By the way, if you’ve not been following us on Facebook and Twitter, you might want to add us to your media stream. We’ve been updating our Facebook and Twitter pages at least every few days, even while this blog has been silent. :)

A quick recap: The past couple months have been super busy as we head into the midst of wedding season. Members of our team have been traveling on assignment to NYC,  LA, and various cities, and it looks like we’re going to be traveling every month, until the end of the year. Several weeks back, we wrapped up the 30+ mini-sessions from our Japan charity drive, during which we raised over $4k in under 30 hours. You can catch up on that here and here in case you missed it. We also recently brought Christina on board to be our studio manager! She’s been assisting us with various tasks for the past year already, and is an amazing makeup artist and stylist, so we’re definitely excited to have her join our team.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule

LA: July 13-17
Boston: August 19-22
LA: September 16-19
SLO, Hawaii, Sacramento, Europe, etc: dates pending
Australia: March 2012

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, get in touch with us via our contact form.

WHEN: Saturday, April 30, 3pm

WHERE: HannaH Coffee & Sweets. 754 The Alameda Ste #80, San Jose, CA 95126

Open invite, but please RSVP here so we can get an approximate head count. Thanks!

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule

SLO: April 8-10
Sacramento: May 3-5
NYC: May 12-17
LA: June (dates not finalized)
Boston: August 19-22
LA: September 16-19
Mexico, Europe, Hawaii, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, get in touch with us via our contact form.

After the tsunami. Yamada, Japan: former home to 20,000 people.

Critics say we live in an age of armchair slacktivism – the tendency to participate in pointless internet campaigns that don’t have much practical impact — other than to make slacktivists feel like they’ve done their part to change the world. And it’s not hard to disagree, especially when there are now $5 Lady Gaga wristbands for Japan, and multiple Facebook events with titles like “I will donate $0.02 for every person who clicks on this link!”.

But just like slacktivism, cynicism is easy. It’s the lazy way out, the excuse not to alter what is comfortable about our lives. It doesn’t change the world, doesn’t require anything difficult from us, and it sure doesn’t feed, clothe, or shelter the hundreds of thousands in northern Japan who have literally lost everything — and are now homeless at a time when temperatures drop below freezing at night.

When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan a week ago, I (Junshien) remember staying up til the early morning hours, watching in horror as the live video feeds came in. The devastation was gut wrenching, and being unable to get in touch with some of my friends in the country didn’t make it any easier.

As it started to become clear how the tsunami had completely destroyed everything – villages swept away, cities flattened, entire families wiped out — we knew clicking links wasn’t enough. “Liking” Facebook pages wasn’t enough. And tweeting #prayforJapan fit the slacktivism mold perfectly. These survivors had lost families and friends and everything they ever owned. We had to do something.

That something ended up being a charity drive. It was either a really brilliant plan, or a foolish one: A minimum of $100 donation for a short 30 minute mini-portrait session. Donors wouldn’t really get all that much — just a brief taste of what a full session with Junshien or one of his photographers would feel like. As we were planning this out we wondered, would people go for this? Can we even raise $1000??

But we did our research, decided on Direct Relief International — an amazing non-profit that is using 100% of the funds for the relief efforts, got a few wonderful local businesses on board (HannaH, A-List Makeup, BoLee Bridal, Petals by Cary, Rex Wang), set a ridiculous goal of $2000, and announced the drive …

And you all completely floored us.

Within 12 hours, over $1500 was raised for the people of Japan. Spots were going so fast that we had to open up an additional tier! When we woke up the next morning, those spots were taken up too! You quickly shot past our target of $2000 in donations, and by 3pm, ALL spots were taken up.

In less than 30 hours since the time of the launch, you guys have collectively raised $3647.12!

What kind of charity drive lasts less than 30 hours?? One with amazing donors, that’s what! (The final amount was actually even more than that! See below.)

It was especially humbling to read the messages that were being sent in. Some of you wrote in saying you had already contributed to other non-profits, but you really wanted to do more — and so you dug in deep and gave again. There were a few of you in high school who couldn’t really afford to give at a tiered level — but you did so anyway. (We remember when we were in high school, even $25 was a big deal.) For some of you, this was your first time donating to any cause — ever. A couple of you couldn’t afford $100 or above, and so you gave what you could, while a few others gave a bit more. One of you wrote in, saying:

The folks over at Direct Relief just sent us a message:

“Junshien International Photographers – Thank you so much for your support for Japan. Great job raising so much!
Direct Relief, in partnership with the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), ensures that 100% of funds received for Japan
go to help people in Japan in the most efficient and appropriate way possible. Again, thank you….
And beautiful pictures, by the way.
Direct Relief International”

However! You can still contribute directly to Direct Relief via their website — 100% of donations will be going to help the tsunami victims.

A few final details …

Incredibly, we still continued to receive several donations even when our charity drive was officially over. After subtracting Paypal fees and expected print costs, the total donations raised is $4180.48! The money has now been transferred to Direct Relief International. Here is the invoice for your review:

And this second portion is from the proceeds collected from A-List Makeup.

Also, for those who donated at the tiered levels — thank you! We will be contacting you around middle of next week to schedule everybody’s mini-sessions. Please hold off sending us emails because your questions will be answered then. :)

And finally, a special shout-out to the local businesses that threw their weight behind this charity drive: HannaH, A-List Makeup, BoLee Bridal, Petals by Cary, Rex Wang. You can find out more about them in the previous blog post, or go to their websites. We partnered with them because these are good, upstanding businesses that do excellent work, and deserve our support too.

And finally (x2!)… for those who are new to the non-profit world, or want to learn more about how they can graduate from armchair slacktivism to helping make this world just a little better, check out our friends at Philanthro Productions! They’re all about encouraging young people to set out and create change in this world. They do good work. So can you. :)

tl;dr: We didn’t think we could raise $1k. We set the goal to $2k cuz we’re over-achievers like that. You blew our minds and donated over $3600. You rock.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
NYC: May 12-17
LA: June (not yet set)
Boston: August 19-22
LA: September 16-19
Mexico, Europe, Hawaii, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, get in touch with us via our contact form.

Update 2 (12:01am 3/17/11): Tier 1 spots are now gone! A limited number of Tier 1.5 spots have been opened. We’re now at $1675. Our new target is $3000 in donations for Japan. Go go go!

Update 3: Tier 1.5 spots are now gone! A gift for donations over $50 have been added. Freebies from more local businesses have been added for tiered donors! It’s shaping up to be a really nice gift basket. :)  Also, if you’re part of an organization with web or print publications, you can find our press release here.

Update 4 (12:24pm 3/17/11): Tier 2 spots are now gone too! Even if you’re not in the area, or cannot donate much, your contribution of ANY amount is appreciated! Donors who send in $50 or more will receive a special gift!

Update 5 (3:21pm 3/17/11): It’s been less than 30 hours since the launch of our charity drive, and we have finished way ahead of schedule! You guys are amazing! A blog post will be going up tomorrow or day after with updates on the total amount of contributions raised, plus additional info for those who donated. Stay tuned!!! You can still donate, but all spots for mini-portrait sessions have already been taken.

The charity drive is now officially closed! =D

Japan needs our help.

Like many of you, we have been glued to the news as the tragedy continues to worsen everyday. The people of Japan have suffered through the 4th largest earthquake in recorded history, and a devastating tsunami that flattened city blocks and washed away entire villages. The death toll continues to rise everyday, and over 8600 are still missing and presumed dead. Basic supplies like food and water are getting scarce, and hundreds of thousands are homeless at a time when the temperature dips below freezing at night. Meanwhile, the aftershocks continue, and there’s still the lingering threat of another large quake with a second tsunami. (The issue with the nuclear reactor, however, seems to be overblown by the U.S. news media, according to most nuclear experts, the U.S. military, the UK embassy, and many Japanese familiar with the issue.)

Though these events may be half a world away, our hearts break for the people of Japan. How can we sit still when they desperately need our help? How can we live life as normal and operate business as usual?

Here’s your chance to support the people of Japan — and receive a portrait session too (Bay Area only)!

With your help, we’re aiming to raise at least $2000. New goal: Let’s aim to raise at least $3000 for Japan!!! We can do it!

Your contribution of ANY amount is much appreciated. Donors who send in $50 or more will receive a special gift!

All proceeds will go towards Direct Relief International, which is dedicating 100% of contributions to the recovery efforts, so you can be sure that your donations will be providing the people of Japan with much needed food, water, shelter, and medical supplies.

And if you give $100 $500 or more, we are offering you a free mini-portrait session! These mini-sessions will be in the Bay Area only. To our readers elsewhere — you can still donate. :)  And til end of this month, if you book us for your wedding or portrait session — 40% of our gigs are outside of Northern California, so travel isn’t a problem — we’ll donate a portion of those sales to Direct Relief.

Tier 3 (value: $1760) closed

30-minute mini-portrait session
20 web-resolution digital negatives
10 print-resolution digital negatives AND ten 5×7 prints
custom online slideshow
Junshien | postcard collection set 1
$200 studio credit, good towards a future photoshoot, transferable
+ offers from local businesses
minimum suggested donation: $500

Tier 2 (value: $1320) all spots have been taken!
30-minute mini-portrait session
20 web-resolution digital negatives
10 print-resolution digital negatives OR ten 5×7 prints
Junshien | postcard collection set 1
+ offers from local businesses
minimum suggested donation: $250

Tier 1.5 (value: $1240) all spots have been taken!
30-minute mini-portrait session
15 web-resolution digital negatives
5 print-resolution digital negatives OR five 5×7 prints
+ offers from local businesses
minimum suggested donation: $175

Tier 1 (value: $1125) all spots have been taken!
30-minute mini-portrait session
10 web-resolution digital negatives
5 print-resolution digital negatives OR five 4×6 prints
+ offers from local businesses
minimum suggested donation: $100

Offers from local businesses

These local businesses have generously offered the following to tiered donors of this charity drive:

Free cupcake from HannaH
Receive a gift card for one of HannaH’s infamous red velvet or chocolate espresso cupcakes! This cozy little cafe is one of the highest rated in the South Bay. Great ambiance, delicious baked goods, and some of the friendliest staff you’ll find in any coffee shop. Excellent place for studying, or just hanging out with friends.
Value: $3.50

$20 professional makeup session with A-List Makeup
A-List Makeup is one of the Bay Area’s top make-up and hair studios. Sessions normally cost $75-$250, but donors will receive a makeup session for only $20! Hair styling is another $20. This can be done prior to the portrait session, or be used for a night out in the city. Valid for a one-time use, either on April 3, 16, or 23.
Value: $250

Free $25 credit towards any jewelry at BoLee Bridal
Shopping for a wedding or bridesmaid dress? Come in to BoLee Bridal, the hottest new bridal store in the Bay Area! They have a brand new showroom, and exclusive access to designer lines such as David Tutera. Great service, beautiful dresses, a wonderful experience. You will receive $25 credit towards any jewelry in the store. Credit expires June 30, 2011.
Value: $25

$20 bouquets from Petals by Cary
Petals by Cary is a brand new floral design boutique located in the heart of Redwood City, and already has a growing list of very happy clients. Tiered donors can purchase a beautiful bouquet discounted down to $20, with all proceeds going towards the tsunami relief. The bouquet can either be picked up at her store, or delivered to the portrait session location. Purchase must be made on either April 3, 16, or 23.
Value: $60-80

Free financial consultation session w/ comprehensive analysis
Come in for a free 45-minute financial consultation session with Rex Wang from Strategic Financial Group of CA.  Junshien personally uses him for all aspects of his finances, including money management, investment strategies, insurance needs, AND retirement planning! You will also be provided a detailed, comprehensive analysis and strategies that will help you reach your financial goals! Call Rex at (408) 971-2060 x2010 to schedule your consultation.
Value: $500

A couple more freebies might possibly be added in the next few days, so you’ll be receiving even more for your donation! Details for all these offers will be included in an email we’ll be sending out.

Important details (Please read before donating at a tiered level!)

Date and time
Portrait sessions will take place on April 3 and 16. If demand is overwhelming, a 3rd date will be opened up. You will be contacted within a week to select your portrait session time slot. A limited number of time slots are available for each date, and will be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Locations
We will be selecting two locations — one for April 3rd, and one for April 16th. All sessions for April 3rd will take place at the first location, and all sessions for April 16th will take place at the second location. Details will be announced later, but at least one of the session dates will be at a Japanese garden — either the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, or Hakone Garden in Saratoga.

Type of portrait session
It can be a mini-engagement session, or a simple family session for Mother’s Day, or senior portraits, or even just a fun shoot for yourself! How about some simple headshots for your business? Or if you’re in need of new profile pics for Facebook, or something more flattering for your OkCupid/Match.com account — we’ll do that too, and we’ll make you look fabulous!

Wardrobe
1 outfit, no wardrobe changes. You can show up in a kimono, or a spring dress, or a tux, or whatever you want, because you’re just stylin’ like that.

Other important info on the mini-session
These mini-portrait sessions are non-transferable to a different date or location. There’ll be enough time slots to accommodate everybody who donates, but time slot assignments will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Also, keep in mind that these sessions are very short — only 30 minutes! We’ll definitely end up with a good handful of great images, but these sessions are in no way meant to duplicate the experience of a full 2+ hour session. :)

Donation
Only Paypal transaction fees (2.9%) and print costs (minimal) will be taken out of the total amount. 100% of proceeds will be sent to Direct Relief International. Documentation of the group donation will be provided.

Why Direct Relief International?
Many non-profits spend a considerable amount of their donations on administrative fees, advertising, and executive salaries and benefits. Direct Relief, however, has been consistently rated as one of the most efficient (98.8% goes to program expenses), effective (they focus on addressing the region’s greatest needs), and transparent (their website is very clear about how the money is spent). In fact, Direct Relief is the top rated relief organization currently in Japan. For this fund, 100% of contributions will go towards relief and recovery efforts in Japan.

For more information, check out the report by Charity Navigator. Our friends over at Philanthro have also written a good summary about why Direct Relief is the organization of choice.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this charity drive, please ask them in the comments section down below.

(click here if you do not see the Donate button above)

–> Please help us spread the word! <–

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
NYC: May 12-17
LA: June (not yet set)
Boston: August 19-22
LA: September 16-19
Mexico, Europe, Hawaii, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, get in touch with us via our contact form.

Since 2007, we have evolved from a scrappy one-man show, to become one of the most recognized photography studios in the Bay Area. Come join us as we take our team to the next level!

As studio manager, your primary responsibilities will be: administration, client relations, marketing …. and whatever else needs to be done. We’re not kidding about that last part, by the way. We don’t intend on leaving behind our scrappy roots! Your tasks will be varied, and will range from the challenging to the omg-I-can-do-this-in-my-sleep. They include but are not limited to: responding to emails, booking flights, mailing off packages, overseeing album design, basic photo editing, submitting print orders, brainstorming ways to create an even more wonderful client experience, building vendor relations, facebooking (on the job, no less!), cracking whips to make sure our editors, designer, photographers, and Junshien are all meeting deadlines.

This is currently a part time position, requiring 10-20 hrs a week. If all goes well, this will transition to a full-time position within the next 2-3 years. We’re looking for an amazing person who wants to grow with us as we strive to make Junshien International Photographers one of the most wonderfully unreasonable studios in the industry.

This position would be best fitted for a student, part-time mom, or someone who’s committed to the freelance lifestyle. The hours are flexible, but you’ll have to be at our home office in Campbell once or twice a week.

Qualifications

• responsive; responsible; self-motivated
• good email etiquette
• friendly; warm personality
• attention to detail
• adaptable; willingness to learn on the job
• basic working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom a plus

Interested?
Send us an email (hiring@junshien.com) with the following:

1) how did you hear about us
2) how much time per week you will be able to commit
3) a few sentences about why you want this position
4) work history, or resume
5) your plans for the next few years
6) a link to your photography portfolio, if any
7) phone number and best times we can reach you for an interview
8) pay requirements
9) anything else you want to say

All applications will be reviewed. However, due to our high volume of emails, we cannot promise a response to every candidate.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
LA: April 7-11 (approximate)
NYC: May 12-17 (approximate)
Boston: August 19-22
LA: September 16-19
Mexico, Europe, Hawaii, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

Page 194-195. Our image is the picture of Kim and Joe’s place cards at the top right. It’s only one picture not a whole spread, but still — pretty cool! Also, Kim and Joe were actually my 7th client. Ever. They get major major props for taking a chance on me when I was still a complete n00b. =)

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
LA: April 7-11 (approximate)
NYC: May 12-17 (approximate)
NYC: July 17-20 (approximate)
Boston: August 19-22
LA: September 16-19
Long Beach: 23-26 (approximate)
Mexico, Europe, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Winning this award means we stand among the top 5% of wedding professionals in the community. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Junshien International Photographers for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.” The WeddingWire Network includes leading wedding planning sites like WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee.

We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards 2011. As always, we look forward with great determination to continue serving our clients and providing the highest quality imagery for your special occasion!

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Las Vegas: February 20-24
LA: March 13-17
NYC: tentatively April or May
Boston: August 19-22
Mexico, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

To see the pictures from this wedding, and to check out a list of the wonderful vendors who made this wedding possible, head over to our blog post on Emily and Hodaka’s wedding!

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Las Vegas: February 20-24
LA, Mexico, NYC, Boston, etc: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

Dear friends,

I’m writing to you from the tail-end of an amazing 3 weeks traveling through parts of Asia. As unbelievable as it is, trips to both the cultural capitals of the world and some of the most untouched places are starting to become the norm for me.

In only a few years, I’ve gone from spending my days working at a cubicle job, to living my dreams — a life that so many others wish they had. But as I’ve traveled the world and studied the lives of amazing people doing extraordinary things in many different industries, I’ve become 100% convinced that success does not happen randomly. There are literally steps you can take that will GUARANTEE you the sort of life that you want to live.

Let me share these “secrets” with you. Let me share with you the lessons that have taken me years and thousands of dollars to learn, and mistakes I’ve made along the way so you won’t have to make them too.

Are you ready to make this the most amazing year ever? Then come join me in my San Jose workshop on January 23rd!

What you’ll learn during this workshop:
* Life is too short to keep doing this — and you’re probably doing it.
* Most businesses don’t last more than 1-3 years. Learn how to avoid their fate.
* Why “trying harder” won’t help you reach your goals.
* The difference between world-class individuals, and average people.
* What other workshop instructors WILL NOT tell you.
* The one thing that is more important than working on your business.
* Why the way we price our services can determine whether we make it or break it.
* What photographers can learn from the world’s largest entertainment empire.
* The 7 steps to success — guaranteed.
* How to double your rates in 18 months.
* Successful photographers have this in common.
* The reason optimists are delusional — and why you should become one.
* The secrets to an extraordinary life, and why it’s easier than you think.
* … and much more!

What you’ll NOT learn during this workshop:
* camera-use, editing, posing, lighting, etc. This is not a workshop teaching you how to shoot better pictures. For that, I highly encourage you to attend my mentor Scott Robert’s classes, which are held … worldwide. And if you’re interested in Photoshop, learn it from the master Jeremy Chan at his post-processing workshop. This Conquering 2011 workshop, as indicated by the title, will be focused on life and business. =)

WHEN:
January 23, 1:30 – 6:00pm

WHERE:
San Jose

WHO:
I’m in the wedding industry, but honestly, this workshop will be applicable to anybody who wants to get more of out life. So whether you’re a new entrepreneur, or looking to start your own business, or a wedding photographer wanting to take your business to the next level, or somebody who is dissatisfied with the status quo — this workshop is geared for you.

INVESTMENT:
Late sign-up: $300
I’ll also offering a 110% money-back guarantee – something unheard of with other workshop instructors. If you’re not satisfied, you’ll get your money back, plus a little more for the inconvenience of your time. Why am I doing this? Because I’m *that* confident that what you’ll be taking away will be worth every dollar you spend — and more! — and that you’ll come away inspired, more focused, and ready to conquer 2011–whatever stage you’re at in your photography or business.

If you have any questions, send an email to workshops@junshien.com.

Space is very limited. We’re keeping this to around 10-12 people. Once seats are gone, the sign-up list will be taken down. RSVP now.

The session is free this time. But next time I’m back in the area, the fee will be at the normal rate or higher, so take advantage of the opportunity!

You don’t have to be a wedding photographer to attend! I’ll be covering business and marketing, but the majority of what I’m going to be sharing is going to be very applicable to photography enthusiasts and those who want more out of life.

Also, I am still booking mentoring sessions and photoshoots. If interested, message me ASAP for rates and availability! email.me@junshien.com

Malaysia: You can find out info on the KL/PJ session here.

San Francisco: Halfday session will be held in late January. Details to follow. Session fee will be $250 for early signups; $300 thereafter. We’ll be keeping the group size more intimate, and I’ll be sharing *a lot* more information than what I’ll be giving at my Malaysia and Singapore classes!

RSVP here.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Malaysia: December 28- January 3
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: January 4-8
Singapore: January 8-11
LA: February 9-15 (tentative)
Las Vegas: February 20-24
Mexico: dates pending
NYC: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

And when I return, get ready for the release of our Red Riding Hood editorial shoot, a trash the dress session in the snow, several more weddings, and whatever else I end up shooting in Asia!

Also, I am currently arranging meetups and one-on-one mentorship sessions in the following locations: Kuching, KL, Penang, Singapore. If interested, message me ASAP! email.me@junshien.com

Peace out, homies! 2010 has been a blast!

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Sabah and Sarawk, Malaysia: December 21-27
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: December 28- January 3 (approx)
Singapore: January 4-11 (approx)
LA: February 15-19 (tentative)
Las Vegas: February 20-24
Mexico: dates pending
NYC: dates pending
India: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

The info for the KL workshop is down below, and you can RSVP on the Facebook event page. We’re now at 50 and will be closing down registration after a couple more people.

The Singapore workshop will be held January 9 at 3pm. Info on the event is here.  We’re capping this one at 20 students.

Add yourself to our facebook fanpage or follow us on Twitter to get updates as soon as they come in!

The mini-workshops are FREE this time. But next time I’m back in the area, the fee will be at the normal rate or higher, so take advantage of the opportunity!

(San Francisco: Workshop for late January will be announced soon. Early sign ups will be likely $250, and then raised to $300.)

You don’t have to be a wedding photographer to attend! I’ll be covering business and marketing, but the majority of what I’m going to be sharing is going to be very applicable to photography enthusiasts and those who want more out of life.

Also, I am still booking mentoring sessions and photoshoots in the following locations: Kuching, KL, Penang, Singapore. If interested, message me ASAP for rates and availability! email.me@junshien.com

RSVP here.  edit: Registration now full. Message me to be added to the waiting list.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Sabah and Kuching, Malaysia: December 21-27
Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: December 28- January 5 (approx)
Singapore: January 6-11 (approx)
LA: February 15-19 (tentative)
Las Vegas: February 20-24
Mexico: dates pending
NYC: dates pending
India: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

Check out the article here.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Sabah and Sarawk, Malaysia: December 21-27
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: December 28- January 3 (approx)
Singapore: January 4-11 (approx)
LA: February 15-19 (tentative)
Las Vegas: February 20-24
Mexico: dates pending
NYC: dates pending
India: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

We’re excited to announce our support of the not-for-profit Pencils of Promise, and will be the exclusive photographers for one of Philanthro Productions‘ biggest fundraising events of the year: POP! SF: A Tri-City Benefit for Pencils of Promise.

If you don’t have anything going on tonight, come on by and party for a good cause! There’ll be a red carpet, step and repeat, food carts, silent auction, performance by Ashkon, and of course dancing! Pre-sale tickets are already sold out, but you can still purchase them at the door! You can get more info here: http://sfmcevent-fb.eventbrite.com/ If you aren’t in San Francisco, there’ll also be corresponding events held in LA, San Diego, Dallas, Denver, Boston, and NYC.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Sacramento: November 18-20
Yosemite: December 3-6
Sabah and Sarawk, Malaysia: December 21-27
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: December 28- January 3 (approx)
Singapore: January 4-11 (approx)
LA: February 15-19 (tentative)
Las Vegas: February 20-24
Mexico: dates pending
NYC: dates pending
India: dates pending

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

But we have far more exciting news … Today, we’re very happy to announce the (soft) launch of our new website! Portfolio v4 is only going to contain our lifestyle work for now, but our wedding images will be up soon. This new site should be a lot easier to navigate — and it’s also iPhone and iPad ready! Check it out! What do you guys think?  :)

Click here for Portfolio v4!

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
Honolulu, Hawaii: September 7-12
NYC: September 13-17
LA: October 22-28
Mexico (various cities): October 28 – November 2
Malaysia, Singapore: December 21 – January 11

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

If you are in the San Jose area and still haven’t had one of her signature red velvet cupcakes, you are totally missing out! Fair warning — we are not responsible for any sudden or uncontrollable urges, addictions, and impulse cravings you may experience after trying one. =P

Side story: A couple days ago, one of my friends saw the Yelp reviews and went to buy me a box of cupcakes for my birthday (week), not realizing until she got to the store that we do their photography. It’s been a while since I’ve had one of HannaH’s chocolate-espresso cupcakes, and wow, it was sooooo good! I couldn’t help myself and ended up eating a second one immediately after that! This was just before dinner too, so … oops. ;)

HannaH Coffee & Sweets
754 The Alameda Suite #80
San Jose, CA 95126

Mon-Fri. 6:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
NYC: August 19-24
Honolulu, Hawaii: September 7-12
NYC: September 13-17
LA: October 22-28
Mexico (various cities): October 28 – November 2
Malaysia, Singapore: December 21 – January 11

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

Come attend the fundraiser tomorrow for a chance to bid on a $1500 makeup + hair + photo session with A-List Makeup and Junshien Photography!

Among other things, the night’s events will also include a diva auction, as well as a raffle for a 10-person, 5-course dinner with wine pairings by the head chef of the Three Seasons Restaurant in Palo Alto, prepared at your home!

For more info, head over to the Doctors to Haiti website, as well as their facebook event page.

Here is the press release from Doctors to Haiti:

Ladies — if you have wanted to take a new set of gorgeous photos, perhaps commemorating your friendships with your closest girlfriends, or need some amazing shots for a portfolio or before turn the big 3-0 or 4-0 — this is your chance.

Gentlemen — if you know you will be asking for your girlfriend’s hand in marriage anytime soon — it’s now standard to have engagement photoshoots.  This is your chance to “wow” your fiancee by showing her you only get the VERY BEST for her.

Included in this truly generous package is a photoshoot by the one and only Junshien Lau, one of the most high-in-demand wedding photographers from coast-to-coast.

Not only did Junshien make his own superb talents available — he is making sure the lucky lady who wins this auction looks better than she ever dreamed she could with the inclusion of a makeover session w/ the best makeup and hair studios, A-List Makeup!

Take a look at Junshien’s website.  Read the reviews on Yelp. And then consider how awesome this gift donation actually is for the right individual or couple.

The photography is breathtaking; the photographer leaves nothing to be desired when it comes to talent, drive, and ensuring every good moment is captured at its pinnacle.

A good life is simply a collection of wonderful memories; document it all and never, ever forget.

A sincere THANK YOU to Junshien Lau and Ann Ho (A-List Makeup), for your wonderful generosity; this is an amazing package that a single person or a couple will treasure for a lifetime. This package will be auctioned off at the event via silent auction starting at 8:30 PM @ 111 Minna in San Francisco.  Retail value: $1500.

* * * * * * *

Current travel schedule
NYC: August 19-24
Honolulu, Hawaii: September 7-12
NYC: September 13-17
LA: October 22-28
Mexico (various cities): October 28 – November 2
Malaysia, Singapore: December 21 – January 11

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

Hannah, 2-4pm
754 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126

* * * * * * *

Currently accepting lifestyle, fashion, and family portrait session bookings! Here are my travel plans for the next two months. If interested, drop me a line!

San Diego: April 21-25
San Luis Obispo: April 30 – May 4
New York City: May 19-23
Los Angeles: May 27-31

]]> http://www.junshien.com/announcements/san-jose-meetup/feed/ 1 http://www.junshien.com/announcements/out-of-the-studio-until-september-9th/ http://www.junshien.com/announcements/out-of-the-studio-until-september-9th/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:19:39 +0000 Junshien http://www.junshien.com/?p=834 Hello friends!

I’m currently writing this at the Incheon International airport as I wait for my flight to Shanghai. The last couple days in Seoul have actually been quite relaxing, compared to last week’s shooting/editing/emailing/planning frenzy. Among other things, I’ve had a multi-socket plug blow up a few inches from my face with smoke and sparks spewing everywhere, realized I had accidentally left almost all my memory cards in a different camera bag at home, and had some of the most delicious daeji galbi a few hours after landing in Korea. Also, being here has confirmed to me again that Korean sounds pretty damn sexy. =P

I’ll be spending the next week in Shanghai and some of the surrounding towns, before heading back to Seoul again. I’m not sure how much access I’ll have to email, or even how much time I’ll have in front of the computer. Because of that, if you drop me an email or message, expect a 1-2 day delay in my responses.

If you would like to follow some of my (mis)adventures, go ahead and add me on facebook! I’m not sure if Twitter is blocked in China, but I’ll try to update that as well.

Ok my flight is boarding now. Gotta go!

Junshien

But I suppose this plan wasn’t fabulous enough, because when push came to shove, all my other deadlines kicked its butt. Makes me sad, really. I had thought that if there were any butt kicking going on, I should be the one doing it. So now I have a backlog of over a dozen shoots that has already been edited and delivered … but still hasn’t been shared with the rest of you. And that number seems to be growing weekly!

Maybe one day, if you see me make a bazillion new posts in a single day, you’ll know what happened. (But hopefully I’ll learn to kick butt long before that happens.)

Due to our high volume of emails, we cannot promise a response to every candidate.

PHOTO EDITOR

Job Description
As Photo Editor, you will review the source files from a photoshoot or wedding, decide which images need to be discarded, and select the best of the best. A typical wedding will result in over 2500 images, which will then have to be narrowed down to under 175. In culling the final images, you will have to take into consideration technical quality of the original image, artistic value, and variety.

The final selection of images will then be edited according to our post-processing style, with the initial edit performed in Lightroom followed by final touch-up and enhancements in Photoshop. The average viewer should not be able to notice a difference in style when viewing images you have edited for the studio. You will be trained in our editing technique and will be given the tools necessary to complete your job.

All this will require you to become familiar with our particular style of photography–what types of imagery we tend to prefer, why we would select one image over another, what kind of edits we would generally use for different types of images, the post-processing techniques we use to make our imagery distinctive, etc.

Depending on the studio workload, you may sometimes be assigned to assist our primary editor. We are a mobile studio with no physical location. Because of that, you are free to work anywhere and anytime you want, as long as you complete your projects on time. 1-2 positions open.

Qualifications
* responsive; responsible; self-motivated. It is your responsibility to meet deadlines and produce quality work without supervision.
* highly attentive to detail
* a strong desire for excellence
* adaptable
* highly able to identify elements that make up a strong image
* able to recognize what digital editing with Adobe Photoshop can do to enhance an image
* moderate to high proficiency with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 or later.
* a deep passion for photography and the arts
* some experience shooting weddings and portrait sessions
* loves our style of photography :)

Interested?
If interested, send us an email (studio@junshien.com) with the following:
1) a link to your online portfolio
2) how much time per week will you be able to commit
3) a few sentences about why you want this position
4) pay requirements
5) phone number and best times we can reach you for an interview

ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER

update: The Northern California roster for this position is already full. But go ahead and send in your information if you would like to be placed on the backup list. If you’re in SoCal or other parts of the United States, feel free to submit your information too. Gigs will likely be rare though.

Job Description
As a 2nd shooter, you will accompany one of our primary photographers to weddings. Your responsibilities are twofold: to capture the 2nd angles, and to assist the primary photographer in whatever is necessary so that they can focus on their job as the primary photographer.

We are generally looking for individuals who either are interested in starting their own photographers business, or are serious amateurs. Not only will you be able to learn from us and see how we work, but you will also get the chance to build up your own photography portfolio.

Qualifications
* moderate photography skill
* previous experience assiting or shooting at least one wedding
* an alumni of at least one Scott Robert workshop a plus
* engaging personality a plus

Interested?
If interested, send us an email (studio@junshien.com) with the following:
1) a link to your online portfolio
2) your current equipment list
3) a brief history of your photography experience
4) a few sentences about why you want this position
5) phone number in case I need to reach you for an interview

ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHER

Job Description
Clients who contact the studio have the option of selecting a package with one of our Associate Photographers if either Junshien is not available, or they would like a slightly cheaper package. As an Associate, you will be the primary photographer for the wedding day. Everything else–the engagement session, editing, album design, client interface, etc–will be done by other members of the team.

We are extremely selective in choosing our Associate Photographers, as you essentially have to mimic our shooting style and maintain an exceptionally high level of quality. Candidates for this position will go through a training process before being added to the short list of Associate Photographers.

Qualifications
* high level of photography skill
* substantial experience shooting weddings
* ability to capture the moment and to shoot with the same approach we use in our photography
* a strong desire for excellence
* attractive personality
* loves our photography :)
* alumni of Scott Robert workshops a plus
* candidates for this role must have considerable experience assisting us at weddings

Interested?
If interested, send us an email (studio@junshien.com) with the following:
1) a link to your online portfolio
2) your current equipment list
3) a history of your photography experience
4) explanation about why you will make a good candidate
5) phone number and best times we can reach you for an interview

GENERAL ASSISTANT

Job Description
We often get  requests from people who just want to tag along on our shoots to see how it’s done behind the scenes. Opportunities are rare, but when they do come up, here’s your chance to be considered! No experience of any sort required. This is a non-paid position. Northern California only.

Interested?
If interested, send us an email (studio@junshien.com) with the following:
1) your location
2) 1-3 sentences about why you are interested (“Because I think it’ll be fun” is good enough for an answer)

* * * * * * *

For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, feel free to get in touch with us via our contact form.

I’ve been in Merced on assignment for the past few days. And on Saturday, Forté Frozen Yogurt will be having its grand opening, with a rock climbing wall, hummer H3 guitar hero challenge, live music, and good food. Swing on by if you’re in town–I’ll be at Forté Yogurt all day doing their photography.

The rest of this year is also shaping up to be pretty exciting! I have a few international gigs lined up, including the Dominican Republic and several locations in Asia. We’ve also been expanding the studio with a couple part-time Associate Photographers, an assistant editor, an album designer, and other creatives. I’m always looking for more talented people to add to the team! And with wedding season kicking into high gear, the following months are looking to be very busy! In addition to weekly weddings and engagement sessions, I also have some exciting side projects I’ve been working on, which I hope to share with you … as soon as I get caught up with my blogging! And so to get started, I’ll do a double-post for today.  ;)

Have a great Friday, everybody!

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]]> http://www.junshien.com/announcements/junshien-youre-always-awol/feed/ 2 http://www.junshien.com/announcements/41/ http://www.junshien.com/announcements/41/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:06:28 +0000 Junshien http://www.junshien.com/?p=41 Hey there! Welcome to my new blog. This site was built over a few days using a customizable WordPress theme creator. What do you guys think?  There’s not much up right now, but go ahead and poke around the site. Since I have not been blogging for many weeks (I know, I’ve been a terrible blogger! It’s so much easier to just send out Tweets, you know?), I now have a huge backlog of pictures to share with you guys. Be sure to check back in over the next couple weeks for that.

Please update your RSS subscription to this site. I’m going to be slowly phasing out my Xanga account over the next few posts. If you would like email subscription, you can sign up here. And there is always Facebook and Twitter. ;)

Oh, and my portfolio has also been completely revamped, so you’ll definitely want to check that out. I’m actually very excited about that because my old portfolio had not been updated for a loooong time–late 2007/early 2008, maybe?

Anyway, browse around the site. I’d love to hear what you think!