Courtney and Bobby's exquisite and grand wedding

It has been raining the whole week in late December. Then suddenly the sun decided to show its face for Courtney and Bobby's wedding. While Kurty was shooting with the ladies around noon for preparation coverage at the Omni Hotel, Michael began with he guys at the wedding couple's down town loft and followed them for a booze at a bar just before the ceremony.

We have been shooting at the popular St. Peter and Paul for 22 years and knew the trick to ask the church's coordinator for access to the balcony for astonishing bird-eye view shots. The wedding couple wanted a group shot with all 250 guests outside of the church right after the ceremony, and it went smoother than we anticipated.

Kurty rode in the vintage car with the newly wed for a romantic shoot around the city. Bobby the groom noticed the dramatic pink sky as we wrap up the shots. It was a not to be missed photo op, then Kurty jumped out of the car and shot the newly wed kissing before the San Francisco cityscape. It's going to be another awarding winning shot!

The reception was held at City Club. The guests were overjoyed with laughter and tears as the best man and bridesmaid toasted with humorous speech and touching stories. We could see in Courtney and Bobby's eyes that they were made for each other. Thanks to them for another exquisite, beautiful and grand wedding!

Click here to see the wedding slideshow: http://kurtyphotography.com/courtneyandbobby

Happiness is...

When I was choosing a song for Connie and Cory's engagement portrait slideshow, Ryan Houston's hit "Happy" was floating in my head. This is what engagement portrait is all about - love and happiness. And it really showed in their face!

Click on this link to see their portrait slideshow: http://kurtyphotography.com/connieandcoryeng

The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 Winner

Thousands of brides reviewed their wedding vendors on the Knot, and we were selected as the Best of Weddings Pick 2011!. It came to us by surprise as we didn't know about the contest until The Knot notified us as a winner.

Among so many talented wedding photographers listed on The Knot nationwide, only a few were selected as winners. We were so honored to hear the good new. Millions of thanks to our wonderful brides who recognize us as the best of the best. We will always appreciate your kindness by heart.

Joe Pantoliano - the bad guy from the movies is a good guy

It was hard to imagine what it was like photographing the bad guy from movies such as "The Matrix". In fact, actor Joe Pantoliano played a lot of bad guy roles in the big screen. I was hired to shoot an event for The Mental Health Association's Annual Awards Gala held at Julia Morgan Ballroom. It was an evening of awards program, entertainment, delicious food and fine wines, and an enticing silent auction.

Actor Joe Pantoliano appeared in over 100 films and television shows. Best known for his award winning role as Ralphie on The Sopranos, Joe is a fovorite of directors Richard Donner, Steven Spielberg, and Andrew Davis, he is a dependable scene stealer with more than his share of memorable roles in films like Risky Business, The Matrix, Daredevil, the Fugitive, Empire of the Sun, the Goonies, and Midnight Run.

Pantoliano's portrayal of the eccentric mobster Ralph Cifaretto in HBO's landmark series The Sopranos won him an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in 2003. While on the hit show, the actor published the New York Times bestseller Who's Sorry Now: The True Story of a Stand-Up Guy, a bittersweet memoir about his New Jersey childhood.

Once suffered from depression, Pantoliano recently started his own nonprofit organization, No Kidding, Me Too!, which is dedicated to ending the stigma associated with mental illness. He is a good man with a big heart after all.

2010 Best of Business Award

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce that Kurty Photography has been selected for the 2010 Best of Business Award in the Photographers-Portrait category.

The SBCA Best of Business Award Program recognizes the best of small businesses throughout the country. Using consumer feedback and other research, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports . Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

So in Love

Vocalist Lily Alunan came to the studio to do a photo shoot for her new CD relase "So In Love". Lily started her musical training at age three, singing into a hairbrush to emulate her older sister. Her musical career started when she sang in a band specializing in four-part harmonies. Shortly thereafter, Lily was performing solo at the Tonga Room at San Francisco's exclusive Fairmont Hotel. Another one of her early groups, the band "Nightshift," was the proud recipient of the award, "Best Bay Area Band" awarded by a local civic organization.

Lily then invited me to her sold out concert at the the Rrazz Room. I took live stage photos for her bahd, and enjoyed their memorable performance into the night..

Kurty Photography Receives 2008 San Francisco Award

WASHINGTON D.C., November 19, 2008 -- Kurty Photography has been selected for the 2008 San Francisco Award in the Photographers category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties. The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community.

Celebrity chef Ann Cooper - the renegade lunch lady

It was a pleasure photographing Ann Copper for Health Elevations magazine. Ann is a celebrity chef best known for revolutionizing how kids eat at school. By eliminating junk food, and cooking nutritious meals at schools, kids are healthier and are in better shape.

Several shots were taken in a 20 min. time frame to accomodate Ann's busy schedule. I arrived ahead of time to scout the kitchen location and setup lighting. Too bad the editor didn't use my favorite shot of Ann biting a green apple.

A chef, educator, author, and food consultant, Chef Ann Cooper is a renegade lunch lady who works to transform cafeterias into culinary classrooms for students - one school lunch at a time. She brings Americans information to learn about the importance of changing the way America feeds its children.

Chef Ann was invited to work with schools across the country. She has transformed public school cafeterias in New York City, Harlem and Bridgehampton, NY, and now in Berkeley by putting innovative strategies to work and providing fresh, organic lunches to all students.

Health Elevations magazine hired me to do a photo shoot with Chef Ann at Martin Luther King Elementary school in Berkeley. I arrived half an hour early to scout out the locations that would best illustrate her profession. The school's kitchen and cafeteria looked innovative and clean, and the healthy food prepared in the trays looked fresh and delicious. Ann was such a delight to photograph. She was easy going, genuine and down to earth, and she was always smiling and laughing. It's always fun to shoot with someone with such a great personality like Ann.

To find out more about Chef Ann, visit her website at www.lunchlessons.org

"Top Wedding Photographer of the Year" Award

What a surprise when I found out that I won three top awards at Professional Photographers of the Greater Bay Area (PPGBA) on February 8, 2009. When President Jorg Lehmann handed me "Top Wedding Photographer of the Year", "Wedding Album Maker of the Year", "First Place Wedding Print" awards, I was thrilled! Knowing there are tons of talented photographers in the Bay Area who also deserve to receive the awards, I felt really fortunate and humbly accepted the awards.










So below is a list of my awards and achievements so far...

Best of Weddings Pick 2011
(The Knot 2011)

Top Wedding Photographer of the Year
(PPGBA, 2008)

Album Maker of the Year
(PPGBA, 2008)

First Place Wedding Print Award
(PPGBA, 2008)

San Francisco Award in the Photographers category
(U.S. Local Business Association 2008)

Today's Bride
Featured on Summer 2008 issue

Wedding Vow Magazine
Feature on the premier issue, 2008

First Place Wedding Album Award
(PPGBA, 2008)

Top ten finalist, Best of Weddings Contest
(Event Pix, humor category, 2008)

Award of Excellent
(WPPI print competition, Las Vegas, 2007)

Today's Bride
Featured on Winter 2006 issue

Th Knot
Featured on January 2007 issue

By Recommendation Only
Chosen as one of the top ten wedding photography in San Francisco
2004 to present

Photography Chairman of PPGBA
Recognized as an outstanding member and official
print competition judge. Held position
as photography chairman.

Member of WPPI
(Wedding and Portrait Photographers International)
Studio Photographer of the Year Award (PPGBA,1999)

California State Exhibition (Portrait and wedding
images awarded and selected for California State
Exhibition. PPC, 1998)

Gold Wedding Album Awards
(PPGBA, 1995, 1996, 1997)

Kodak's Pro-Event Image Show
(Eight portrait images selected by Kodak, 1996)

Commercial Photographer of the Year Award
(PPGBA,1995)

Second and Third Place Annual Award,
(PPGBA, 1995)

Certificate of Merit, City and County of S.F.
(Mayor Frank Jordan, 1994)

Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Photography For San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Photography Department
(State Senate of California, 1994)

(California Legislature Assembly, State Senator, 1994)
(Commendation - S.F. Board of Supervisors, 1994)

A.S. Degree in Photography
Award of Achievement
City College of San Francisco, CA 1991

The Sweet Political Blogger Melissa Griffin

Melissa came to me for headshots a few years back and came back again for more. This time was for S.F. Gate and her blog. She hated the photographs taken by the photographer they used, and knew that I could work with her to get the shots right. Above is the photo taken from the shoot.

What a sweet, witty and charming woman! Her political blog is growing rapidly in popularity, and she has appeared on TV. As an attorney with a special interest in politic, Melissa brings a sharp analytical mind, matched with the wit and a bright smile, She utilizes the technology of video in her blog. She presents a very interesting point of view in politic. Check out her blog at www.thesweetmelissa.com.

Daughter of Mauritius Ambassador's wedding

What I love about Indian weddings are the vibrant colors. Vivid colors in red, green, blue, and yellow are often seen from the fancy yet elegant dress to the enchanting ceremony decoration. I've always found their sophisticated henna and ceremony fascinating. The wedding ceremony is often very long, but much shorter and simplified here than in India .
Zarika the bride is the daughter of Situ, the Ambassador of Mauritius. Their admirable wedding was held on the grand rooftop garden at the Ritz Carlton in the city. In the morning, when I arrived to capture shots of Zarika getting ready, I noticed a bridesmaid busy helping the bride. Although she didn't have any makeup on, she was very beautiful. I snapped some shots of her, and she said in a friendly joking tone, "You're dead!". Little did I know that she was Juhi Chawla - a famous Bollywood actress who appeared in over a hundred Indian movies, and she's the cousin of the bride.
Celebrity Juhi Chawla's photo can be seem on the bottom right of the wedding album layout above..
Click here to see the wedding slideshow: http://www.kurtyphotography.com/zarikaandprabudh

Featured on Wedding Vow magazIne -Sherrie and Angelo

We were so thrilled when Wedding Vow magazine chose our wedding couple Sherrie and Angelo's wedding as the feature story. The wedding was held on a warm, sunny day at Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame.

Crystal Springs is a popular wedding site where the ceremony is held by a gazebo overlooking the canyon and water, and it is conveniently located right off the freeway. The newly remodeled banquet facility at the club house a quarter of mile away can accommodate up to 300 guests.

Click here to see Sherrie and Angelo's romantic wedding highlights http://www.kurtyphotography.com/sherrieandangelo/

I can't help but to put this baby on the blog. She's such a cutie pie! Her pink outfit and hat matched the rose background perfectly. She smiled as she looked away with her beautiful blue eyes in the age of innocence.

What a great portrait you might think. Well, you probably can't imagine that I was dying in sweat trying to capture a decent shot of her. She simply wouldn't sit still! Her mom and dad and I patiently waited for the right moment, and thanks god it was well worth the wait!

Scared Tibet - the nearest place to heaven

Traveling around the world has always been one of my big dreams, and Tibet was on my top list. I flew to the Qinghai province in China to get on board the world famous Qinghai to Tibet railway. I chose the train instead of flying directly to Lhasa for two reasons: 1) it's less likely to develop high altitude sickness as the train ascends slowly. 2) I was able to see the breath-taking landscape on the way to the holy city.


The train departed at 9 p.m. It was already too dark to see the outside world as the train ran. After a comfy sleep on the bunker bed, spectacular snow capped mountains appeared in a never ending panorama. I quickly grabbed my camera and took tons of amazing photos such as the one shown on top. At one point, the train passed by Tanggula Pass at 16,640 feet above sea level - the world's highest rail track. How magnificent was the nature wonder!


It was hard to imagine the city of Lhasa being so commercialized. It wasn't the pureand rural land as I had envisioned in the films "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Kundun". Below the sacred and grand Potala Palace were packed with gift shops and travel agencies. I suppose if the Dali Lama returns someday, he'd probably shake his head.

With more than 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, Lhasa is famed as " the City of Sunshine". I got sunburn on the second day even though I had suntan lotion on. Well, this was the highest place on earth after all. After wandering around the must-see sites such as Norbulingka (the Summer Palace ) and the historic Jokhang Temple, I spent some time shopping for souvenirs in the circular Barkhor street located in the center of old Lhasa, and enjoyed a traditional Tibetan dinner at the charming Makye Ame restaurant that illustrated the romantic love story of the 5th Dali Lama.

The next day I visited Yamdrok Lake (pictured above). It is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet. The vista view of the lake from high above was splendid. The lake was so crystal clear like a polished emerald resting between the canyons.


It took virtually a whole day to get to any destination in Tibet. Thanks to the recent paved roads in some remote area, it only took several hours to the base camp of Mt. Everest after lodging halfway at a hotel.

I made it! I shouted as I stood on the highest point humans could possible be without climbing on Mt. Everest. It was interesting to see a tent based post office and several tents advertised as "hotels" by the base camp. Some young fellas was trying to sell fossils to me. The Himalayas were once submerged under the ocean while it was being formed, I bought some fossiles that could be millions of years old for a mere $5 U.S. bucks.

Tibet was so vast that after two and a half week journey, I've only scratched the surface. The friendly and religious people, the mystical and divine culture, and the amazing landscape made it an unforgettable experience.

Featured on Wedding Vow Magazine

Our photo with the beautiful bride Kim and groom TJ Van Haren is featured on the premier issue of the Wedding Vow magazine. The photo of the couple kissing was taken right after the ceremony at the Rose Garden in Kohl Mansion, Burlingame.

Click here to see their romance wedding held in a historic mansion.

Lighting Workshop

Today, I taught a basic lighting workshop to 20 photographers at my studio. What I learned back in college 20 years ago still applies today. The basic lighting techniques are so important that once you've learn the five basic ways to light your subjects, you can almost achieve any looks. The five basic lightings are broad, Rembrandt, butterfly, side, and rim.

On the top right photo, I was holding a magazine to demonstrate how the emulate the lighting from a magazine. And no, I wasn't holding a Playboy magazine.


Special thanks to Amy for being the model for the workshop. The photos above were some shots during the lighting demonstration. Click here to see the photos and notes from the workshop.

If you are interested in signing up for my next lighting workshop, please send me an email.

Something Different

How cool is that riding a motorcycle to the wedding? Hung and Jie got married at City Hall on Friday and had an unconventional reception at the Cigar Bar city lounge.

The couple ride together on the same motorcycle to work on weekdays, so riding the bike to their wedding made perfect sense!

Former Vice President Al Gore

Former U.S. Vice President and Nobel Laureat, author and Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature An Inconvenient Truth. Since his earliest days in the U.S. Congress 30 years ago, Gore has been the leading advocate for confronting the threat of global warming. His pioneering efforts were outlined in his best-selling book Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit (1992). He led the Clinton-Gore Administration's efforts to protect the environment in a way that also strengthens the economy.

I had the wonderful opportunity to have a brief conversation and photograph Al Gore at Deloitte's World Event at the San Jose Fairmont. I thanked Al Gore for elevating American's awareness of global warming and thought he made a difference in the history of mankind.

Deloitte World Event

Deloitte hosts a world event for their global branches at a different place in the world. This time it was held in the heart of Silicon Valley. What a wonderful opportunity to photograph a week long world event for Deloitte and meeting Major leaders.

Key people on the top row from left to right: James Quigley, CEO of Deloitte; John Hennessy, President of Stanford University; AnnaLee Saxenian, Dean of UC Berkeley; Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of Sun Microsystems; John Thompson, CEO of Symantec Corporation.

H.H. Karmapa U.S. visit

I was invited by Ocean of Merit for a rare opportunity to take photos of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa during his first U.S. visit in Woodstock, NY. H.H. Karmapa is the head of Kagyu linage - one of the four major schools n Tibetan Buddhism, and is equally important as H.H. Dalai Lama.

In the case of an enlightened being, rebirths are taken consciously, motivated by a desire to benefit all living beings and made possible by the depth and clarity of an individual's realization. The first such reincarnation (tulku) was recognized in thirteenth-century Tibet. His name was the Gyalwa Karmapa, "The Victorious One of Enlightened Activity." Thereafter, he continued to return, generation after generation, until the present seventeenth Karmapa. The Karmapa is said to embody the activity of all the buddhas of the past, present, and future. Citing ancient texts, traditional histories trace his lives back for eons and continue it forward into the distant future.

More photos can be seen here.

The man who worked for President Bush

President George W. Bush appointed Dr. David Brailer as the first National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and he served in this role from May 2004 through May 2006. Dr. Brailer oversaw the President's Executive Order, which called for widespread deployment of health information technology within ten years to help realize substantial improvements in safety and efficiency.

I was contacted by Jürgen Mantzke the creative director to photographer Dr. Brailer for a magazine and had only 30 minuets to shoot due to his busy schedule. Over the years, I've discovered that one of my greatest strengths is the ability to shoot fast and work under pressure. After scouting around the location, I came up with several ideas and delivered a good variety of images for the magazine in less than 20 minuets.

I asked how it was working with the President. Dr. Brailer said the President was hilarious and loved to tell great jokes when he was not in the office, and flying with the President on Air Force was an extraordinary experience.

French Laundry wedding - first and ever!

Located in Yountville, CA, the French Laundry was voted as number one in Zagat Guide and considered by many critics to be one of the best restaurants in the world.

For the first time in history, French Laundry now opens for wedding ceremony and reception. We are very honored to have photographed their very first wedding on May 1, 2008. Thanks to our lovely bride and groom May and Dave Allmon for having us capture their precious event.


Built in 1900 as a saloon that later became a French steam laundry, the rustic two-story stone cottage is surrounded by a country garden planted with vintage roses, perennials, seasonal herbs and vegetables.

The wedding theme was purple. It was the first time we've ever seen a purple wedding cake!


Our photographer Michael captured the entire wedding and had an unforgettable experience. Perhaps it was the air that was filled with the sweet scent of wine, perhaps the lovely and fun couple, and possibly the eye popping presentation of the tasty food, it was definitely an memorable event. Being the first wedding photographer ever to capture a wedding at such prestigious restaurant made it even more special!

Click here to see the wedding highlights.

Esquire's Best Dressed

Frank Troutman came in for full body shots for Esquire magazine for the "Best Dressed Real Man 2008". Frank was a lot fun to photograph. He was full of energy and has great body language. Looking forward to seeing him in the magazine.

More pregnancy shots

Mylinh and Billy was pregnant just a few days after their wedding! A honeymoon baby indeed. They came by for the baby in the belly session when the baby was just six months because the belly was already really big.

We shot the images with a fashion approach. I love human contact with bare skin as it shows intimacy and closeness. Click here to see the complete photos from the shoot.

I won "Print of the Month" in print competition

I entered "Catch me if you can" from a destination wedding I photographed for Christina and Tad in Kauai, Hawaii. The inspiration was actually from a perfume ad I saw in a magazine years ago. I often get fresh ideas from billboards and fashion magazines. To create this shot, I lined up the wedding party and told the bride to run away from the party, and had the groom and the bridal party chase after her. The result was a fun and spontaneous shot that’s different from the typical shots many would do.

"Print of the month" is awarded to the participant with the highest score in all print entries. Click here for PPGBA's April bulletin for details. Thanks to Leland Wong for providing the photo.

An UFO crashed into my shot!

I
The image is from a recent engagement portrait session with a lovely couple Ashley and Jeremy. The couple had just ordered their photos, so I was pulling out the images to print. Suddenly, I noticed there was a black spot on the photo, and I thought it was a bird. After I zoomed in to retouch it out, I was surprised to see an unidentified flying object. There were just a few people on the beach, and I was certain no one was playing frisbee. It would have been a huge frisbee based on the size and distance. No one was throwing anything into the ocean, as I would have noticed it in the background. It was neither a blimp nor a balloon. I took several shots within seconds of the same scene and it only appeared on one of the images. Click on the image to enlarge. What could it be?

Connie Tong - Model for a Day

Connie was a bridesmaid for her sister's wedding I captured last year. She wanted to take some high fashion modeling shots and booked me for a "Model for a Day" package.

The photo shoot was fun and she was very natural in front of the camera. She came to the studio with six outfits, and we took lots of great shots with all outfits in the two hour session.

Click here to see her music video from the shoot.

How lovely are these two little girls!

Cindy Stovall took her two little daughters in for a modeling session. They are so cute! While the big sister has already completed the modeling school, the young one really knew how to pose on her own like a model. I sure hope to see them on print ads!

Headshot session with actor Paul Leafstedt

Paul has already got a role in Sean Penn's upcoming film "Milk" when he came in for acting headshots. The film is about an American politician and gay rights activist, and the city supervisor of San Francisco who was assassinated in 1978.

Paul also stars in "Point Break Live" - an original concept and adaptation from the movie "Point Break" starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, and he has appeared in commerical. I think he really has the potiential as an actor and looking forward to seeing his films.

"Prego" portraits

When Te asked me to shoot her "prego" portraits, I thought she wanted take photos with the spaghetti sauce. Then I quickly figured out that it really meant "pregnancy", and so I did a sitting with her for the very trendy big tummy shots inspired by Demi Moore.

A model who lost 60 lbs is now in perfect shape

Can you believe from looking at these photos that model Chris Daniels was 60 lbs overweight not long ago? Chris, in his early 50's, recently shook off the excess weight by working out and eating right. When he was back in shape, he started noticing people was paying attention to him while walking on the street and shopping. Some have asked him if he were a model, and scouts from modeling agencies wanted to sign him up. Therefore, Chris decided to give modeling a chance and asked me to build his modeling portfolio.

This is an inspiring story that if one is persistent enough to lose weight, it is totally possible regardless of the age.

Flying on a small plane

My good friend Dave recently got his pilot license. He asked me to fly with him alone as the first passenger in his flight.

I know the slight risk involved and that my life would be in his hands up in the air. But I completely trusted him as he is one of the most cautious person I've known. After all, I am up for an adventure!

We flew from Palo Alto airport along the pacific coast toward San Francisco. The long narrow road above the sea is the soon to be closed hwy 1. This dangerous section is also known as devil's slide and is my favorite road for the breath-taking scenery.


Below the wings is Golden Gate Park sandwiched between the Sunset and Richmond District. We even flew over our home! Because of the turbulence, Dave decided not to fly over the Golden Gate Bridge. What a bummer!

WPPI Convention in Las Vegas

WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) is the largest wedding photography convention in the world. It is held once a year in Las Vegas. This convention is a must-go for all professional wedding photographers to keep up with the latest trends and products, as well as informative seminars spoken by famous photographers. As a member, I've attended WPPI for many years and was always overwhelmed with so many new products each year.


This year I am so excited to have discovered a new album company that custom binds hand made wedding albums with archival fiber paper. This is going to be a great news for my wedding couples who booked me for this year and 2009.


This is the annual print competition winners exhibition. My print titled "Hand to hand, heart to heart" has won the "Award of Excellent" award was displayed here among hundreds other talented photographers worldwide. My other print titled "Catch me if you can" won the second place in the "Best of Weddings" competition and was displayed in the convention.


I attended Dennis Reggis's seminar who is known as the "Father of wedding photojournalism". He has photographed many celebrities' wedding including JFK Jr. Dennis revolutionized the style of wedding in the late 90's by documenting weddings as a press and sport photographer. He never believed in posing the wedding couples, as it would be creating a "fantasy"for them. He wanted to capture weddings the realistic way instead of seeking perfection in the images. I do agree with his points in capturing the story. However, if I see my bride's lipstick become smeared or when the dress is messy, I'd fix it. My philosophy is beauty and perfection are equally as important as realism.

New York Wedding at Studio 450

Michael and I flew to NYC to shoot film maker Emily and Italian shoe maker Joshua's heavenly matched wedding on March 1, 2008.

The girls were getting ready at the W Hotel in Time Square. On the way out to the limo, I asked the bridal party to hold hands and walk on the street for a "Sex and the City" look. What a great timing as the street wasn't crowded at that moment.

The wedding was held at a chic and contemporary venue at Studio 450 in Manhattan on the top floor. Here you can see the signing of ketubah - a traditional Jewish pre-wedding ceremony.

A popular place for fashion shows, Studio 450 is all white from floor to ceiling. The pink lighting really add a touch of elegance yet delightful mood. The vivid color of pink would've been a nightmare for color balance on most cameras, but my faithful Fuji S5 Pro captured the color so realistically. No color correction was needed at all.

I love the cake and the floral projection on the wall. On every layer of the cake, the words "I do..." was written all around.

The wedding planner Xochit Gonzales of Always a Bridesmaid must've been quite impressed with our photography. After viewing the wedding highlights slideshow, she asked us to fly back to shoot a wedding at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center in September. That's a dream venue to photograph!

To see the wedding highlights, click here www.kurtyphotography.com/emilyandjoshua