Ging Lorenzo's Photoblog

Sophia Beatrice: Baptism

2012-02-17T23:12:00.001+08:00

February 5, 2011
Santuario de San Antonio
Makati Sports Club

I photographed Sobie's grand 1st birthday party a few months ago, but before I could post that, I have to write this entry about her baptism first.;)

Mommy Jeng first contacted me a few months before Sophia Beatrice (or Sobie, as she is lovingly called) was born. Yes, Jeng is one of those ladies who are very particular about details and like to plan ahead. Don't get me wrong though--she's not a control freak! Ok maybe she is when it comes to planning her parties, but she is probably the nicest one I have ever met! Sobie's baptism was an intimate and simple affair, but you could tell every detail was well thought out--from Sobie's Randy Ortiz baptismal gown down to the DIY baptismal candles. And I couldn't be certain if it was part of Jeng's plan, but even the hotel room that they chose was great for photos! Needless to say, my camera was in heaven!

Below are some of my favorite shots from the day...

We started shooting at the Picasso Boutique Hotel where we took photos of the details and did some family photos before heading for the church.

Pretty pretty candles!

Yep, this is how a Randy Ortiz baptismal gown looks like (left photo).;)

Little Sobie...(notice how even her bib was also color-coordinated with her party theme?)

What gorgeous eyes she has! Just like Mommy!:)

The beautiful mom and her little angel.

Not all window light are created equal--but this one gave me stunning family portraits!

Love love love!

L-O-V-E!

A few shots of the baptismal ceremony...

I always tell my clients to relax and make sure they are always smiling no matter what they are doing. I didn't have to remind Jeng, she seemed so happy that day.;)

...And then we were off to the reception venue...

Pretty decor by the Party Boosters team led by my good friend Jacque Tan.

Elegant pink-and-brown themed details.

Daddy Boyito thanking his guests with Mommy Jeng standing behind him.

Baby Sobie looking a bit tired but still pretty in her cute outfit.;)

Décor - Party Boosters (c/o Jacqueline Tan)
Baptismal Gown - Randy Ortiz
Cakes/Cupcakes - Sweets Couture
Give-aways - Favors N Flavors (Chocolate Pram)
Candles- DIY

Special thanks to Ces Kasilag for second-shooting with me during this event.:D

Sofia: portrait session

2012-02-13T20:14:00.000+08:00

This was supposed to be a "pre-event" portrait session. But Mommy Sheryl texted me a few days before our original schedule to ask if we could postpone the session until after the party. The family had just arrived from abroad and Sofia was still a bit out of her element and was having the case of "pangingilala". I know how important it is that a child/baby be comfortable during a portrait session, so I agreed. We did the mini portrait session a few days after Sofia's 1st birthday party at one of my favorite places to do portraits these days--the Evozone at Nuvali. I met up with Sofia, Mommy Sheryl, Daddy Arman, and Sofia's Lola (Daddy Arman's mom) for the afternoon pictorial. Sure enough, Sofia seemed so much more comfortable with me (and with her surroundings) than the first time I met her. Getting smiles out of her wasn't difficult at all.

Below are just some of my favorites shots from the session...

This beautiful purple dress from Rajito by Rajo Laurel was one of Sofia's birthday party dresses. Since we weren't able to take portraits of Sofia wearing it during the party, Sheryl decided to make it Sofia's first outfit for the pictorial.

Sofia with her favorite toys.

I love these next family shots!

Sofia has the prettiest outfits!

We let her sit down in the middle of the bridge. At first, she looked confused...

...but she warmed up to the idea quickly.:) This was one of my favorite shots of Sofia.:)

Last outfit change.

Lovely family!

Such a pretty little girl, isn't she?

There's just something that I love about this photo.

Such a cutie!:)

One of the last shots we took that afternoon. Sofia was already a bit tired here.

Kian: 1st birthday party

2012-02-09T23:30:00.002+08:00

January 30, 2011
Urdaneta Village Clubhouse

Theme: Elephant and Balloons

I have photographed a lot of gorgeous kiddie parties but I have to say this is one of my recent favorites. I loved the theme, the colors, the charming little details...from the invitations, to the lootbags, and even the napkin holders...everything was just cute and pretty! And it didn't hurt either that Kathleen dela Merced and her Hi-5 Parties team did an excellent job with the venue decor, as always!

And what made this party even more perfect for me? The wonderful clients, of course! Mommy Jackie and Daddy Brian were both so easy to work with. I already knew I wouldn't have any problem with them even when we were just exchanging emails. On the day of the party, I felt that I had their full trust and it made me want to work even harder to deliver great photos.

Below are some of my favorite shots from the day...

I loved the venue decorations by Hi-5 Parties!

Look at the lovely design of on these lootbags!

Some more photos of the exquisite party details...

Birthday outfit of the cute birthday boy.

We went outside to take a few family shots before the party started.

Such a lovely family, aren't they?

I always love "candid" family photos.

Kian is such a handsome little man, isn't he?

The awesome Flooch was host for the day.

Jiggles the Balloon Lady was also there to make her amazing balloon sculptures!

The kids enjoying one of the games.

Candle-blowing!

Venue decor: Hi-5 Parties (c/o Kathleen dela Merced)
Treat Bar: Hi-5 Parties
Cake/Cupcakes: Vanilla Kitchen
Host/Magician: Flooch
Additional entertainment: Jiggles the Balloon Lady
Carts: Red Mango Frozen Yogurt, NYFD Fries, Hi-5 Corndogs

Special thanks to my good friend Ces Kasilag for being my backup shooter that day.:)

Viene: Baptism and 1st birthday party

2012-02-07T11:43:00.000+08:00

November 6, 2011
Binondo Church
Annapolis Seafood Restaurant

For kiddie events, I usually deal with the moms before the actual party. However, lately, I've been getting more and more inquiries from the dads. I find it actually kinda refreshing to know that dads nowadays are more involved in planning their babies' parties. I have to be honest though. Every time I get an email or text from a dad asking about my services, I get a bit intimidated. The first thought that comes to my mind is that they have probably never heard of me or seen my work, but their wives just asked them to book me. This was how I felt when I was exchanging emails with Daddy Vince. Besides, he sounded oh so serious in his emails and he seemed like a man of few words...quite scary, if you ask me! Well, I was in for a surprise when we finally met in person during baby Viene's party. He's actually one of the coolest dads I have ever worked with! Also, he and Mommy Grace, and their families were so nice to me and Pie that working with them didn't feel like working at all.:)

Below are just some of my favorite photos from that day.

The baptism was held at the baptistry of the Binondo Church. It was one of the shortest baptismal ceremonies I have ever been to! Not that I was complaining...it gave Pie and me some time to go shopping for our favorite hopia across the street before driving to the reception venue!:D

A quick family photo after the baptism.

As soon as we got to the party venue, I started shooting all the pretty little details that Mommy Grace laid out for me.

It was an intimate luncheon, but they had colorful balloons to liven up the place.

I always love taking photos of little girls' dresses.

And their shoes, too!

The super colorful cake and cuppies from Balloon Republic!

And here's our birthday girl sitting comfortably in her stroller.

It was raining outside and there really wasn't any good spot to take photos in front of the building, but we found this area right outside the function room that had good enough light and had plastic plants that reminded me of those old studio photos from the 90s.:D The photos didn't turn out bad at all though.;)

Viene enjoying her lunch.

It was a Chinese Lauriat, and I will never forget how Vince and Grace put aside our share for each course while I was still shooting. And they let us sit with them in their table! (Oh, by the way, can you see me in this photo?;D)

Viene fell asleep shortly after having lunch, but she woke up just as guests were leaving and everyone was packing up. We took a few more shots of her with the cake.

And one last shot with mom and dad. :)

Venue decor: Balloon Republic
Cake: Balloon Republic
Viene's dresses: Periwinkle

Sofia: 1st birthday party

2012-01-28T12:45:00.001+08:00

January 29, 2011
The Blue Leaf
Party theme: "It's a Small World!"

Mommy Sheryl first contacted me when she was still pregnant with Sofia back in 2009. She wanted to have a maternity photo session. Unfortunately, we were never able to do the session because we had a hard time finding a schedule (the whole family is based abroad, so their schedule was always too tight whenever they were in the country for a visit). In fact, we set a schedule for it a couple of times but had to cancel the last minute!

A few months after giving birth, Sheryl emailed me again, this time to book me for Sofia's 1st birthday party! The day of the party was the first time we met (finally!) in person, and looking back, I am so grateful that I was given the chance to work with this family. Mommy Sheryl and Daddy Arman are just soooo nice! When I first met Arman, he called me by my first name, even when we had never "met" (not even through email) before that day. And I'm pretty sure he pronounced it correctly, too!:D (My name get mispronounced maybe 80% of the time, so it's a big deal for me when people say it correctly the first time. Hehehe.) And Sheryl has been such a darling, even after the party. Seriously, it's clients like her who remind me why I love doing what I do.

Oh, and there's Sofia, of course! She was a bit shy at first but she's such a pretty little girl that I really enjoyed photographing her. I've been seeing more recent photos of her on Facebook, and she's growing up to be really beautiful. I actually told Sheryl I really wish I could photograph Sofia again.;)

Here are some of my favorites from the day...

We started the day at the Hotel Celeste.

This beautiful pink dress is by Cecilio Abad!

As I said, Sofia was at bit shy at first. We had to bribe her with some gadgets just to get her to stay on the bed for some shots.:)

We also had to give her some snacks.

All dressed up! By the way, I always love taking photos at Hotel Celeste. Every one of their rooms have unique furniture and decor which are perfect for photos!

Isn't she lovely?

I love this photo of the beautiful birthday family.

A couple more shots...

...then we were off to the party venue.

This is one of those beautiful huge cakes that move!

Gorgeous party decor by Hi-5 Parties (Kathleen dela Merced)!

Before the program started, we went outside to take some more family photos. There's just something I love about this photo.

Yey! A smile from Sofia at last!:)

One of my favorites, Alex Lagula was the host/magician.

As always, he was a hit!

Candle-blowing!

Hotel preps: Hotel Celeste
Venue: Silk Pavillion, The Blue Leaf
Caterer: Bizu
Sofia Jae's Outfit: Cecilio Abad
Videographer: ThorProd
Party Planner: Kelly Dela Merced (Hi-5 Parties)
Themed Dessert Buffet: Sugar n Spice Dessert Buffet
Cake: Les Sucreries
Magician and Host: Alex Lagula

Ethan: Mini portrait session

2012-01-25T14:07:00.000+08:00

I photographed Ethan's birthday party last December. But a few weeks prior to that, we did his mini portrait session at the UP Campus. We originally scheduled this session a week before we were actually able to do it. However, during the days leading up to the weekend, it was always raining. I texted Mommy Aira to ask whether she would like to postpone the session or find an indoor venue to do it instead. Now, it's no secret that I prefer doing portrait sessions outdoors so I was crossing my fingers that Aira would choose to wait for better weather to do the shoot. I was so relieved when she texted back and told me that they prefer an outdoor shoot at well. I knew she was going to be a breeze to work with (and she was!) because we were on the same page about how we wanted the session to go.

Below are just some of my favorites from the shoot:

Ethan wasn't so used to being outdoors but we managed to get some great shots of him looking comfortable in front of the camera.

We were able to make him wear this hat for about...umm...2 seconds.:D

One of my favorites. :)

Next outfit.

The next few photos are my favorites! I love family photos that show real laughter and happiness.

By the way, did you notice how good looking Mommy Aira and Daddy Ernie are? ;) No wonder Ethan is that cute.

Last outfit change. This was just Mommy Aira's "pahabol". She wanted some shots of this outfit that they bought in Hong Kong. Ethan was already a bit sweaty but he was still in the mood for a few more shots.:)

Adam: 1st birthday party

2012-01-19T22:05:00.000+08:00

January 23, 2011
Conchita Garden Resort

Party theme: Safari

I always say this, and I will say it again: I really love it when I get hired to shoot events outside Metro Manila. It's always a great honor to be chosen by the client even though I'm sure there are other good photographers that they can hire locally. Besides, I actually like the long drive (without the traffic, that is). That's why I was excited to be shooting Adam's party in San Fernando, Pampanga, even though I was already around 3 months pregnant by then.

After the party, I got to chat with Mommy Arvee for a bit and I found out she has a full-time job and owns an event management company that caters to corporate events at the same time. Between those and being a mom to an active baby, it's amazing how she was able to plan a grand party with awesome details for little Adam!

Below are some of my favorites from the day:

We started shooting some of the details at Arvee's parents' house. One of the things I love about shooting in clients' homes is being able to incorporate some pieces around the house into the photos. It just makes the pictures a bit more unique and personal.

Adam had two cute costumes for the party.

Love the shoes!

Adam looks so much like his mom! There was a photo of a very young Arvee hanging on the wall in the living room, and she looked like Adam in a girlie outfit!:D

A couple more shots before leaving for the venue.

It was my first time to work with Party Studio. I think they did a great job with the party decor!

Some more cute details.

Just as the guests were arriving, we went outside for a few minutes to take some shots of the birthday boy and the birthday mom. (Adam's dad works abroad and unfortunately wasn't able to come home to join in the celebration.)

Adam and mom.

How cute are these two?

This was one of my favorites.:)

Seriously, I always get starstruck whenever Jollibee makes an appearance at a party! Hehehe.

Adam loves Jollibee.;)

The kids enjoyed the show!

The adults also enjoyed the show!

Finally, the candle-blowing.

Decor and balloons: Party Studio
Photobooth: Photostrip
Cake and cupcakes: Lailen's Pastries
Catering: 17-74 catering
Invitations/thank u tags/guestbook/nametags: Print Avenue
Magician and ventriloquist: David (via Razzle Dazzle)
Kids' meals: Jollibee
Face painting: Party Studio
Lootbags: www.orientaltrading.com

Special thanks to my good friend Ces Kasilag who was my second shooter that day and my sister Pie who was my assistant. I don't know what I would do without those two.;)

The Anastacios: Family portrait session

2012-01-17T21:24:00.000+08:00

I first met Judd, Deegee, Earl, and Sam two years ago when we did one of my favorite family portrait sessions ever. Last October, I had the pleasure of photographing this cool family again. It was a more casual shoot than the first one, but we had just as much fun!:)

We did the session at a posh model unit at one of the up-scale subdivisions in Alabang. The weather was crazy that day. Just about an hour before we were supposed to meet up, I even texted Deegee if she wanted to postpone the shoot because it was raining in our area. On our drive over, it even started raining really hard. But I'm glad we decided to push through because we got bright sunshine as soon as we started.

Here are just a few of my favorite shots form the portrait session:

Notice the jackets and Earl's shirt.;)

As always, I enjoyed photographing the kids. It was so much more challenging this time though because almost every click of my camera was followed by the question, "Are we done yet?" :D

Sam is such a cutie. I could have photographed her all afternoon!

Earl is growing up to be a handsome little man.

The pretty mom.

These guys are such a cool couple. I really enjoy working with them every time.

The next three are some of my favorite family shots that day.

When the sun wasn't too hot anymore, we took the shoot outside.

See those fake smiles on the kids' faces? They couldn't wait for the shoot to be over. We had to bribe them with the promise of ice cream afterwards. Hehehe.

Last outfit change. They used one of the shots from this series as their holiday family photo.

A couple more shots outside to wrap things up.

Bella: 1st birthday party

2012-01-10T14:01:00.000+08:00

January 9, 2011
Northeast Greenhills Clubhouse

Venue decor: Kidstar Kastles (c/o Imma Ongteco)
Host/magician: Flooch
Balloon artist: Jiggles the Balloon Lady
Cake and cupcakes: Sugarbox by Emily Uy

I can't believe it's been a year since I photographed Bella on her 1st birthday. I still see photos of Bella on Facebook and it's really nice to see how much she's grown in a year! It's even more amazing how much she's grown since the first time I saw her almost 2 years ago when I photographed her baptism! Daddy Mike and Mommy Imee always make sure they give their little angel the best parties and I am honored to be the one to capture their memories of these milestones for them and their families.

Here are just a few of the photos from that day...

We started by taking some shots of the birthday family in a hotel. We found Bella playing with her shoes on the bed, looking all cute and ready for the camera.:)

Bella's birthday outfit.

Of course, she had a few more outfits for the day, and this is just one of them.

The lovely family.

Bella is Daddy's little princess.

I love how babies can give you a whole bunch of different expressions in just a matter of seconds.

Some details at the venue.

Colorful party decor by Kidstar Kastles!

Cute cake from Sugarbox.

Here's Jiggles with Dora's backpack.;)

Oh yeah, aside from the catered buffet, they also had food carts for the guests to enjoy. Ice Monster...

..NYFD Fries...Yum!

Kids during one of the games.

They also had special guests! Probably the most popular set of mascots in the country! :) I always get starstruck whenever I see these guys. Hehehe.

The awesome Flooch during the magic show.

Finally, the candle-blowing.:)

I asked my good friend Ces Kasilag to be my backup shooter for Bella's party since I was already more than 2 months pregnant by then. Thanks, Ces!:)

Coco: 1st birthday party

2012-01-05T11:58:00.000+08:00

January 8, 2011
Wack Wack Golf and Country Club

Party theme: Disney World
Venue set-up: Kidstar Kastles (c/o Imma Ongteco)
Party host: Shahein Abraham
Magician/Puppet master: Ruther Urquia

I took a month off in December 2010 because I was advised by my OB to go on complete bed rest. Coco's birthday party was my first event when I went back to work. It was also my first event for 2011, and I have to say it was a good way to start my year.:) So, I am starting my 2012 right by posting the party here on the blog!

Here are some of my favorite shots from the event:

Some colorful details...

Party decorations were by Kidstar Kastles. I'm always excited to be working with their team because I know the whole party venue will be bursting with colors!

Fun stage backdrop featuring a whole bunch of Disney characters!

Some of the party giveaways.

Some of the kids and yayas during one of the games.

While the party was already in full swing, I took the birthday family outside for a short portrait session.

It was overcast but we did get some lovely afternoon light.

The cute birthday boy.:)

He loved riding on the small carousel...

One last shot.

Then it was back to the party.

Shahein was the host for the party, and he made sure everyone--even adults--enjoyed the games.

A Disney-themed party isn't complete without this special guest.:)

Coco watching Mickey dance onstage.

Ruther Urquia was also there to do his magic show! Here's Mommy Tonette during one of his magic tricks.

Of course, the famous Titoy also made an appearance!

Finally, the candle-blowing with Mommy and Daddy.:)

My sister Pie was my back-up shooter for Coco's party. I was about 14 weeks pregnant then, so I was glad she was there to get some of the load off my back.:)

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-02T14:07:00.000+08:00

Pete, Paco, and I spent a quiet New Year's Eve tucked in a hotel room in Alabang. We had originally planned to spend the weekend with my family in hotel suites just as we have been doing the past few years. We'd have lots of food, singing, games...and we'd open our Christmas presents together (yes, we open our Christmas presents on New Year's Eve). A few days before the weekend however, we had a family emergency and we had to cancel our plans.

As I was going through my FB Wall last Saturday night, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad when I saw photos of our friends' families' Media Noche and read about how everyone was busy preparing for their feast. Meanwhile, Pete and I just ordered takeout from one of our favorite restos and had some dessert from Starbucks. We had a quiet dinner with only the TV and Paco's occasional squeal in the background. As midnight drew closer, the cityscape and the night sky outside our windows started lighting up with fireworks--and as always, it was beautiful! And I realized how lucky I was to be able to welcome the New Year with the most important persons in my life--away from the smog and the noise, too!:)

The beginning of a New Year is always a good time to look back and be grateful for the year that just ended and to look forward and be excited about what the next months would bring. 2011 was such a great year for me and my family. I looked back at all the things that happened last year, and I feel so blessed and I couldn't help but say "Wow." WOW. And guess what. I'm pretty sure 2012 is going to be even more amazing than last year! So, stay fabulous this 2012 everyone! :)

Here's a photo I took yesterday (January 1, 2012) at the hotel lobby just when we were about to check out. And yes, I realize I make a weird face when I try to make kids smile for me, but it usually works, especially with my own kid.;)

Lexi: 1st birthday party

2011-12-29T22:41:00.000+08:00

November 21, 2010
CVJ Clubhouse

Party decorator: Kidstar Kastles (c/o Imma Ongteco)
Host/magician: Alex Lagula
Caterer: CVJ

Lexi's party was my last event for 2010. I was a few weeks pregnant then and a couple of days after the party, I was advised by my doctor to go on complete bed rest so I had to cancel the rest of my shoots for the remaining weeks of that year. It feels weird writing about it today because 2012 is only 2 days away and here I am posting my last event for 2010. Hehehe. It also makes me think about all the things that has happened in the past year...Hmmm...I really should start on my New Year's resolution list. And updating this blog more often should definitely be on that list!

Anyway, there really isn't a lot more to say about Lexi's birthday celebration. The pictures would speak for themselves but I do want to highlight a few things that made me love working on this party:

1. I love Lexi's name!
2. Mommy Teri is so pretty, she reminds me of a certain movie star. :)
3. Mommy Teri was so nice to me. If every one was that nice to pregnant women, I wouldn't mind being pregnant all the time! Hehehe.
4. Kidstar Kastles!
5. Alex Lagula. Nuff said. :)

Here are the photos...

Colors, colors, colors!!!

Just looking at the cake and cupcakes was enough to give me a sugar high!

Kidstar Kastles never fails to deliver their signature colorful decorations.

As guests entered the venue, I heard some of them actually gasp in awe upon seeing all the balloons!

More pretty details!

There wasn't an outdoor spot around the venue where we could take portraits, so we used window light...

...and we went out into the 2nd floor terrace to get some late afternoon sunlight.

How cute is Lexi?

We also used the natural light spillling into the staircase.

She's such a sweet little baby!

What I love about Alex Lagula is that he can get everyone--kids and adults alike--to participate and enjoy in the program.

The guests enjoying the show.

Even Lexi enjoyed the magic show!

Tito Alex performing magic and comedy.

Candle-blowing.

I took photos of the dress after the party.:)

My sister Pie and good friend Ces Kasilag were my back-up shooters for Lexi's party. I feel so lucky to be able to work with such talented photographers.:)

Cesca: 1st birthday party

2011-12-13T13:00:00.000+08:00

I know it's been over two weeks since I posted an entry. Things have been quite crazy around here with the Holidays just around the corner (we haven't even started on our Christmas shopping yet!). Plus, we're also busy preparing for our own event--Paco's baptism which will be this Sunday! AND baby's still keeping me up until 3AM every day. So, please forgive me if I haven't been a good blogger lately. I promise I will try to do better in the next few weeks.

Anyway, here is another of my most recent events. As I said before, I will try to post my latest work along with the ones from last year.

October 30, 2011
Monte di Portofino

Caterer: Center Table Catering
Balloon decor: Partytime Philippines
Photo gallery: Eventus Advertising Services
Host: Jiggles the Balloon Lady
Cake: Les Sucreries (by Veronica Ngo)

All other details: by Mommy Ainna! :)

When I meet clients like Mommy Ainna, I can't help but admire them for being so creative and for putting a lot of effort to come up with a great party with a unique party theme. I loved taking pictures of all the cute details that she prepared! And I also love that they made time for the short portrait session at the start of the party so we were able to take great shots of Cesca just before it got too dark (it started raining hard as soon as we finished with the outdoor portraits).

Oh yeah, it was also nice seeing old schoolmates from high school at the party. Mommy Ainna and Daddy Jheromme met in med school where a couple of my high school friends also went. Small world!:)

Below are some of my favorite shots from the event.

The invitation designed by Mommy Ainna.

Cesca's beautiful dresses...

...and cute shoes!

The lovely birthday girl getting dressed up.

Backdrop tarp designed by Ainna.

Lovely cake from Les Sucreries.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these cute details that Ainna prepared!

The candy buffet--again, Ainna's work!

These little signs were a prefect touch!

Table setting by Centertable Catering but Ainna put some personal touch on it as well.:)

We went out for a few minutes just as the program was starting to take family portraits.

I love these shots of Cesca!

Cesca telling us how old she is.::)

Mommy and Daddy with clown noses.:D

A couple more shots of the beautiful family.

It was overcast during most of our outdoor pictorial but just as we were walking back to the party, the sun peeked out and I took this quick shot.:)

I usually like to take a few shots of the entire place with all the guests just to capture a feel of the party.

Cesca loved her chicken lollipop!

Jiggles the Balloon Lady was there as host. Of course, the highlight of the program was her balloon show where she makes her awesome balloon creations for the guests!

Candle-blowing.

Leon Jacob: 1st birthday party

2011-11-23T15:14:00.000+08:00

NOTE: I will be alternating between events from last year that haven't been featured on here yet and my most recent events in order to keep this blog updated with my latest work while making sure I post all my events from last year as well.

October 29, 2011
Comida China de Manila

Venue set-up: Party Boosters (c/o Jacque Tan)
Host/magician: Flooch
Additional entertainment: The Golden Show
Cake: Sugar Box (c/o Emily Uy)

Most of my clients are first-time parents, but it's always nice when old clients hire me again to photograph new members of their families. I first met Mommy Geri, Daddy Raymond, and their families when I photographed their first-born Gavin's 1st birthday party over two years ago. Early this year, Geri emailed me again to ask if I was available to be the official photographer for their 2nd son's birthday party. Of course, I was honored to be working again with such wonderful people.:)

Below are some of my favorite shots from the party...

When I got to the venue, it was overflowing with robot-themed details! Geri told me she bought everything online from Oriental Trading.

Of course, Jacque Tan's Party Boosters team was there to make the place even more colorful!

More cute details!

The robot cake was by Emily Uy of Sugar Box.

We took a few photos at the nearby Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe before the party started. I should remember to try out the place sometime.

Here's our superstar of the day!

I wanted to get a few shots of the boys, but they wouldn't sit still for me. Hehehe. I do love this shot though.:)

Geri and the cute birthday boy whom everyone lovingly calls Binog.

They had a whole buffet table of cakes and sweets from Mom and Tina's. The whole spread looked yummy!

Some of the kids during one of the games with Kuya Gavin in the middle.

The adults enjoyed the games as well.

Even the prices were robot-themed!

Binog enjoying his lunch with everyone else.

Flooch during the magic show.

I love this shot of Binog!

The Golden Show was also there to entertain everyone.

Candle-blowing...

One last shot of the birthday family before heading home.

Jaden: 1st birthday party

2011-11-16T12:33:00.000+08:00

November 14, 2010
The Palms Country Club

Party planner: Polkadots Events
Entertainment: Wanlu
Balloon artist: Jiggles the Balloon Lady
Party theme: Toy Story

I've been looking forward to posting this party for a long time because I thought the details and the theme were just awesome! The last installment of the Toy Story series had just been released a couple of months prior to the party and everyone was still raving about it, so everyone loved Jaden's party theme! All I can say is Mommy Alma went all out on the details. The birthday family even showed up dressed as characters from the movie! I loved it!

Below are some of the shots from the party:

Details details details!

Jaden was dressed as Buzz Lightyear, Mommy as Jessie, and Daddy as Woody. Cute family!

Polkadots Events dressed up the place and it was magical!

More colorful details!

We took some shots of the family before the party started. I loved their costumes so much!

These next two are my favorite shots.

Our cute birthday boy.

They had two birthday candles to blow.

Jiggles the Balloon Lady was there with her amazing balloon creations!

Jaden's proud grandma.

Wanlu with just a couple of his puppets.

It was the day Pacquiao beat Margarito, so the "Pambansang Kamao" naturally had to make an appearance at the party. :D

Mommy Alma seemed pleased with the party.

Thank you to Ces Kasilag for being my 2nd shooter at Jaden's party!

Isabelle: 1st birthday party

2011-11-11T11:32:00.000+08:00

November 13, 2010
Amici Restaurant

Host/magician: Wizzo

Isabelle's birthday party fell on Pete's birthday, so when Mommy Kate asked me if I was available to photograph it, I initially said no. But you see, Pete, Mommy Kate, and I were orgmates in college, so when I asked him if I should accept the booking, Pete said yes. :)

For some reason, traffic that day was terrible, so the birthday family got to the venue late. That didn't stop everyone from enjoying the party though. Isabelle (or Bea, as she is lovingly called by her family), Mommy Kate, and Daddy Carlo are based abroad, but they chose to come home to celebrate Bea's special day with their loved ones. And I was honored to be chosen to capture their smiles with my camera.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the party:

Mickey and his friends always make cute party decorations.

The colorful cake, cupcakes and customized chocolate bars. Yum!

The cute party giveaways for the kids!

Balloons!

When the birthday family arrived, we went out for a bit for some family photos. There wasn't any nice spots to take photos around the venue, but we found this covered walkway at the back. We did what we could do with what we had, and we got nice photos out of it.:)

A closeup of the family.

How cute is Bea? :)

And of course, there was the parking lot. :) As I said, I like to shoot in parking lots if the is great!

A couple more shots before Bea decided she's had enough. :D

So, it was back to the party.

Wizzo and his amazing magic show.

The kids (and adults) watched in awe.

There were also games for the kids.

Some of the guests at the buffet.

Bea and Daddy.

Bea and Mommy.

Candle-blowing. (Photo by Pie.)

When most of the guests left, I asked to borrow Bea's pretty red shoes so I could take shots of it.

One last shot of the family before heading for home. (Photo by Pie.)

For this event, I asked my sister Pie to shoot with me because I was already a few weeks pregnant. Thanks also to my brother Beau who was there to assist us. (Yes, I have the least interesting name among my siblings.:P)

Lorraine: 1st birthday party

2011-11-07T18:44:00.002+08:00

November 7, 2010
Greenhills West Clubhouse

Party theme: Disney World
Venue set-up: Kistar Kastles (c/o Imma Ongteco)
Host/Magician: Wizzo
Puppet show: Wanlu

When I started this blog, it was just a way for me to showcase my work and to have something to show to clients when they wanted to see samples of my photos. But then, more and more of my clients started telling me that they were looking forward to seeing their events on here. I really feel flattered whenever I hear this because it must mean they think being featured on my blog is a cool thing--which means they actually read my blog! :) Sadly, I have been a very delinquent blogger for many months that a lot of my clients have been waiting for their events to be posted for a long time. Mommy Janice is one of the nicest clients I have ever had, and I really feel bad for making her wait for exactly one year for Lorraine's party to be posted. Yes, today is exactly a year since I photographed this fantabulous party! (No, that is not a typo error on the date at the top of this entry.)

And no, I don't usually use words like "fantabulous", but there's just no other way to describe this party. See for yourself...

Just one of Lorraine's outfits for the day.

Most people would choose a single show or movie or character for a party theme, but Lorraine's party theme was "Disney World" and if you look closely at the stage backdrop (by the awesome Kidstar Kastles team led by the very pretty and very talented Imma Ongteco), you will see every single Disney character that you could think of. Ok, maybe not every one, but there sure is a lot of them there! :)

Colorful balloons!!! I know I always say this, but if you want your party to be an explosion of colors, you can't go wrong with Kidstar Kastles. This is what they do best! :)

We took a few family shots before the party started.

The lovely birthday family.

The colorful cake ensemble covered an entire table!

The birthday girl and her lovely mommy.

There was never a dull moment at Lorraine's party. Some of the best party entertainers were there. Wizzo was the host.

Wanlu was there too! Here's Daddy Erickson as one of his puppets. :)

The kids enjoying the show.

Another one of Wanlu's puppets.

The birthday family up stage with Wanlu.

Then it was time for Wizzo's magic show.

The proud parents watching the show.

But wait, there's more! There was also a bubble show, which of course was a big hit with the kids.

Lorraine with Mommy and Daddy inside the giant bubble.

Lorraine was already sleeping during the candle-blowing. Good thing Mommy and Daddy were there to help her out.

Janice booked a 2-photographer package so my sister Pie Lorenzo came along as my second shooter for this party. Moreover, my good friend Edison Reyes was also there as a backup shooter since I was already a few weeks pregnant then. Oh, and Pete was also there to assist! I am so grateful I have such great people to help me out when I need them.:)

Cielo: 1st birthday party

2011-11-04T11:30:00.001+08:00

November 6, 2010
The Malayan Plaza

Party Decorations: Polkadots Events
Host/Magician: Marcus

As I said before, I will continue posting events from last year and perhaps some of my portrait sessions along with my most recent shoots. I figured this would be the best way to make sure this blog stays updated with my latest work while I still feature all my previous events. Hopefully, I will be able to get rid of all my backlog within the next few weeks. So, to all my clients who are waiting for their events to be published, please be patient with me as I try to catch up on my blogging. I just got back from my maternity leave recently and I am still adjusting to my new role as a working mum. And as I'm sure most of you would know, it's not easy. At all. But I'm doing my best and with the support of my family and friends, and with such understanding clients, I hope to be back on track soon. :)

Anyway, this was one of my parties from last year that haven't been posted yet. When I learned that I was pregnant last year, some of the first people that I told were the clients who would be affected. Cielo's party was one of my very first events while I was pregnant so I informed Mommy Leizel about it and she was so understanding about it. She was also a very easy client to work with. The family is based abroad so we just corresponded over email before the party, and she was already very nice in print. She was even nicer in person. :)

Below are some of my favorite shots from the event.

We took a few family shots before the party started.

Look at those beautiful eyes!

This was one of my favorite shots of Cielo.

I love this one.

Mommy Leizel prepared several outfits and quite a number of accessories for Cielo! Here are just a few of them.

As we all know, "Christmas season" in the Philippines starts in September, so we were already right in the middle of it in November. We took family shots (along with the rest of their close relatives) at the hotel lobby where there was this lovely Christmas tree.

Decorations by Jhoanne Alon and her team from Polkadots Events.

The cute cake and cupcakes!

Marcus was there to entertain everyone.

Leizel enjoying the show. :)

Kids during one of the games.

Our cute birthday girl!

The magic show was a hit!

The candle-blowing.

My job is physically exhausting, so for all my events during the time I was pregnant, I brought along a back-up photographer. For Cielo's party, I was happy that my good friend Ces Kasilag could shoot with me.

Kaelin: 1st birthday party

2011-11-02T10:22:00.001+08:00

October 8, 2011
West Greenhills Clubhouse

Party decorations: Polkadots Events (c/o Jhoanne Alon)
Caterer: Passion Cooks
Host/Magician: Flooch
Balloon artist: Jiggles the Balloon Lady
Face painter: Cha Reyes

I feel so grateful to be working with clients who know exactly how it is to be a new mom. When I got to the venue for Kaelin's party, they were still setting up the place but I felt kinda embarrassed about going up to Mommy Kit to excuse myself for a few minutes so I can breastfeed my baby in the car before Pete took him home. Kit was very understanding. In fact, a few days after the party, she emailed me with some tips on breastfeeding which I really appreciate. :)

The first few photos of this entry are going to be all about the exquisite details of Kaelin's party. I'm actually posting just a few because there were a lot of other lovely little stuff that Kit prepared to make this celebration very unique. I loved everything! I just wish I could be as creative as her when I start preparing for my baby's parties.

Kit got some help from the talented Jhoanne Alon of Polkadots Events and her team for the balloons and other decorations, and as always, Jhoanne did an awesome job!

This was posted at the registration table. There were exactly 200 pieces of candy in that jar and one lucky child got to take them all home.

This cute little cake with a cupcake topper was on top of a cupcake tower. And then there were chocolate cake pops on the side. Talk about sugar high!

The lootbags.

I think I may have spent too much time photographing this candy station. Kit prepared this herself. The whole setup was beautiful. And it was a hit with the guests!

Some of the best people in the kiddie party industry were there.

Jiggles the Balloon Lady...

Cha Reyes the face painter.

And of course Flooch was there as host and magician.

Kaelin wasn't in the mood for photos that day. It's a good thing that we still have her mini portrait session later this month so we'll still have a chance to get more solo shots of her.

I loved Kaelin's outfit!

A couple of family shots while the party was already in full swing. We weren't able to take more outdoor shots because it was raining.

Kids enjoying the games.

I took a lot of candid shots of Kaelin hoping i would catch her smiling. These were the closest ones I got.

Finally, the candle-blowing...

After the party, when Kaelin had changed into her other dress, I was finally able to take photos of her cute ice cream outfit. :)

Robyn: Baptism

2011-10-25T12:08:00.000+08:00

October 30, 2010
San Agustin Church
Ibarra's Garden

Daddy Don was a batchmate of mine from high school. We were never in the same classes and we hung out with different friends--in fact, I don't think we ever spoke a word to each other back then. Hehehe. But I'm so glad that he thought of me when they were looking for a photographer for Baby Robyn's baptism.:)

We started at the hotel where we took photos of the details and shot some portraits. Here's Robyn still not in the mood for photos, but looking so cute nonetheless.

Lovely details for a very special event.

Cute socks!

A couple of shots of the beautiful family.

It was also great meeting Don's wife Cez. She's so friendly and she seemed so relaxed and always had a smile on her face during the entire event. Clients like her make my job so much easier. ;)

I love this one.

How cute is Robyn!

Some shots of the baptismal ceremony.

Then we headed off to the reception venue for the lunch party. I've shot a wedding here a few years ago. It's such a beautiful venue for intimate gatherings.

Robyn spent a good part of the day sleeping...

I always tell clients that babies photograph well even when they're asleep and Robyn was no exception.

Of course, we also had to take more photos of her when she woke up.

Andrei: 1st birthday party

2011-10-19T19:59:00.021+08:00

October 2, 2011
Arzobispado de Pampanga
Fortune Seafood Restaurant

Party organizer: Hi-5 Parties (c/o Kathleen dela Merced)
Entertainment: Ruther Urquia
Party theme: Wild Safari

Andrei's party was my first event shoot after five long months so I was a bit anxious but quite excited to be working again. I had already met Andrei and his family during our mini portrait session a week before and Mommy Doris and Daddy Andrew are such a gracious pair that I knew it was going to be very easy working with them.

A few days before the party though, a series of blows came in the form of typhoons and my baby being sick and hospitalized. In fact, the night before the event, Pampanga was under signal number 2 and there were news of floods in certain areas there. Meanwhile, I was at the hospital caring for my very sick baby. Kathleen (of Hi-5 Parties) and I were texting that night and we both agreed that all we could do was pray for friendlier skies the next day. Well, we must have prayed hard enough because the sun was up and the skies were clear the next morning as we drove to Pampanga.

The trip to San Fernando, Pampanga was smooth, so we got to the church really early. Only close relatives and godparents attended the private baptismal ceremony. It seemed everyone else was early as well so we took groups shots and some candids before the priest arrived.

A couple of shots of the ceremony.

After the baptism, we had about an hour to kill before the party started, so we took a few shots inside the church and around the church grounds.

It was a small but beautiful church. I was especially fascinated by the facade.

And then it was time to go to the party venue. We started by taking photos of the details before most of the guests arrived. How cute were Andrei's outfits? :)

The colorful cake and cupcakes.

Lovely party decorations by Hi-5 Parties!

Our cute birthday boy.

There were a number of foodcarts at the party but this was everyone's favorite.

The awesome Ruther Urquia was as entertaining as ever.

Of course, the famous Titoy was there!

Everyone enjoyed the party!

I would like to thank Ces Kasilag who was my second shooter that day.

Rafa: 1st birthday party

2011-10-17T10:40:00.001+08:00

October 9, 2010
Big Red Barn, Fun Ranch

Party theme: Transformers
Party decorations: Polkadots (c/o Jhoanne Alon)

This party was over a year ago, but I remember that the weather that day was very similar to how it has been these past few days--it was cloudy and dark (and at some point during the day, rainy) and humid. But that didn't stop everyone from enjoying Rafa's party. The birthday family are based abroad but they wanted to celebrate with family and friends and I was honored to be able to capture their memories of this special event for them.

When I was taking photos of Rafa's outfit, one of the guests commented, "Parang kasal ah." I just smiled and told them I have to take pictures of all the details that Mommy Anne painstakingly prepared for Rafa. And there were a lot of cool details! I loved it!

Oh yeah, and it was great working with one of my good friends Jhoanne of Polkadots who did a great job with the decorations as always. :)

I loved the theme!

We took a few family shots before the party started.

It had just stopped raining when we went outside and it was hot and humid so we didn't stay out too long.

The birthday boy.

The kids.

Host/magician Aldino making the party fun and exciting for all the kids and adults.

The candle-blowing.

It was already dark when we went outside again to take a few more shots after and most of the guests had left.

Andrei: Portrait session

2011-10-14T17:49:00.000+08:00

I had to cut my maternity leave a week early to shoot Andrei's portrait session. His party (which was held a week after this session) was my very first event in 5 months so I was glad I had the chance to meet Andrei as well as his parents before the event. We had the portrait session at the Intercontinental Hotel. When Pie and I got to their hotel room, Andrei was ready for his pictorial. He was a bit shy at first but it only took him a few minutes to warm up and making him smile was a breeze from then on. :)

I love it when clients who hire me to photograph their events also book for a separate portrait session because although I usually try to take portraits of the birthday family on the day of the party, a lot of factors could sometimes prevent me from doing so--the baby isn't in the mood, or the weather isn't good, or the parents are too busy with the guests, etc. With a portrait session scheduled on a different day, I have at least an hour and a half to get the baby to warm up to me and take nice and relaxed photos.

I usually prefer to take portraits in bright sunlight but when the weather isn't ideal for outdoor portraits as it hasn't been the past few weeks, I can always count on some lovely window light for great photos.

Andrei loves his Tigger!

I love this one.:)

We also took a few family shots.

Andrei looks so handsome in this outfit, doesn't he?

One last shot with Tigger. :)

Back to work!

2011-10-12T18:49:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure if many people noticed, but I actually went on a 5-month hiatus. Well, for those who've been visiting this blog in the last few months, it would actually seem like I took a 10-month break because of the lack of updates since late last year.:P For those who don't know, the reason why I took time off was because I got pregnant and gave birth last June to a healthy and cute baby boy. :)

When I got pregnant, I had planned to keep shooting until my feet got too swollen and my body got too heavy. I also planned to keep working from home (editing, blogging, making albums, etc.) up until my due date. But then I got a bad case of the preggy brains. I couldn't blog or edit or do layouts. I did manage to keep shooting up until my 7th month of pregnancy, but I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of my second shooters.

So, anyway, I gave birth 2 and a half weeks before my due date via C-section. And for the next month or so, Pete and I were walking zombies as we tried to cope with being new parents to a colicky baby. Things did get better when my baby turned 2 months and I finally got to start working on my albums again and answering emails. He was still clingy though so for weeks, I had to get used to working on my computer with a baby literally clinging to my body!

Fast-forward to today. My "maternity leave" officially ended this month and I was so excited to be shooting for clients again (because for 3 months, I had only my baby to shoot--not that I was complaining). I have already photographed two events so far with two awesome clients. And for the past 2 months, I have been trying to catch up on my albums which piled up when I was pregnant. And, hopefully, I will be able to blog more from now on.

I am so happy to be back! And I want to thank all my clients who have been so understanding and supportive. I feel so lucky to be working with ladies (and a few men) who know exactly how it is to be new parents. How it changes your life completely. How it is one of the most challenging and yet one of the most exhilarating experiences one could ever have!

Oh, speaking of blogging, I just realized I am actually a year behind in my posts. Yes, a year! So here's what will happen: I will be blogging new photos as soon as they are ready and then I will still be posting all my other events from last year up to my last event before I took my leave last May. So, please watch out for that.

And since blog posts are better with pictures...

Here is my baby Paco Andreas at 12 days.

And here he is at 3 months (taken a couple of weeks ago). :)

Kaitlyn: Baptism and 1st birthday party

2011-09-15T16:18:00.001+08:00

October 2, 2010
Mary the Queen Church
Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse

In the few years that I've been shooting kiddie parties, I have come to know and become friends with some of the best suppliers in the industry. Working with them has made my job so much more enjoyable and so much less stressful. One of my favorite people to work with is Imma Ongteco of Kidstar Kastles. I'm always excited to shoot parties by Kidstar Kastles because I know there will be lots of colors and pretty details. My camera always has a feast!

I was booked for Kaitlyn's party through Imma. This means I didn't have any correspondence with the client at all before the event. However, it was such an easy event for me because aside from the fact that I was working with friends, I was also happy to find that the clients and their families were really nice and gracious. I even met one of my old college friends at the party! (It turned out, Kaitlyn's parents were both from UP as well.)

Below are some of my favorite photos from the event.

We started with the baptism at the Mary the Queen Church.

It was pretty crowded inside the baptistry because there were two other babies being baptized along with Kaitlyn.

For most of the ceremony, I had to used my long lens a lot to take close-up shots and crop out the other people.

A few family shots at the church. Although Kaitlyn wasn't in the mood yet.

And then it was time for the party.

Like I've said, if you want a burst of colors, you can never go wrong with Kidstar Kastles!

Colorful cake ensemble! Just looking at it is enough to give one a sugar high!

We were able to take a few family shots before most of the guests arrived.

I loved these water bottles that were given away to all the kids!

Host-magician for the day was Marcus.

Kaitlyn having her lunch.

Kaitlyn with Grandma. :)

Candle-blowing.

Javier's baptism and Franco's 4th birthday party

2011-08-17T18:02:00.000+08:00

September 25, 2010
Christ the King Parish
Pasto Restaurant

Decor: Party Boosters (c/o Jacque Tan)
Food: Pasto
Cake: Kitchen Krafts
Host: Olga
Official Photographer: Warren Camitan

Ces Kasilag started out as a client back in 2007. Now she's a good friend and a fellow photographer. When she invited me to her second son's baptism (which was also her eldest son's 4th birthday party), I volunteered to take some family portraits as well as photos of the details even though she already had an official photographer. Ces then asked me if I can take pictures during the baptism as well. Hahaha. I couldn't say no though because she has been such a great friend and has helped me countless of times especially in my business.

Below are some of my favorite photos from the event:

Mommy Ces and Baby Javier.

Kuya Franco! I photographed his 1st birthday party in 2007. I can't believe how much he's grown!

Photographer in the making.

Some shots during the baptism...

I do have the habit of taking photos in parking lots...

...but only if the light is this awesome.:) This was my favorite shot of the family.

Some details at the venue. Balloons by Party Boosters who is owned by another one of my old clients who is now a good friend Jacque Tan. :)

Top layer of the cake was for Javier, while the bottom half was for Franco.

We tried taking some more family photos before the party started, but the kids weren't in the mood anymore.

Ces told me to keep my camera and just relax during the party but I just had to take a photo of Little Franco leading the opening prayer. :)

And one more shot of the venue.

Kimmi: 1st birthday party

2011-07-19T15:11:00.000+08:00

September 19, 2010
Northeast Greenhills Clubhouse

Decor: Kidstar Kastles
Cake: Emily of Sugarbox
Host Magician: Flooch
Video: Thor Prod
Side Entertainment: Creative Party Salon
Caterer: Queensland Catering

I had the honor of working with another Singapore-based family. I loved working with Mommy Prinzes, Daddy Robert, and their two precious little girls. Of course, it didn't hurt that the party was held at one of my favorite venues, and I was able to work with some of my friends in the kiddie party industry.

Below are some of the photos from Kimmi's party.

The front cover of the cute invite.

The birthday girl getting all dressed up in her fairy princess attire.

The cute and colorful cake by Emily of Sugarbox.

Venue set-up was by Kidstar Kastles (led by the lovely Imma Ongteco). If you want an explosion of colors at your party, you can never go wrong with these guys! :)

We took a few outdoor family shots before the party. Unfortunately, it was still too hot and the little girls weren't in the mood for solo shots yet. I do love these semi-candid shots of the family.:)

Mommy and Daddy participating in one of the games.

Kimmi's big sister Reeze is such a smart little girl!

Another one of Kimmi.

The siblings enjoying the program by Flooch.

They had a special guest!

After the party, we were finally able to take some solo shots of the birthday girl.

Of course, I had to take photos of the big sister as well! :)

Luis' 4th birthday party and Yani's dedication

2011-07-09T11:35:00.000+08:00

September 12, 2010
Riverfront Residences Clubhouse

Almost 4 years ago, I photographed Luis' dedication and then his 1st birthday party a few months after. Last year, I was happy to know that Luis was now a big brother to Yani. Mommy Nalyn and Daddy Sam decided to have a joint celebration for Yani's dedication and Luis' 4th birthday party. And I was honored to be invited to photograph another milestone for this young family.

Below are some of the photos from the party.

Nalyn takes full credit for all the party details. Even the balloons were made right at their home! :)

I love Pocoyo!

More details...

One of Yani' party dresses and her shoes.

Before the celebration started, we took a few family photos.

Aren't they cute? :) This was one of my favorite shots of the family.

Then it was time for Yani to change into her second outfit.

Meanwhile, I was able to chat up with Luis for a bit. He's really growing up to be a smart and witty little boy! We had a full conversation about his school and a lot of other stuff. :)

More family photos...

There was a whole dessert spread also prepared by Nalyn!

Some photos of the dedication.

Then it was time to enjoy the yummy food.

The birthday boy enjoying his party.

Candle-blowing!

MY maternity photos!

2011-07-04T15:40:00.001+08:00

This entry has been on my blog drafts for over 3 weeks. If you've been visiting this blog the past few months, you'll notice I've been putting up an average of one entry per month. Not because I don't have anything to post, but because ever since I got pregnant, my brain just refused to work most of the time.:P I was supposed to put this up before I gave birth but then there was a typhoon, and we had a power outage, and things got crazy because we realized we still had tons to do before the baby arrived. And before I got the chance to even turn on my computer again, I found myself at the hospital giving birth. Well, I wish my birthing story was that simple, but we're getting ahead of my story here...

So, maternity photos...

I have always loved taking maternity portraits. In fact, I started shooting beautiful mommies-to-be even before I shot my very first kiddie event. So, when I finally got pregnant, I knew I wanted to have my own maternity photos taken. There was only one problem. All the preggy ladies I have ever worked with seemed to have that pregnancy glow that people always talk about. I didn't. In fact, most people who saw me would immediately guess that my baby was a boy--which is just another way of saying that I didn't exactly look radiant.:P Even my dad once told me how I was "getting uglier by the day". And believe me, it sounds much worse when said in Waray!

Anyway, after thinking about it, I decided I was going to get my photos taken no matter what. I knew I wanted something to remind me of that time of life. Besides, I wanted to prove that anybody can get nice maternity shots--even me. So, I called up EJ Litiatco and asked her if she could help me out. If there was anybody who could make me look good, it was EJ. Of course, I asked my sister Pie and good friend Ces Kasilag to be my photographers. As a photographer, I had a pretty good picture of how I wanted my photos to look like, and I knew I could count on these girls to hear out my ideas.

We set the date of the photoshoot on May 26th which was also my 34th week of pregnancy and our 4th wedding anniversary! I've always wanted to have an anniversary pictorial with Pete but we kept putting it off. And since this was going to be our last anniversary before we welcome a third member of our family, I knew it was the right time to do it.

Anyway, here are just a few shots take by Pie. (I'm still waiting for the photos from Ces.)

We started with some casual shots at our living room.

Then we took the session outside. This was one of my favorites.:)

Another favorite.

When Pete got home, we took a few more outdoor shots before it got too dark.

And then it was time for another outfit and makeup change. :)

Thanks again to EJ Litiatco, her brother Dondi, Ces Kasilag, and my sister Pie Lorenzo! :)

Sophia Isabella: 1st birthday party

2011-06-02T16:16:00.000+08:00

September 11, 2010
Urdaneta Village Clubhouse

"Sophia in the City!" That's what Mommy Rhea said when I texted her to ask about Sophia's party theme. I love shooting parties with unique themes and pretty details. And Sophia's party was all about details!

We started shooting at the family's condo. Whenever possible, I like to shoot the details and a few portraits at the family home because it gives me the opportunity to take pictures that are quite unique to the client. I also love being able to use some stuff around the house as background for the detail shots..:)

Here's our beautiful birthday girl Sophia!

Isn't she cute?

After taking a few shots of Sophia in the living area, we went into her room to take photos of her outfit.

Sophia's lovely dress.

Purple shoes!

And then a few more shots of Sophia.

Such a beautiful family! Oh, and it turned out Daddy Jonathan was a schoolmate from high school! He was a batch lower than I was, but I only recognized him when I saw some of his batchmates who were also schoolmates in college at the party. I'm pretty sure he was pretty popular in high school though.;)

Pretty pretty party decorations by Hi-5 Parties (Kathleen Dela Merced)!

Love the pink!

Cake and cuppies by Veronica Ngo of Les Sucreries Personalized Cakes

A closer look at the intricate cake details.

The guests enjoyed some frozen yogurt from Red Mango as well as a variety of sweet treats from the dessert bar prepared by Kathleen dela Merced of Hi-5 Parties.

We took a few family shots around the venue while the program was just starting.

It was almost dark but we caught some pretty light for the photos.

And then it was back to the party.

Titoy and Ruther were there too!:)

Candle-blowing. Look , Sophia already knew how to blow out her candles.:)

Fernbrook wedding: Benedict + Karen

2011-05-04T16:39:00.003+08:00

July 4, 2010
Fernbrook

I know I have been a terrible blogger lately. I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted an entry! It's just that a lot of stuff have been going on lately, and I'm planning on making some changes on this blog soon...but more on that in another post.;)

Anyway, I was going through some of the events and portrait sessions from last year that I haven't posted yet (and yes, there are still tons of them!), and I realized I haven't posted Benedict and Karen's lovely wedding yet. I thought it would be the perfect time to blog about it now because these two just welcomed a bouncing baby boy over the weekend! So, a big CONGRATULATIONS to the proud new parents of YGO!:)

And now for the wedding...

It was a morning wedding so we were at the hotel by around 3AM. Karen is usually bubbly and that day wasn't any different. When we got to her hotel room, she was already up looking fresh and overflowing with energy and excitement. This was the day of her DREAM wedding! Ever since my first meeting with the couple over a year before the wedding, and on the day we did their engagement session a few months before the wedding, Karen and Benedict have been sharing with me bits and pieces of the wedding details and how they worked hard to make their dream wedding come true. And on the day of their wedding, I was one of the people who were just as excited to see how the day would unfold for them.

Karen is my college best friend's younger sister and seeing her get married made me feel...old. Hahaha. Seriously, I met Karen when she was just a freshman in high school. I couldn't believe she was actually marrying the man of her dreams. And it was such a great honor for me to be chosen to be the one to capture everything in pictures.

Below are just some of my favorite photos from that day...

The bridal shoes.

Karen's unique modern wedding dress.

A closer look. Check out those pretty details!

The bride getting all prettified.

A couple of portrait shots before slipping into her dress.

All throughout the morning, Karen was all giddy and excited and had several "This is it!" moments. However, as soon as the veil came down over her head, she became quiet and a bit emotional.

Beautiful bride!

Benedict got ready in another hotel so I just sent my 2nd and 3rd shooters to take pictures of him while I focused on Karen. I did take a few shots of him at the ceremony venue. He looked a bit nervous but still handsome as always.:)

The wedding didn't have just one but several colors incorporated in the theme. And what lovely colors!

I always love taking pictures of the kids.

The little guy on the right is my inaanak Basti. They had to wake him up early and he wasn't too happy about it. He still looks adorable though, doesn't he?

I had a lot of great shots of Karen walking down the aisle, so I'm just gonna post a few of them.

Awww...

For some reason, I just love this shot!

Yes, Benedict sang for Karen as she was walking down the aisle! Behind him are his best man (his brother) and his parents, all waiting for the lovely bride at the altar.

The beautiful mother of the bride.:)

Love the headpieces of the bridesmaids!

Karen's dad making an emotional speech while her mom looks on.

During the vows...

Some shots of the details at the reception.

Cutting the cake.

They say that whoever finishes the wine first will be boss of the house.

Guess who won?;)

Watching the same-day edit video by the talented Phoeben Teocson and his team.

The reception was over at around 2PM. The weather had become hot and humid and everyone was exhausted. However, since we weren't able to take couple portraits after the ceremony, we had the session when all the guests had left.

Benedict had already taken off his jacket because he said he was baking in the heat but we made him put it back on for the photos. Hehehe. He obliged and put on a smile for the cameras. I have to say, they still look fresh in the following photos, don't they?

Fernbrook has a lot of great spots for photos.

And they have vintage cars on display too.

Fierce.

As I said, the couple worked hard to make a lot of their dream details come true. One of those "dreams" was to have a billboard! So, they had this 8ft wide and 14ft tall tarp printed and displayed by the road leading to the venue.

Two of my favorite shots of the couple.:)

Thanks to my sister Pie Lorenzo and Edison Reyes for shooting with me during this wedding. And thanks to Pete for assisting (because the assistant I hired couldn't make it). ;)

Nathan: 1st birthday party

2011-04-07T14:09:00.000+08:00

September 4, 2010
Alexandra Clubhouse

Before heading for the party venue, we went to the family home first to take a few shots of the family as well as some of the party details. Both Mommy Jayme and Daddy Dinno are architects so naturally, they have a very lovely home with a lot of natural light that I loved.

Below are some of the photos from Nathan's birthday party.

When we got to the house, Nathan was still taking his afternoon nap, so I took the time to take photos of the party stuff first.

I love using stuff around the house as backgrounds in detail shots. They give a more personal feel to the photos.

Nathan's birthday outfits.

When Nathan woke up, we went into his nursery to take some photos.

I love this photo of Mommy and Daddy getting Nathan into his party clothes.

Then it was time for some solo shots of the birthday boy. He was in a great mood!

A few family shots before heading out.

They had a nice spot in the backyard so we tried taking a few shots there before leaving for the venue.

A few more family shots.

I love this one.

Nathan with Jayme.

Some detail shots at the party venue.

The cute cake!

The giveaways.

Colorful party decorations were by Party Boosters (led by Jacque Tan).

Nathan with his grandpa.

Jiggles the Balloon Lady was there as host.

Jiggles with one of her fabulous balloon creations!

Tyler turns 3 and Riley turns 1!

2011-03-23T16:44:00.001+08:00

August 22, 2010
55 Events Place

Their actual birthdays are just a couple of days apart, so Mommy Cheryll and Daddy Aliang decided to throw one big party for both boys instead. When we walked into the venue, we were greeted with a really a jungle set-up--complete with green swags and vines along the ceiling, balloon trees and miniature animals scattered around the tables, and a big safari-themed cake for Riley (Tyler had his own cake, of course!)!

Below are some of the photos from the party.

Chek out the cool invite with a bamboo frame and tiny plastic leaves to complete the look!

These were the centerpieces.

And if you looked closely, these cute details were scattered on each table.

The giant cake for Riley along with smaller cakes and cupcakes.

A closer look at the cupcakes and mini cakes

And here was Tyler's cool "Thomas the Train"-themed cake and cupcakes!

Since this was Riley's first birthday, I was instructed to get more portrait shots of Riley. We were able to spend a few minutes with him at the lounge.

Cute shirt!:)

For the party, Riley changed into this safari-themed outfit. Big brother Tyler had one too!

Jiggles the Balloon Lady was there!

Lou Hilario was also there!

Lou Hilario doing his puppet show with a couple of the guests.

Riley during the show.

Riley with Mommy Cheryll.

Tyler during one of the games.

First one to blow his birthday candle was Riley.

And then we all went to the other side of the stage to blow out Tyler's birthday candle.:)

Before we left, I just had to take a few shots of the kids identical shoes.:)

Bong + Jacq = Iyah

2011-03-10T13:54:00.000+08:00

About a month before they came home for a short vacation, Jacq emailed me about doing a family portrait session. She, her husband Bong and little girl Iyah are based abroad and they wanted to take nice outdoor portraits while they were in town for a few days last July 2010. We started the shoot at UP Diliman, and then moved to Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife.

Below are some of my favorites from the shoot.

How cute is Iyah?;)

Iyah has a very mysterious yet charming smile. Her daddy describes it as a Mona Lisa smile, and I couldn't agree more.

I love the colors in this one.

After a while, we headed to our second location.

I love these next two.

After a short break and an outfit change...

Love that smile!

Darla: Baptism

2011-03-09T14:59:00.001+08:00

August 15, 2010
Christ the King Parish, Lower Chapel
Christ the King Function Rooms

I will be photographing Darla's 1st birthday party in a few weeks so it's only right that I post the photos from her baptism already. I've been photographing Darla even before she was born...seriously! I shot Christine's maternity portraits when she was 7 months pregnant with Darla. And then a couple of weeks after Darla was born, we did her newborn portrait session. I met Darla again a few months later for her christening. I have been photographing this family for a few years now and they've become one of my favorite families to work with so I was excited to get the chance to work with them again.:)

Below are some of the photos from Darla's baptism.

Mommy Christine used some of the photos we took during Darla's newborn session for some of the details of the event like the tarp, giveaway tags, etc. Below is just one part of the tri-fold invitation that Christine designed featuring one of the photos from the portrait session.

The lovely party dress that Darla wore during the reception.

Darla's white baptismal dress.

Shoes!

Christine customized these beautiful candles herself!

Some photos of the ceremony.

I love how Darla kept looking at the camera!.:)

Some details from the reception. Balloon decorations were by Yanple. Tarp design by Christine.

Balloon centerpieces (by Yanple) and the lovely cake.

Party favors.

In the middle of the reception, Darla decided she wanted to take a nap. So, I took photos of her while she was sleeping.

Mommy Christine also made this headband for Darla! She's so crafty, isn't she?

While waiting for Darla to wake up so we could take some family photos, I followed big sister Dana around with the camera. I've photographed Dana before and I love taking pictures of her because she's so pretty. :)

Finally, Darla was awake and was fortunately in the mood for pictures.:)

One of my favorites!

The two beautiful sisters.:)

Carl Justin: 1st birthday party

2011-03-02T19:57:00.000+08:00

August 14, 2010
Uni-Chefs, Angeles City, Pampanga
Party theme: Disney's CARS

Just a week after our gig in Lingayen, Pangasinan, we found ourselves again driving through NLEX, this time to Angeles City, Pampanga for CJ's 1st birthday party. As I always say, I especially love it when clients from outside of Metro Manila hire me for their events because aside from the fact that I love having the excuse to travel or to take a road trip, I also know that they really appreciate my work because they choose to book me instead of a local supplier.

CJ's party was lovingly prepared by Mommy Janice and his aunts Karen and Kathy (who are both based abroad). In fact, it was Karen who first contacted me a few months before the party. On the day of the party, I got to meet Kathy and Janice (Karen couldn't come home for the event), and they were both so nice to work with. CJ is such a lucky little boy to have such wonderful family who shower him with love.

Below are some of the photos from CJ's 1st birthday party.

Justine's outfit and just a few of his many pairs of shoes!

The color cake ensemble!

A closer look at the cute cake topper.

Mommy Janice gave Pie and me mini cakes to take home. They were yummy!

Colorful decorations.

Janice said she probably bought all Cars merchandise she could get her hands on. Check out these cute giveaways!

And the prizes for the kids!

We went out to take photos before the party started and just as the sun was setting. Here's CJ looking handsome on his favorite bike.

CJ is such a happy kid.

Of course we had to take photos with Mommy as well.

With Mommy and Aunt Kathy.

Such a handsome boy!

CJ's grand entrance.

There were clowns at the party!

Candle-blowing!

Nissi: Baptism and 1st birthday party

2011-02-11T16:27:00.000+08:00

August 7, 2010
Three Kings Parish Church
President's Hotel, Lingayen, Pangasinan

Last August, I found myself on a roadtrip up North with two of my favorite people--Pete and Pie.;) We were on our way to Lingayen, Pangasinan to photograph Nissi's baptism and 1st birthday party. It's always such an honor when clients hire me for "out-of-town" events because I know they choose me even though hiring a local supplier would cost them less. Besides, I just love going on trips.:)

Mommy Aileen, Daddy Jireh, and baby Nissi are based in Ireland. (And yes, I just had to ask them if Ireland is as beautiful as it looks in movies.) They came home for a short vacation and wanted to celebrate Nissi's first birthday party with family and friends in their home province of Pangasinan. And they were such gracious hosts to us as well.:)

Armed only with Google maps and some printed directions we got from blogs, Pete, Pie and I set out on our adventure. Travel time from my parents' house in Q.C. all the way up to Lingayen was less than 4 hours. We left Q.C. around 7AM and before noon, we were already checked into the hotel that Mommy Aileen booked for us and we still had time to eat lunch and rest for a bit before heading out for the event.

First up was Nissi's baptism at a nearby church.

Here are a few shots from the ceremony.

Nissi was still adjusting to the humid climate so she wasn't in the mood the entire ceremony.

We tried taking some family photos before the party began. It was raining and humid--not exactly a good combination. But we did manage to get a few good shots.

Lovely family!

The cake and the colorful cupcakes.

Decorations and party coordination were done by a local party shop (Sorry, I didn't catch the name.)

More beautiful details.

I loved Nissi's outfits!

Some shots at the party.

Candle-blowing.

Another family photo with Nissi favorite monkey.:) I love Aileen shoes, by the way!

Nathan: 1st birthday party

2011-02-08T23:13:00.000+08:00

August 1, 2010
PMA Auditorium

I love it when I get to work with clients that I've worked with before. I first met Mommy Nice when I photographed Toffee's baptism over three years ago. I worked with the family the second time during Sophie's (Nice's niece) 1st birthday party. And then I photographed Toffee's 1st birthday party a couple of months later.

Well, around two years since I last worked with the family, I was so excited to be working with them again. This time, it was for Toffee's baby brother's 1st birthday party. It was great seeing every one again. Toffee and Sophie has both grown up so much since I last saw them. And what more, they each now have little siblings!

Below are some of the photos from Nathan's party.
Some cute details...

The cake.

Party decorations were by Hi-5 Parties led by Kathleen dela Merced.

Some family photos before the start of the party.

Mommy Nice with Nathan.

And here's little Sophie now!

Big brother Toffee with Daddy Alvin.

I can't believe how much he's grown!

Wizzo was there to entertain everyone.

Matty: 1st birthday party

2011-02-01T21:43:00.000+08:00

July 31, 2010
Acropolis Clubhouse

When Mommy Carol first contacted me months before Matty's party, she told me she really wanted me to be their photographer because she wanted to have nice photos of her baby. She said she and her husband Dennis didn't really know how to take good photos, so she was hoping Matty would have beautiful shots during her birthday party. Well, I was glad I got to work with them because not only was Matty such a darling to shoot but the family was also great to work with.

Incidentally, Carol and Dennis are good friends with another couple who are also great clients of mine-- Neva and Dan. Neva wrote about her suppliers during her baby David's 1st birthday party on her blog. I guess she was pretty convincing because Carol booked most of the same suppliers for Matty's birthday! I do love working with fellow suppliers with whom I've worked with before because most of them end up becoming my friends, and that makes my job a whole lot easier.

Below are some of the photos from Matty's party.

They had different designs for the invitations. I loved every one of them!

Centerpieces and stage decorations were provided by the caterer.

Ceiling balloons were by Polkadots Events (led by Jhoanne Alon).

The pretty cake!

Jiggles the Balloon Lady was there as host.

Matty and Mommy enjoying the program.

Just one of Jiggles' amazing balloon figures!

Matty with Daddy.

Finally, a few shots of the birthday family...

And solo shots of the beautiful Matty...

Angelo: 1st birthday party

2011-01-26T14:59:00.000+08:00

July 17, 2010
Sureshot Sportsville, Manila

Jacque Tan of Party Boosters was actually the one who booked me for this party. Of course I jumped at the chance to work with one of my favorite suppliers who has also become a good friend.

It was my first time to shoot at the venue but Jacque with her Party Boosters team did a terrific job with the decorations so it wasn't hard to take great phtos.

The cake and cupcakes were perfect for Angelo's Pirate-themed party.

Mommy Racquel was all about details! Check out the miniature pirate centerpieces and the framed photos of Angelo that served as table numbers.

It was pretty hot outside and there really wasn't any place where we could shoot the family portraits, so we ended up shooting inside using window light.

A couple of shots of the birthday family by the entrance and the stage.

And then it was back to the windows.:)

Here's the cute birthday boy in his pirate costume.

There were games for guests of all ages to enjoy.

Angelo's mommy and daddy enjoying the party.

Another one of my good friends was also there! Here's Flooch entertaining the crowd with his puppet show.

What I loved about this party was that all kids came in costumes. Check out these cool boots.

The birthday family with the winners for "best in costumes".

Holiday greetings!

2010-12-28T17:05:00.000+08:00

From our family to yours...

P.S.
I realize I've been neglecting this blog for over a month. Things have been quite crazy around here, but I do promise to try to get back on track in January.

Still a year younger.

2010-11-13T12:08:00.000+08:00

Me: Hey, you're 31!

Pete: (SHRUGS) Yep. Last year on the calendar.

Me: Yabang mo. (SABAY BATOK)

Pete: Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it's been THAT long for you!

Yeah. Whatever.:P

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PETE!

Margaret: 1st birthday party

2010-11-10T23:17:00.001+08:00

July 2, 2010
Shakey's El Pueblo

It was a weekday and the skies were gloomy. But that didn't stop Margaret's family and friends from celebrating her special day with her. I noticed something as soon as I met the birthday family (Mommy Ma-am, Daddy Danvee, Marcus, and of course, little Margaret): they are such a good-looking bunch! And as I got to know them better, I was happy to realize they were all just as beautiful inside as they are outside.

Below are some of my favorite shots from the party.

Margaret's cute dress and shoes.

Here's lovely the star of the day.

Such a beautiful family!

Margaret with her pretty mommy.

A couple of shots of Margaret's handsome big brother Marcus.

Margaret and her Lola.

Marcus helping his little sister out with her candle.

Margaret and her body guards.

It was already getting dark when most of the guests had left, but I wanted to take a few more shots of the family.

Ken Cedric: 1st birthday party

2010-11-05T23:32:00.000+08:00

June 27, 2010
NFWC Function Hall

My last kiddie event for June was Ken Cedric's Winnie the Pooh Party. When Mommy Yna contacted me to do Ken's birthday party, I wasn't available for the initial date that she wanted. I'm so glad that things worked out and I was able to work with this wonderful family because I really enjoyed photographing Ken's party.:)

Below are some of my favorite shots from the event.

Ken's Pooh outfit and shoes.

The colorful cake and one of the centerpieces.

Pooh overload!

More Winnie the Pooh details.

We took a few shots of the family before the party started.

And some solo shots of the birthday boy of course!

Jiggles the Balloon Lady led the program!

The Balloon Lady's creations are always a hit!

Especially with the adults!

The candle-blowing.

One final shot of the birthday family after the party.

Marty & Milo: 3rd birthday party

2010-10-22T22:30:00.001+08:00

June 26, 2010
Eastwood Excelsior Hall

My favorite twin boys turned 3 a few months ago! I first met Marty and Milo during their baptism almost 4 years ago and it never fails to amaze me every time I see how much they've both grown!

June was also the height of the FIFA fever, so the twins' Mommy Marose chose the perfect party theme!

The yummy cake and cupcakes. (Venue decorations were by Hi-5 Parties. EDIT: Venue decorations were by YanPle, centerpies and buffet backdrop were by Hi-5 Parties)

Cool 3D centerpiece.

These action figures were given away in the kiddie lootbags.

The family (Daddy Marion, Mommy Marose, Marty, & Milo) with Lola.

Candle-blowing.

You know what, I have to admit I still couldn't tell these two apart, so I'll just say, here are photos of Marose and Marion each holding a twin.;)

Miss Beverly Quinto was host for the day. I think she's really great with kids!

Marty and Milo during the "Bring Me"game.

Enjoying their meals.

Jojo Bandana was their to do his magic.

Proud Mommy and Daddy thanking their guests for celebrating this very special occasion with them. Marose and Marion always get emotional when talking about the twins because they really went through a lot when Marty and Milo were born. I couldn't help but be choked up as well because I feel like I've witnessed these little boys grow up, and I couldn't be happier to see how healthy and active they are now.

Family photos after the party.

The happy foursome. And a shot of the twins.

Of course we had to take photos with the twins' lovely grandma as well.:)

Bella: 1st birthday party

2010-10-21T00:12:00.002+08:00

June 5, 2010
Makati Park and Garden

When we got to the venue, the tarp bearing the name of Bella and there were just blue and white balloons all over. I actually had to call Mommy Lheng (the family was just on their way) to make sure I was in the right place. When the set-up was completed, it all finally made sense. And I loved the theme that they chose.

Mommy Lheng and Daddy Ian are two of the nicest clients I've ever had. Most of the guests came late so the party started late as well. As soon as they arrived though, Ian offered Pie and me brownies. I understand that clients usually have a thousand things on their mind during their party, so I really appreciate little gestures like that.:)

Below are a few photos from the party...

Loved the cake and cupcakes with yellow duckie toppers!

Some details.

As I said, there were just the blue and white balloons when we got there, and I thought it was an odd color theme to use for a baby girl's party. But as soon as these rubber duckies were put in place, everything just came together. And I thought it was a cute theme!

The lovely balloons were by Yanple, by the way.

Here Lheng and birthday girl Bella.

The kids.

I have to admit I forgot the hosts name.:D But he was a great magician!

The birthday family.

Bella enjoying her spaghetti.

Candle-blowing.

After the party, I asked the family for a very short pictorial outside while there was still a bit of sunlight.

My favorite.:)

Gaby: Kiddie portrait session

2010-10-19T17:29:00.000+08:00

Gaby is such a tall girl that it was very easy to forget she was just turning two when we did this pictorial. Mommy Vicky told me that Gaby is the first grandchild in the family, so everyone wanted to help out during the pictorial. And I could see how everybody doted on Gaby.:)

Unfortunately, Gaby's dad wasn't able to join us, but I hear he's a 6-footer, which explains this cutie's height!

We did the shoot at UP last May, just about a week before Gaby turned two. We had amazing light, and Mommy Vicky prepared pretty outfits and cute props, so even though Gaby wasn't really in the mood, we still were able to capture great photos.:)

I love this one.:)

Isn't she pretty?

Lining up her toys.

Playing peek-a-boo!

Vicky brought along cupcakes and a number 2 candle. I loved it! Gaby also loved the cupcakes!:D And she kept wanting to blow the candle over and over. I didn't mind though. It just meant more chances for me to take the shots.

I think this one's cute. That's Vicky holding the cupcake.:)

We didn't get a lot of photos with her 2nd outfit because Gaby was just about ready to go back to sleep by then.

Gaby wondering why we made her stand next to the fire hydrant.:D

The beginning...

2010-10-15T22:43:00.005+08:00

Exactly five years ago today, I spent my first day of "retirement". I don't really have any memory of what I did that day, but I do remember my last day at work vividly. On 14 October 2005, I cleared out my desk and walked out of the office building with a box of my personal things. Yeah, pretty much like in the movies.

I get asked a lot how I became a photographer. I always give the short answer: I've always loved photography and decided to do it full-time when I got tired of my day job. Although that's true, it was actually way more complicated than that.

I guess it started over a year before I resigned. Something happened. Something in me changed. Some might refer to it as a quarter-life crisis--I don't know. All I know was that I didn't like where I was at that point in my life. I knew I was doing great in my job but I also knew I didn't want to be there anymore. And yes, I did what every one does at some point--I blamed anything and everything around me for my unhappiness. I blamed my boss, my colleagues, the boss of my boss, Pete's boss; I blamed the harsh flourescent lighting in the office, the sub-zero temperatures in the factory; I blamed my high school education; I blamed my college education; and of course, I blamed my parents.:P

I wanted to get out of my job, but the problem was that I didn't know where I wanted to go, either. Pete and I spent hours discussing possible career paths for me. I even took a month-long leave just to figure out what I really wanted to do. I spent weeks researching, reading books...I wrote down detailed descriptions of my dream jobs on a yellow ruled pad (which I still have somewhere in my parents' house.). I don't remember most of what those yellow sheets contain anymore but I do remember that one of my dream jobs was to take over Samantha Brown's job! Hahaha.

Anyway, I wish I could remember the exact day when I decided I wanted to be a professional photographer. I really can't. I went through my old blog and I never mentioned it. Although I never went anywhere without a camera at that time, I guess I never seriously considered doing it professionally until later on. Looking back though, I can't imagine what made Pete go along with my plan to quit my job (hence, lose my steady income) and to spend almost a hundred thousand pesos on photography gear in the span of a few months.

I must have been really convincing (or looked really desperate). Or he must have really had great faith in me.

Tiffeny: 1st birthday party

2010-10-14T00:44:00.000+08:00

June 13, 2010
The Peninsula Manila

I photographed Joefe and Tim's first daughter Joehna's baptism over two years ago. I've worked with them a few other times since then, and I've come to learn that whenever Joefe throws a party, you can expect four things. 1. The party is going to be BONGGA; 2. The party theme will be quite unique (I love it when I have to ask what the theme is all about because that means I've never seen it done before.); 3. There will be gorgeous details; and 4. Of course, Joefe and her little girls will look absolutely stunning.;)

Let's talk about the theme. Tiffeny's party theme was "Eloise in Paris". I had no idea what that was but Joefe explained it to me and I did a bit of Google search on it. I learned it's a book about a 6-year-old girl named Eloise who lives in a swanky suite at New York's Plaza Hotel. Naturally, the party details were all about luxury. Expensive brands Chanel, Cartier, and Hermes were featured in the decor, the invitations, the cake, and the party favors. And of course, there were some sprinkling of miniature Eiffel Towers in the center pieces and the cake. My camera was in heaven!

Joefe always throws the grandest parties. I distinctly remember standing by the registration table at Tiffeny's party just as the guests were being let in. I gazed around the room full of people and I realized that this was THE kiddie party to be in! And I had the honor of capturing the memories of it through my pictures.

Below are just some of my favorite shots from Tiffeny's birthday party.

Details, details, details!

The invitation was designed to look like a boarding pass.

And here's our cute birthday girl!

The birthday mommy getting all prettified. As I said, Joefe looked so pretty as usual.

Tiffeny getting dressed up.

Tiffeny also got a dab of lipgloss.

Love the dimples!

Mommy and Tiffeny all ready to go.

One of the centerpieces featuring "Eloise". The venue set-up was executed by Kathleen dela Merced and her Hi5 Parties team.

A grand venue for a grand celebration!

Candy buffet!

Proud parents Joefe and Tim.

Big sister Joehna had fun at the party!

Joefe watching the program.

The kids enjoying the show.

We were finally able to take a few shots of the family after the party.

I love how happy Tiffeny looks in the next photos!

Karl: 1st birthday party

2010-10-12T19:45:00.001+08:00

June 12, 2010
Valle Verde 6 Clubhouse

Mommy Tiffany was one of those clients who really coordinated with me through email even before she actually booked me. She asked for my input on the venue (even on the stage set-up), and about the general flow of the day. In the end, we were able to get the photos that we needed at their house and were able to get to the venue with a lot of time to spare.

Tiffany warned me beforehand that Karl wasn't really very comfortable in front of strangers and that I probably wouldn't get any smile out of him. She was right, Karl never smiled at the camera. He's such a sweet little boy though. He just stood there and stared straight at my lens. And he still looked very handsome even without smiling.

I loved shooting at Karl's room.

Such a beautiful family!

We took a few more shots in the living room before leaving for the venue.

I love this photo of Tiffany and Karl.

And then we were off to the venue. Honestly, this venue isn't exactly one of my favorites. It's very dark and it has dark brown ceiling. Luckily, Tiffany was aware of this, and she asked me if I'm ok to shoot there. I usually set up a small off-cam flash for venues that are a bit dark, but to really bring up the ambient lighting, having a good videographer would be your best bet because they would be setting up good lights that could illuminate the whole venue. When Tiffany told me she got Thor Productions, I knew it was going to be a whole lot easier for me to shoot the party.

Karl's party had a Mario Bros. theme. LOVED the details! And, as always, Kidstar Kastles (lead by Imma Ongteco) did a superb job in dressing up the place for the grand celebration.

A close-up shot of the cake.

A wide shot of the venue before most of the guests arrived.

Cute lootbags!

The invitations.

Tiffany specifically wanted shots of Karl's shoes.

Some daddies and titos during one of the games with host Alex Lagula.

The kids enjoying the program.

One of my favorite host-magicians Alex Lagula was there!

Finally, the candle-blowing.

The Aganans

2010-10-08T12:32:00.000+08:00

They're all based in different parts of the world now. But the Aganan ladies come home and gather as a family every couple of years, so this year, they made sure they got nice family portraits. It was a great honor for me to be chosen to document their reunion. In the short time that I spent with them, I was able to observe the dynamics among the sisters which spoke a lot about the kind of relationship they have with each. They care so much about one another and each one's family. And yes, there were certain points when we were all pressed for time and the ladies were getting a bit stressed out with each other. (I have three sisters of my own, and I can totally relate. Hehehe.) But in the end, I felt how happy they all were to be together. And I hope the photos that I took could somehow show that.

On the day of the shoot, we drove all the way down to Nasugbu, but we got kicked out of our original location! And since we had already spent the time travelling there, I got worried that we would lose the light before we could find a suitable spot. And so, we literally parked by the roadside in the middle of nowhere and just started shooting. Every one was so cool about it though and we got amazing photos!

Out of the five sisters, three are married, so I took photos of their families first.

Daddy had to go back home earlier so he wasn't able to join this little family's photos.

And then I just had to photograph the lovely sisters with their mom, of course. I LOVE the following photos of the girls!

But this one had to be my favorite shot from the session. It just makes me smile everytime I look at it. Nothing beats real laughter.:)

A couple more shots of the ladies.

It was windy and the kids weren't in the mood for photos. But I do like the feel of this one.

Of course, I then had to take individual shots of the ladies. Starting off with their Mama.

This is Armi. She's the eldest sister and she was the one who really coordinated with me to make this photoshoot happen. The sisters started emailing me as early as August 2009. And the photoshoot was in May 2010!

This is Myla. I found out she actually went to high school with one of my college best friends Chen. Small world!:)

Joan.

Yogi.

Mhay.

After a quick outift change and a drive up to Tagaytay, we were still able to take a few shots just when the sun was about to set.

A couple of shots of the kids...just the ones who were still willing to pose for me though.:)

Kaizen Grady: 1st birthday party

2010-10-04T15:14:00.000+08:00

May 16, 2010
Discovery Suites

I was supposed to photograph Kaizen's baptism last December 2009. However, just a few days before, an unfortunate incident happened, and for the first time (and hopefully the last) since I started shooting events in 2006, I had to cancel on a client. Michelle was very understanding, of course. And I was so glad I got another chance to work with her and the family a few months later when I photographed Kaizen's 1st birthday party.

Below are just some of my favorites from the event.

It was all about robots that day.

A little Cookie Monster didn't hurt though.:)

We started shooting at the hotel room where the family was staying in. We had to wake Kaizen up for the photos, but he was in a great mood as soon as he opened his eyes.

Such a happy baby!

Some details at the party venue.

The birthday family enjoying the program.

Flooch was there to entertain everyone.

I love this photo of Kaizen with Mommy.

The magic show.

Megan: 1st birthday party

2010-09-28T13:09:00.000+08:00

May 15, 2010
Valle Verde 4 Clubhouse

Last year, I photographed Megan's baptism. Last summer, I met up with the family again (Daddy Buddy and Mommy Tintin are friends from college)--this time for Megan's first birthday party. It was quite nice seeing some old friends that we rarely get to see anymore. Pete came along, but he was there as a guest while I worked.:P I didn't really mind though. It didn't really feel like work when I was surrounded by friends.

Below are some of my favorite photos from the party.

The cupcake tower. The cupcake with the cat reminds me of Tintin. She loves cats.:D

Jacque and her crew from Party Boosters did the lovely venue decorations.

Here's Megan!

Some candid shots of Megan with Mommy Tintin.

The birthday family.

Flooch was there as host...

...and everyone, including the adults enjoyed the program.

The younger kids during one of the games.

Magic show.

Megan with her Grandpa.

Birthday candle-blowing.

Some wishes and greetings from the guests.

Cayden: 1st birthday party

2010-09-25T10:34:00.038+08:00

May 9, 2010
Fun Ranch, Tiendesitas

One of the things I love about my job is that I get to meet people from different places. I would say about half of my clients are based abroad. Thay come home just to celebrate the big events in their lives with family and friends. And it's always a great honor for me to be given the opportunity to be part of their celebrations.

Mommy Cheche, Daddy Tantan, and Cayden are based in the U.K (I love how Cheche and Tantan talk to Cayden in straight Filipino. They know it'll only be a matter of time before he gets a British accent, so they say they might as well teach him his native language now so he doesn't forget.) The summer heat was a great shock to Cayden, who I would imagine is used to much lower temperatures. And because of it, he got really sick just over week before his birthday party. Fortunately, he recovered just in time and was able to enjoy the party.:)

See that huge dent on the upper left side of the cake? Well, apparently, Cayden got to the cake before I did.:D

Some cute details.

Cayden looking very cute and healthy!

The birthday family.

The lovely mummy.

Kids enjoying the show.

The family blowing the candel with Elmo.

We still had time to take a few shots after the party.

At the play area of Fun Ranch.

Happy!:)

Cinni: 1st birthday party

2010-09-24T18:49:00.000+08:00

May 8, 2010
Shakey's El Pueblo

I photographed Mommy Vanessa and Daddy Oliver's wedding two years ago. Last year, I got an email from Vanessa telling me of the great news, that they now have a baby girl named Cinni. (Lovely name, huh?) I met the trio for the first time when I took their family portraits late last year, and then a few months later, I was back to photograph Cinni's 1st birthday party. It always amazes me how much a baby can grow in a few months' time. Cinni was still as adorable as I remembered her though.

We started shooting at their home where I got to photograph the details and hang out with the family for a bit.

Here was my favorite person for the day.:)

Vanessa took care of the littlest details. They were all cute, by the way.

On the left, Cinni was sitting on the biggest present she got the day. She couldn't wait to open it and ended up playing with it before we left for the venue (right photo).

I took a couple of shots of the family at their home before heading for the party.

More lovely details!

Cinni seemed to be confused why there were suddenly a lot of people all around her.

Mommy and Daddy seemed to be enjoying themselves though.:)

I love this one.

When most of the guests had left, I asked the family for a couple more shots. These two are my favorites from the day.:)

Ren + Mae = Cayla

2010-09-15T08:40:00.001+08:00

Mae is a "mom-tog" (that is, a mom who has a fancy camera and shoots great photos of her kid/s) and is always shooting fabulous photos of her little Cayla. So, I was very honored when she contacted me to take their family portraits last summer. The family session was also extra special because it was going to be their first set of family photos since Daddy Ren left to take on a new job abroad when Cayla was only a couple of months old. For many months, Cayla only knew her dad as the man in the monitor that she and Mommy would regularly talk to. After almost a year, the family was reunited when Ren flew home for a short vacation. The sad thing about vacations is that they always seem to end too soon. However, I was happy to know (based on Mae's FB updates.:D) that Cayla and Mommy Mae will soon be joining Daddy Ren again! I love happy endings.:)

On a sunny April morning, Pie and I travelled all the way to Clark, Pampanga to shoot this lovely family. It was warm and humid, and Cayla wasn't very comfortable in the heat. But we did get some great outdoor shots before we retired to the cool comfort of McDonald's.

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Mae said the grass at the park was green the last time they were there. I didn't mind the dried grass though. I love how they made the photos "warmer".

Cute! Cayla has the best wardrobe a little girl could have!

One of my favorite shots of Cayla...

It was around 8AM when we started and the light was just awesome!

We tried a few things to try to make Cayla smile including having Mae sing to her while lying down on the blanket. Cayla didn't buy any of it. Haha.

After a while, we trooped down to the nearest McDonald's for a quick breakfast. And then we got back to business.

Who knew McDonald's could give you fab lighting?

I love this one.

Cayla looks like a little angel praying here.:)

McDonald's can also provide colorful background.:)

Aside from taking photos of Cayla, Mommy Mae's other hobby is buying super cute clothes for her baby girl! I love love love this yellow-and-black ensemble! Cayla seemed to enjoy it as well.:)

Beautiful family!

And finally, a couple more shots of Cayla cute outfit.

Lyncee: 3rd birthday party

2010-09-10T22:50:00.000+08:00

April 25, 2010
GGS Clubhouse
Party Theme: Little Einsteins

When Lyncee was only a year and a half, I photographed their family holiday portraits in Antipolo. Last year, I photographed Lyncee's 2nd birthday party. So, this was the 3rd time for me to be working with Lyncee, and every time, she gets more and more comfortable in front of my camera. Of course, it's always a pleasure for me to work with Mama Cindy and Papa Laurence.

When Cindy texted me about photographing Lyncee's party, she told me this year, they opted for a very simple celebration--compared to Lyncee's past two parties, that is! And knowing Cindy, I knew the party details were going to be anything but simple. As soon as I walked into the venue, I took a deep breath before diving into the sea of wonderful colors!

Cindy and Laurence are good friends with Imma Ongteco so of course they had Kidstar Kastles do the party decorations. As you can expect, the place looked fabulous!

Cindy helping Lyncee with her shoes.

Lyncee was such a pro in front of my camera!

The birthday family.

The cake was huge! And it featured the Seven Wonders of the World.

More family photos before the party started.

Look who dropped by!

The kids and adults enjoying the games.

Flooch doing his magic show.

Kobe: 1st birthday party

2010-09-09T23:02:00.003+08:00

April 24, 2010
Big Red Barn, Fun Ranch, Westgate
Party theme: Mickey Mouse

Kobe lives overseas with his mom and dad. For his first birthday, the family came home to celebrate the big day with family and friends. And they did something else that was quite special. In lieu of presents, the guests were requested to bring pairs of flipflops that were donated to grade school kids in certain schools in Metro Manila. Mommy Cathy said that they have decided the best way to celebrate Kobe's birthday every year was to try to find ways to share their blessings with others. And I thought it's a fabulous idea!

Below are some of my favorite shots from the party...

A closer look at the cake.

Mickey Mouse cupcakes!

Some photos of the birthday family.

Kobe's lovely grandma.

The kids during one of the games.

Flooch was host/magician for the day.

They were able to collect tons of rubber slippers because some guests brought a lot of pairs! I'm pretty sure they made a lot of kids happy.:)

Mommy Cathy thanking the guests.

Darla: Newborn portraits

2010-09-07T22:11:00.002+08:00

I photographed Darla's baptism a couple of weeks ago but back in April, I first met this little angel when I took her first portraits outside Mommy Christine's womb. It's best to take newborn portraits within the first 10-12 days from birth because you want the baby to be sleeping through the session and babies at this age are easier to "pose". Christine and I have been planning for Darla's pictorial for months--even before we did Christine's maternity session. We set the session about week after her due date. However, Darla decided to arrive early, so by the time we did the session, she was almost two weeks old. And what difference a couple of days can do to a baby! Even though she was sleeping when I got to their house, she woke up as soon as we started shooting and barely slept throughout. And she couldn't be bothered with the poses. Hehehe. She was too cute though so I loved photographing her. It took us a lot of "tiyaga" but we did end up with pretty great shots.;)

Below are just some of my favorites...

Zoe: 1st birthday party

2010-09-02T15:24:00.000+08:00

April 18, 2010
Jollibee Cash and Carry

After meeting Zoe during her mini portrait session, and seeing how much she loved Jollibee, I wasn't surprised that they held her party at--where else? Jollibee! I personally think Jollibee parties are so much fun, and this one was no exception.:)

Below are some of my favorite photos from the event.

I loved the colors! And the cake and cupcakes were so pretty!

I have to mention this face/body painter because she's so young and talented. Her name is Camille. She was at the venue early and stayed even until after the party. She was a hit among the guests! Mommy Janice told me Camille charges a very good price too.:)

The cute birthday girl Zoe with her pretty mom.

More pictures of the birthday family.

Zoe seemed to like the balloons!

Of course, the Jollibee crew had to do their fun dance to officially start the party.

The host was pretty funny so everyone, including the birthday family had a lot of fun.

A contest between Mommy Janice and Daddy JB.

Zoe with her face painting.

The whole gang was there!

Zoe really loves Jollibee.

Christmas season starts...NOW!

2010-09-01T16:55:00.000+08:00

I've always felt very lucky to be living in a country where Christmas starts as soon as the "BER" months roll in. Yes, I believe we have the longest Christmas season in the world! In fact, I think only Pinoys weren't surprised when "Merry Christmas" became a trending topic on Twitter today (and it's still on the top spot as of this writing!). Christmas is my absolute favorite season. I remember waking up on the 1st day of September two years ago to the sound of Christmas carols on TV. This morning I woke up quite early (well, at least earlier than usual), and when I logged on to Facebook, a lot of people were already posting Christmas videos. I love it!:)

And with that, I would like to announce that I will now start accepting bookings for holiday portraits. I've only got a few weekends open, so I'm going to try to accommodate as many sessions as I can in a day. And that may mean I'll have to set the venue for certain days where I will be doing all sessions to save on travel time between locations. I will only be doing a limited number of sessions though, so if you're interested, please shoot me an email at ging@ginglorenzo.com and we can talk about it.:)

Thank you...

2010-08-30T21:39:00.000+08:00

Our first boudoir marathon ended yesterday. It was physically exhausting (I still have the bruises), and at times pretty stressful, but we had a lot of fun too! To all the ladies who joined us, thank you so much! I hope you had as much fun as we did. We shot a ton of great photos, and I know I will have a hard time choosing shots for your online galleries.

I also want to thank the people who helped make this great experience possible. Below are photos of the three ladies who were with me through out the weekend.

The very talented EJ Litiatco made all the ladies even more beautiful than they already were. She seriously made my job a whole lot easier.

EJ's lovely sister Mara was also there to do some of the ladies' hair. She also helped me choose accesories for a couple of the ladies.

And of course, my sister Pie was there to help out with...just about everything. Things would have been so much more difficult and exhausting for me if she wasn't there.

Special thanks goes to Allan who did a few of the girls' hair. And I also want to thank Lyra for helping me spread the word about the project. Thanks guys!:)

Oh, and how can I forget my husband? As I said, the shoot was stressful at times, and when I get stressed out, I just talk to Pete. In a rapid mix of Tagalog, English, and Waray. He doesn't mind it though--I think. But I must really talk a lot and fast because last Saturday night, he compared my mouth to a machine gun--in the most endearing way possible. :)

Again, thank you everyone! :) And here's looking forward to the next project...

Rhys: 1st birthday party

2010-08-26T22:08:00.001+08:00

April 17, 2010
West Greenhills Clubhouse
Party theme: Nickelodeon

I first worked with the family two years ago for Sam's 2nd birthday party. Well, Sam is now a big sister to Rhys and Mommy Suzette hired me again to photograph her little one's 1st birthday party. Remembering all the wonderful details of Sam's party two years ago, I knew my camera would have a feast at Rhys' party. And I was not disappointed.

The theme of the party was "Nickelodeon", hence it was a fusion of different characters from the TV network that the kids love. Here is the invitation.

The cake and the cupcakes.

All the kids got these as giveaways!

A few shots of the family before the program started.

Mommy Suzette with Rhys.

Venue decorations by Kidstar Kastles!

So pretty!:)

Kids had personalized name tags.

They had a Gymboree session for the younger kids. Here are photos of Rhys with Mommy and Sam enjoying the fun activity.

The kids as well as the adults enjoyed this.

Prizes prizes prizes!

They had a mini carousel at the party.

Here's our birthday boy.

Watching this act was a bit scary. But they were really good!

Candle-blowing with the entire birthday family.

Gab: 1st birthday party

2010-08-24T21:28:00.001+08:00

April 10, 2010
Acropolis Clubhouse
Party theme: Disney
Jhoanne Alon of Polkadots Events, who was the event coordinator for Gab's birthday party, was the one who booked me for the party. I always love working with Jhoanne. She's very creative and takes very good care of her clients. I was very excited about shooting the party because I knew there would be a lot of interesting details.

Below are some of my favorites from the party.

The cute 3D table centerpieces from Passion Cooks Catering.

The birthday girl's pretty outfits.

Colorful venue decorations by Polkadots Events. The stage backdrop consisted of different Disney characters including Pocoyo which is one of my favorites!:)

I loved the cake!

A closer look at the laughing Tinkerbell on top of the beautiful cake.

All the little girls were given fairy wings and headbands.

Wizzo entertained the guests with games and magic.

The little boys were each given one of these cute aviator glasses which the family brought home all the way from China.:)

Gab with Mommy Golda enjoying the program.

We were able to take a few family shots while the party was on-going/

Check out their matching outfits!:)

Candle-blowing.

Mickey was there!

Towards the end of the party, Mommy Golda read a heartfelt letter to Gab.

Maria Isabella Beatrice: Baptism

2010-08-23T15:26:00.000+08:00

April 11, 2010
Christ the King Parish
Valle Verde 4 Clubhouse

It's usually the moms who contact me, but for Bella's baptism, Daddy Mike was the one who texted me first and booked me. I always like it when guys are more involved in the preparations of their events, because these are usually the same guys who are easier to photograph. (i.e. Not camera-shy, and more cooperative during pictorials. Hehehe.) And this was true with Daddy Mike. Also, Bella's special day went by more smoothly because of the real teamwork between him and Mommy Imee. I will be working with them again for Bella's birthday party early next year, and I can't wait.:)

Here are some photos from the event.

We started at the Linden Suites to take photos of the details...

A couple of shots of little Bella.

And some family shots before leaving for the church.

Lovely family.:)

A few shots of the baptism ceremony.

Balloon decors were by Yanple. Centerpieces and stage decorations were by Center Table Catering.

The cute mini cake served as topper for the cupcake tower.

Pretty cupcakes!

Daddy Mike works for Jollibee Corp., so of course they had to have Jollibee at the party!

Jollibee even brought along a couple of his friends.:) Here's a photo of the family with Jollibee and Hetty.

Zoe: Pre-event pictorial

2010-08-20T10:26:00.000+08:00

On an early Sunday morning last April, we drove down to MOA to shoot Zoe's portraits. When we met up with the family, Zoe was sitted quietly on her stroller and Mommy Janice told us she had just woken up. I thought it would take a while for her to warm up, but as soon as we started the pictorial, and as soon as she saw her favorite Jollibee toy, she was all smiles. The session lasted less than an hour because the warm and humid air easily tired Zoe out (as well as the rest of us) and she started getting a bit cranky. We did get a lot of really great shots!

Here are some of my favorites.

First few shots. Zoe was reaching out for her Jollibee stuffed toy on the left photo...

So, we finally let her play with it for a while.

You can see her first tooth in this photo.:)

This was the photo that they chose for the canvas frame. And I love it too. Zoe looks like a model for a

clothing catalog here.:)

I love the lens flare and the colors! Too bad the carousel was still closed at that hour.

Zoe was already getting a bit grumpy at this point, so we brought out her other favorite toy and we got a few more laughs out of her. This one was one of my favorite shots from the day.

Amara: 2nd birthday party

2010-08-18T17:00:00.001+08:00

March 28, 2010
The Columns Makati

The party was relatively small with only family and close friends as guests, but the details were very very pretty! I loved the colors and I loved the theme! And Amara was so cute. And the family, especially Mommy Acey, was wonderful!:)

Here are some of my favorite photos from the party:

The cake.

Yummy yummy details! I felt like I was photographing a wedding!:)

Beautiful set-up by K. by Cunanan Catering.

The kiddie tables.

Bumblee balloon, and the kiddie giveaways with the cute bumblebee design.

Amara's lovely dress.

A few shots of the family before the party started.

And here's our beautiful birthday girl.

Candies!

The kids during one of the games.

Jen Belen during one of her fun acts.

Candle-blowing.

Boudoir Session Marathon FAQs

2010-08-10T16:02:00.001+08:00

In case you missed it, I am reposting the announcement about the boudoir photo marathon that I am doing with the talented EJ Litiatco at the end of the month. Yes, we still have some slots open, so if you are interested or know someone who might be, shoot us an email to reserve a slot.:)

We received a number inquiries the past week with various questions about the shoot. Therefore, I am posting some frequently asked questions and other info relevant to this project.

1. What is this about and what do I get if I decide to join?
We, Ging Lorenzo and Ej Litiatco, have decided to work together on another excited project. We’re both passionate in making people look and feel good about themselves, and this time we wanted to give ladies an opportunity to bring out their inner goddesses in a full boudoir photo marathon.

Here’s what you’ll get:

a. A complete hair and make-up session with EJ Litiatco
b. A 1-hour boudoir session with Ging Lorenzo
c. A private online gallery of 25 edited images (photographer’s choice) from the session for about a month from posting
d. A CD of the high-resolution files of the 25 edited photos
e. 1 piece 8x10 canvas frame (photo to be chosen by client from among the edited photos) or 5 pieces 8x10 prints
f. 10 pieces 4R prints (photos to be chosen by client from among the edited photos)

2. I’m interested to book a session. How do I sign up?
To sign up for the shoot, you can just send an email to boudoirsessions2010@gmail.com to tell me that you are interested. Then you will have to make a PhP2500 (50%) deposit to secure your slot. We are requiring this reservation fee because there are only a limited number of slots and we want to make sure that none of them goes to waste. To be fair to everyone, you will only be considered booked when you have paid the reservation fee. We can hold on to your slot for 2 days after you express your intention to sign up (to give you time to make the deposit) before we make it available to others.

Reservation fees will be non-refundable, but if you cancel your slot at least week before the start of the sessions, your reservation fee will be 100% transferable to another service from either of us (Ging Lorenzo or EJ Litiatco) within 6 months after the boudoir marathon. If you back out at least 3 days before the sessions, 50% of the deposit will be transferable for another service. But if you cancel your slot 2 days or less before the start of the boudoir marathon, your reservation fee will be non-refundable and non-transferable.

3. How do I pay the reservation fee?
Once you've decided to book your slot, we will give you account details and you may deposit the reservation fee (PhP2,500) through the bank.

On the day of the shoot, you will be asked to pay the balance of PhP2,500.

4. Can my husband and/or kids join me in the pictorial?
Please consider that this is not meant to be a family portrait session. Boudoir sessions focus on making a lady feel and look sexy. Your pictorial will be an intimate session with just you, the photographer, and a female assistant.

In fact, we will be limiting entry to the room to the client and one female companion. No men will be allowed in the hotel room. The whole session (including make-up) will last for only about 2 hours, so your hubbies (and other companions) can just pick you after you’re done. J

5. What do I have to wear for the photo shoot?
As you know, boudoir sessions usually involve sexy lingerie and nighties, so you can start shopping for these. J Once you’re booked, feel free to email us for ideas about your outfit. A maximum of three outfit changes will be just right for the 1-hour session.

6. Do I get to choose what time my session will be?
If you book early enough, yes. The sessions will start in the afternoon of August 27 (Friday) up until the morning of August 29 (Sunday). Each pictorial will last for about an hour, and we are allotting about an hour for hair and make-up as well. All in all, there will only be 12 sessions. Once you have made the deposit, you can check back with us so we can tell you what time slots are still available.

7. How early do we need to be at the venue?
Please be at the venue on time (i.e. If you booked the 7:30AM time slot, you have to be at the venue on or before 7:30AM). This will give EJ enough time to do your hair and make-up and for you to be comfortable with the place (and with us) before the photo shoot. If you show up 30 minutes late (at 8AM for the 7:30AM-9:30AM slot, for example), EJ will only have 30 minutes to do your hair and make-up before she has to start with the next client. If you show up more than 30 minutes late, (i.e. If you show up at 8:15AM for the 7:30-9:30AM slot), you will have no make-up from EJ!

If you don't show up within the hour of your session, you will be considered a no-show and your reservation fee will be forfeited.

8. After the pictorial, how long before I see the pictures?
The photographer’s choice shots will be uploaded in private online galleries around 2 weeks after the session. Each client will have her own password-protected online gallery where she will be choosing the shots for the 8x10 canvas frame and/or the prints. Printing and framing will take about 1.5weeks. After which the prints, frame, and CD of the high-resolution files will be ready for pick-up at EJ Litiatco‘s shop.

9. I have a question that is not included in this FAQ list. How do I contact you?
Please shoot us an email at boudoirsessions2010@gmail.com. We hope to hear from you soon!:)

Kelsey: 1st birthday party

2010-08-06T18:29:00.001+08:00

March 27, 2010
Ayala Hillside Estates
Party theme: Disneyland

There's only one thing that comes to mind when I think about Kelsey's birthday party. The details! The invites, the balloons, the centerpieces, the cakes (Yes, there were more than one!)...AH-MA-ZING!

Take a look!

The photo on the right was the invite. The one on the left was one of the 3D centerpieces.

The colorful stage backdrop. It almost felt like being in the happiest place on earth!

The huge cake ensemble! They had another cake ensemble on the other side of the stage!

This was what greeted the guests as soon as they arrived.

The colorful balloons and the rest of the venue decorations were by Kidstar Kastles led by the lovely and talented Imma Ongteco!

Before we left after the party, Mommy Tet said she had something to give me. I was expecting a cupcake. Instead, she gave me one of these cakes! It was yummy!

One of the current favorites in parties.

A group shot with all the kids.

Shay hosted the party.

And guess who came to the party?

Kelsey seemed to enjoy his party a lot!:)

The amazing Lou Hilario provided the magic show.

Mommy and Daddy seemed to enjoy the magic show.:)

This photo was taken when most of the guests had left. We stayed behind to wait for Kelsey to wake up so we could take more pictures.

Some family shots after the party. Look at those balloons!

I love these next shots.

It was pretty hot, but I'm glad the family agreed to go into the sun for a couple of minutes to take these shots. They're probably my favorites from the day.

Jeanne: Baptism and 1st birthday party

2010-08-05T17:54:00.004+08:00

March 21, 2010
St. Francis Church
St. Francis Shangri-La Place
Party theme: Hello Kitty

This was the first event that I did for Mommy Jap and Daddy Loelle. However, it felt like I've known them for so long because I already did a couple of portrait sessions for them last year. I first met them when we did Jap's maternity portraits in early 2009. A few months later, I photographed Jap's family on her mom's birthday. I was excited to finally meet Jeanne who was only a few months old then.

Last March, I worked with this wonderful family again to celebrate Baby Jeanne's baptism and 1st birthday. As always, Jap went all out on the details. And my camera had a feast!

Here are some photos. We started at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel to take photos of the details and to do a short pictorial with the birthday family.

Most brides could only dream of wearing a Veluz gown on their wedding day. Well, Jeanne had a Veluz gown during her baptism!

The cute invite.

A couple of shots of our lovely birthday girl before leaving for the church.:)

Look how her eyes twinkle!

Some family shots at the hotel.

The church was just a block away from the hotel.

The baptism.

And the party venue was just a couple of minutes away from the the church.
Venue decorations by Jacque Tan and her Party Boosters team.

The lovely cake and cupcakes.

I loved the colors of the balloons!

Favors for the guests.

The kids enjoying the program.

I always take candid shots of the guests. This one just jumped out on me because it's just too cute.:)

We tried taking more shots while the party was on-going. But Jeanne wasn't in the mood anymore.

The proud parents enjoying Alex Lagula's program.

The magic show.

Happy 4th birthday, Liam!

2010-08-04T09:54:00.001+08:00

A few weeks ago, I was talking with my little nephew Liam about the cake design he wanted for his birthday. We were looking at a brochure with small photos of sample cake designs. Liam pointed to his choice. And just when I was about to go tell his mom (my sister) about it, he stopped me. He pointed to the cake photo again and asked, "Pero bakit nakalagay dyan 'Bryan'?" (The cake sample said, "Happy Birthday, Bryan!") I laughed and tried to explain to him that when we order his cake, it will say "Happy Birthday, Liam."

Yes, he can read. We're kinda used to it by now considering he started reading whole words as soon as he turned 2, and started reading whole phrases before he even turned 3 (No one is making him read--no flash cards or videos--he just does it on his own). But every time we see other kids much older than he is who can barely read, we couldn't help but be amazed. In fact, one of his teachers told his mom (he's now in Junior Kinder), that word got out in their school about this little boy who reads like it's no one's business, and teachers from higher grades would randomly drop by their classroom just to see him read.

Today, Liam turns 4. In a couple of years this whole reading thing would just be normal. He won't be the "wonder kid" that he is right now anymore. But, who knows, he just might move on to other things by then. And today, well, I think we can brag all we want about Liam because it's his birthday, after all.

So, Liam, if you're reading this (did I mention he has his own netbook?!), HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Enjoy your party in school later! :)

Annika: Portrait session and 1st birthday party

2010-08-03T14:40:00.002+08:00

This has been on my blog drafts for a long time! I just never had the time (or the enthusiasm) to post it until now. I first met Mommy Gracita, Daddy Harvey, and Baby Annika over a year ago when the family came home from Dubai to celebrate Annika's baptism with family and friends. Almost a year later (last March), I saw the family again, this time for Annika's 1st birthday party. And I was pleasantly surprised to find out that sour little Annika was also about to become a big sister!:)

For her baptism, we had a short pictorial with Annika a couple of weeks before the event for her guestbook. For her 1st birthday party, the family came home just a week before the event, so although we still had her pictorial a few days before the event, we only had enough time to prepare signature frames for her.

We had the photo shoot at the family's new condo building. Here are some of the photos.

Annika has grown to be a very pretty little girl!

Mommy Gracita didn't want to be in any of the photos, but I convinced her to at least be part of the background.:D

Love this one.

I love Annika's eyes!

And now for the party photos.

March 20, 2010
Valle Verde 1 Clubhouse
Party theme: Dora

We started the shoot on the morning of the party at the Crowne Plaza to shoot the details and a few photos of our birthday girl.

A few shots of the pretty Annika.

She kept reaching for our cameras. Finally, I asked Pie (who was 2nd-shooting for me) to lend her camera to Annika for a few minutes.:D

The cake.

Colorful venue decorations by Polkadots Events (led by Jhoanne Alon).

We took a few minutes to take a few casual family shots outside before the party started.

Back to the party.

The audience enjoying the program.

Flooch was there to provide entertainment.

I loved this part of the day. Annika seemed very happy and really enjoyed waving to her guests towards the end of the party.

Calling all the ladies!!!

2010-08-02T16:52:00.001+08:00

I know I haven't been a very good blogger again lately. I do have some valid reasons though. You see I got sick almost 2 weeks ago and I only fully recovered in time for my events last weekend. I fell ill with severe flu-like symptoms almost 2 weeks ago. Although my fever lasted for only a couple of days, I felt very weak for over a week. Blood tests showed I caught some virus, and I had to wait it out with rest and lots of fluids. Along with my appetite for food, I also lost my appetite for blogging. And that's why I couldn't make this announcement until today.

Yup, my favorite make-up artist EJ Litiatco has agreed to do another fun project with me! And we hope you could join us! I did my very first boudoir session a few months ago and I wanted to do more of it, so I asked EJ if she would like to do a boudoir marathon with me. I thought about doing this because I know a lot of ladies who would love to book a boudoir session but the total cost could be pretty steep. First, you have to pay for the photographer and the make-up artist. And then, you have to book a hotel for your pictorial. For a session that could only last for a couple of hours, booking an overnight stay in a hotel seems like a big waste. But with the marathon sessions, the cost of the hotel will be shared by all the clients so each one won't have to shell out big bucks for the venue. Oh, and EJ and I are also giving big discounts on our fees so the total cost for each client will be so much cheaper!

Unfortunately, we will only be able to handle a few sessions. We want each of the client to feel pampered during her session, so we will only be accepting a limited number of models. And since I took a while to announce this on here (although I did have it announced on my FB page already), a couple of slots have already been taken, and slots are disappearing fast! So, if you're interested or if you know someone who might be interested, please shoot us an email ASAP (boudoirsessions2010@gmail.com)!

Island Cove Wedding: Jay + Far

2010-07-21T23:23:00.010+08:00

May 28, 2010
Holy Cross Parish Church, Noveleta, Cavite
Island Cove, Kawit, Cavite

While the rest of the villa was buzzing with activities, we found Far already on the make-up chair sitting quietly, smiling for the video camera every few minutes, but generally deep in thought. She smiled and said she was a bit nervous. She wondered out loud if Jay was doing any better. When we went to the groom's villa, Jay narrated to the videographer and to the rest of us how he was feeling. Rather, he tried to. He said he has never felt that way before. He said he was nervous, like he was about to take an exam...or something. But when he finally saw Far walking down the aisle towards him, and when he finally took her hand at the altar, it seemd like the most natural thing in the world. No more nerves for either of them. As long as they had each other's hand to hold on to.

The day dídn't exactly run smoothly. My team started the day getting stuck in traffic on the way to the hotel-resort. And then it started to pour just before we left for the church. And then we got lost on our way to the church. Twice. But when we got to the church, the bridal party wasn't even there yet, so the ceremony was a few minutes late. And then we got stuck in another traffic jam on the way back to the hotel-resort for the reception (This time, we made sure we were right behind the bridal car so we wouldn't lose our way.). And then the traffic and the crazy weather got to our bride Far and she got a terrible headache just before the reception. But you know what? As far as Jay and Far were concerned, the day was perfect. They were so calm and cool, and nothing could ruin their big day for them. And you know what happens when your bride and groom are stress-free and happy? You get great photos! :)

The bling on top of their invitation card which was designed like a post-card. Pretty cool!

The other bling.

The cut of Far's dress was simple, but she looked like a goddess wearing it. :)

I think I took more than two-hundred photos of Far's lovely purple shoes!

Our lovely bride.

These photos were taken before it started to rain. It was already overcast outside, so we got nice diffused lighting for the portraits.

My favorite photo of Far!

Then we went over to Jay's room.

Our handsome groom.;)

Some shots at the ceremony.

Love Far's smile here.

Listening to the homily.

It was almost dark when we got back to Island Cove, and the weather was still gloomy so we couldn't get sunny photos of the couple. I did find a nice spot at the hotel with nice diffused lighting. And Jay and Far worked it pretty well for the camera, don't you think?;)

Far got sick from the traffic and the weather, but she still looks perfect in these photos, doesn't she?

Jay doesn't look so bad either.

I asked the coordinators for another 10 minutes for a few more shots at another spot and they worked it into the schedule. I loved working with Love Daligdig and her team from Special Events by the Planner. They made our job so much easier.

I love these two.

Couldn't get enough of the shoes!

Yep, the sky was pretty gloomy that day.

The theme of the wedding was "Travel and Leisure" and their designer cake fit perfectly.

The fun grand entrance of the couple.

The couple with their friends having great fun during the bouquet and garter games.

A sweet kiss to end the night.

Addie: 1st birthday party

2010-06-28T13:27:00.008+08:00

June 19, 2010
Northeast Greenhills Clubhouse
Party theme: Mario Bros.

I wanna start this week by posting one of my most recent kiddie parties. I photographed Addie's party just the other weekend at one of my favorite kiddie party venues. Mommy Rhea first contacted me around 8 months before Addie's party. She said she regretted not getting a professional photographer for Addie's baptism so she wanted to make sure she got one for her baby's 1st birthday. As soon as January came and I started accepting bookings for June, she contacted me immediately and made the deposit. We didn't actually see each other in person until the day of the party, but she was wonderful to work with.

I was also surprised to see some familiar faces at the party--people who knew me when I was still an engineer. It turns out Daddy Albert works for the same company where a lot of people I knew from college work! Small world!:)

I think one of the indicators that a kiddie party is a success is when you see the adults having as much fun as the kids. During Addie's party, every one enjoyed the program and people seated at the back were on their feet by the time Chayno put on his magic act.

Here are some of the photos from Addie's Mario Kart party.

Addie's Mario costume.

The cake and the mini cakes!

Venue decorations by Kidstar Kastles led my Imma Ongteco.

See why I love this venue? (Of course, it doesn't hurt that Kidstar Kastles did a great job with the venue set-up either.)

Invites.

These cute custom tumblers were the kiddie giveaways.

Each kid also got one of these pouches.

Addie enjoying all the attention.

It was still pretty hot outside when the guests started arriving, but I asked the birthday family if they wanted to take a few shots outside before the party started because we have had late-afternoon rains in the past weeks. I'm glad they agreed because it started to pour in the middle of the program!

Addie got a bit distracted at the playground, but we did get a few big smiles out of him.

One last shot before we headed back to the party.

Ice Monster was there to cool every one off.

Addie's cousin was in a cute Luigi costume!

The mommies during one of the games.

The daddies also had their chance to play.

And dance.:P

Chayno was a hit with the guests.

A closer look at the colorful birthday cake.

The grandparents cheering on their apo during the candle-blowing.

Chayla's baptism and 1st bday party / Nathan's 7th bday party

2010-06-25T12:25:00.000+08:00

March 14, 2010
Santuario de San Antonio
North Forbes Pavillion Clubhouse

This one was a very special triple celebration! It was Baby Chayla's baptism and 1st birthday party AND big brother Nathan's 7th birthday party! Mommy Tiffanny booked me through the lovely Imma Ongteco of Kidstar Kastles. I always love working with Imma and her Kidstar Kastles crew because they're famous for their colorful party decorations. I always know my camera would have a feast!

We started at the church.

Here's Chayla with Mommy and Daddy.

A couple more shots of the baptism ceremony.

Because it was both Nathan and Chayla's party, they had a fusion of two themes. And it worked beautifully.:)

They also had two gorgeous cake ensembles!

Closer look at the cakes.

Yummy yummy colors by Kidstar Kastles!

Chayla all dressed up and ready to party!:)

We took a few family shots outside.

After a couple of shots, Nathan wanted to go back to the party, so we took a few more shots of just Chayla with Mommy and Daddy.

While waiting for the party to start, I took photos of the baptismal gown at the playground near the venue.

Kids kept busy with their crayons while waiting for the other guests.

Birthday boy Nathan was more interested in his phone though.:D

Party host Shay leading the birthday parade.

One of the best magicians (and one of the most expensive ones too, I'm told) in the country, Lou Hilario.

The kids blew their birthday candles simultaneously.

Chayla, already a bit tired after the fun party.

Julia: 1st birthday party

2010-06-23T22:55:00.003+08:00

March 7, 2010
The Blue Leaf

Ruth and Marc are two of the nicest couples I've ever met. I've only heard great things about them from my friend Ces Kasilag who photographed little Julia's baptism. And when it was my turn to have the honor of working with them, I was happy to find out that all those things were true.:)

March 7 seemed to be a very popular day for kiddie parties but I was glad I got to work with some of my favorite suppliers like Jhoanne Alone (Polkadots Events), Flooch, and even Warren Camitan who is a talented young photographer and Ces Kasilag's business partner (Image Warehouse Photography). Yup, Mommy Ruth made sure Julia got the best for her special day. It was a very hot summer afternoon but the party was fun and colorful and magical. Everybody enjoyed the celebration, including me!:)

Below are some of the photos:

We started the shoot at Ascott where I was able to take photos of the details.

The star of the day getting a superstar treatment.

And there's that lovely smile again.:)

Aren't they such a good-looking family?

Then we headed to the venue and was greeted with the beautiful venue set-up by Jhoanne Alon of Polkadots Events!

Look at all those colors!

This huge cake? It moved!

Dessert buffet! And they also had Starbucks, Jimini Pizza, Nacho King...and all these other treats for the guests!

Two of the most talented women in the kiddie party industry: Cha the face painter and Jiggles the Balloon Lady!

Julia seriously watching her birthday program.

Of course we went outside to take a couple of family portraits.

The sunlight was still pretty harsh, but we still got a few nice shots.

The kids enjoying their prizes.

Flooch was there to do his magic!

And this was the signature book that I made for Julia using the photos I took during her pre-event portrait session.

Club Balai Isabel Engagement Session: Jay + Far

2010-06-22T23:46:00.001+08:00

I realize a lot of people still don't know that I actually do weddings as well. As a matter of fact, when I first went into photography full-time, I started by shooting weddings with other photographers and for some studios. And then I started getting my own clients a couple of years ago. When I shot my first kiddie event a few years ago, I really didn't know how to do it because all I knew about shooting events was what I knew from shooting weddings. So, I treated every kiddie event like it was a wedding. And I guess that's why became a good kiddie event photographer. But you know what, I believe I became a much better wedding photographer precisely because I started shooting a lot of kiddie events. I know a lot of photographers don't like shooting kiddie events because there's no "magic". But I say there is magic and beauty every where, you just have to look for it. So, every time I go to shoot an event, I always try to see the beauty and capture it. And that's not really difficult to do on weddings where everything is just beautiful, right? Oh, and compared to running after kids and patiently waiting for them to smile or pose for you, shooting subjects who actually listen and who actually like to be photographed is a walk in the park ;)

Jay and Far found me online. I don't really advertise and I don't shoot a hundred weddings a year like other wedding photographers, so it was nice to know that they chose me based on my style and trusted me to photograph their big day. They're both based abroad but they booked me only after a couple of phone calls and a few emails.:) When we finally met up just after New Year's, I was glad to know how nice they both are in person. And they are so much fun too! I also found out Jay is also actually into photography, and I always like working with a fellow photographer.

We had Jay and Far's engagement session at Club Balai Isabel in Talisay Batangas. It was the first time for me to actually see the Taal crater that close. The place is peaceful and there are a lot of really interesting spots to shoot. It was raining that morning, and we got a bit of a drizzle when we started shooting. But the rain stopped after a few minutes, and we got awesome weather for the rest of the afternoon!

Below are some of the photos from Jay and Far's engagement pictorial.

The theme of their wedding (which I photographed a couple of weeks ago) was "Travel and Leisure", so they wanted to start the session with their "tourist" look.;)

I love how these two can make each other laugh. Or maybe they were laughing at me?:P

They were married in Cavite, by the way.

Jay with his camera.

Bubbles! And the light was magnificent in Balai Isabel!

We planned on taking some sunset shots, but it turned out they don't get sunsets down there. Instead we got this nice diffused afternoon light.

The movement and colors on Far's dress were just lovely.

One of my favorites.

Another one of my favorites.

And still another one.

One more.

Some nice close-ups of our lovely couple.

Isn't Far just beautiful? Wait til you see her wedding photos!

I'm a big fan of natural light, but sometimes, I just have to bust out my off-cam flash.

We shot these last shots just before we totally lost the light and had to shoot with off-cam flash exclusively. But I am so happy with how these turned out. Jay and Far are so wonderful to work with and so easy to photograph.

I will be posting Jay and Far's wedding photos really soon, so watch out for that!:)

Mican: Dedication and 1st birthday party

2010-06-18T08:19:00.001+08:00

February 28, 2010
Oceana Event's Place
Party theme: Hello Kitty

My last event for February! It was my first time to photograph an event at Oceana, and I have to say I was impressed! Or maybe I was more impressed with all the details at Mican's grand birthday celebration. The birthday family is based abroad, and they came home just to celebrate their little princess' birthday with family and friends. It was a full house!

Here are some of the photos from the party.

The gorgeous cake with the cute Hello Kitty mini-cakes.

If you want a party this colorful, you will never go wrong with Kidstar Kastles (led by the lovely Imma Ongteco)!

The place looked amazing!

The birthday family getting a bit serious during the dedication ceremony.

And then of course, we headed out to take a few shots.

Mican didn't feel like posing for my camera yet though.

That's Chayno conducting one of the games with the guests.

Janis gave Pie and me Hello Kitty white-chocolate-coated Oreo cookies like these. Yummy! Oh and they gave us a mini-cake too, but that went straight to my little nephew Liam.:D

Mican's cute cousin.

Mommy Janis getting a colorful tattoo.

Towards the end of the party, we tried taking pictures outside again (the light was also prettier by then).

Fortunately, Mican was already in the mood.:)

Super cute!

Elli: 1st birthday party

2010-06-16T23:21:00.002+08:00

February 27, 2010
Dazo Hall, Philam Village, Las Piñas
Party theme: Elmo

It's not the easiest area to get to because you have to brave the traffic of Alabang-Zapote. I know a lot of party suppliers charge exorbitant fees or simply turn down events in Las Piñas. But when Elma contacted me for Elli's party, I knew I was going to love working with her. As usual, I was right.

Below are some of the photos from the party.

We started at the family home, which is just a few minutes away from the party venue. As soon as I walked inside the house, I realized this was a family who loved having their photos taken. They had a lot of frames family photos on display. I just had to use some of them in the photos.

Guess what the theme of the party was?

Elli was so not in the mood for photos before the party.

Elma gets all the credit for the balloon decorations! And she told me she got her inspirations from stuff she saw on this blog. Ahem!;)

The entire family. This was probably the only photo of all of them during the party. The two older kids were too busy enjoying the program to join us for the short outdoor pictorial.

Finally, we were able to make Elli smile.:)

And laugh!

I love this one.

Back at the party...

Julia: Kiddie portrait session

2010-06-15T22:03:00.001+08:00

Julia's pre-event mini-portrait session had to be rescheduled a couple of times, because I got sick on the very day that we were supposed to do the shoot. I was so lucky that Mommy Ruth is so nice and was very understanding when I had to cancel at the last minute. We thought we weren't going to be able to do the photoshoot anymore, but a couple of weeks before Julia's birthday party, we were finally able to make time for it.

This session was actually done right after I shot Chiara's photos at UP. Ruth and I agreed to do the shoot somewhere around the campus, so I was planning to look for other spots to shoot as well. But the light in the area where I was was just too beautiful so I decided to just keep shooting there.

Here are the photos. (And please watch out for photos from Julia's grand birthday celebration which I will be posting soon.:))

Everytime I look at the photo on the right, I always have to look twice. Doesn't the sunflare look like a heart shape around their heads until you look at it closely?

The evening after our shoot, Ruth texted to tell me she hoped I got nice photos of Julia.

Big smile!

Julia's pigtails remind me of the little girl Boo in the movie Monsters, Inc. So cute!:)