portfolio plus miami // hot hot heat from Chris & Oliver Cinema on Vimeo.

Here are few photos from the day. I got to work with the couple covering the engagement session style while Ray covered the bride and groom portion of the shoot (These files are STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CAMERA – resized and slightly sharpened in Photoshop using BlogStomp action):

Big thanks goes out to them along with Brent Cline, Kenny Nakai and all the other volunteers and models who came down to give us a hand with this workshop. We would also like to thank all of our sponsors as well as The Four Season Hotel staff for making this possible. You can check out Kenny Nakai’s blog post for additional recap from this event.

Introducing Portfolio + Workshop IV

BLACK FRIDAY WEEKEND & CYBER MONDAY SALE: Starting 12 midnight ET Friday, 11/26 until 12 midnight ET Monday 11/29 – get $200 off the registration cost! ($895 $695). This will be a special intimate Portfolio + Workshop. Ray & I will be inviting a small group of people for more hands on learning. First come first serve basis. This workshop will be the last one in Miami for 2011.

CONTEST: By registering early, you will be entered in a contest for a chance to photograph a HIGH-END wedding side by side with Ray Santana and Kenny Kim in Miami. The winner will be announced early December (or when the workshop sells out) so that he or she can make necessary travel arrangements. The wedding will take place at an undisclosed HIGH-END venue in Miami. More details will be given upon registration. Click on the image below for more information about the workshop:

The Digital Wedding Photographer's Planner Website

In light of this new launch, I am putting together a small contest – a chance to win a personalized copy of my new book! Please visit the contest page on the website for more details!

Thank you so much for your support. The book has been a big hit so far. I would love to hear from you for those that are out there. If you had a chance to read it, please let me know your thoughts. You can leave your comments here or email me at: book @ kennykim dot com. Thank you!

Digital Wedding Photographer's Planner - Book by Kenny Kim

Digital Wedding Photographer's Planner - Book by Kenny Kim

I am filled with emotion as I write this blog post. I am proud, humbled, amazed, thankful + probably about 10 other adjectives that I cannot think of right now when I think about the fact that I am now an author. Thank you Wiley Press for giving me the opportunity to write a book that I am passionate about. I am really thankful for many people out there that have given me so many opportunities to be where I am today and this is yet another major milestone in my career.

If you had asked me five years ago what I would be doing now, I doubt being a wedding photographer or writing a book would have been my answer. The truth is, I really had no clue what I was going to do. I probably would have guessed working in sports management or managing a coffee shop or possibly working for a top design agency, or even better: a sports photographer. But my life took a different path to wedding photography, and for the first time in my life, I have found something I am really passionate about.

By picking up this book, you are either considering becoming a full-time photographer or perhaps you already started and need a little direction. While there are many planning guides available for couples, this is one for designed you, the wedding photographer. The more prepared you are the more you can concentrate on taking the photographs and getting the images that will delight your clients. In this planner you will find numerous tips and checklists from the more than 100 weddings I have photographed in the past four years, as well as some lessons I learned from other photographers. It covers everything you need to think about and plan for when it comes to photographing a wedding—from the initial meeting with the prospective clients and how to make a good first impression, through the various stages of the wedding how you can deliver the final product to the newlyweds. Just remember that nothing here is really set in stone. The beauty of this industry is that you can study books like this and make it your own.

Welcome to wedding photography. You are in a community of people who will help and encourage to you become a better photographer. Think of this book as just a starting point—the tip of the iceberg. Use it to develop your own style and explore new ways to doing things. I hope you find this profession as rewarding and fulfilling as I have.

For more information, visit: Wiley Press

You can purchase a copy at:
Amazon
Books-A-Million
Barnes & Noble
Borders
Wiley

This trip has not even began yet and Italy is welcoming me with many surprises. Let me share a few with you:

1) While I was in air traveling to Italy, another photographer signed up for my workshop and have made it officially SOLD OUT. Praise God. Talk about last minute!

2) When we landed in Rome, it sudden started to snow – I mean major snow, that it took us almost an hour to get to our hotel (which should have taken us less than 30 minutes). The taxi driver, in Italian, told me that this is crazy because it has not snowed in Rome for over 25 years. At first I thought he was exaggerating (b/c of our language barrier) but later on I found out that he was being literal. Wow, it hasn’t snowed in 25 years and we just happened to arrive on the day that it decided to snow. Had I known this earlier, I would not have taken a nap right away when I got to the hotel. I did manage to get couple of shots before I took a quick nap:

Because we all took a little nap, we were wide awake for the evening. So we decided to walk around Rome on a night shoot. I don’t usually do many shoots at night but walking around in Rome (getting lost around Trastevere) made me realize how awesome it is to use different available light to create some amazing shots like this:

Here is a normal view of Colosseum at night:

And here’s an unexpected view of the Colosseum thanks to snow by day that melted into puddle of water by night:

Pantheon is just as breath-taking at night as it is by day. I love Matt Savage’s innocent child-like response to seeing Pantheon for the first time: “This is one of the coolest place on earth!” Matt & Stevi and Kenny Nakai took some unbelievable photos here which I am sure they will share on their blogs in the future.

I almost found out that Kenny Nakai is afraid of heights. I still made him cross over the Tevere river bridge railing and stand on the other side. He’s not smiling in this photo because he is genuinely scared right now:

We walked around Max’s home town in Terni at night. We found out San Valentino (St. Valetine) is the guardian of the city. Because it was close to 2/14, they were having a chocolate festival there. I have never seen so much chocolate in my life. I learned that Nutella is not just a chocolate cream spread – it is a religion. One of amazing things we tasted were these crepes filled with Nutella inside. I think I am not a huge fan of chocolate but I can eat this any day of the week!

Here Stevi & Matt are patiently waiting for their Nutella crepe. Almost too patient that they are getting angry – j/k…maybe..

Now that Stevi got her Nutella, she is a happy camper. Nakai on the other hand did not get one and now wishes he did:

Max had planned another workshop after my PhotoVenture is over with a group of Italian photographers. He told me he reserved a special room for our meeting and when he took me there, I almost gasped. It is deep in the moutains at a monastery where the monks used to live – which now has been converted to a bed and breakfast hotel. This place is unreal and well preserved in time. I cannot wait to do this. Just picture a bald asian who does not know how to speak any Italian teaching these guys about American style of photography. This ought to be interesting:

We also got to visit Assisi again. We went to the Basilica of St. Francis. Normally this place is packed with tourists and St. Francescan followers. Today it was almost empty and perhaps because of that reason, the guards were not there. This church is full of of the gorgeous and breath-taking fresco art. For this reason, they do not allow any photography inside. But since the guards were not there, we decided to be rebels and snapped some shots. Max told us that this is the first time in his life that he did not witness any guards protecting the basilica:

We took a break after Assisi to relax at a nearby café bar as typical Italians would do. We sat next to this couple and I don’t know why but seeing them enjoy a cup of coffee and dessert made me smile. I took a shot of them and it reminded me of how Italians love life and enjoy it to the fullest. It put a smile on my face again.

And this last shot is pretty amazing – not only is Terni guarded by San Valentino, he also has a church there and is buried there as well. We drove by the church as they were finishing their mass and noticed these heart shaped lights leading them into the church. We couldn’t help but to take this photos for Matt & Stevi. How many couples can say that they celebrated their Valentine’s Day in front of San Valetino’s Church where he is buried? These guys are so cute together they make me sick.

Anyways, I need to hit the sack soon. We are heading back to Rome to meet all the attendees tomorrow. I cannot wait for this PhotoVenture to start and to see what surprises are waiting for us around the corner. Are you ready? Andiamo & arrivederci!

For more, visit: My Portfolio | Resources For Photographers | Twitter: KennyKim | Facebook Page
contact@kennykim.com | 800-539-1294

Every year, I come up with a t-shirt to celebrate the number of years I have been in business. The 4th version marks my 4th year. Each year has represented all the hard work, dedication and the steps I have taken to be where I am today and making these shirts is a way to remind myself of where I have been and where I am headed.

Regarding design, one of the toughest thing to do is to design something for yourself – even though I have a graphic design background and have done plenty of designs for others. So with the help of my talented designer friend Al Navata from Navata Design and a creative inspiration from my friend & talented photographer Lisa Carpenter, I have came up with the design for my next t-shirt:

2010 Kenny Kim T-Shirt: Caution This Photographer Makes Frequent Stops! - Shirt Concept by Al Navata Design (http://www.navatadesign.com)

The concept behind the design is simple: The arrows represent not only the different destinations that I (as a photographer) go to, but also the the different tasks that my job requires. Some are big and some are small but they all count and are important part of what we do. It also represents communication. The arrows in the right design and the symbols in the left design are the standard international signage – and just like photography, it communicates to people all over the world. Finally, the phrase “CAUTION: THIS PHOTOGRAPHER MAKES FREQUENT STOPS” was created with the help of my friend Lisa Carpenter during our PhotoVenture Trip to Italy. As we were walking through various towns and cities in Italy, all of us would make random stops to photograph something that caught our eyes. Lisa then made a comment: “Kenny, I think you should come up with a shirt that says: ‘Caution, this photographer makes frequent stops.’” That was an eureka moment and I had to incorporate this into my next design with her permission.

So without further adieu, I would like to introduce my new shirts:

2010 Kenny Kim T-Shirt: Caution This Photographer Makes Frequent Stops! - Now available for order

They will be ready in few days so you can start pre-ordering them. The cost of the shirts include shipping. (If you are one of the 15 going on my PhotoVenture to Italy in Feb 2010, you need not order. Your trip includes a special PhotoVenture edition of this shirt!):

These shirts are printed on American Apparel 100% premium cotton men’s & women’s shirts. Here are the sizing charts: MEN | WOMEN

CHOOSE A SIZE

Women’s Small $25.00 Women’s Medium $25.00 Women’s Large $25.00 Men’s Small $25.00 Men’s Medium $25.00 Men’s Large $25.00 Men’s XL $25.00 Men’s XXL $27.00

For more, visit: My Portfolio | Resources For Photographers | Twitter: KennyKim | Facebook Page
contact@kennykim.com | 800-539-1294