There were two concepts / visions for this shoot. Monica has so many interests, it was pretty tough for us to pare it down, but we did it! From a series of “helter-skelter hodgepodge stream of ideas”, we wanted to exemplify the following: Monica loves art – she is a dancer and a pianist. Monica is fashionable and bubbly. Monica is playful and upbeat. She hopes to enter a career in public service with an interest in education. Phewph! In the process I created two inspiration boards for her.

Here’s concept #1 – the artistic side of Monica. I simply love how she brings in dance and dance movement in all these photos, and the hair flowers! Love =) At the last minute I also brought in sheet music (shoutout to my intern Ami for finding it!) to add to the feel

Though visually I knew the area that we’d picked for the photographs, we weren’t too familiar with the details of getting there. At one point we had to climb a fence… :D

This photo was the Facebook sneak peek. Yes, I did get bitten by fire ants while taking this photo, probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done. However, the pictures were worth it

Monica dances as part of the Harvard AADT – a student dance group I used to photograph a lot back in the day

There is very little doubt as to why I really love my in(SCP)iration sessions and see them as my own baby – they push my creativity and are in general, just super fun

Before part two even began, we passed a playground. SWING! Of course, Monica had to play on it :D

For part two – the playful and energetic photos, we went to the DeCordova Museum.

Something about the way her shadow falls on the umbrella on the picture on the right..

I laughed when she arrived with these balloons for the shoot. Ordinarily, balloon props for photoshoots are giant, large, and mono-colored. Monica specifically chose three whimsical balloons – Winnie the Pooh, Elmo, and a yellow smiley face. The person selling her the balloons was a little bit puzzled – “you want three??”  Really, no one ever needs permission to have more than one helium balloon.

I’m in love with this strappy strappy shoe

We began in downtown Chicago

Harold quickly broke out into some awesome swing dancing amongst these sculptures in Grant Park

Some more calm, perspective photos

We found this really awesome place where you can get on train tracks. I um… have an obsession with shooting on train tracks

Beautiful light

Just our luck… a train passed by

Jump!

A selfie with my 35mm at the end =)

Travel schedule:

May 13 – 15 – Ann Arbor
May 20 – 22- Boston
June 11 – August 31: Boston
June 14 – 16: NYC
July 29 – August 4 – San Francisco
August 23 – 25: NYC

hear the news first - like my work on facebook . follow my thoughts on twitter

Color! Blue skies!

This makes me want to lie and nap all day

We enjoyed lots of sun and a pretty empty beach at Alameda Beach – you’ll see quickly enough that it wasn’t the warmest day, but still beats icy Chicago!

Rosie took us to Jack London Square in Oakland to check out some great seaside architecture and boats

Girl, you are so gorgeous

This is a great mural

And I had the extreme luck and honor of having one of my best photog friends, Anna Wu, come help me out! Here she is saving my day by holding the reflector

Thank you thank you Anna so much for taking these behind the scenes photos of me! See the full set on my Facebook fan page

(Sorry Anna I don’t have your nifty logo watermark, hope you’ll forgive me)

Don’t ask what entered my mind to do this one…

I do a limited number of in(SCP)iration sessions each year for fabulous, stylish individuals who want to capture their personality and style at a certain time in their lives and truly celebrate it. Beyond just simply portraits, there is an inspirational aspect of the shoot – whether it is a prop, a certain color, or mood to go for, that goes into the planning as well. I really believe in the importance of portraiture as an act of keeping memories but also, self-empowerment. These will be available in Chicago in the spring and during weekdays and select Sunday from mid-June to mid-September in Boston. Simply inquire for more detail!

want to learn more about my photography? inquire!
hear the news first - like my work on facebook . follow my thoughts on twitter

We found some amazing spots by the Seaport District area in Boston, one of my favorite places to go for modern and inspiring photos!

And Sarah’s look was completed by the fabulous handiwork of Danielle Ross Makeup Artistry, a preferred vendor =)

We had some amaaazing light for these next two photos! They still give me the shivers

We then went to Brookline near my place for a couple of casual portraits

Sarah and I are both looking forward to starting our MBA programs soon! She will continue her track at Harvard, and I have no doubt that our paths will continue to cross in the future!

Thank you Amie for assisting!

Want to learn more about my in(SCP)iration sessions? Click here. These are one of the few non-wedding sessions I will still be offering in the next year

want to learn more about my photography? inquire!
hear the news first - like my work on facebook . follow my thoughts on twitter

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!

Check out Jen’s website here!

want to learn more about my photography? inquire!
I am a boston and chicago wedding photographer. hear the news first - like my work on facebook . follow my thoughts on twitter

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

be an awesome fan . follow my daily thoughts and goings on twitter
keep updated! add the RSS feed for this blog to your Google Reader

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 =)

be an awesome fan . follow my daily thoughts and goings on twitter
keep updated! add the RSS feed for this blog to your Google Reader

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!

be an awesome fan . follow my daily thoughts and goings on twitter
keep updated! add the RSS feed for this blog to your Google Reader