“OMG Shang I’m at a loss for words….  INCREDIBLE pictures, no time to see them all in details but already incredibly impressed. Have no idea how I will choose….!” – a recent bride

“Shang!!!! Thank you sooooooooo much! I LOVED the pictures! Thank you for a wonderful time on Sunday. You made it unforgetable experience.” – a recent lifestyle client

“Thanks again for your incredible work on our wedding. It was an incredibly happy day for us, and we are so happy that you were there. Owen and I are ecstatic at the level of artistry of your photographs and your professionalism on the day of. We didn’t even notice that you were there! And we were pleasantly surprised at the number of photos you took!” – a recent bride

“Hi Shang!  Just want to let you know we looked through all of the photos last night. It was like we were at the wedding again. Thank you for all of your hard work!” – a recent bride

“Just FYI – we’ve gotten so many compliments on your amazing photos. This one coworker just walked by and said his wife was totally expressing photo envy looking through our pictures. You ROCK!” – a recent bride

A sneak peek of the next wedding to come on the blog =)

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Why make it formal?

Most photographers in Boston, should they be in need of assistants or second shooters, can easily post an ad online and find someone. However, I know just how hard it can be to get any gigs and be heard when people ask for help, especially if you don’t come from a formal photography school background or haven’t made that personal connection with a photographer. I started this program to identify hidden gems and elevate them to their fullest potential.  In addition, these people get first dibs on much of the overflow work I receive. Also, it’s just who I am! I formalize things because I think people will benefit from it. However, you’re really going to become my friend, not some lackey, I provide a lot in return. I don’t think there are many industry secrets, and I’m a believer in providing open information to those who would take it and do something really positive with it.

Who is the assistant program for?

If you are an aspiring photographer who might consider entering wedding photography part- or full-time in the next two years, and you already have some experience in lifestyle photography and want to take the often-scary step to get into weddings, I’m looking for you! You cannot have shot more than two weddings where you were considered the primary photographer. Unfortunately this coming year the program will be much more limited, but, for the lucky few who will get to work with me, I think it will be worthwhile as we will be starting in summer of 2010 and having frequent interaction online!

What is expected?

The second year of the assistant program will be much more formalized than the first, but the time commitment is expected to be less as I’m only around for the summer. As an assistant, you will start out assisting on some of the weekday lifestyle sessions I have this summer. You will often be allowed to take photos to add to your portfolio when it’s unobtrusive, but they cannot be sold or published outside of your own domain, and you must always make it clear when a shoot was directed by me. In addition, you’re expected to actively support the missions and goals of Shang Chen Photography. Starting in the 2011 season (~May – October), you will be expected to be able to function as a paid second shooter. You will get regular tips from me that address both the business and art side of wedding photography, and critiques, things you otherwise would have to pay someone in a workshop to teach you or go to school for. You will receive exposure on my blog and referrals for overflow work. You will likely be able to assist on anywhere between 3 – 5 weddings depending on my bookings. By the end of the 2011 season you will have completed the program and should be able to launch your own business! You’re also expected to start investing real money – this is not for an “amateur hobbyist”, this is really for someone who wants this on a professional level (part-time or full-time). The only thing you will not be able to receive from me are my post-processing techniques. Otherwise, I’m pretty open with what I have and I will often direct you to the same resources I’ve used myself.

What kind of an assistant are you looking for?

It is highly preferred that you have a similar work ethic and approach to photography as I do, I’m known to be rather intense, I expect the utmost professionalism. You are involved in social media, you blog or plan to be blogging regularly, you are present and active on Facebook and Twitter. You should know how to change the look of a photograph by controlling aperture, shutter speed, or ISO, and you should have done at minimal some portrait work. Understanding of how to use on-camera flash is a plus, but not required. Your style is modern and personal and should have elements that are either similar or complement mine – your portfolio matters. You may hold a full-time job but it is expected that you can make Saturday commitments months in advance and not back out at the last minute – I do not tolerate flakiness and a cancellation on a wedding with very little notice and a poor excuse will result in immediate dismissal from the program. You are very responsible and you love email and you normally reply to emails in a timely (<48 hr) manner.

How many assistants are you looking for?

Two in Boston and possibly one in Chicago (pending how bookings work out). You will have a soft start with me in July / August 2010, I will expect you to be available between May and October 2011. The Chicago assistant you will be spending time with me from September 2010 to June of 2011.

Application Qualifications

- Post-college women and men who desire to enter the wedding photography business. No college students, with the one exception being photography majors
- Has not photographed more than two weddings as the primary photographer (exceptions may be considered)
- Has had portrait experience and intermediate understanding of digital photography
- Must own a DSLR and at least one prime lens (or plan on getting one)
- Involved in social media (blog, Facebook, and Twitter)
- Must plan on residing within Boston metropolitan area until October 2011 (for the Boston position)
- Must have a valid driver’s license and am comfortable driving various cars

Submission Guidelines

- Please send an email to shang[at]shangchenphoto.com with your full name, background on your experience with photography, and link to an online portfolio with 10 – 15 of your best images (or if it’s not online, I’ll provide instructions for sending it to me), how you found out about this opportunity, by noon eastern time on Sunday, June 20th, 2010. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and I may close this early if I have fulfilled what I’m looking for
- You may be asked to provide answers to a more detailed questionnaire or meet me for an interview. Not all people will be interviewed

In the meantime I’ve been having a lot of fun answering anonymous questions over at my formspring - don’t be shy, any and all questions are welcome (just keep it clean!), and they might show up in a future FAQ post!

The following answers I think have been on top of a lot of photogs’ minds, so I am reposting them here hopefully so they can be helpful for more people!

What camera would you recommend for a beginner?
I actually don’t think your primary investment should be the camera, it should be the lenses. Sure, I have a fancy shmancy D700 but I upgraded after I exhausted all the technicality I could push out of my older cameras and knew that my clients deserved better. I see so many people selling D3 or D700 or fancy Canon equivalents on Craigslist because they didn’t know what to do with the camera. YOU and your eye and your artistry makes the photo, the camera is merely a tool. Learn how LIGHT affects EVERYTHING in photography, learn the basic relationships between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity, once you master that, you should in manual whenever you can. A good lens can make or break a picture.  I often suggest to people to buy as much camera as they can afford but not worry too much about it – because if you do get good you’ll have to upgrade anyway, cameras depreciate like no other. And, instead of getting a kit lens (which suck so much I’d rather throw it out and poke myself in the eye than even try to shoot with it), spend $100 on a 50mm f/1.8 lens – both Canon and Nikon have such a version.

Would you recommend taking some kind of photoshop classes to become more proficient in photoediting or patience and “figure out yourself” is rather the key here?
I did both. If you want to learn fast, I would recommend a class, helps you weed out immediately what is and isn’t useful in Photoshop and the theory behind a lot of the functionality. I’d stay away from most of the books out there, they can be outdated. A class is great for teaching you how to understand how to use Photoshop in the best and most efficient way, but it won’t teach you your own style – that you will have to figure out yourself.

Do you use any image or production tools (e.g. Kubota) to edit your photos, or do you do it all by hand/from scratch in Photoshop?
All by hand, I have my own actions and preset edits. I don’t like my pictures looking like everyone else’s.

What are some of your non-photography passions or hobbies in life?
You mean I can’t be a one-sided person? Kidding =) I used to be a classically trained pianist. I love playing music by Ravel, Chopin, and Liszt. I’m not the sportiest person in the world but I enjoy swimming and throwing a frisbee around. Despite my small stature, I looove eating (and cooking). If I had time to volunteer I definitely look for opportunities involved in tutoring youth or leadership development.

What’s your biggest insecurity as a photographer? In life?
Acceptance. As an artist, I struggle for my art to be accepted and liked by the very people I hope it serves. Not everyone will always agree with my style or approach, but I do hope that my clients continue to like me.
In life, my biggest insecurity is probably a fear of failure – especially as perceived by my parents and by myself. I’ve been driven all my life to succeed – get straight A+s in high school, get a perfect GPA, get into Harvard, get into a top job, make lots of money. Now that I’m starting to really take root in my own identity, and listen to my inner voice and follow my inner passion – a luxury, really – I want that to be recognized as a form of success, too.

A whimsical sneak peek (and I chose this outtake photo because it fit the title of this post) at who’s coming up next, can you guess who these fabulous ladies are? :D

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My photography can be summed in three words: color, energy, and personality -YOUR personality. I want to be the photographer that the couple trusts me to be a faithful storyteller. That is why I am driven by photojournalism, but also take inspiration from fine art portraiture, and I do love detail shots. My aim is to deliver more than just photos, I deliver an experience.

I was recently nominated as a finalist for an entrepreneurship fellowship at business school, and in my essay I wrote the following for why I decided to get into wedding photography: “I decided that I wanted to be a wedding photographer because I saw how people would often look back on photographs to remember happier times when they were sad. I wanted to create a business that provided in a very genuine way a positive experience for my clients.”

Since I come from a highly analytical business background at a management consulting firm, I’ve witnessed first-hand why some companies may fail and why some succeed, and I am going back to business school this fall for two years to learn even more – while still continuing wedding photography. It’s unusual for a wedding photographer to go to business school, but I am pursuing my dreams, and that’s an incredible blessing! Hopefully I can succeed in making a positive impact on other people’s lives. I think what this economy desperately needs are new businesses, new innovations, and talented people who can lead that way. I want to use my MBA education to further my business and also dream up something even bigger for the small business community. Here are some thoughts I think are important to how I run my business.

- I believe in being fair to all my clients

- I believe in being genuine and engaging in honest communication. I follow through. I believe in giving realistic timelines

- I believe in working hard. I aim high and push myself to be better every single day

- I believe in 360-degree feedback. I believe that we can all learn from peers, people below us, and people above. I take client concerns seriously and incorporate their feedback instantly into what I do next. I am ready to make quick changes to adapt to an ever-changing economy

- I believe in the value of giving and friendship. The people I love to work with either are or will become my friends. I refer a lot of overflow work to photographers who you may consider my competitors, but I consider really talented people I’m honored to be compared against and yet have as my friends

- I believe in meritocracy and in letting my work speak for itself – I don’t believe that success can be bought with money, bribery, or false fronts

- I believe in giving a lot and not expecting to receive in return

- I believe that the words “thank you” cannot be said enough

- I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats. I’m not terribly protective of my ideas or being imitated (just don’t steal!), because if someone can do it better than me, that’s awesome because it will benefit the client in the end. I don’t think that there are a ton of original ideas – only companies that execute ideas well. Google was a better search/indexing engine but remember we had sites like AltaVista, Facebook was a better social network but we had Friendster way back, Apple iPod was a better-designed device for listening to music though companies like Creative have been churning out MP3 players for years. None of those platforms in and of themselves were original, but there are reasons why some companies remain successful and some don’t.

I can’t stop repeating how excited I am to be able to explore what it means to pursue something for which I have a passion. My wish to all of you is that you’ll be able to do the same!

And for now, a preview of Rebecca and Naimish’s engagement session with the new watermark. Love it!

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I think what makes a great wedding is how you make it your own to reflect your personality and comfort zone. After all, if each bride and groom are different, why should their weddings look the same? Therefore, focus on being you, focus on what you like, and don’t let other people push you around details that are important to you, and don’t let other people’s comments about their dream wedding cloud over what you desire.

I was very honored to be invited to write a guest post about finding the right wedding photographer for Shiny Orb. Shiny Orb is a really cool and new website that allows you and your girlfriends to shop and compare bridesmaid dresses from many brands and designers together. This is especially helpful if your bridesmaids and you are not near each other.

Without further ado, check out my wedding photography tip post on Shiny Orb, and then head on over to the main site of Shiny Orb to look at thousands of dresses!

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In the meantime, I’ve got some tips for you! Beyond the skill and artistry of a photographer, I’ve seen variations in an individual photographer’s work as well from wedding to wedding to session. There are some factors that are beyond our control – but are in the client’s control – that can help bring their photos up to the next level. After all, we work the best we can with what we are given, but some things do make our lives better and your pictures spectacular.

1. Communication – I want to understand first and foremost what my clients want to look for in their photographs. A lot of clients come to me saying they like “photojournalistic” capture, but then when they point out their favorite photos in my portfolio, they aren’t necessarily what I’d call photojournalistic! Therefore, I really believe in meeting and emailing and staying in constant contact with my clients. The more communication and understanding there is between a photographer and a client, the more prepared we will be going in.

2. Weather – Actually, this is beyond anyone’s control, weather is not the greatest in Boston, but there are things that I do to work around. First off, as a mostly natural light photographer, I almost never do portraits after sunset. In order to make sure there is enough light and time for photographs, the majority of my wedding clients elect to have their portraits taken before the ceremony (a First Look), and no one has regretted it!

3. Give enough time – A wedding day is hectic, many things can go wrong, but if photographs are important to you, you need to plan enough time to take those photos, it takes time to get familiar in front of the camera and get “just 10 great shots”. Depending on the size of your wedding party and the number of family group photos you need, I typically recommend anywhere between 1 – 2.5 hours for photos. You will need more time if you want to travel.

4. Location, location, location – If your reception or ceremony venue is naturally beautiful, then you already have a leg up. However, as I am more of an outdoors photographer, I still spend the majority of pre-session planning with my clients brainstorming multiple locations and settings because a venue might not have a great exterior, and even on the day of the wedding, things can change. Therefore, give yourself more options by being open to multiple locations.

5. Add an engagement session – Why have an engagement session? It’s an opportunity to get to know your photographer early, test out their stuff, and get some great photos at the same time. Couples who have done an engagement session are much more relaxed with me on wedding day.

6. Start with a better canvas  - It’s no secret that the more money and time one invests into a wedding, usually the better it looks. Now, I’m not sitting here telling everyone to spend more money on a wedding. However, things that do make photos better include: Taking the time to get great makeup, good hair, a form-fitting dress, beautiful florals, and details, details, details. If these kinds of provisions are not within your wedding plans, then I’d definitely recommend #7.

7. Personality – You’ve got it, your friends have it, so don’t be afraid to be yourself at your own wedding! Your personality is what is going to make your photographs uniquely yours. In the end, even if a bride had the world’s most beautiful dress, or someone managed to rent out the most expensive venue, I care most about capturing the beautiful union of two people.

One sneak peek from a bridal shoot featuring Bumble Bee Landing’s floral design

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Second Shooter

Description

- If hired, shoot on-location with me for weddings, with particular focus on groom’s side when getting ready, capturing different angles during ceremony and reception, assisting with portrait sessions
- Have both an artistic and photojournalistic eye – shooting in a style similar to me is preferred
- Have a warm, energic, people-oriented personality. Ability to perform under pressure, customer service-focused
- Our relationship will be collaborative. Beyond shooting, we will work to critique, edit, and sharpen your portfolio and editing skills
- Rates are set based on portfolio strength

Requirements

- Not open to hobbyists. You must have the intention to eventually make money from photography (whether freelance or full-time)
- At least 1 wedding experience is preferred (either as an amateur or second shooter) or have a strong portfolio.
- Have assisted Shang on at least one photo gig – if you’ve never assisted before, you will have the opportunity to do so if your application is accepted
- A professional digital SLR system is required – at least a body and one non-kit lens. A flash is preferred, but not required. Nikon systems are preferred
- Have advanced understanding of composition, lighting, and exposure
- Have a passion for online social media – second shooters are preferred to be familiar with Facebook, blogging, and Twitter
- Passionate and ambitious, teamwork-oriented
- Punctual, preferably early. Professional and responsible – I prefer getting replies to emails and phone calls within 24 hours under normal circumstances
- Boston area only

Application Instructions

- Please send an email me (shangchen [at] gmail.com) with your full name,  most often-used email, phone number, and a short description of why you’d like to be a second shooter and what you think would make you do well at this job and why you think we would work well together
- Please include a link to an online portfolio. Portfolio MUST have portraits, wedding experience (if any) should be on there
- Deadline: Midnight EST, September 2, 2009

Assistant

Description

- Shadow Shang on both non-wedding and wedding gigs, hold equipment, observe and learn
- Have a detail-oriented eye, be able to help remove distracting elements
- Have a warm, energic, people-oriented personality
- Unpaid

Requirements

- Must have high interest to expand into paid photography work or have a dedicated passion for photographing on a regular basis
- Owning or planning to own a professional digital SLR system
- Have rudimentary understanding of photography, and be ready to learn a lot
- Passionate and ambitious, but ultimately, teamwork-oriented
- Punctual, preferably early. Professional and responsible – I prefer getting replies to emails and phone calls within 24 hours under normal circumstances
- Boston area only

Application Instructions

- Please send an email me (shangchen [at] gmail.com) with your full name,  most often-used email, phone number, and a short description of why you’d like to be an assistant and what you think would make you do well at this job and why you think we would work well together
- Please include a link to an online portfolio if you have one or a description of your photographic experience
- Deadline: Midnight EST, September 2, 2009

Emily asked: What are your top 3 photography blogs that you read and which photographers inspire you?

I can easily name a dozen blogs that I follow for various sources of inspiration, but the 3 I chose to pick below all have something that transcends beyond their photographic talent:

1. Laurence Kim Photography – He was one of the very first photography blogs I stumbled upon. He’s based in Seattle, and what really struck me was how much he was willing to share in terms of technical specs behind his photography. Now, I know that technicality is only part of the equation, but for someone just starting out, sometimes it felt like technicality is everything! Laurence gently teaches his audience that while technicality is important, it’s also just as important to be able to direct your clients and also have good editing skills. He also answered one of my e-mails when I first started out, and it felt like getting a reply from a rock star, I was so happy that there was someone out there who wasn’t so competitive that they would look down on a beginner like me! Plus, his photos are extremely natural and not over-the-top, stuff that lasts! Seattle is also difficult because the weather is unpredictable, and I always appreciate a photographer who can work in so many different settings as Boston is also finicky (there is one particular post where a bride’s veil was uncontrollable due to the wind… I can’t find it right now, but I totally loved it!).

2. bobbi+mike – If timing and money are on my side, these are the people I would hire as my wedding photographers. Based in Indianapolis, IN, Bobbi and Mike Sheridan are funny as heck, and work great as a team, they epitomize what a husband + wife wedding photography couple should be all about! They capture the right angles, are energetic, are not afraid to be whacky, and are all around just fun to follow. I looove their editing style – it’s a little more edited than most, but the way they push the colors, they know which ones to pick and which ones to leave alone, and their images are tack sharp!

3. Jasmine Star – Perhaps one of the most popular wedding photographers out there, can you believe this woman only started out a couple years ago? She’s spunky, beautiful, energetic, and writes well.. I don’t really know how she shot to fame so quickly – girl works really hard, I’m sure! – but what struck me much, much more is her genuine heart. She shares it with the world, she shares it with her clients, she shares it with the multiple people who are so enamored with the way she has achieved success… I really like photographers who bring others up. She even responded to a question I once posted. Her photos are simple and classic, but she also has the advantage of California sun! Regardless, she really makes you feel like she is talking directly to you, which is what makes her blog stand out from so many.

Alex C. asked: Do you have a “dream” camera that you’d like to have…and if so, what is it? :D

Funny that people always think that equipment makes the photo. I try to emphasize that equipment is part, but not all. In the first couple years of when I was a hobbyist, I focused most of my energy in learning how to take photographs, I held back on buying equipment and milked everything I could out of what I had – I only upgraded once I hit a technical limitation. I actually LOVE my Nikon D700, I don’t have the means to splurge on the highest-end D3 and I haven’t hit a technical limit with the D700, so I don’t need to. I wish I could have better lenses!  Some of you notice that I keep talking about my prime lenses. I love my primes (the 50mm f/1.8 and the 85mm f/1.4), I shoot with them 80% of the time while I’m saving up for the higher-end zooms (the 24-70, 70-200, and a 35mm, and I wouldn’t mind adding another D700 body). So the final answer is… I have dream lenses, not dream cameras

Casey asked: Your photos are so vivid – do you like shooting in black and white as well? What is your favorite?

I work digital, so shooting in black and white is actually a post-processing Photoshop conversion rather than a film choice. However, there are certain shots that I frame in my mind when I take them that I already know might end up as black and white. This includes a lot of silhouette shots. Other shots I often like to turn black and white are where the background is not too busy, or where the composition lends itself to a more classical artistic expression. I think that black and white is a wonderful medium, but my style tends to be much more about color!

Elizabeth asked: How do you capture the unique personality traits of the people you photograph?

Haha, funny that you should ask this question =P I think one of the key things about being a photographer – or a service person in any industry – is the ability to communicate and also quickly detect the personality and needs of their clients, and this means doing a lot of upfront work!

I think I got a lot of really good training through my full-time consultant job on this – we have demanding clients all the time, we need to ramp up quickly on their needs and issues, and we need to do so with professional integrity and a strong presence [i.e. if I actually have no clue what the project is on, I still better sound like I know what I'm saying or at least I'm asking educated questions!]. I also often have to conduct interviews with industry experts in various markets where I have no real academic background (plastics manufacturing? women’s hair wigs? prostate cancer vaccines? airline maintenance repair? yeah, my economics major toootally helps with that…)

Translated to my photography business, this means learning who my clients are upfront either through in-person or over-phone meetings. I do a lot of research and I write down a lot of notes – not because I am a stalker or anything, but because I truly care about what they care about. If they share their blogs or websites with me, I go to every page and read it! I look at past photos of couples to see how they naturally appear. Then during a photo session, I get chatty! I try to talk to you not because I like hearing myself talk (ok, maybe I do), but because I want to make you comfortable and get to know you during our time together. From our conversation I can understand quickly how you think, what makes you happy, and from the first couple of frames, I can start seeing how the couple likes to be photographed and how they like to hold one another, and I work off of that.

Karen asked, I love seeing your pictures and recognizing certain places in Boston and Cambridge. Is there a place where you haven’t photographed yet that you really want do a photo shoot? Btw, your pictures are amazing and looking at them is such a great way to procrastinate. :)

Thanks Karen for your nice words! And yes, there are tons, TOOOONS of places I’d like to take photos but haven’t had the chance to do some. Some of them are specific locations: Land’s End in Hingham, DeCordova Museum, Mt. Auburn cemetery, some architectural places around the Boston University and Boston College campus (*cough* senior shoots, that means you!), town centers of suburban towns – Lexington, Concord. Some locations are more conceptual – farms with old paint-peeling barn doors; urban streets with multi-colored doorways (surprisingly, I think the area near Cambridgeside Galleria works well for this); big, wide fields with nothing obscuring the background (Midwest); beach dunes with wavy beach grass (Cape Cod); cute family homes with brightly painted walls and graphic furniture. These places would need some driving around to discover, which I don’t currently have the luxury of doing, but maybe in the future!

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1. How did you find out about Shang Chen Photography?
71% of you know me personally
13% of you found me on Facebook
7% of you found me on Craigslist

Not surprising. I think near the end a lot of people just clicked through Facebook. I’d like to have seen more non-friends of mine participate (like, there are a bunch of you who are fans on Facebook who I’ve never met!) and just say hello!

2. How often do you guys check my blog?
4% do so every day. [WOW! You're awesome!]
62% do so whenever it’s updated / Shang Chen Photography fan page pops up on the newsfeed
20% do so with my monthly Facebook updates
13% don’t keep up regularly

The vast majority of those who keep up do so through Facebook or my gchat statuses and my personal Twitter. I was surprised a lot fewer people use Google Reader for an RSS feed, it’s SUCH a great tool for following many blogs at once, then again, I probably read more blogs than the average person. I also know a lot of people are extremely busy, so it’s so cool to know how many people actually keep up on a weekly basis!

5. How can the blog be improved? (multiple answers permitted)
53% think it’s fine
36% want more posts of my gigs
22% want more posts about photography in general
20% want more posts about my life
16% want bigger display photos

Of course I love to post more gigs too, but the only way to do so is to hire me! hahaha! You asked for bigger photos and they’re coming! Only 1 person wanted less posts (I was actually afraid a lot more people would say so). And I’m surprised 20% of you wanted to learn more about my personal life! Um… let’s see, it’s not that interesting, I work anywhere between 60 – 80+ hours at my week job and then work another 15 – 20 for photography… so how interesting can it get! Hahaha, but I do like posting travel photos. Also, other helpful feedback include being more user friendly – major reason why I changed to a Wordpress platform. A couple of you guys asked for more technical detail. I don’t  think that there is necessarily a “right” technical way to produce a photo, but I can give some details every now and there. Also, I don’t like sharing my editing techniques because that is what makes my photography what it is, and other photogs charge for their workshops, action sets, etc.  However, there are many resources out there that would happily teach you, and I’ll share what I’ll find interesting every now and then

6. If you were to hire me, what would you be interested in? [multiple choices allowed]
67% lifestyle
49% weddings
44% engagements
40% event and non-profit
33% headshots / artists

I think the conclusion to be drawn here is that it’s likely based on the demographics of the surveytakers, many of you, should you be my friends, probably are not thinking about marriage yet. However, I think the direction of Shang Chen Photography is going to be moving towards weddings / engagements and lifestyle, because I feel the most at ease and passionate about these gigs. For events and non-profits, as time permits I will consider special cases and the history of our relationship in the past, and I feel a special kinship to the student groups whose events helped launch this career, but it’s not an area that I can sustain very well into the future. One hard thing for events is that usually by the time a student group wishes to book me I’m already unavailable because weddings and lifestyle sessions tend to be booked months, even a year+ in advance.

7. Open Response -

Thanks for all your feedback and kind words! Since then, I’ve started a Twitter for my photography, and also feel encouraged that people are responding to my progression!

So, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for helping me out, this has meant a lot. I used random.org to generate the 2 winners. Please see your inbox, xjemni and cleesmile!

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What I usually carry:

2 Nikon D700 cameras
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 D lens
Nikon 85mm f/1.8 D lens
Nikon 24mm-70mm f/2.8 lens
Nikon 60mm f/2.8D lens
SB-900 flashes

Wish list:

Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens
Nikon 24mm f/1.4 lens

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