Chung Nguyen | Photographer - Wedding & Portrait Photography in San Francisco Bay Area

Who's Got the Last Laugh Now?

2010-09-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my dad would often pack a Vietnamese baguette with some Laughing Cow Cheese. See, here's the thing you need to know about my dad - when he loves something, he's absolutely faithful to it until the end. This is a great quality in a husband and a father, but I disliked it in his relationship to food. It was somewhat difficult for him to try new things on his own.

For a while, I never even bothered trying Laughing Cow Cheese because it stubbornly reminded me of how much he always had some around. And even now, I'm always over-eager to try new things, sometimes to my demise. And then I came full-circle back to Laughing Cow Cheese. I'll suck it up and admit it: that stuff is delicious!

And finally, they've provided a compromise between the two of us: same basic great taste but in a lot of different flavors.

I love some of this stuff on a slice of toast with a little bit of marmalade on top (I'm obsessed with marmalade as of late!). Yum! Maybe dad was onto something.... (:

Help me raise $1,000!

2010-09-02T23:11:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to raise $1,000 in the month of September for the following organizations:

PAWS | Donate to PAWS! | PAWS helps to foster the animal-human bond by helping the disabled, sick, or elderly to maintain their pets. I'm an active volunteer with the organization and truly appreciate the good work that they do.
Muttville | Donate to Muttville! | You can teach an old dog new tricks. Just because a dog is 7, 8, or 12 years old doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve a chance to find a loving home, right?
Berkeley East Bay Humane Society | Donate to Berkeley East Bay Humane Society! | They had a terrible fire this year and can really use all the help they can get to rebuild. Please help!
Humane Society of Silicon Valley | Donate to HSSV! | A wonderful facility that I volunteered with so I can attest to their amazing work and kind hearts. (Fiona Orange, my 11-year-old terrier mix was adopted from HSSV 2 years ago.) These folks really care about their animals and can use your financial assistance to continue and expand their efforts.

Are you interested in helping out your community with a generous donation?

Donate $75 and get a quick 15-minute portrait session (San Francisco only).
Donate $200 and get a standard portrait session.
Donate $500 and get the portrait session plus a DVD with all the high-resolution files!
Donate $800 and get all that plus $300 in print credits to spend on your online gallery!

To participate, please make a donation and then let me know via email. Forward me your donation receipt and we'll proceed from there!

Please click here to understand how my standard portrait sessions work. All prints and products will be available for purchase as well.

Why should you do this?
Altruism. You're helping out those who can't really help themselves. Seriously. You should feel really good about that. Unfortunately, this also holds some self-serving benefits like tax deductions and, did I mention the portraits? I'm sure you won't mind that these benefits take away from the true definition of "altruism."

Some final notes. Yes, I know it's hard to pick a place to contribute to so feel free to disperse your funds amongst the different organizations listed here if you like. Be sure to collect your donation receipt(s). Please try and spread the word about this so that we get more people to donate donate donate!

My goal is to raise $1,000. I'll aim low so I won't be disappointed. :-D This offer runs through 9/30/2010 so get on it! You have up until the end of 2010 to book your portrait session with me.

Any questions? Just get in touch! Otherwise, I hope to be able to report back with some wonderful news about hitting my goal (hopefully!).

These photos were taken during my volunteer stint at HSSV. Hope you like 'em!

And P.S. - Even if you're unavailable for a portrait session, please consider donating and letting me know you donated because of this drive. It'll make me smile. :-D

Charlie's Christening | 2010.08.15

2010-08-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Family and friends to celebrate a big milestone in Baby Charlie's life - always a good time! Enjoy the pictures:

The baptism took place at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Los Gatos.

He didn't cry or anything!

Incredibly adorable kids. And so sweet, too. They love the babies and were so gentle with them.

Congratulations, Charlie!

Goof ball smile at its best.

We had a very delicious lunch! With cake!

Charlie's grandfathers walked him around on the stroller and managed to put him down for his nap. It's been a long day for the little fella.

Portrait Sessions | Pricing + Q&A

2010-08-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

How a Portrait Session with Me Works, Going Forward

Contact me and schedule your session.
Before your portrait session, we will have a consultation session via phone or email (or in-person if that's preferred and convenient; I'm in San Francisco), wherein I will ask probing questions like, "Who am I photographing?" "What are your plans for the images?" "What are some of your ideas for the session?" Oh, and I will also answer any questions you have as well.
We have the portrait session and you get photographed! Yay!
About two weeks after the session, I'll schedule a sit-down review session with you to show you the images. I'll show you some sample products and give suggestions based on the images we created.
You receive your products and display 'em proudly in your home!

The Nitty-Gritty Details

The session/creative fee is $200 and includes:

consultation session, 60 to 90-minute on-location portrait session, and review session
between 30 to 50 edited images to pick from
online gallery for print ordering after the review session
PLUS watermarked, web-sized (600-pixels) images for facebooking and sharing

Fantastic lustre (matte) prints start at $20. I also have couple of other products to offer including Your Very Own Coffee Table Book and a Session Album that's timeless ($200). Plus, if you're so inclined, you can buy a DVD with all high-resolution images for archival purposes ($300). We'll go over all the available products at your review session.

PQ&PA (Possible-Questions-and-Preemptive-Answers)

What do I get with the session fee?

The $200 session fee is for photography time as well as image editing. I've seen it described as a "creative fee" and I think that's a fairly accurate description.

What kind of payment types are accepted? When is the session fee due?

Half of the session fee is due at the time of booking to secure your date. The other half is due on your session date. I accept payment via check or credit card (through Paypal).

Are digital files included?

With every portrait session, I will provide you with about 10 to 20 web-sized images. They will include my URL. Check out the photo included in this blog post to see exactly what I mean. They're super convenient for sharing and facebook tagging and bragging digitally. So easy!

Do you photograph kids? Adults? Dogs? Guinea pigs? Couples?

For a while, I wanted to specialize in just one thing and one thing only. But it's been a while now and I still don't know what that thing is. I think I am simply a "family photographer." But of course "family" has a lot of different components to it, and isn't as nuclear as it once was. A family portrait, to me, could include a man with his best friend (four-legged or otherwise). Or maybe this family is a couple who's about to embark on building a life together. So, yes, I photograph families, but I'll let you decide what a family comprises of.

How do I book a session?

Contact me! Be sure to have your calendar handy.

What happens during the initial consultation?

The consultation is basically just a get-together (via phone, email, or in-person in San Francisco). I would like to know what your photography needs are, who'll be participating in the portrait session, and we'll discuss timing and locale in detail. I'll also be available to answer any questions you may have about the whole process.

What happens during the portrait session?

We show up at the predetermined time and place. I photograph you. We laugh. We go home and eat because laughing builds up quite an appetite!

What happens at the review session? Are you gonna hard-sell me? Pressure me to buy stuff I don't need?

OK, if there's anything I hate more than anything else it is needless stuff. (I moved residences 10+ times in the past 9 years, so things need to have some real meaning for me to hang onto.) For a while, I just photographed people, edited the images, and plopped them onto a CD and that's that. No prints, no albums, no lovin'. I've come to realize now that there's no real value in that enterprise - not for me, and not really for my clients. I mean, what really is a value of an image on a file that you may stumble across every now and then, and that's it? So, no, I don't want to sell you on useless stuff but I do want to provide you with options for displaying the images we create together. After all, I'm proud of my work and since they're photos of you and loved ones, you should be really proud of the images. And P.S., I don't have a hard-sell bone in my body so, don't feel any pressure at all. Read on....

Is there a minimum order requirement?

Nope! I set up the session fee so that my time would be compensated for if we sat down at the review session and you were fully satiated with just seeing the images without buying a single print for your home. My hope is that we'll be able to find a great way to create some amazing items (prints to hang, books to share), but if you're not feeling it, I'm definitely not the type to push.

Can I get glossy prints?
No, sorry. :-D

What if I'm not satisfied with the images you've delivered after our portrait session?

If this is truly the case, ouch. But I have two courses of actions: (1) we can have a re-do session at our convenience and go from there and hopefully you're satisfied with the second go-around; or (2) I will refund your session fee and apologize profusely for wasting your time. Having worked for years in customer support, I understand the value of keeping my clients happy and I will do what it takes to ensure you're well taken care of.

What if I'm not satisfied with the prints and albums I receive?

Due to the custom nature of the products I offer, it is not feasible for me to offer a refund for these products that I create just for you. (Apparently other clients have no interest in getting prints of your family, despite how adorable it turned out. Weird, huh?) But if a print just doesn't look right to you, I don't want you to have to keep it and will work to make sure you're satisfied with the final result. Since this topic varies, please do not hesitate to contact me immediately. Seriously.

Finally, why should I pick you to be my photographer?

If you're looking for a type-A personality who'll direct your every strand of hair in its place and insist on matchy-matchy outfits down to the socks, you won't want to pick me. As a person, I am laid-back and relaxed. And incredibly patient. If you want photos of you genuinely having fun and looking happy - bubbly, even - then I might be your gal. If you like images utilizing natural light, on-location settings, with a focus on contrast and colors, then I might be your gal. My natural photography style and carefree personality won't suit everyone, but for those who see me and my work for what it is, I hope you'll contact me so we can start making some amazing images together. Thank you for reading. (:

#4 - Tangerine + Cherries

2010-08-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this design. Polka-dots? Buttons? TANGERINE-YELLOW-ORANGE COLORS? Too cute for words! And I wish I wore ties. I think they're a wonderful accessory. I suppose I'll just have to stick with my scarves.

My friends and I went cherry-picking earlier in the summer and man is it hard work. (No, I'm not cut out for actual manual labor at all and I'm OK with it.) The bountiful harvest was so sweet and delicious. We must do it again next year!

A Quick Tip for Parents With Young Kids, From Your Friendly Photographer

2010-08-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hello Parental Unit,

I just wanted to write to tell you that you don't need worry too much about how your kids look in the photos. Focus, instead, on looking naturally lovely yourselves. More often than not, when I'm reviewing the photos, I notice that the children look perfectly adorable and you're making this expression - O_________o - because you're trying to get them to look at the camera or some other such impossible task.

Haven't you learned by now that children will inevitably do the complete opposite of what you ask them? I personally do it to my parents all the time. Even now. :-D

Kids will be kids and I embrace their random spontaneity. Actually, I'd venture to say that's the main reason why I love photographing children: you never know what you're gonna get. I love that!

So don't worry about getting the "perfect" expression. Don't fret that they're not "behaving" properly, whatever that means. I imagine it's very strange for them to have me around in the first place and they just wanna have fun - and that's so awesome to capture in photos.

In fact, if you really want to help me out during the portrait session, relax and have fun with your kids! Run. Laugh. Interact with them naturally and just be yourselves. Trust me - you'll love the pictures if you relax and just enjoy the ride!

Sincerely,

Chung (Nguyen | Photographer)

#3 - Tomfoolery, Good Eats, and Mayer'meister

2010-08-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Foolish Gadgets is one of my new favorite blogs. It's so needless and ridiculous, but the foolishness of the gadgets featured often make me smile. Who doesn't want a mug that gives you a piggy snout?

I was contemplating buying a pair of TOMS shoes. These wedges in particular. I really like that for every pair of shoes you purchase, they give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Can you imagine not even having shoes? I mean, can you really personally imagine that scenario? Yep, life is unfair and I feel yuppie guilt kicking in.I think TOMS is a great concept! But I normally don't spend that much on shoes anyway ($69 in this case), so I suppose I can just buy the pair I want and donate the rest, perhaps. We'll see.

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." Although, the other factor to consider is what you're actually able to eat, given economic, cultural, and social circumstances.

And here are a couple reasons (uno, dos) why I continue to love John Mayer and would never, ever think about staying away from him. Ever.

Bender is pretty awesome. And Futurama is one of my favorite shows of all time. So glad it's back on the air again. (:

Are you single? Are you dating online? Perhaps you should read this Gizmodo article and try your best to ignore the statistically incorrect data about iPhone users getting laid twice as much as other smartphone users. (Bull!) And its summation is rather funny: "It's actually not that hard. Use a decent camera. Go easy on the flash. Own the foreground. Take your picture in the afternoon. Then visit the nearest Apple store. Done." Actually, if you really want amazing photos for online dating, perhaps you should contact me to photograph you. Just sayin'.

Finally, this Young Me, Now Me project is stinkin' awesome! As is the following video on being alone:

#2 - Canon-Whoring, Cute Westies, and Food!

2010-08-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

Chung's note: I'm having a hard time blogging continually and consistently so I thought if I ~~forced~~ encouraged myself by maintaining a constant theme (e.g., things I like and want to share), maybe updates will be more frequent. We'll see how this pans out.

The Camera Lens Mug from Photojojo. Cool sauce.
The Canon SD4000IS point-and-shoot camera. Really cool sauce, but also expensive (for now).
A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford and starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore - wow!
San Francisco locals - I highly recommend the Alemany Farmer's Market that takes place every Saturday morning. Go! Shop! Eat! I got some amazing little tomatoes (called "sweet 100"), corn that can be eaten raw(!), and peaches with mango-like texture and sweetness. That, plus some flowers plus lunch for less than $15 total. Talk about bang-for-the-buck!
I watched the entire season 4 of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix. Some of the dresses are incredibly beautiful and it's so touching to see how happy the brides are to find the dress of their dreams. Even after seeing the 4- (sometimes 5-) figure price tags. Yowsahs!
I went to a meetup for westies on Sunday at Baker Beach. Lemme tell ya - they are stinkin' adorable and so much fun to hang out with!

Hipster Fiona

2010-07-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

I love the hipster puppies website and wanted to submit Fiona's picture to it. Sadly, I couldn't do it in time for the book submission but maybe she'll just make it on the site? Awesome!

Oh, Fiona!

2010-07-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

We haven't seen photos of Fiona "Fi" Orange Nguyen in a while, have we? To refresh, she's my 11-year-old plus terrier mix. She is a ball of awesome adorableness!

Family Portraits | 06.18.2010 | San Francisco

2010-07-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's too bad that we need an excuse for family portraits, but it's pretty nice when you've got a really great one! Clifford graduated from college and since the whole family was getting together to celebrate anyway - bam! - family portraits! First, meet Clifford:

I've taken on getting individual headshots after we're done with group photos. Hey, since you're dressed up anyway and I'm there with a camera - why not? :-D

Mr. Dachshund | Alamo Square Park in San Francisco

2010-07-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

What-up, Jojo! | The Chihuahua in San Jose

2010-07-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

He is my sister's chihuahua and I must say, he's the friendliest, sweetest chihuahua I've ever met. I mean, he's practically a saint because my niece can be a handful sometimes.... :-P

Sophia + Ben | 06.19.2010 | Baker Beach and Golden Gate Park

2010-07-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

I shot these portraits of Sophia and Ben for Ziba Studio. We started out at Baker Beach for a few quick portraits. Some tips regarding Baker Beach: 1. It's cold there. Freezing cold. 2. There are a nudists if you go deep enough into the beach. 3. The light may be harsh at times but hey, that bridge is pretty awesome in the background!

Then we were off to the Golden Gate Park. We couldn't quite make it into the Japanese Tea Garden before closing time, but I think its front gate provides plenty of Japanese ambiance, wouldn't you say?

I absolutely love the copper wall at the De Young Museum.

Ms. Sasha

2010-07-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Max! | A Labrador in San Francisco

2010-07-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

Max gets to hang out at the Google office in San Francisco almost daily and it's really posh there, but still nice to go hang outdoors. I really needed doggeh therapy that day, too, so it was a win-win!

Meet Radar! | Duboce Park in San Francisco

2010-07-08T18:24:00.000-07:00

I walk this cute chiweenie (that's dachshund + chihuahua) around Duboce Park every Friday. There will be more photos!

Thuy + Tot | 06.20.2010 | Engagement Party in San Jose

2010-07-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Thuy is a fellow photographer (her website) and had a wonderful Vietnamese-style engagement party with her fiance, Tot, and their families last month. It was my honor to document the beautiful day with all the happy, smiley people.

A few things about Vietnamese engagement parties:

There's a whole roast pig for the party! And oh-so-much delicious food!
The groom's family brings over gifts to the bride's family in big red canisters.
The groom's mother puts on jewelry for the bride. Normally, this makes me nervous because someone putting jewelry on for you is always just a little unnerving. On this day, I was just as nervous as usual but also highly entertained because it took a long time for the squadron of folks to put jewelry on Thuy. :-D
The parents are offered cups of tea from the couple.
After all that, everyone eats and enjoys the day. Yay!

Beautiful event details!

Tails and No Tales Cat Show | 01.03.2009 | Santa Clara County Fairgrounds

2010-07-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

I don't think I ever shared these photos but, wow, yes, I actually dragged the equally cat-crazy man-friend to a cat show last year. Yes. A cat show. A cat show. Hilarious. And scary.

Cat judging. Yep, cat judging. Those judges are brave, brave people!

This lady was snoozing. Must have been an early start for her!

This adorable kitteh was up for adoption and I thought she was just oh-so-cute. If you're looking for a pet, won't you please consider adopting? Pretty please? (:

Family Portraits | 06.21.2010 | San Jose Rose Municipal Garden

2010-07-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Craig - he is very much like a "little brother" to me. (He's a whopping 7 days younger than me!) With that said, I was very happy to be able to photograph him and his family while they were back in the Bay Area. (Yes, my "little brother" has three kids and a wifey!)

My new favorite photo (and this is very much Craig):

Location: San Jose Municipal Rose Garden

Contact Chung Nguyen

2004-10-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

#1

2010-06-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

Hulu viewing was at an all-time high this past week because I'm sick with a nagging cough and am pathetically lethargic. Psych, Grey's Anatomy, Chuck, House, 30 Rock, Community, Parks & Recreation, Cougar Town, Glee, Modern Family, The Office... I know, sometimes I wonder how I ever get anything done. (I also subscribe to Better Off Ted and Scrubs, but they haven't had new episodes in a while.) When I tell people I don't have a TV, they give me props. Honestly, I think I watch more TV than most folks with televisions! It's surprising that my brain hasn't turned to mush.
I discovered Bananagrams on facebook and my friends haven't seen me since. If anyone wants to hang out for a game (in-person!), just hit me up. I've got a set of tiles of my own now, ready to pwn y'all. Seriously.
Speaking of pwn'age, bananas are surprisingly filling.
John Mayer's blog - I heart it! And as an added plus, he's quite the photographer.
I saw this book at The Booksmith on Haight, read the introduction and almost cried on the spot. I have a big ol' soft spot for shelter dogs. Ms. Fiona "Fi" Orange Nguyen can attest to this fact!
It's hot and it's cold and it's dry and it's rainy. Weather, make up your mind already. It's almost June!
Maker Faire was superb! Next year, I'm gonna try and go both days so I can take my sweet time. Enjoy some photos from the event:

My world-renowned cell phone case meets its vehicular twin.

The insides of a pinball machine. So sexy!

Two Seasons

2010-05-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

Six months is hardly a drop in the bucket of our lives but oh man, this dude went from being in his mama's belly to this cutie in that period of time. Every minute, hour, day, etc. matters so much more for babies, doesn't it?

So cute!

At the start of our session, he's getting changed by his daddy.

"Ugh - that movie was so bad!" Love, love, love this expression!

I love the plethora of faces that he makes. Always amusing.

Chung Nguyen Photographer Website | Contact Form

My Hobbies Include Chewing My Own Feet - A Sneak Peek!

2010-05-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

mmm feet.... (:

Sneak Preview!

2010-04-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

An immediate look at today's portrait session. These two folks are getting married very soon. Looking at some of the pictures we created together, I actually audibly aww'ed because they're so stinkin' adorable. And happy together.

Happy people are my kind of people. :-D

Enjoy!

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