formed me, and I could never come up with an answer that I was satisfied with. Singing? Not really, even though I love to sing, and I was in choir for two years in high school. Drawing? No way. The ability to be athletic? That's a joke. Scrapbooking? Not a chance. Cooking, baking? Only when I have to, and I don't really enjoy either.

Not until I held a camera in my hands a few months ago, I realized. I found my gift.

Deep down, I know that I still have a long way to go. But I also know, that I have come far in such a short period of time. My passion to learn about photography comes in waves, each set stronger than the last. Only if I have every minute of the day to devote myself wholly to this, but I don't.

I also remind myself, that this gift comes from above. It comes from the One Who loves me, Who made me, and it is He Who has provided me. If it were not for Him, I would not be where I am. Jesus came to serve, and so should I. He came to this world humble and meek, and so I should be. Although, at times, it is difficult to tame that pride. I am not perfect, and no where near to be. Everyday I struggle to swallow down that pride and try so hard to build up others, instead of myself. I cannot do it by my own will power; I can only do it through His strength.

Looking ahead, I am excited to say, that I will have a few photography sessions coming up: For my new niece's portrait, and for my brother in law's engagement session, and finally, the big wedding coming up in August. I say that not to promote myself. I say that to credit everything to my Lord Jesus. It is He who gifted me, it is He who is giving me these opportunities, so I may serve Him in ways that I may not understand.

This morning, I am once again reminded through His gentle voice,

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." ~Mark 10:45~

iHeartFaces week 15--Self Portrait

2009-04-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

I have to admit. I really had a hard time with this week's theme. It was difficult to do. Nevertheless, I tried.

Kids

Come on over to

and enter one of your own this week--if I can do it, you can, too!

Fix-It Friday #10 - “Hands-on Photo Editing”

2009-04-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

Over here at iHeartFaces, there is a Fix-it-Friday every Friday. What you do is, download one of their photos and do your own editing. I edit almost all photographs I take; it's fun to use this editing process to show your imagination. There are limitless ways to edit one photo.

So. I've decided to try it out today.

Here's the original:

Here's the post-edition:

Photoshop Elements 7

If you want to try it out, just hop over to iHeartFaces.

He is only just 2 1/2

2009-04-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

Our "little" monster #1, also known as "Caleb", has been growing like stray grass. What else do kids do these days besides the fact? They grow too fast. Way too fast.

I never really cared about Caleb's place on his doctor's chart. I guess it is because I never had a problem with him growing. He was born a big baby, and he has kept that reputation. Not until recently, after I received a few "wow" comments, that I began to see, just how truly big he is becoming.

Not that it's a bad thing. It's just, well, embarrassing at times.

And I realized, not all "wow's" are good "wow's".

Not only he towers over most of his little friends his age, he also is a solid mass. Dense. Heavy. I feel like I have to follow one of those "When you lift up heavy items, you should..." guidelines when I want to pick him up. In addition,When we take him out to the local parks, he looks like an average 4-year-old. He weighs like an average 4-year-old. His "bigness" reveal in his hands, his shoe size. Only he is 2 1/2 years old.

My favorite is when I take him the stores, strangers come up and try to strike up a conversation with him, as if he's been talking for years.

"Hi, buddy! How old are you?"
-Silent.

"Hi, what's your name?"
-Silent.

"Is this your sister?" (pointing at Abby) "What's her name?"
-Silent.

It is during those moments, I have the urge to deliver a thorough explanation, that he has just started speaking in complete sentences recently, and that I still have a hard time understanding him at times, and that he is really just 2 1/2.

But I always keep those thoughts to myself. Of course, sometimes I get the "What is wrong with your almost-school-aged child that he does not respond?" look. Really, you do not have to say much to reveal much. I can read all those lovely facial expressions.

The worse is when his diaper peeps out of his pants. Then I get the "What kind of mother are you that your 4-year-old son still wears a diaper?" look.

I am so tempted to have him wear a sign that says, "Only 2 1/2!" at his chest.

Do they sell those anywhere?

You Capture. Rustic

2009-04-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

This week, over here at

is having another You Capture challenge, and the theme is Rustic.

Well, living here in Southern California, there is nothing rustic. Nothing. I knew I was going to have a hard time with this theme, since there are no farms around where I live.

But, I tried to pull off something. I could only photograph the country decor I have at home. I apologize, please bear with me. This is the best I could do:

Now it's your turn. Happy Capture, everyone!

Mamarazzi Photo Contest: {daughters}

2009-04-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Come on over to:

...and enter one of you own. This month, the theme is "daughters". Snap away!

This first photo--I realize it is a little blurry, so I apologize for that. I'm still trying to master the manual mode skill, so please bear with me while you take a look.

Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi Mode (Auto, Manual, Av, Tv): Manual
Lens: Canon EF 50 mm
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/2.2
Shutter: 0.017 sec (1/60)

This second one came out so much better--but I used a different mode for it.

Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Mode (Auto, Manual, Av, Tv): Av
Lens: Canon EF 55-250 mm
Focal Length: 96mm
ISO: 400
Aperture: f5.0
Shutter: 1/4000 sec

Let the coundown begin

2009-04-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

It is exactly one week from today, I will be busy packing.

We leave exactly one week from tomorrow morning. We know that this week is going to fly through, just like any other week. Yet, not fast enough.

I am excited, like someone who has been locked in a small room, is finally free. Even if it's just for a month. It's a vacation that we all need--Benny, the kids, and I.

Nevertheless, there is a part of me that is not looking forward to this coming week--there is so much to do, I don't even know where to start.

You see, packing for vacation for one month is hard. Packing for vacation for one month for us plus two kids is challenging.

Think clothes, diapers, socks, car seats, the stroller, blankies, shoes...and that's just the first part of this traveling battle.

And then there is arriving at the airport, keeping the two kids entertained while waiting to board, assuming the flight is on time, boarding the plane; next, the agonizing 4 1/2-hour flight time. I used "agonizing" because I already know, in my oh-I'm-so-sure mind, we will have a hard time with Abigail, the princess who cannot sit still, who wiggles her way out of any tight embrace, who has a need to touch anything and everything in sight, and who desires to roam free. At all times.

I am so tempted to call her doctor and ask for his permission to feed her Benadryl. In the end, I know I will not call. I will just feed.

Meanwhile, Benny and I may need a large dose of this

And maybe this, too.

Once we arrive, I still have to deal with a three-hours-ahead time zone change, and adjusting to a new bed time...maybe it's just me, but there are many events to look forward to... right?

Let the countdown begin!!

iHeartFaces Week 14--Easter/Spring

2009-04-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

I was having a little hard time photographing this week's theme over here at iHeartFaces. I am not a very creative individual, no matter how much I tried.

There are so many of you who are truly talented out there--you inspire me, and make me want to become better.

So, I have decided to enter this photo of my son in the flower field:

iHeartFaces Kids entry

Good luck, everyone! Go check out many, many talented photographers here:

You can be next!

A Simple Letter to Him

2009-04-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Jesus,

I don't thank You enough, talk about You enough, spend time with You enough.
Yet, You provide, love, bless, and wraps Your arms around me,
on smooth paths, in the midst of fierce storms,
in a way
that is far beyond my understanding, and far beyond what I deserve.
"Why me? God?"
It is then I realize that this is not about me, but all about You.
Thank You for Your blood, thank You for the Cross,
Because of You, I am redeemed.

It is all about You.

Love,
Your child

I have a maker
Before my heart,
before even time began
My life was in his hands

He knows my name
He knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

I have a father,
he calls me his own
He'll never leave me,
no matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call
He hears me when I call

iHeartFaces Constructive Feedback Friday

2009-04-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

I am new to the photography world. I have been using my daughter and son as the main subjects under my lenses. I also have been playing around with Photoshop Elements 7. There are just too many things I want to learn in such a short period of time, I become frustrated at times.

Recently, I have been playing around with this whole "texture" thing.

And through

..there was a wonderful tutorial on it. Click here if you are interested.

Here is the original:

I tried adding a texture, adjusting the colors.
However, I still feel there is something that needed to be fixed in this photo:

This was when my 10-month-old daughter tried to brush her teeth like her older brother

Focal length: 50mm
Apature: f/2.2
Exposure: 1/15
ISO speed:200

I also have been using the manual mode, which was another challenge. I like the result, but I feel like the overall color and the texture opacity were somewhat off. Also, I'm not too excited about the level adjusted, and saturations. How can I make it look better?

You Capture. Week 7

2009-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

This week, over here at I should be Folding Laundry, is having a different, creative theme: fun.

This photo was taken when one of my best friends from high school came over last week.

We were in the kitchen, I was experimenting..

..while everyone else was socializing in the living room.

We had a good laugh, and result came out well.

You can be next, too...those of you who love photography! Hop over to

and enter one of your own!

Being married is...

2009-04-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

...delightful, a dream come true, wonderful, amazing, fabulous, marvelous, magnificent, phenomenal, incredible.

While everything listed above rings true to my personal experience on being married, it is also hard work.

Very hard work.

Think of signing a lifelong contract with a phone company that does not provide you the best coverage it claims; when you are frustrated, wanting to make a phone call at that exact moment, you don't have any reception.

But most of the time, this phone company provides, offers everything you need. Not everything you want, but everything you need.

I cannot believe in just two more weeks, we will be celebrating our 6th anniversary. Six years of marital bliss, mixed in with a little bit of disappointments, and cloudy days. But I am willing to do it all over again, from day one.

I have learned to accept his imperfections, and still choose to love him despite of those. I have realized that you don't live happily ever after. I have accepted that I am not always right, no matter what. I have concluded that he is just as fragile and sensitive as I am. Most of all, I have prayed for a wonderful husband, but God did not give me a wonderful husband.

He gave me so much more than that.

I have also learned, when you have been married for 6 years, with two children and no personal life, going out on dates is a luxury.

Nevertheless, we treasure this short-lived luxury, with all our hearts, our souls, our beings.

Even if it's just a trip to a yogurt store.

"Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle."

~Amy Bloom~