Our photoshoot occurred by the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) and the general seaport district, one of my favorite and most architectural places to shoot!

I think that the dress and necklace that Dasha chose really make a statement!

Is that water on the ground? Yep, living in Boston means lots of thunderstorms in the summer! But we waited it out in the car and it worked out!

Wow, wow, and wow!

Thank you thank you to a favorite person of mine, Carolina of From Hair to Eternity, for enhancing Dasha’s already-gorgeous looks! Also, they really chose colors that pop for their clothing, makes a difference!

This shot took a couple of tries – there was a wedding happening at the hotel behind us and many cars were coming in and out!

After the thunderstorms…. come the amazing clouds and sunshine!!

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Jen is a dancer and it clearly shows in the way she is able to pose herself and interact with our surroundings. She made my job so easy!

I have to say, the location we found was pretty cool too. It took me a bit of scouting but it’s worth it! We were blessed with cloudless skies!

I had Jen show me her dance moves. She incorporates more feminine elements into her popping style, and she really stands out. This following picture is a more “masculine” dance

Loving her entire look! Her T-shirt says “Ladies First!” And she totally rocks those boots!

Her second outfit was equally awesome. They both really show her personality

Thank you Jen for the amazing time, and the awesome conversation too. I feel so empowered by your energy and presence, keep it up!

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Ernie, I just have to make it clear, your smile is GREAT!

I totally dig Anna’s jewelry and dress. Great combination!

Yay sun!

I rarely show out-of-focus images but this one was intentional. Anna in particular chose this image because of the softness. You should check out a great post she has on A Softer New YorkI think this is my fav!

Thank you Anna and Ernie, it was so much fun hanging out with you!

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We began our session at one of the most famous streets in Boston’s Beacon Hill

I also wanted to take this time to show the fabulous style featured in the shoot:

Their rings in a bright flower

Maiko’s shoes! I loooove featuring ladies’ shoes, because many ladies go to extraordinary lengths to wear them and look fabulous, thus they must be captured! These are from J. Crew and I just love the detail on the petals

Another look at the flowers

You can tell it’s spring because we’re starting to get leaves everywhere!

Maiko and I actually had spent some time prior to the shoot finalizing the outfits, I’m always happy to offer additional wardrobe consultation if people are unsure!

This is a pretty candid moment, sometimes I just play with my camera while telling my subjects to keep each other occupied with some conversation. That is when some of the most genuine moments happen

We then headed over to another Harvard property, the Arnold Arboretum. There were still some giant puddles / faux-lakes from prior weeks’ rainstorms, but there were definitely signs of spring everywhere

I’m super-psyched to have this shot of the tree. The combination of the branches and the bright sun makes it seem out-of-the-world

Maiko and Dan, as you move across the country to become a smart lawyer and smart businessman, I wish you guys all my very best, and I hope to be able to visit sometime!

Thank you Christina for your help!

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Also, I’m excited to feature the talented work of Danielle Ross Makeup Artistry, a new Shang Chen Photography preferred vendor. Crystal’s makeup application was so beautiful, flawless, and Danielle worked so quickly and professionally! I cannot recommend her enough, she even left us with some extra lipstick for touch-ups, but her makeup lasts for over 12 hours (she uses an amazing setting spray). She also applied the false eyelashes in small pieces at a time rather than using one large strip of lash – I really think this is the better way to high-impact lashes. The whole look really made quite the difference in this session!

This was one cool necklace. Crystal found it in Hawaii

Our location was the Mt. Auburn Cemetery. We had amazingly beautiful weather that day

I wish I owned this white tutu. It’s so puffy!

I found this magical grove of tall trees. I thought I was in California for a moment

There are moments in my life when I take one of these lifestyle images and I think, WOW, these are images I live to create. This is one of them

Thank you Crystal for totally getting into this photo session. You are awesome

Thanks to Karman Lee Photography for helping out!

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We wandered around downtown Chicago without really an agenda. I wanted to start getting acquainted with the beautiful architecture of Chicago, but I also did not want to start my very first session here with too touristy spots.

This photo just makes my heart melt. Brian was a complete gentleman to his lady

Cute shoes: check. Cute flowers: check. Cute couple in love: check.

The Lyric Opera of Chicago was Jannie’s suggestion for our setting. I like! Very classy

A lovely little flare here

We didn’t realize it until we stepped out, but I really love the jewel tones of their outfits. For a colder climate like that of windy Chicago, the clothing selection really helped make them pop

They were actually very, very silly during most of the photoshoot, I laughed so hard!

I didn’t even notice until I started post-processing this photo, but they were making faces and sticking their tongues out at each other while I was occupied with focusing on their hands!

Thank you guys so much for the laughter and merriment! Good luck with everything!

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I’m scared to show this photo, no, I’m terrified, because there are so many technical deficiencies I could point out about this wedding photo, but everyone had to start somewhere! I still really like this photo because it was a special moment during their first dance at their wedding at Boston Harvard Club. I especially love the stance and laugh that Jason – the best man standing on the left – has

What is amazing about Kristin and Yi-An is how socially conscious they are. They’re doing amazingly good things right now (Kristin is in med school and Yi-An is serving the public sector). At their wedding, their gift registry was not for themselves – guests’ gifts went on to provide “3 sheep, 2 cows, and 1 pig” to people in developing countries, through donations to Oxfam and World Vision. It was truly their own personal touch.

Though their anniversary is not for another couple of months, we were very happy to meet up again for a lifestyle session. It was freezing cold and the sky was unbelievably overcast. Nevertheless, their spirits were strong as we explored the Riverway area

In case you guys don’t know. They’re extremely intelligent and driven people. And tender towards one another.

Yi-An specifically requested a couple of jumping photos. They did jumping photos for their wedding too!

We then went around the Northeastern area for some more colorful backgrounds (did you notice the frozen river in the previous photos???)

Lo and behold! We found green grass!!! Hahaha, kidding, it’s actually AstroTurf, does that make this photo fake? I’ll take what I can get in this weather!

I agonized over showing this photo in color or black & white (I know what you must be thinking – “Geez if only the problems I had in my life were about whether I’d display a photo in high-def color or monochromatic tones”), I’m crazy like that :P I chose this B&W version in the end because I like how it focuses more on their expressions

We did spend time picking out outfits! However, we saved the non-jacket photos until the very end so that they wouldn’t be too cold in the meantime. We had even made a pit stop in the middle at the Museum of Fine Arts – which by the way is free first weekend of every month courtesy of Bank of America’s Museums on Us program

Thank you two so much for your friendship over the years, it’s been great catching up!

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I’ve driven past this storefront several times and always wanted to photograph it

I thought it would be cool to wrap this garden hose around his neck. Until we realized it was frozen. It was really cold that day!

And THEN… I found this most amazing random assortment of a castaway couch and trash cans. Awesome!

Using a very urban background to complement his outfit

Look at that great smile!

And a special, I have to have a series of Kunle dancing. Click on the photo for a large version!

Annnd… a couple of extras. Here’s Ivy helping us out by watching over our stuff! What a trooper!

This is too cute!!! It happened really quickly, but I really like the spontaneity of the shot

For those of you who haven’t seen the previous posts on what an in(SCP)iration session is or if you want to know more, simply click here for more info

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When I was comparing the edits from David’s in(SCP)iration session with those of Judith, I was pretty intrigued in their contrast, and I think the contrast owes itself to the personalities of the subjects. When I started envisioning my new in(SCP)iration sessions, I hoped to create individualized and unique experiences. With so much attention focused on capturing and being genuine to the subject, each photo session would be customized to reflect that person. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a wonder that these sessions won’t look much like each other in style and energy, at least that is my hope.

David likes to describe his style with one word: comfort. He doesn’t wear socks. He likes his solid T-shirts and hoodies. He likes blue. You won’t see him in flashy colors or out-there patterns. From the moment he approaches you, he puts you at ease with his soft-spoken demeanor. For the purposes of his in(SCP)iration session I sought to use a lot of sun flares to bring out a feeling of being at one with one’s skin and being home. In looking at these photos it’s almost as if David is having an unspoken conversation.

This was the sneak peek image I put up on my Facebook fan page

I juxtaposed his comfort with a little bit of gritty urban background

Played a lot with flares

For those who wonder, when I present images in b&w, I do so deliberately. Not all images work best in color and vice versa. I especially liked the strong lines created by the exhaust here and I turned this one black and white because of the contrast it would provide

Thanks David for such a great time! And thank you to Karman for helping out =)

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What is it? An in(SCP)iration session is a fashion-focused lifestyle photoshoot! What inspires you? Be it a certain detail, object, color, location, vibe, in(SCP)iration clients get extra attention upfront with Shang Chen Photography to visualize, plan, and execute a photo session that truly expresses their creativity and personality at heart. Planning includes location scouting and wardrobe review. An in(SCP)iration session is not a fashion shoot in the sense that there will be tons of lighting setups or sets, it is not meant to be overwhelming or for models. Rather, Shang Chen applies her personal and energetic approach to lifestyle photography to the client’s vision. Men and women who would like to tell a story or encapsulate the definition of their style should consider an in(SCP)iration session. Think of it as a time capsule of your style and personality right now.

You can scroll down past the photos to see more detail. With that being said Judith and I had been planning her in(SCP)iration session for over a month now to launch the line. With this shoot, I was really looking to feature a couple sides of Judith – an extremely fashionable side, a comfortable / cute side, and mix in a little noir / darkness. We had makeup help from the very awesome Ligia of Makeovers by Ligia. And lots of thanks to my assistants Nithya and Emily for helping out! Look out – in the summer we will be reinterpreting Judith’s in(SCP)iration with a summer glow!

I love this damask cube in Judith’s apartment

I don’t know how Judith managed, but she was really fierce in the heels she chose for the outdoor segment

Loving how her hair catches the light here

One last one, with funky edit

Want one of your own? All in(SCP)iration sessions include consultations (in-person, via email, and over the phone) to determine the style of the shoot, up to 2 hours of unlimited photographs at the photoshoot, and a proofing gallery of up to 6 months afterwards. A la carte products include an on-site makeup artist, a disc of photos, individual photo purchases, prints and canvases. Clients are responsible for providing wardrobe and certain props. 2010 Pricing: Sitting fee is $225. Prints, discs, travel, make-up artist, and other considerations are priced separately.

Can’t wait to show you more! I have 3 more in(SCP)iration shoots already planned for this year!

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