Here are the answers to the last Q&A before the end of the year!  Usually I have them every Friday on Facebook but I will be preoccupied with some heavy traveling the next couple weeks!  [Los Angeles –> San Francisco (sister’s surprise birthday party) –> Karlsruhe, Germany (holiday dinner) –> Jakarta, Indonesia (wedding) –-> back to San Francisco (mom will be sad if I’m not home for Christmas) –> New York City (wedding)  –> San Francisco (pick up my dog) –> Los Angeles].

Excited to end the year with lots of adventure.

1.  Jessie T.:  I just started in Photography, and I want to know some basic steps of what to do (or don’t) when you are taking photos during the wedding day (ceremony, reception, etc).

Do:  Take pictures of in between moments, details, important people (do your homework ahead of time), use a long lens when appropriate, have fun.

Don’t:  Show up wearing jeans or sneakers, whip out your phone, eat in front of guests, block guests’ view during the ceremony.

2. Ryan C.:  I am curious to know what post processing techniques you follow?

I like adding warmth to photos (more yellow), recovering the highlights if needed, boosting contrast/blacks, and adding vibrance.  This is all in LightRoom. I rarely use Photoshop.

3.  Sandra M.:  What was the scariest and/or weirdest thing to ever happen to you in your travels?

This one time I was in Vietnam with my family and my cousin got mugged. It happened so fast! A guy came up the sidewalk on a scooter and tried to yank my cousin’s gold necklace off. He didn’t get the necklace but managed to rip my cousin’s shirt in half. My dad grew up there so he started laughing, which made us feel at ease about it. “Hahaha. You got mug!!!” Gosh, I love my dad.

4.  Anna Y.:  What is your personal motto/philosophy that you live by?

Be creative. Travel the world. Love yourself. Be grateful. Act without expectation. Act with integrity.

5.  Shayne D.:  What exposure should be ideal for a well lit room?

“Well-lit” is too general of a term to have a distinct answer. Is it natural light, tungsten light, or fluorescent light? Are you shooting the subject against a window? If you aren’t sure what exposure to use, my advice is to shoot on Auto or P.

6.  Cindy G.:  Another photography workshop!?  Yay!  Will this one be similar to the first workshop?  I would love to attend the 2nd one.

Yes!  I will hosting a workshop with Jana Williams in Los Angeles on February 17th, 2013. The content will be different from my first workshop.

7.  Jamie G.:  What will you be getting Sammie for Christmas?

Am I a horrible person if I don’t buy her something?  (For those who don’t know, Sammie is my dog).

8. Grace C.: How do you know Jana Williams?  I love both of your photography styles!

Thanks! Jana and I met a couple years ago at a mutual friend’s party. When we get together and talk business, I feel like we are going 100mph! I love being inspired by others like that.

9.  Xina L.:  What do you do when you’re not taking pictures?

Blogging, social media, research, eating, sleeping, hiking with my dog, reading, exploring the town with friends, traveling . . . an occasional shower. 🙂