studio 3511 photography

Test...

2011-05-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since Noah and Sammi have gone... But we are gearing up for another trip so keep a lookout for our posts starting June 6th!

new blog up and running

2010-03-25T11:37:00.001-07:00

hi-
please change all links and come see the new blog/webpage at

www.studio3511.com

let me know what you think! thanks.

wedding album pages

2010-03-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

a few images from the next album...

new blog & site

2010-03-22T23:08:00.001-07:00

new blog and site coming soon....
will keep you posted on the details. email me if you want to be notified of the changes!

hams

2010-03-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

trying to keep my kids out of trouble at the first hawaiian bank, the ray yoshida opening, we went outside for a bit and took some photos...

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: the professional photographer

2010-03-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

i've noticed a lot of trends during these rough economic times, and one of them, really isn't a good one. people are trying to cut back and have great weddings, i believe it can be done, but don't cut out your photographer in favor of a good friend or uncle bill, who owns a camera and has taken some pictures before! it is like getting your photographs printed at costco vs. the professional labs. (see here)
they will come out all right, but it really does pay to have someone with experience be there to capture your most intimate and precious moments. you can't go back and redo them!

photographers run the whole gammut and you can choose from artsy/haute couture to documentary and somewhere in between. prices run the whole wide range as well.... pick someone who shares your vision in the wedding: extravagant, elegant and simple, artsy and wild... and pay them for their services. great vision and beautiful photographs don't have to cost an arm and a leg! email for my price list

tcm- ray yoshida exhibition- first hawaiian bank

2010-03-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

the opening for the ray yoshida memorial exhibition opened last nite down at the contemporary museum's gallery in the first hawaiian bank tower. wonderful family gathering, and a lot of beautiful artwork. try to get down and see this show.

2010-03-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: the masseuse

2010-03-10T22:06:00.000-08:00

i was lucky, privileged and humbled to take photographs at her wedding a few years ago, and after a few years of study, daya is now both a doula and a amazing masseuse. now, hopefully you won't need her services as a doula right away, but keep that in the back of your mind. a doula is someone who helps you during those painful and crazy hours of childbirth. A Doula is someone who is informed of the physical, emotional, and mental processes of labor & birth, advocates for the mom when she doesn't understand the procedures doctors are suggesting, helps with position changes, imagery, anything to help you achieve the type of birth you want.

her massage skills come in handy then, but especially now, with all the stress upon you with the wedding planning- or with the daily stresses of everyday life, work & play. i have had her work on the sore spots and i felt amazing afterwards, and a day after as well. she knows all the latest techniques, can do deep tissue, lomi lomi, trigger point release, lymphatic drainage, even cranial sacral (which is what i tried- and it was brilliant!) she practices out in kailua- the drive back over the pali has never been so amazingly green, tranquil and calming!!

please find more information on her website, dayaakina.com

the P family at HAA

2010-03-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

what a great day saturday turned out to be, even though there was a threat of a tsunami and we were all glued to the tv sets, i was able to get out and take pictures with the P family. what's a little tsunami threat when you got pictures to pose for???

this is the 2nd time i've gotten to work with the P family- its amazing how much they have grown up in a few short months. love the new poses, smiles and laughter... few pictures to share below. enjoy your week.

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: the hair stylist- mimi

2010-03-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

so i have to post about how cool and awesome my hair stylist is. her name is mimi, and she works at the marsha nadalin salon at kahala mall. she is fabulous, has great hair herself - love it when its pink or blue- but knows hair, the different types of hair, and how a simple, easy cut works on your head. i was talking with 3-4 other friends, who were raving about their own hair stylist- and it turns out we all have the same one! and all of us have very different hair- wavy, thick, thin, long, short- mimi makes us all look great.
(and the best part is, even though she works at marsha nadalin, she doesn't charge marsha nadalin prices)
check her out. tell her we sent you!

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds: professional prints vs. costco prints

2010-02-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

nothing like a tsunami warning to cancel your days plans, and let you catch up with things! i've been meaning to post about professional prints for a while. i had an experience in which my local costco did not live up to its billing. up until now, i have been happy with the quality and pricing of prints from costco and even longs. support our local photography labs, ya know? but i had a photo that just wasn't coming out as brilliant as on my screen. (now, there is that whole thing about your monitor being off color from your prints, but mine is calibrated and pretty accurate and this is a whole 'nother story...)
luckily costco has a return policy on their photos. if you are not happy, for any reason, you can return it with your receipt and get a refund.

i sent the picture off to the professional lab that i use on the mainland and the results were amazingly different. more brilliant, better clarity. i urge you to use professional labs to print your images that you will be displaying, or giving as gifts. the cost is somewhat higher than costco, and often times, you will have to order through a professional (me) but the images and photographs are worth it. i knew this was the case, but it has been reaffirmed. please let me know how i can help your images be better!

gallery wraps

2010-02-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

new and the rage... these are high quality, canvas wraps without the thickness. easy to hang on your wall and very cool...

the contemporary museum- elizabeth berdann, judy fox, fay ku and allison schulnik

2010-02-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

another great opening at the contemporary museum in makiki, and artists from new york are in the house!
fay ku will be here for the next 3 months, conducting workshops and talking to school groups- part of the museum has turned into her studio space as well. you are invited to stop by, chat, check things out.
for more information on the artists and their works, please visit the contemporary museums website for more info about the artists and the new exhibitions - here.

Tidbits: hawaii wedding finds, tips & ideas- the wedding planner

2010-02-15T09:26:00.000-08:00

i have had the honor of working with one of the great wedding planners in honolulu. susan o'donnell and aloha wedding planners can take the stress out of planning and help find great services that fit your needs for your special day. she will work until every last detail is perfect and you are satisfied. she is honest, helpful, and a blessing to work with. give her a call now!
alohaweddingplanners.com or (808)943-2711

tidbits: hawaii wedding finds, tips & ideas- the good tailor

2010-02-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

so i had to start looking around for a tailor, and it hit me that probably a lot of other people (and brides) are too. if you are planning a wedding, you are also looking for a florist, photographer, reception site...
i know a few things here and there, and will start posting little tidbits, things i wished i knew before my own wedding, things that i have found over the years that are cool thoughts for making your wedding special. if you have a request, please let me know and i'll look into it, otherwise please sign up so you can get tidbits sent to you when i post them- will try for 1 a week...

so for my first tidbit is a good tailor. linda's alterations, on king st. on the left hand side, after keeamoku.
very polite and helpful, she is hemming my new (and too long) banana republic pants for $11 each ($20 for a cuffed ones) and will have them ready in 5 days. she also specializes in wedding alterations. ideas for wedding dresses: next post. :)

my philosophy

2010-02-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

happy february 1st to everyone! hope all of you had a great weekend, and are ready for the 2nd month! hope all the brides out there have had some time to sort through all the info at the bridal show- someone asked me my philosophy behind how and why i shoot... here's what i've been thinking about...

starting up my own company began after my own search for a wedding photographer a long time ago...(can you believe that this march will make 10 years?!?!??gets better everyday too. :)

but i digress. back to the philosophy- i was on a budget (and still am) and couldn't find any great rocking, artistic, responsible photographers in our price range. (we did find a great one though, and are still great friends with her)

i resolved that i would be a great, artistic, responsible, fast photographer that was affordable. great service, artistic photos, quick turn around, laid back yet able to focus people to the photographs ahead. i love taking photographs and would do it all for free if i could.... but can't- still have mouths to feed... and i believe that photography should be affordable. being on a budget doesn't mean that you have to skip and skimp on quality, professionalism and beauty. i am able to give you everything you need from a dependable, artistic photographer AND i know of others in the business who feel the same way and can help you get your ideas going. it shouldn't cost an arm, a leg, two brain scans and three years worth of medication to pay for great services! give a call, lets talk about your wedding and how i can make it be remembered with style, grace, love, fun and smiles.

hawaii bridal expo show specials

2010-01-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

good morning-
looking forward to 2 more days of meeting all you great brides and grooms over at the hawaii bridal expo at the blaisdell. come by and say hi- booth B 32 (ish) (they moved me down a few, near the snack bar)
and sign up soon!

SHOW SPECIAL- get $150 off the paris and casablanca packages if you book (and put retainer fee down) by valentines day.

Also- if you happen to be my 15th booking for this year, get $300 off a paris or casablanca package! Sorry, can't tell you where i am on the list- but please go for it, and i am looking forward to working with all the great couples i met last nite, and today and tomorrow! aloha.

wedding wire member

2010-01-19T22:41:00.000-08:00

hey all-
i've joined the ranks of wedding wire, a website that you can go and find vendors for your wedding! please stop by and write a great review if you can? i would really appreciate it. something i can improve on? please let me know too.

of course, the Oahu Wedding Association is one of the best sites you need to use if you are here locally and want the very best professionals on the island. most of us travel off island too. :)

check em out- be sure to tell them i sent you!

pearl city urban gardens

2010-01-19T12:52:00.000-08:00

i went with my son on a field trip to the pearl city urban gardens. what a great place! it is connected with the university of hawaii and volunteers and people who want to become master gardeners can go and take classes and grow things to share... they had a hawaiian garden, a pizza garden, and some great ideas for growing herbs... gotta get out there and start working on our own gardens now!!

M & J's wedding blessing at kaimana beach

2010-01-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

the voggy skies weren't grey enough to keep the brilliant colors away for a small, beautiful hawaiian blessing for M and J over at kaimana beach this past weekend! they recently moved back here, and had a the 'real' wedding in germany. but because M's tutu couldn't make it, they had this small ceremony here! it was short- but so full of emotions and love with family and friends- a great way to start off the new year.

thanks so much to KM for the referral and i'm looking forward to seeing you at the bridal expo on jan 22-24!
booth B32.

the D family

2010-01-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

happy new year!
a few photos from a big family photo shoot... its pretty awesome to see everyone in one place again, once all the kids have grown up, moved away, and now have kids of their own. beautiful families. bit hard to keep the focus, but that turned out for a bunch of great shots that can be put into a small sequence to tell the story... love these kinds of shots. have a great thursday.

2010- a great year for weddings- bridal expo coming up!

2010-01-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

happy new year again! it sure did go by quickly... and the new year will be passing by just as quick!

looking forward to your beautiful wedding in 2010!

i will be at the upcoming bridal expo, at the blaisdell, jan 22-24- so please stop by and say hello.
i already have a few weddings for 2010, so please add yours onto the list before it fills up- specials if you book before valentines day!

little J and C in San Francisco!

2010-01-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

one of the last photo shoots from 2009, i had a nice vacation up in san francisco and met up for some family fun pictures. aren't they sooooo cute?? it was great fun to get shots of bridges, coats, and other san francisco stuff- little different than the beautiful beaches we have here!! thanks for having me guys- good luck with the mini van and baby #3!!

happy new year!!

2010-01-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

a very festive bonne annee to all- hope you didn't get too smoked out last nite- but had lots of fireworks, friends, family, cheer & food!!
here is to a great 2010- well wishes from our family to yours. aloha.

merry christmas

2009-12-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

wishing you and yours lots of happiness and peace this holiday season.
hope you got what you wanted

the M family at the sandys tidepools

2009-12-14T15:33:00.001-08:00

a beautiful 'wintery' morning in hawaii- with brilliant blue skies and a gorgeous sunrise... i was lucky to spend it out at the tidepools with the M family- little M and her brother, L, are adorable!!!
we spent some time looking for shells- and a few photos with the dolphins- a very happy holidays to all of you. i am off to california for a week, catch up with you in jan 2010!

hanging outside the honolulu academy of arts

2009-12-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

so we tried to finally get our own christmas photos done, and we met up with some friends down at the honolulu academy of arts, only to discover that it was CLOSED so they could get ready for their holiday party! aaaggh... of course my kids were making funny faces and grumpy the whole time... but we got some great shots of our friends! D, K & K- thanks so much for taking time out of your day to come help us. you guys are the best.

we will try again another day. life with kids.

biking to waimea and back again

2009-12-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

a picture from the honolulu advertiser... (i'm wearing my helmet!) checked out the waves today at waimea- pretty awesome stuff! super crowded. huge waves. great rides. go eddie go. thanks debbie for driving and lending me the bike!

the T girls at makapuu lookout

2009-12-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

the weather was gorgeous yesterday- it made for great pictures up at makapuu lookout!

i've been lucky enough to follow these girls since they were very, very tiny. and now they are all grown up, tall, majestic, beautiful, and able to ham it up for the camera as well. a photographer's dream come true!

little R's family pictures at kahala beach

2009-12-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

and now back to more serious stuff....

got a break in the weather on monday with a great little family shoot at kahala beach. thanks to little R and his family for some great photos. can't wait to meet his little sister!!

have a wonderful weekend... enjoy the blue skies, great waves & hang out with your family!!

4 days till LOST comes out on DVD

2009-12-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

hi-
just letting you know that season 5 comes out on DVD on Dec 8th!!
can't wait.... just finished watching season 4. have to catch up so we are ready for season 6 in feb.
:)

the Y family and the banyan tree

2009-11-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

happy sunday.... it was a great long weekend of fun, family and food... rested and ready to get back to work tomorrow! although i've been working here and there to get pictures ready for families...

a few fun ones in a tunnel, banyan tree and some with ferns...

i love it when kids are 'hams' although i'm not sure the moms love it all that much... but it is a great memory of them when they get older and don't smile anymore!

the M family at kakaako

2009-11-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

the wind slowed for a tiny bit yesterday morning, and the blues of the sky came sparkling through. it turned even better with the smiles from the M family. i've had the pleasure of taking pictures of these girls for a few years now- and it is so awesome to see them get bigger, their smiles larger, and their manners spot on! a beautiful family and we even got a great rainbow for the background! they brought a pink beanbag and flower for some shots, and it was perfect.

<--this one is my FAVORITE one

Z and the banyan tree at kapiolani park

2009-11-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

i had the pleasure of a monday afternoon shoot with little Z and mom and dad. they are awesome people with huge smiles and lots of laughter. i had fun. dad thought that swinging on the banyan tree would be fun, maybe more fun for dads, as it often goes- but Z will remember this one for a long time- i'm sure!

thanksgiving... catching up with B at sandy's... and big thank you to YOU

2009-11-27T17:59:00.001-08:00

i hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving with lots of pies, family, friends, sleep... think i had a little too much pie and sleep, and i've fallen behind on the family photo shoots.

huge thanks goes out to all of you who i have been fortunate enough to photograph- thanks so much for all the kind words, referrals & becoming new friends! i look forward to many more years of watching all these wonderful families and couples grow.

a few photos from last weekends shoot out at sandys- caught up with an old friend from paddling and love seeing how big and beautiful the kids are now.... kili, the pup- was a delight too. ok- off for more turkey leftovers and to work on today's photo shoots! will post again soon.

prom nite at sergio's

2009-11-24T09:40:00.000-08:00

its too bad that sergio's (in the old sam choy's space on kapahulu) is closing. the food was awesome and the staff very friendly and helpful. i guess the good news is that they are changing the concept and will open again in jan...

but before they do close their doors, they honored all their reservations and a party saturday nite - and held prom nite again for the class of '64. people brought in their high school photos and other memorabilia and i took 'prom' photos as they went in. threw in a frame for added fun- turned out to be a great nite for all.
these photos are available at www.studio3511photography.smugmug.com

the F family at kulamanu

2009-11-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

so how cute are the shoes and the polka dotted dresses? they are such a cute family, and i loved how the girls stood out with the blue of the sky and the yellow of the sand. i had fun with them... thanks for braving the high tide and the sand! more photos on the studio 3511 photography FB page.

you in video!!

2009-11-18T17:01:00.001-08:00

so check out the latest with what we can do with your photos after the photo shoot....

don't forget that we can also do albums, books, canvas wraps (think big wall size pictures on canvas!!)
and christmas cards too!

the H family at kakaako

2009-11-17T15:06:00.000-08:00

so we got lucky and the rain stopped and the blue skies came out for little a and r.
they are super cute- and were great photo subjects!

enhanced pictures

2009-11-17T14:28:00.001-08:00

a few photos from the B family at makapu'u-
isn't it amazing how the photo changes when it goes black and white or the colors get enhanced? i love them!!

the B family at makapuu

2009-11-16T20:49:00.000-08:00

so the rain and wind didn't really cooperate with us this weekend, but we were able to go out and get a few shots in between squalls and the heavy showers. yea! winter is upon us! love the cooler temps and wind- but BOO for it messing up my family photo schedules!!

makapuu was cool, the sea was a crazy kinda turquoise- and mixed with the stormy greys with bits of blue, it made for some cool backdrops. wind could have been a bit less though! the B family are some great people- good friends of ours- and i had a great time taking pictures out there with them.

the contemporary museum- 20 going on 21

2009-11-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

the museum has a great exhibit up now- the gallery is packed full of items out of the museum's collections with lots of donated gifts as well. there is a bit of everything for everyone, and some great pieces for the kids too.

at the opening, the museum also got a great gift from the mayor's office of culture and the arts, (shared graciously by michael pili pang) the season of giving is still going on strong- and with the holidays right around the corner, just a reminder to myself- that giving this year would be a very nice gift to others. hope you can donate something little, some time, some food items, clothing, anything that can make it nice for someone else! the essence of the holiday season, i think.... stay dry today... the rain and clouds have been messing up some of my family photo shoots!

christmas card designs

2009-11-10T15:21:00.001-08:00

a few more ideas for holiday and christmas cards.
colors & text are customized especially for you!

M family in the backyard

2009-11-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

had another great photo session with a wonderful family and the girls are soooooo cute!!
had fun in the backyard. you would be surprised at the great photos you can find around your own home! just some greenery, a swing set, benches, walls, you name it. we can get some great photos.
mahalo nui to the M family for allowing me to come to their home!

original holiday card designs

2009-11-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

the holidays are right around the corner.

get those family pictures taken AND get the designs for your own original christmas cards here! based on your photograph, and your choice of colors, fonts, ideas, i can create a card design for you that no one else will be sending out.
$35plus tax
a few samples below:)

M at the beach

2009-11-05T22:13:00.000-08:00

a great fun filled weekend of halloween activities kept going with a few more family photo shoots. took me a while to get the photos all processed- thanks to M and her parents- what a beautiful family, and i love how every photo shoot is different. Its the same behind the ilikai beach as the C family down at the beach- but M loved the hibiscus flowers and sand (she's about 15 months old) and everything was new and different! i love always trying to get new photos & shots that way.
and super special thanks to her parents for indulging me and trekking out onto the rock wall jetty!

happy halloween

2009-11-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

so we had a few parties to go hang out at- thanks to everyone who wanted to play with us! a few photos from the university of hawaii's childrens center halloween party.... more on the facebook page.
hope you guys get a chance to recover today! great parties and great friends. thanks to everyone.

holiday $48 family portrait gift special

2009-10-28T00:40:00.000-07:00

introducing a new way to give the gift of photos to your favorite people in your life.

this $48 gift special buys you the normal family photo sitting time of 20 minutes, in a location in town. 2 8x10 pictures chosen by the photographer (me) will also be given to the family and all the images will be posted to a webpage that your recipient can view. they can then buy all the images on a cd for an additional $55 or buy additional individual images.

its a way to give more without breaking the bank. of course, you can still buy the full package at $85 and save a little- gift certificates are available- got a question? please email me for either package- dates are filling up quickly! special lasts till the end of this year. (2009!!)

nicole [at] studio3511 [dot] com

the C family down at kaiser's

2009-10-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

had another great family to play and take pictures with, and we got lucky enough towards the end of the shoot where a few japanese tourist girls came up and gave the kids (4 & 1.5) some balloons! arigato.
it was a lot of fun, and once warmed up- we got some great shots running and playing on the beach.

baby A at the beach

2009-10-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

happy monday to everyone. i hope you had a great weekend with friends and family. ours was quite busy. i had the pleasure of working with a family all the way from maui! they were here visiting for the weekend and we met down at the beach behind the ilikai to grab a few photos. she is adorable, and i tried to get some great shots of how tiny she is- cause when they turn 4 & 7.... its hard to remember how itty bitty they once were!

kid photos

2009-10-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

lots happening, and have started to be so busy that i've forgotten to take my camera around to my own children's events and take pictures of them! yikes... in an attempt to get back to those beginning years of millions and millions of pictures....

t & the beach

2009-10-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

who can't get enough of my cutest little nephew... so a few more shots down at kahala...

a and the sand at kahala beach

2009-10-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

what a wonderful weekend it was, and i had the great pleasure of taking photos of A and his mom and dad. he was very much interested in the birds and water, and after a moments hesitation, took off over the sand. we got some great shots playing in the shower... hope you like them as much as i do. have a great tuesday.

the contemporary museum- hiroki, setsuko & miho morinoue

2009-10-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

the contemporary museum had an opening thursday evening down at the first hawaiian center. the morinoue family, from the big island, brought over lots of energy, fun & some great artwork. painting, ceramics, installation work is all represented- its a good show. check it out!

portraits of hawaii- opening nov 6th- hilo

2009-10-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

please stop by and check out the event- or check it out online.
noah and i got a photo accepted to this year's faces of hawaii book.

cheers

2009-10-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

cheers.... have a great weekend & extra day off if you got it!

drinks at town

family pictures, holiday cards

2009-10-09T01:08:00.000-07:00

lotsa extra projects going on here at studio 3511 photography.... design & couple shoots for some cool companies.

thanks to all the families who are on the ball for their holiday pictures! i'm excited to meet up with you soon and take pictures.

the feet photo is something i am considering for our own family photo.... ok. just joking mom...

there is still time and space to sign up for your family photos- no feet- unless you want some- i promise....
www.studio3511.com

happy birthday KTUH and listen to the science of soul

2009-10-09T00:59:00.001-07:00

so KTUH is one of my favorite stations to listen to. a great variety of music & not too many annoying commercials. thanks to c & a for putting me on a table with their DJ for the nite. turns out that he's also a DJ at KTUH- so check out his show- thursday nites, 6-9pm. which is cool, cause he told me that his show was friday mornings from 6-9am. i like the pm way better...
but the professa is also a great DJ for your next wedding, party or gathering. check him out. great tunes. great person to talk with at dinner, knows a lot. nice guy too.

family p at kahala beach

2009-10-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

happy sunday. we did a family photo shoot at the beach with the cutest little kids. such great smiles and blonde, blonde heads... we actually met them through baseball & had a great picnic dinner afterwards. love watching the kids just fool around!

wedding! a & c over at the moana & leahi park

2009-09-26T10:17:00.001-07:00

good morning! a fabulous wedding i attended last week... wonderful people, lots of champagne, laughter, and love. they started out at the moana and rode trolleys over to leahi park, where they had a great little ceremony under the archways... and returned to the moana surfrider for drinks & dinner at the beachhouse restaurant. and might i add what an awesome little place that is... food is great, view is spectacualar, and with the wedding party in full swing with dancing- the place was festive and loud!
my sincere thanks for letting me be a part of the day. i had a great time.

stroller strides- kapiolani park

2009-09-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

happy wednesday
a few photos from the stroller strides grand opening last friday at kapiolani park. it was a big success and a great turnout! congratulations to michelle- head on out to visit them.... it is a good workout and there were even a few ladies there who didn't have strollers! check out their website for class times. strollerstrides.com

ok! hope you have time to get out and workout!

thank YOU!

2009-09-21T12:28:00.001-07:00

i just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's entrusted their photos to me. I LOOVE taking photos- and every new shoot is a great opportunity to be creative & have fun with new friends (YOU!) so, thanks a whole lot. Please keep the photo sessions coming! Refer a friend, a wedding couple, a family... extras for you included!
Happy monday.
Photos coming from C & A soon....

cats!

2009-09-17T15:57:00.001-07:00

a friend of ours was housesitting about 7 baby kittens from a animal shelter where they volunteer. i thought they were so cute... had to take a picture or two. problem was, kittens don't like their pictures taken! (kinda like kids....)
but i liked these.

old couches opportunities

2009-09-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

hope you all had a great weekend. we got to spend it camping out at bellows... and i have never seen so many centipedes ever! it seemed like they were everywhere... but this isn't about camping or centipedes.

i've had an idea for a while now, and was hoping you can help me out. i love all the retro couches and fabrics you see at stores like macys, cole haan, nordstroms- and i know lots of you have great couches or single chairs out there too. i think they would make great backdrops for family or wedding photo shoots. so bring one along to our next shoot- or let me know if you have an old single one in still good condition that i can borrow occasionally (it can't be heavy, and its gotta fit in the back of my passat)

we found this one down the road and i had to get the kids to take a photo with it....
so if worse comes to worse, we can just cruise before bulk pick up day and find some great scenes to shoot along side the roads of honolulu!

stroller strides- kapiolani park

2009-09-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

great morning to you-

i am so pleased to announce that i am business of the month for stroller strides. for those of you who don't know what i am talking about, stroller strides is a fitness group that goes around kapiolani park, (there is even a group out in hawaii kai) with their strollers & babies and they get a great workout in, while meeting other new moms, and get to get out in the sunshine for a while to melt all the stress away. michelle, the new owner, is having a grand opening on friday, september 18, 10am. the class is free, i'll be down there taking some photos, and there will be prizes and giveaways and all sorts of specials. come down even if you aren't a mom!

here is some more info:
stroller stride classes

if you want more info, contact michelle
or go to www.strollerstrides.com

eat local hawaii

2009-09-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

so i am working with a friend of mine who is very interested in getting hawaii to be more sustainable and to grow our own foods.
the new blog site is www.eatlocalhawaii.wordpress.com we would love for you to take a peek- and give us any tips, recipes or advice on how we can all eat locally.

the site is a newborn, so check back often & weigh in. lots of other great sites we hope to link up with in the near future.
happy tuesday.

the p family at the fountain at kapiolani park

2009-09-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

so here is a super cute family- and i had a lot of fun taking photos with them at the beginning of this labor day weekend. trees are an excellent source of fun & photographs! maybe i need to get my kids to climb, so i'll get more smiles...

i was also interested in the history of the fountain. i found out that it was dedicated to walter dillingham's wife, louise gaylord dillingham- who once lived where la pietra school for girls now stands. way too much info to put into this post, but for some great background history on the area-
check out wikipedia (here) or another great version for hawaii history-
a site by local artist gaye chan- downwind productions (here)

hope your holiday weekend was grand. have a great week.

north shore- matsumotos

2009-09-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

so we couldn't leave the north shore without the famous matsumoto's shave ice... and a couple photos.
we now get smart and eat our shave ice first, when heading out there- the line is only to the door at 10am, as opposed to down the street at 1pm... of course, kids are all pumped up on shave ice, but then to get to the beach and let them swim it off is great.

have a great labor day weekend.

hydroponic lettuce

2009-08-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

hi there-
a bit of a different stretch here, don't normally talk about lettuce, but we've been trying to start growing a garden with lettuce, tomatoes, herbs. we even started a worm bin to compost bits of food leftover from dinner. of course, i have a hard time battling the bugs, the soil levels & whatnots, but i did want to tell you i came across a way to grow lettuce in your home and hopefully without the bugs!

ray kosaka and his wife janet are up at the manoa marketplace, farmers market on thursdays and sundays. they grow their own lettuce, hydroponically, and without pesticides. the lettuce tastes brilliant, fresh from the field, well, from the water jug... and it is also easy to grow. he sells kits, that let you set up seedlings, putting them in a 1 gallon jug, with nutrients, and bam- you let it go and in 6 weeks, you start harvesting your lettuce! the lettuce does well in indirect sunlight and away from the wind- i.e. a windowsill or countertop. go check out his stuff... and i'll let you know how the lettuce tastes in 6 weeks!
happy thursday.

n & s at surf & sea haleiwa

2009-08-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

so for the last day of summer before starting school, i took my kids out to the north shore for shave ice & beach time.
of course, i told them we'd have to take a couple photos first...

what do you do when your kids don't want to smile for you?
still working on it, but shave ice sure does help!

m & b at anela gardens - part 2

2009-08-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

a few more photos:

m & b at anela gardens

2009-08-26T00:38:00.001-07:00

so last friday, the sun was out & brilliant, the sky was amazingly blue and m & b got married at anela gardens (big thanks to tom who runs the show over there). it was beautiful... they were so cute together... big thanks to susan from aloha wedding planners who brought in reverend nelson, who was fabulous, and beautiful music by kelly... it was a great evening to be a part of. they couldn't stop kissing!!!! love it!!

little t

2009-08-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

so its been a while, and i apologize, the last bit of summer before school starts- hanging out with the kids.
lots of sand stuck in their hair & pockets, despite all the sunscreen and UV protective shirts, they are pretty dark...
but its been fun... and a bit stressful... one week to go before everyone goes back to school.

anyways, little t is my new nephew! took this shoot a couple weeks ago, but couldn't quite get around to posting the awesome images. can't wait till he can sit up on his own & start walking... already started on the rice cereal and poi!! time sure goes by fast... his cousins love him.

does this work??

2009-08-07T14:44:00.001-07:00

r & a at waimanalo bay- chinatown (part 4)

2009-08-06T01:09:00.000-07:00

ok. did i tell you how much these guys rock? they have a small party for out of town friends & family at thirtynine hotel.
AND they let me walk them around chinatown in the dark, taking pictures AND giving out the leftover bentos from the morning to the homeless people around chinatown. how's that for cool? (especially that last part!) oh- and they made EVERYBODY (me too) wear white...
here are my favorites...

r & a at waimanalo bay- pics (part 3)

2009-08-04T14:55:00.001-07:00

oh... there are so many photos to choose from... over 1400 taken, whittled it down so far to about 1200....
here are a few from the beach... keep reading for the chinatown & thirtynine hotel shots next!! those are cool....
so much thanks goes out to r & a for going along with my goofy, hairball ideas for picture takings....
please email me if you'd like to see more pictures- or head on over to facebook. studio 3511 photography.
:)

r & a at waimanalo bay- ceremony (part 2)

2009-08-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

the ceremony was lovely on the beach at waimanalo. they had 3 ministers 'tag teaming' the ceremony- all with wonderful words of love and encouragement, all funny, with family and guest surrounding them in a circle of chairs & bodies. they even had a rock & sand ceremony- a is from the east coast, so on a recent trip, they brought back sand, and in this ceremony, combined it with hawaii sand to represent their new family blending together. r's song & hula- the whole thing brought tears to my eyes...

r & a at waimanalo bay- pre wedding photos (part 1)

2009-08-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

good morning-
a few photos to post from the guys session at waimanalo bay beach park. the family is from florida & lots of friends from rhode island. all the way out here in the pacific now! it was amazing & a great group of guys.

westin's moana lani spa visit

2009-08-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

what a fabulous weekend. was blessed to be a small part of an amazing wedding on saturday- pictures to come- and got to take some great shots of my little nephew on sunday! but what sealed the deal was the wonderful launch party i was invited to later sunday afternoon. the pacific edge magazine in partners with the westin moana surfrider hotel, the moana lani spa (at the hotel), and martini rossi are kicking off a new rose asti spumante. how? some great food, free drink & a complimentary massage!
its a pretty good little pink bubbly drink... and the spa rocks.

what really rocks is that there is a limited time coupon for $40 off any treatment... and the normal prices are reasonable with a 50 minute massage going for $120. ask for eddie. he'll get the knots out.
click here for the coupon.

thanks again to naomi giambrone from pacific edge magazine. i loved it. can we do it again?
happy monday.

k family's new arrival!- part 2

2009-07-29T19:44:00.001-07:00

these are the pictures with mommy...(and daddy) but how does she look so good with 4 kids?????? amazing!!!! i didn't start looking decent until... um, maybe i haven't quite reached that yet...:)
wishing them all the best & looking forward to more pics in a couple of months!

k family's new arrival!

2009-07-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

the littlest of the k family was born about 3 weeks ago, and she is a cutie. it was hard to pick just 5 (ok, 10) pictures to share with you... if you are on facebook- look up studio 3511 photography for more pics with the family & aunty. everybody wanted a picture with their little sister! absolutely amazing how life begins so tiny... my own daughter turns 4 today... and i just don't even remember her being so small! it goes by so fast...
happy wednesday.

the pacific edge magazine spot

2009-07-29T01:14:00.000-07:00

hi all-
i've got an ad in the pacific edge magazine- check it out on page 75

wedding album pages

2009-07-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

hi all-
sorry for the lack of posts lately. been working on a wedding album, and just realized that i haven't really shared any of these with you guys. so here are a couple pages from the latest wedding album, some photos you might recognize from the j hearts j wedding photo shoot about a month ago.

most of the albums can be completely designed by you & me working together. (color schemes, graphic embellishments, choice of photos) and with the wide range of sizes, covers & other options from great album companies, we can get you some stylish & fun wedding albums as soon as the honeymoon's over & your ready to get back to work! (well, do the thank you notes first) :)

a quick hello to all the brides from the bridal expo- i look forward to working with you on your own album soon!
aloha. happy saturday.
nicole

happy birthday tutu!

2009-07-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

so i had a fun family photo shoot in the japanese gardens behind the conference center at the university of hawaii.
it was their gift to tutu, who's birthday is fast approaching. (who's wanted family photos for a while now...hint, hint)
what a beautiful setting & a great family, their youngest son went to preschool with my son, and its cool to see them a couple years later, all grown up!
i hope tutu likes the pictures & comes back soon!

the contemporary museum opening- yoshihiro suda & michael arcega

2009-07-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

was a grand thursday nite opening at the contemporary museum with artists yoshihiro suda and michael arcega taking over the museum and the monkeypod trees on the grounds. lots of great food, friends, art and lots of questions! enjoy the photos- and please take a moment to go look.

refer 5- get one family photography shoot free

2009-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

hi all-

to get ready for the upcoming christmas season- refer (or buy) 5 family photography sessions- and get one free!
here are the details:

a family photography session is:
20 minutes at a location in town
all images on CD (high resolution) for you to print out
$85
please remind your friends to mention your name!

let me know if you have any questions- they make great gifts & its a good start for the holiday greeting cards- which we can also customize for you!
happy saturdays....

artspree - july 11, 2009

2009-07-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

hi all-

i'm suggesting that you take some time off tomorrow & head up to the contemporary museum for its annual free artspree.
there are shuttles from punahou school, starting at 10am, and they'll take you up to the museum. (day ends at 4pm)
there are art activities & performances for the kids & adults- and some great food from the cafe. i'll be around there from 11-1 taking pictures, so come & get your photo taken!

for more info:
www.tcmhi.org

the k family - part 2

2009-07-09T09:19:00.001-07:00

sorry- not so tech savvy & can't figure out how to post more than 5 photos at a time... if anyone knows... please let me know.
couple more for the k family.

the k family & the plumeria tree

2009-07-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

what do you get when you get 3 excited kids together with a huge pile of rocks, a plumeria tree (which they aren't allowed to climb) & a photographer who says they can?

lots of fun at a morning photo family shoot!
we had lots of fun climbing in the front yard & getting some great pictures. went out back for more, went inside for some great shots (in between watching tv, of course!) and even busted out the surfboards for a couple final family shots. thanks to the k family for a great morning & such cute faces! can't wait to welcome baby k to the world in the next couple of days.

happy 4th!

2009-07-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

hope you all had a great, exciting, fun & safe 4th of july.... and safe from the smoke!!!

ihilani- j hearts j (part 2)

2009-06-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

and a few more photos from the grounds of the ihilani hotel, where they had their reception.
it was quite beautiful because mom & daughter both were talented and brave to get up and sing for everyone! it was quite amazing.

lanikuhonua- j hearts j! (part 1)

2009-06-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

it was such a beautiful day out at lanikuhonua.... i'll just let the pictures speak for themselves. the smiles were flowing... the energy was amazing... thanks to j & j & their families for allowing me to take such great photos!

romantic pick me ups

2009-06-24T20:46:00.000-07:00

hi all-
the romantic wedding summer has begun... and love is all around. something else to keep you going- a few movies that i thought were quite wonderful. i don't quite get to watch movies very often, and when i do, its all netflix. so my latest one was pride and prejudice, the 2005 adaptation of the jane austen novel(with keira knightley). my husband says the book is so much better, and hopefully one of these days, i'll get around to being able to sit down quietly and enjoy it. for now, i have to stick to the movie versions. the other movie related to this was becoming jane, with anne hathaway. forgetting the english accents, it was about austen's life, and what led up to her novel writings- and how her own emotions of being in love, and not getting a happy ending, which was the base of her novel, pride and prejudice. of course, you'll have to read/watch them yourself, i am horrible at doing it justice here in writing. but they remind you what love is, what is worth fighting for, the pain of social and class obligations & family, and the freedom of love. and hopefully it'll remind you of why you got married in the first place.

may you find a moment of time to reconnect, to read, to watch a movie, and to smile.

renewal of vows ceremony with aloha wedding planners at the halekulani

2009-06-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

happy tuesday! i had the great pleasure of working with susan o'donnell from aloha wedding planners, and photographed a renewal of vows ceremony last friday. the ceremony took place at st. peter and st. pauls cathedral on kaheka street, we took some quick photos down behind the fishing boats at kakaako & they went off to a fantastic lunch and cake cutting at orchids, at the halekulani. its pretty amazing that 10 years have gone by, and they are still in love with 3 beautiful children. they live in texas, came over 10 years ago and return often. i hope to see them here in another 10 years! congratulations to n & f. you are a true inspiration!

shell photographs still up at muumuu heaven!

2009-06-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

hi all-

if you haven't gotten a chance to see the large framed shell photos- you still have time! the show at muumuu heaven in kailua has been extended to the 2nd week in july.

makes great gifts for fathers day.... hint hint!

and while some of the photos have been sold, you can see the entire shell gallery online here:
nicole's shells & the seashore photography

new images to arrive within the next 3 weeks.... more shells have been photographed and will be up shortly!
please contact me if you see an image that you would like to purchase.
have a great thursday!

first hawaiian bank- schaefer portrait challenge opening

2009-06-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

hi all- ok, i apologize for the lateness of these photos. the opening was may 29th, and i can't believe how fast the time is going by! maybe our moloka'i trip has us still lounging in the shade of the lazy coconut trees & breezes...

but go check out the schaefer portrait challenge down at the first hawaiian bank on king street. the contemporary museum has a gallery there on the first and second floors, and this newest show is pretty cool. 'The Schaefer Portrait Challenge was first held in 2003 in Maui. The statewide, juried competition includes 56 artworks by 53 Hawaii artists, representing Maui, Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai. The artists range from established figures in the art community to promising college students. The Schaefer Portrait Challenge debut in Honolulu is the first time the exhibition has left Maui' (from the contemporary museum's website)
congrats to all the artists in the show... it is up until september 11.

Oahu Wedding Association member of the week (gone by)

2009-06-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

hi all-
wanted to point you in the direction of some of oahu's finest people in the wedding industry. a great place to start, if you are searching for dresses, caterers, florists & photographers (but you have me... so you don't need anyone else! :)
even if you are in the business & want to join, there is a great monthly meeting where people get to mingle & learn new things about people in the industry. lots of food, fun & laughter. and they are starting to profile members weekly on the website....

oahu wedding association

have a good saturday! get out there and get some waves.

moloka'i vacation at ke nani kai condos

2009-06-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

just got back from a great trip from moloka'i. stayed at the ke nani kai condos, and had one of the best condos in the place. recently refurbished with great decor and a few steps away from the bbq and pool area- a great place to get away. (trymolokai.com) thanks eric and alona- it was awesome. the waves were huge, kids had a great time getting tossed around in the surf, we looked for shells, we hiked over big black rocks and overgrown golf courses, went to a macadamia nut farm and got a lesson on how they grow. (which is so cool, cause we have a tree in the back yard and now we know what to do with those things that fall on the ground!) and we visited the kalaupapa lookout and ali'i fishpond... simply amazing. the weather was awesome.... and we wish we had a few more days there! re-energized and ready to go back to work!
happy tuesday.

lunch with jacqueline rush lee at buzz's

2009-06-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

i had a great lunch meeting with an old friend & artist who i met several years ago at the university of hawaii's masters in fine arts program. i had forgotten how funny & amazing her work is, and kudos to jacqueline for getting her work recognized over on the east coast, as well as getting into some of the local collections here in hawaii. hard work being an artist here in hawaii, especially if you aren't doing pictures of palm trees and white sandy beaches. jacqueline does books sculptures. exquisite, playful, austere, and quite beautiful.... you just have to check it out for yourself.

check out her website at www.jacquelinerushlee.com

and thanks for lunch at buzz's! awesome food, great atmosphere & the service was awesome. glad to see they are doing so well on a tuesday afternoon.