Category Archives: Personal

My Faire Ladies!

I am so excited with the entire experience of our first large bridal faire, I just couldn’t wait to share it with all of you! Last Sunday our day began with enthusiasm and excitement as we were driving to the Claremont Resort to setup our booth for the Annual Modern Bridal Faire. The excitement was such that it took me back to my very own 2007 wedding experience, and I was ready to share that love and meet brides from all over!

Thanks to a great friend and photographer, Elena Hernandez, who inspired me to do something fun and just be me, I told my husband and my assistants that we were going to make this an experience for everyone including ourselves. Yes, a nice display as well as marketing materials is essential but what good is it if there is no heartbeat and no excitement to match? I am blessed that in my life I have enjoyed an abundance of laughter, and that I have surrounded myself with people that relish laughter, so why not keep pressing on?

Along with meeting a GREAT group of ladies and gentlemen, we set up a fun photo station, with fun sexy cowboy hats, and feather boas galore. Everyone who came to meet us was photographed and it was an overall great time! I met many beautiful brides to be from all walks of life, and yes, I spoke to each and every one of them! The brides were thrilled to learn we were giving away an Engagement Session, and I later decided to give several sessions away! I was truly inspired and I look forward to seeing and photographing these fabulous people real soon! Our phone’s ringing off the hook, but it’s only because we had fun and in turn, so did the brides….and my Faire Ladies….THEY ROCK!!! See for yourselves!

I would also like to acknowledge and thank all of those who assisted in the success of this event.

Set design Wayne Yasuhara and David Gogna, inspired by Bambi Cantrell. And a special heartfelt thanks to our mentors and friends Jerry & Melissa Ghionis, floral designs Russell Jacade, our lovely assistants Gina Gogna and Yolanda Rouse-Jackson, Angelo Cervantes, Elena Hernandez, and Mark Canepa . Thank you all it was a blast!!

Photography is one of the most important investments within your wedding planning. If you are not sure where to start, connect with our studio, we would love to speak with you!

you can also find us on Facebook!



Happy “New” Year! So, what’s new?

San Francisco City Hall Wedding, Christmas Wedding, Blonde bride with white dress, groom in black suit, flower girl in white dress and haku, bridal bouquet, Christmas Wedding , Christmas Tree Wedding decor, stairs, roman columns

I’m not a big fan of looking back, but I can’t help but to reflect back on the past year as a source of wisdom to prepare for the upcoming “New Year”.  As always, we greet the new year with optimism and compile our list of “New Years” resolutions.  But this year, 2011, lets pause and reflex on what was, and what wasn’t working in our businesses.  Lets sweep out the things that didn’t work, and embrace the things that did!
 
If you’re anything like me, you know from experience when something is right, and you know when it’s not.  When your idea, project, or plan isn’t going as planned. don’t let it fester and attract flies!  Nip it in the bud!  Cut your losses and move on!  Learn from the experience, make improvements, and know that everything can’t be as perfect as Cinderella’s castle.  I’m a firm believer that we are our own worse critics. But it doesn’t have to be so bad. If we can’t learn from our own mistakes or even admit we made them, there’s no way on God’s green earth that we can grow and learn from them!
 
As professional photographers it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of booking  new jobs, and checking the checkbook twice to make sure every thing’s rosy and nice.  But, STOP and reflect for a moment!  It’s not all about how many bookings you get or how many dollars you make.  Our business is already 90% “business” and 10% photography!  Granted we could all use more dollars in this economy,  the business will come if you stay focused on the number one priority, client relationships!  Oh!  and don’t forget “your love of photography” , the simple joy of creating beautiful images.  Now, that’s priceless!
 
So this year, learn from last years mistakes, make your clients “Number One!”, and remember why you love photography so much,  Get involved with other photographers in your related field, learn from one another, get honest feedback, and get out there and create the images you love.  Go to seminars, perfect your craft, get involved with your community, and share your knowledge with others in your field (workshops, blogging, tutorials, etc.  ”Money shots” do not come from focusing on making money.  You’re a photographic artist irregardless of money, and your clients love what you create irregardless of price, and that’s why they hired you in the first place! 
“So, always use your head, but always shoot from the heart!”
 
Whatever your RESOLUTIONS may be for 2011,  have a HAPPY new year first, and a PROSPEROUS new year will follow naturally!
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Are you a new or aspiring wedding photographer looking to start or improve your business? Connect with YStudio Photography! This is the business of sharing and if we can help we’d LOVE hearing from all of you!



Pinup Photography with YStudio!

I just LOVE It when I get a call from a gal who says she’s NOT a GIRLY girl! I usually tell them, “not for long darling!”  As photographers, we are constantly being challenged, whether it be by the weather, the lighting, or yes, even the subjects.  Not only do I embrace a good challenge, I dive right in!

When Melissa first called our studio right away we hit it off!  Her enthusiasm and her desire to surprise her boyfriend for his birthday was all I needed to start working on my canvas.  We worked together on a concept and ideas for hair and makeup as well as wardrobe.  Melissa not only surprised me, she did an outstanding job in locating 3 HOT outfits!  And she did not spend a fortune at Goodwill either!  Along with our studios accessories, shoes,  a fabulous makeup artist, Carol Basserman, and Hair by the Pinup Parlor in Berkeley, CA., we ROCKED this pinup!  Oh and thanks to KC BBQ of Berkeley for the fab 1960′s Cadillac!

See for yourselves on our fab and fun California Pinup Style Photo Shoot on the streets of Berkeley, CA.

If you would like to get girly in front of our cameras, BRING IT…..it’s really a great experience, and you will have lovely photos to cherish for years to come!  BOOK NOW and receive a BONUS gift!

Hats off to Melissa a sexy and GIRLY gal!!!

pinup blue cadillac

 

Vintage Pinup Model with Camera

 

Berkeley Pinup Photographers YStudio

 

Pinup model with pink scarf

 

Burlesque Pinup Photographers YStudio

 

Pinup Model with Red Rose

 

Vintage Pinup Model with Chinese Umbrella

 

Chinese Umbrella Pinup

 

Burlesque Boudoir Photographer

 

November 2011

We absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE all things Vintage and Pinup, as you all know.  And last year we decided to enter our very first Pinup Calendar Photo Contest, and much to our surprise, we WON!  Because YStudio is a husband and wife team, we were thrilled that each of us had a winning image published in the PL Lifestyle 2011 Pinup Calendar.

And…………we were ecstatic when I received a called from Desiree of PL Magazine, asking ME to shoot the cover image for their 2012 Calendar!! Are you kidding me?  OF COURSE!!!  We set up the shoot for a date in November and although it was a bit of a rainy day, we were able to get some fab images.

The hair and makeup team of The Pinup Parlor in Berkeley, CA made this all complete, along with a custom made couture dress made this shoot a lot of fun and needless to say, beautiful and timeless!
Seen here is the cover image selected by the magazine (photographed in Berkeley, CA), as well as a few of other favorites from this shoot…  COMING SOON!!! Please support the magazine by purchasing your very own Pinup Calendar……you can BUY HERE!!!!

And if  YOU would like to be captured in a vintage way,  we have hair and makeup artists that can help transform YOU into a Pinup Calendar gal yourself!!  Call us we would LOVE to photograph you, and if you purchase a PL 2012 Calendar, we will give you a 10% OFF your YStudio Pinup Shoot!!!!!

Please contact us at 510 965 1564 or info@ystudiophotography and BOOK YOUR SESSION TODAY!!!! It’s almost Valentine’s Day!!

Enjoy some of our OTHER faves from this shoot!

 

 

 

 

 November 2010

 

Pinup Photography, pinup calendar, vintage pinup girls

We were so excited to learn that we were among the few photographers who won the calendar contest for the Pinup Lifestyle 2011 Pinup Calendar!

Red white and blue pinup photo, vintage americana pinup, redhead pinup, blue eyes model,

YStudio launched their Pinup campaign in July of this year, I had been wanting to do a vintage pinup shoot for so long and thanks to Teresa Reynolds, my close friend and Hair & MUA extraordinaire, it came through! I had mentioned to her how bad I wanted to start with pinup and her enthusiasm was FAB! She also had a model in mind, Lynnette, a voluptuous 20-something year old who had the LOOK and feel we were looking for.

Vintage homecoming photo shoot, 1939 Gray stock Mercury, The USS Hornet, Alameda, CA, Redhead vintage pinup model, black and white dress

What started out as a pinup shoot soon became a Vintage Epic editorial shoot we now call “Love and War in the 1940′s.” We wanted to tell a story but we also wanted to pay homage to the many men and women who fought during World War II, and we wanted to display the real lives these men and women had while at war. YES, they were fighting a war but yes, they have loves left behind, some came home and some didn’t.

YStudio and the entire team would like to send a special thank you and salute to the many who have fought in World War II and to those who continue to serve. The inspiration for this piece which began in July and ended in October displays love across the seas and a war homecoming that kept being put off until the final day, when her love came home, safe and unharmed.

American Flag, Pinup Vintage Americana, uss hornet, alameda, ca

Thank you all for following YStudio‘s Pinup Adventure, we are thrilled to have received recognition from the community of Pinup Lifestyle all of our clients, Facebook fans, friends, and Family who believed in our craft enough to vote for us…. none of this would have been possible without YOU!

Pinup Navy Officer, Redhead pinup model, war homecoming

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barbara Yasuhara, Teresa Reynolds, Lynnette Fisher, Mary Lou, Mary Rosenberger, YStudio Pinup Team

(L-R) Barbara Yasuhara-Photographer, Teresa Reynolds-Hair/Makeup/Stylist, Mary Lou-Assistant and Mary Rosemberger-Fashion Model & Assistant

Ready to take that sexy plunge? Our team can make it happen, and you can have your very own Pinup Portrait party too! Connect with YStudio Photography, we would LOVE to hear from you. You can also find us at Facebook and TWITTER


La Mission Motion Soundtrack Release

Hope & Healing Benefit Concert 2010

Marina LaValle, Hope and Healing Concert 2010

YStudio had the privilege of being a sponsor contributing photography for this years Hope & Healing Concert Presented by the Instituto Familiar de la Raza in San Francisco, California.

This year the event’s fundraiser hosted the songstress of Afro-Peruvian song, Ms. Marina LaValle. The event kicked off on Friday afternoon, October 22nd, with a Social Gathering and dinner at the home of Miguel Bustos which is located in the heart of the San Francisco’s Mission District. Many guests who attended the private social gathering and dinner referred to this being a special event held in the “purple house!” Special guests included Peter Bratt, Film Director of the film “La Mision”, and the Hector Lugo Trio.

The event which was produced by La Bohemia and the Insituto Familiar de la Raza was organized in a manner that was about community outreach, culture, awareness, kinship, and social justice. The overwhelming response and the entire event was wrapped up with an evening at the San Francisco Brava Theater with an amazingly spirited concert and performance by none other than Marina LaValle and her ensemble.

The performances were striking, powerful, impacting and spirited to say the least. We again were privileged to have been among the many sponsors for this event, and we would like to share a few of our favorite images from this event.

Afro Peruvian Dance Group at Brava Theater San Francisco

Marina LaValle, Afro Perivuan Songstress, Brava Theater San Francisco

Marina LaValle

Enjoy a slide show of our favorites, you may also purchase photos from this event here:

We’d love to hear about YOUR event! Connect with YStudio Photography, we would LOVE to hear from you. You can also find us at Facebook




T w i t t e r
F a c e b o o k
W e d d i n g   W i r e
Y e l p