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Malibu Wedding Photography | Silvia and Paul's Wedding

2010-08-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Location: Malibu, CA

Venue: Sunset Restaurant

Cake: Crumbs Bake Shop

Santa Monica Wedding Photography | Silvia and Paul's Engagement

2010-08-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

Life Stream...

2010-07-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Pismo Beach | Cambria | Morro Bay | Avila Beach

2010-06-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Family Photo Shoot | Alta Dena, CA

2010-06-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

Tasha and Gus - Family Session | Ballona Wetlands

2010-04-17T22:54:00.000-07:00

I had a great time photographing the family of Tasha and Gus. They made the trek up from San Diego to Playa Del Rey, only to have me drag them through the wilderness (heels and all). Sorry Tasha. I should have requested hiking boots for this one. :)

But it was worth it. The recent rain has left our little corner of LA covered in acres of wildflowers.

Spring is here...officially.

Aiden enjoying his bribery. He finished it in about 30 seconds.

I love Zoe's expression in this one! She can hardly contain that smile.

The boys...

Mom and dad get some alone time.

Our family photos 2010 | Ballona Wetlands

2010-02-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

We try to take some time away for each of our kids birthdays to do a special photo session with them. Life changes so quickly as they grow right before our eyes. This year our son Chase turned 2 years old. We took the family out to my favorite secret photo spot, the Ballona Wetlands near our home in Playa Del Rey. Our dear friend and fellow photographer, Drew Clayton came with us to help make sure I got some time on the other side of the lens.

Our big boy.

Chase (2) and Jaelin (5).

Our family together in one photo (a rare occurrence).

Looking very epic. Drew caught me on a rock while I was scoping our our next shooting spot.

Cindy and Chris' wedding | North Hollywood Methodist Church | Castaway Restaurant, Burbank

2010-01-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

Drew Clayton and I were behind the lens again photographing the joining of Cindy and Chris. The rain clouds seemed to have parted just for their day. It was beautiful. Cindy and Chris are two very special people with kind and generous hearts, loved and supported by many family and friends.

Their adventure will soon continue as they prepare to move to Honduras where Chris has started a toy company, Tegu. This company not only creates beautiful handmade wooden blocks but directly supports the local economy, schools, and environment. I wish them the best in their journey!

Ceremony: North Hollywood Methodist Church
Reception: The Castaway Restaurant - Burbank, CA
Hair and Makeup - Nicole Shockley

The evening's entertainment by: Let

Sang Nhi and Shoji's wedding | San Pedro

2009-10-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

Korean Friendship Bell, San Pedro

La Venta Inn Palos Verdes Wedding Photography | Joyce and Brian

2009-10-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Location: La Venta Inn
Catering: NY Food Company
Florist: Be Buds
Videographer: Impressive Creations

We (Judy, Drew and I) had the utmost pleasure of photographing the wedding of Joyce and Brian. Joyce and Brian are one of the friendliest, most hospitable couples one will ever meet. Their wedding was held at La Venta Inn, a mountaintop villa situated in Palos Verdes. The ocean view was panoramic and breathtaking. During the ceremony, the clouds rolled in with might and beauty, while tears rolled down the faces of the bride and bridesmaids. It was very touching. We even abruptly stopped family photos in order to capture the couple with the gorgeous hues of the sky as the sun set in the background. The romance, respect and deep affection between Joyce and Brian were evident to everyone who witnessed their unioin. We know that their future together will be bright and full of joy. Cheers to the beautiful couple!

Life Stream...

2009-10-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you who aren't connected to me through FaceBook, here you can find the most recent personal photos streaming in...

(pause the slide show and click the left arrow to see the most recent photos)

Road Trip 09

2009-09-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of a recent road trip we took up the coast.

Pismo Beach:

Chase was leading Jaelin around the pier trying to catch the birds.

The kids inspecting something interesting on the ground.

Morro Bay:

Our favorite place eat in Morro is a little seafood cafe on the dock.

Riding a 2 man bike around town.

Chase fell asleep in Jaelin's arms.

Avila Valley Farm:

Playa Del Rey:

Back at home in Playa Del Rey.

Francie & Steve's Wedding - Lake Shrine Temple and Paradise Cove

2009-07-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of photographing the joining of Francie and Steve. Francie and I clicked from our first conversation. She truly seemed to get what photography means to me and the artistry I try and put into each photo.

Francie and Steve were married in the beautiful and serene Lake Shrine Temple in the Pacific Palisades.

Francie and Steve are a very sweet couple.

Francie and Steve were like two smitten teenagers all day...

Paradise Cove was the location for the reception.
The view was breathtaking and the food was delicious.

A future photographer for National Geographic...or People magazine.

One of the flower girls, lost in her own world, feeling the wind blow through her hair, as the adults were giving toasts.

Chase's First Disneyland Trip

2009-06-14T00:36:00.000-07:00

We finally took some much needed family time to celebrate Jaelin's preschool graduation and take Chase to Disneyland for the first time. We were joined by our long time friend, Drew Clayton, with whom I've shot the last few weddings. Drew was awesome enough to help me document the day so that I was on the other side of the lens at least some of the time.

(Note to self: Remember to take other pro photographers on family vacations with you.)

(photo by Drew)
Chase and I upon arrival - a bit too early for photos.

(photo by Drew)

(photo by Drew)
Attacking our little Spiderman (shirt) with tickles.

First on the agenda was for Jaelin to meet her princesses. She wore her Sleeping Beauty dress all day just for the chance to impress another "real" princess.
(Look at Chase's priceless expression.)

Just look at Jaelin trying to hold back a smile as she nervously approaches Belle...

...clutching her dress with anticipation and excitement.

Chase's very first ride (Alice in Wonderland). He stared in awe and confusion. We weren't sure if he liked it until he gave a mad, deep grunt when the car stopped.

Drew and Chase

The whole Lai-Yates clan on Small World.

Getting some exercise in Adventureland.

Jaelin driving her first car at the Autopia.

Our little princess showing off a new hat.

I loved this moment. Lots of backstory here. Chase is "in love" with his pacifier. He's pretty much never without it. I sometimes refer to it as his "cigarette."

Chase likes to kiss...hard...often leaving teethmarks.

Riding the carousel.

Jaelin watching the parade (and dancing along).

We had an amazing time which we will cherish forever. Today was a reminder to slow down and keep focus on the life that is racing past us.

Annual 79th Street Memorial Day Block Party

2009-06-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our house (far, far, far) beyond our dreams early May 2009, we were supremely excited to fill the larger living space with our children's laughter and the sounds of their feet running to their little hearts' content. The first day that Jeremy and Chase walked Jaelin to her preschool (only five minutes by foot!), the boys discovered that our street led to the most beautiful bluff views of the ocean, marina and city, as well as cute walking paths to newly constructed neighborhood parks.

The kids are loving their spacious play room, Jeremy is passionately designing the backyard to include an impressive playground for the children, and I admit that I am loving not needing to share any bathroom space - ha!

But it just kept getting better and better...

Shortly after moving in, we were invited to a block party for our street. For the past ten years, the residents of 79th Street have celebrated Memorial Day with LOTS of good grub, exactly our style :) We joined them for our very first block party and were overwhelmed to meet such fantastic and friendly neighbors. It has always been our dream to be part of a living community who cares and looks out for each other. Jaelin even met another little girl who is attending the same kindergarten as her in the Fall. We look forward to play dates and dinners with our neighbors, as well as many more block parties in the future. Hopefully, our neighbors liked us enough because we are definitely here to stay :)

The kids made chocolate chip cookies to share for the block party.
They were so excited and proud of their work :)

Tug of war...

Sack races...

Saying good-bye to one of the families moving out of CA...

Judy and the Little Man...

The whole 79th Street gang...

Kristen and Blake's Wedding - Lake Oak Meadows

2009-05-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

What an adventure! Judy, Drew, and I made the trek down to Temecula to photograph the wedding of Kristen and Blake. The wedding was amazing. It took place at the beautiful Lake Oak Meadows Winery. The ceremony was held in front of a lake that wrapped around us. The food was delish, and everyone made it out onto the dance floor.

Moments before seeing his bride for the first time...

The first dance...

Thank you Kristen and Blake for inviting us to be a part of this important moment in your lives.

Kristen and Blake - "Engage" session

2009-03-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of finally meeting Kristen and Blake in person for their engagement shoot. We had a great time and hit it off like old friends. They are a fun couple game for anything. We started the shoot in their beachfront apartment and made our way around to the park nearby. The sky was amazing due to a storm coming in. It was cold and windy. Poor Kristen nearly froze her toes off doing the shoot. Good thing we ended the shoot with her slipping back into her cozy Uggs and warming up to a cup of hot cappuccino.

This was an amazing moment in which everything just fell into place. It was taken during the last ten minutes of sun, as the storm clouds were roaring in. A kite happened to swing into frame split second. I saw the moment and captured it.

Pam and Dave's Wedding - Altadena Country Club

2009-03-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

We had a great time on Saturday (03/14/09) shooting Pam and Dave's long awaited wedding that took place at the beautiful Altadena Country Club. I also had the pleasure of creating the slide show presentation for their reception. Pam looked stunning, and Dave was quite the distinguished gentleman. It was the perfect day. Pam and Dave are both such heartful and genuine people. The room was undeniably filled with love and support for them.

Pam and Dave - It was such an honor for Judy and I to be a part of your day. I hope you enjoy your very well deserved honeymoon. Stay in touch!

Big shout outs to Judy and Drew for their assist!
It would not have been the same without you two.

Bonnie, Brian & Toni Photo Shoot

2009-02-21T10:49:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a fun couple, Bonnie and Brian (an animator from Sony Pictures), and their daughter, Toni. Toni turned one year old on the day of the shoot. What a fun birthday present. :)

Here are a few shots from the morning...

Toni just loves water!

This is my absolute favorite shot from the day.

More from Pam and Dave's Engagement Shoot...

2009-02-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

Pam and Dave Engagement

2009-01-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday (January 18th), I had an engagement shoot with some good friends of mine, Pam and Dave. We had originally planned the photo session before the crazy holiday time, but our scheduled date ended up during the time of the most recent LA fire. That day, it was advised that people stay indoors, especially residents of Pasadena, the location of the shoot. I'll always wonder though how interesting the colors would have turned out on that day. I remember it as the day of perpetual sunsets due to the ash in the air.

Pam and Dave were a lot of fun to shoot with. Dave is a total goofball. Just looking back on some of the pictures made me laugh all over again. To Pam - You have your work cut out for you (haha)! And to the lively couple - I had too much fun "playing" with you guys on Sunday! Looking forward to the big day (March 14th)!

<--before

New Year's Eve Party @ Wynn (Las Vegas)

2009-01-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

It was that time again to party at the Wynn for New Years. This has been our tradition for the last few years since the Wynn first opened in Las Vegas. The resort hosted two separate parties on New Year's Eve - one for the adults that included a five course dinner & dancing to a live band, and another one for the kids. For some reason the theme this year was Scottish. I'll have to dig around to understand the significance of that. In the adult ballroom amongst the tables were lots of lights, trees, and various forms of plaid. Apparently plaid was in vogue this year. In addition to Judy's family, we partied with Travis and Vivien, Huay, some of Christy's friends, and our very own wedding photographer, Scott Robert Lim, and his wife, Stacey.

Judy and Huay on the dance floor.

This pictures clearly shows one of the great advantages in having your wedding photographer with you at a party. I actually made it to the "other side of the lens" this time with a beautiful photo by Scott.

Judy and Christy doing their usual silliness.

Travis and Vivien getting an early dessert.

Scott and Stacey

This year's dessert...All the servers came with almost 2,000 of these dishes at exactly 11:05 PM to match the time on the chocolate clock.

The kids had their own party in a ballroom next door. It was full of video games, clowns, face painting, carnival rides, candy, chocolate, photo booths, dinner food, and loads of prizes. Here's Jaelin sporting a couple of her acquisitions. After the party we rounded up all the kids and ran upstairs to view the fireworks from one of the rooms. Another great year. :)

The Shen Family Photo Shoot (Part I)

2008-12-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend the Shens and I braved the ominous rain clouds and began our family photo adventure. It required a little caravaning and off road hiking through the mud to reach our destination. Not long after we started, droplets of water started hitting our cheeks. Believe it or not, these photos were shot in the rain with me holding the camera in my right hand while extending a jacket over it in my left hand. After a bit, I called it a day and postponed the second half of the shoot for another, less wet experience. :)

Uncharted 2 Trailer (Video Game Awards)

2008-12-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

Our first Uncharted 2 trailer is out.

Uncharted 2 announced...

2008-12-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

We'll, its official. We've just announced publicly what we've been working on at Naughty Dog. We're really excited about it. I can't say too much more about it at this time, but rest assured, it's going to kick butt. :)

Look for an in depth article in the January issue of GameInformer.

More photos from Sarah and John's wedding!

2008-11-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

We have more photos from Sarah and John's wedding to show! Rustin Cerveny came along to shoot their wedding with me. He's a kick butt photographer and a ton of fun to shoot with. And he just had a baby! (hence his catching up with blogging).

Take a look...

RMC Photography

Chase's One-year-old Birthday Shoot

2008-11-18T05:14:00.000-08:00

Its finally Chase's turn. We celebrated his one year birthday in the Bahamas. Not a bad backdrop for his one year photo shoot. Here's to you, little guy...

(written by Judy)

This was an especially memorable trip for me because Chase turned the big ONE while we breathed in the Paradise Island of Atlantis. The little man is truly blessed to be so loved and adored by his daddy, sister, extended family and friends, and most devoted fan, me (*smile*). He is also lucky to be the second born because I have lowered my standards of cleanliness exponentially with him relative to Jaelin. Though I still suffer all the anxiety associated with watching my little boy crawl where dirty shoes & trash have been, dig his little fingers through vents that lead to God knows what, and squeeze mushy objects in his pudgy hands until they explode all over his dashing outfit, the difference is I hold that anxiety internally rather than express it through any action or behavior. Yes. He is lucky that his mother is tired enough to simply watch with horror. Those who know me well - you can appreciate how tired I must be!

We really needed this trip. We needed to regroup and at the same time, unwind. We needed to just be with each other with no agenda - no tasks to accomplish, no appointments to keep, no meals to prep or clean up after, no traffic to beat, no laundry to do, nothing to clean. It was heaven. We woke up to the calming sound of waves crashing ashore, the magnificent air rejuvenating our souls. We reconnected our spirits and recentered our self on the basic, core values of love and life - that is, until we realized that even a plain hamburger with no works cost $12! The island friends (waiters) sang Chase the most powerful birthday song you only hear in expensive theaters. As his proud mom, I was bursting with fruit flavors. Unfortunately, Chase was not accustomed to a bunch of strangers crowding his space, hovering over his head and singing at the top of their lungs. So it frightened him into a wail of tears. Nevertheless, I will always remember all the love and kindness showered on my little boy on his big day...and the gigantic manta rays that glided past us as he ate his first birthday cake.

Chase is a dream. He is love. When you lie down on the ground, he plots himself onto you with all his weight and affection. He is all smiles. He purposefully wrinkles his nose when he laughs. He asks for kisses by crashing his head into yours. He loves the challenge of multiple pacifiers. He savors them the way Gollum would his "Precious." He reaches out to hold Jaelin's hand when they sit in their carseats. He likes to dump toys out of bins and eat his books. And the icing on the cake? He even loves to eat! He will try just about anything and especially the crumbs he finds off the floor. He insists on feeding himself. He is all about dirt, mess, and independence. He is danger and accidents. He is sweet, sweet, so very sweet. Our lives are full and complete with his arrival. At a mere twelve weeks while in my womb, they broke my heart and crushed my spirit with the news that he may not be a healthy baby. Chase's presence is a gift. He has been my healing. Happy ONE-year-old, my little Chasey! Mommy loves you beyond measure.

Chase loves helping push the stroller.

He's magnetically drawn to stairs and all dangerous objects.

The sleepy boy in his favorite chair.

Paradise Island, Bahamas (Atlantis)

2008-11-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

Over Chase's birthday week at the end of October, we were able to steal away and get 10 days of R&R at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. All I can say is...WOW! This place was amazing. Where else can you get the best of Vegas, Sea World, a killer water park, and the beaches of the Caribbean all in one place?

Views from our balcony...

The kids exploring. It took us almost 4 days to explore the whole place.

One of the water slides started at the top of this pyramid and shoots you down through a glass tube in the middle of a shark tank.

Here is a slower inner-tube version that goes through the shark tank.

Ready to hit the waves.

The girls loved posing for the camera.

Look at Jaelin's exuberant facial expression. She had a blast on the slides.

Jaelin exploring the underground Dig Aquarium.

Chase is all business when it comes to getting dirty.

Chase, performing a comedy act.

Chase turned one-year-old on this trip. We took him to a special restaurant to celebrate. The restaurant was surrounded by glass looking into the giant aquarium.

The "ladies man" getting a little more love than he can handle.

Chase looking out from the bedroom balcony.

The two guys bonding over cars and sports.

Jaelin being a "Gap" model on the beach. She found a stick in the sand and carried it with her the rest of the trip.

Walking through one of the shark encounters.

Jaelin sailing on a catamaran.

One of the million dollar glass sculptures displayed in the casino. The scale of this thing doesn't come through in the photo. It was about 10 feet wide. This was the moon. They also had an incredibly ornate one called the sun.

This sea horse was almost two stories tall.

Lounging in front of the kids' lagoon (Jaelin in the background with her proud belly).

Breakfast with a view.

Above the Dig Aquarium. You can see one of the 8 foot manta rays below.

Here were the two giant manta rays. We were completely in awe of these two beautiful creatures. They were so graceful as they slowly glided through the water.

Our room was located on the left side of the "bridge" that connected the two large towers.

Emmy and Eric's Wedding

2008-10-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was at Dallas, Texas, photographing the union of a ridiculously cool couple - Emmy and Eric. Eric is a video game animator from id Software. He has been incredibly supportive of both my work in animation and photography. I was very flattered to be chosen by him to photograph his wedding. As other photographers will tell you, it's a lot more pressure to do a job for another professional artist as the expectation is naturally much higher. I thrive on the pressure to be that much more on top of my game.

The wedding took place at the beautiful Delaney Vineyards winery. The bridal party got ready in an upstairs room overlooking the vineyard. Once the day started, everyone relaxed and enjoyed themselves. The champagne flowed nearly as much as the tears of their mothers. It was such a moving experience. You could feel and touch the love.

Eric and Emmy -

Thank you so much for the honor and pleasure of being a part of your big day!

Emmy and Eric's Wedding (sneak peak)

2008-10-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Sarah and John's Wedding

2008-10-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sarah and John are a fun couple with an awesome wedding. The day started out at the girl's hotel room down the street where the groom was to see the bride for the first time.

However, in order for John to earn entry to see her, he had to answer correctly, a series of riddles. Each question had an associated red ribbon (shown below) from the door to Sarah, who was giggling around a corner just out of his sight. Each question he got wrong, he had to pay a red envelop of money to the bridesmaids. Once John gained entry and they were finally together, they were inseparable the entire evening.

The events took place at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California. We started upstairs with a traditional tea ceremony, to ask for the blessing of both the bride and groom's parents.

The ceremony took place in the museums center courtyard. It was just beautiful.

Then as the sun went down, the ambiance really came out. John is a fellow games industry artist and works at one of our sister companies, Ready At Dawn Studios. As he is a lighting artist by trade, you'd better believe this was one detail he made sure wasn't missed at this venue. The lighting was beautiful, with hundreds of red lanterns strung around and across the courtyard.

The night was fun. The food was great. And the dancing was off the hook!

Thank you for letting me be a part of this exciting new chapter in your life!

谢谢你

Jaelin's Birthday Week Extravaganza!!

2008-09-21T00:52:00.001-07:00

(The following was written by Judy)
Every year, my goal is to keep it simple. Plan just one birthday event. But it is hard for me to stop at just one, if not seemingly impossible. This year was no exception.

When asked what she wanted to do for her birthday, Jaelin expressed overwhelming enthusiasm to see the immortal Shamu. So we visited Sea World the weekend before her birthday. While we were in San Diego, Jeremy's family and our good friend, Drew, also had a birthday celebration for her. Then on Sunday, Jaelin celebrated her birthday with my extended family - my cousins and their significant others, aunt & uncle, and maternal grandparents. On Monday, Jaelin's actual birthday, Jeremy and I brought her favorite treats to her preschool. The kids sang "Happy Birthday" to her (so cute!) and indulged in ice cream cupcakes and doughnuts. After picking her up from school that day, we drove to my parents' house to celebrate her birthday with my immediate family members. My dad shares the same birthday as Jaelin. Then the following Saturday, I could not help myself from planning another party for Jaelin with her friends. Some of our closest friends also attended. Because many of them do not have children (yet - ha!), I know it took a lot of courage and love to choose to be in the midst of chaos central. And for that, my heart is grateful.

We were beyond exhausted by the end of Jaelin's birthday extravaganza. But seeing her so happy was fuel to our soul. Our hearts were also delighted with inexpressible thanksgiving seeing the love of others for her. Happy birthday, my Lady. May you shine ever so brightly this fourth year of your life. May your every step be blessed with divine presence and guidance. May love and peace continue to root deeply into your soul, such that the unraveling of life would not alter the simple faith and trust you naturally display that speak healing to this dark world. I love you from a place of eternal thanks to our God for my good and perfect gift - you.

Starting the birthday week with homemade chocolate cake, complete with fairy dust, by Mor Mor (Jeremy's mom)

Sea World

Jaelin personally picked out a Shamu necklace bought by great grandmother Kay

To my horror, reaching into germ infested water. And to my even greater disgust, no washing facility nearby!

Jaelin with her preschool friends. Chase makes a handsome background.

Cooper Dooper Dolan

Rachael

Jaelin smiling as her butterfly designed cupcake "cake" was being creatively lit (the box blocked some of the wind)

Blowing out four candles has become a full time job!

Jaelin's pink chocolate cupcake

So this is how you get a bunch of kids to sit in a row!

Cooper and the ladies - Elissa, Kajsa (standing), Hannah, Carly, Jaelin, Ashley, Natalia & Ella

Carly's baby brother, whom I refer affectionately as "Grandpa Baby Dylan"

Jaelin and Carly, the other blond in her world (besides Ashlyn)

This is an exquisite picture of Ashley. And yes, she is this cute in person, too :)

Natalia - an absolute princess

Cooper and his dad, Mike

This little man makes my heart skip!!!

Our brave friends without children, clinging onto each other to survive the crazy world of too many excited children all together in too small a place

Jaelin with Carly and Hannah

Ella - swinging underneath the golden sun

LIFE comes CRASHING in...

2008-09-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

This has been one tough week...

Someone ran a red when I was making a left. Thank God no one is seriously hurt.
More thoughts on this when I get a chance...

Sarah and John's Wedding (sneak peak)

2008-09-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Sarah and John,
It was an absolute honor to be part of your special day. I had so much fun working with you two. Here is a quick peak before you set off on your honeymoon. Enjoy!

Sarah and John's Engagement Photos are Here!

2008-09-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of celebrating the love between Sarah and John. We had so much fun roaming the streets of Pasadena and causing lots of mischief. These two couldn't keep their hands off each other. Next weekend (the 14th) is the big day! I can't wait!

At last John gets to see what I wrote on this card. Sarah and I kept it a secret :)

Sarah and John's Engagement (sneak peak)

2008-09-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

This is just a tease. More to come soon :)

New School, New Friends

2008-09-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

Jaelin started pre-kindergarten last month at a new school. She's adjusting well, thanks to a couple of friends who have welcomed and taken her under their wings. Thank you to Noah and Rachael! You mean the world to her :)

Jaelin's 4-year-old Photo Shoot

2008-09-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

My gosh is it THAT time again already? We decided that we would do a photo shoot of the kids on their birthdays every year. Well, Jaelin is turning 4-years-old, so we had another birthday photo shoot over the weekend. She's just blossoming in front of our very eyes. We're so proud of our little lady.

(the following was written by Judy)
I used to hear my own parents say this at every year of my development but truly, seriously, oh-my-goodness-gracious (!!!) I cannot believe that I am a mother of a (soon to be) four-year-old! Jaelin is full of spirit. Some might perceive it as stubbornness. But being someone who is often misunderstood in the same way, I'd like to describe it as "passionate." She knows what she likes, and she makes sure what she likes is as she likes it. Nothing wrong with that, right? For example, Jaelin insists that her ketchup forms a line on top of her hot dog. She likes ribbons on her hair. She loves bossing Jeremy around (ha!). Jaelin also loves to play Cinderella (interesting enough, she likes assuming the role of the stepmother or stepsister). She loves tea time. She often carries a tray of tea cups, cream and sugar, along with cookies & cake nicely arranged on top of small tea plates for us to share. She is very thoughtful. When I sit down, she asks if I need a pillow to be comfortable (she knows I have trouble with my back). She is very caring towards her baby brother. She makes sure that small toys are out of his reach because she knows they are dangerous for him. She also LOVES it when Chase watches her, and he just LOVES staring at her. She has been verbally spelling her name and is now writing it out. She already draws better than me! She is our sunshine, our world, our hope & dream. We thank God for every moment of her life. Happy 4th birthday, my lady. You are mommy's love, life and heart.

Here are a couple of shots from last year's photo shoot (3-years-old)...

Sea World @ Night

2008-07-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

(written by Judy)
Jaelin with her cousin, Ashlyn. They are three weeks apart, with Jaelin being the older of the two. They are a joy to watch together. Although they do not see each other as often as we'd like, they pick up from where they left of like two old friends. They simply adore one another.

Yates Family BBQ

2008-07-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had some family fly in from Norway, so we threw them a good ol' American BBQ. The Rodstal family (first picture below) are long lost relatives of my paternal grandmother's orphaned mother. My grandmother found them after years of genealogy research, which culminated in a visit to Norway in 2004 when she met her family for the first time.

My brother-in-law, Jeff, and my niece, Kiersten.

My mom and dad.

Chase and Jaelin with their cousin, Ashlyn.

Uncle Dennis and Aunt Sue, Grandmother Kay, dad & mom.

Chase and my dad.

PictoBrowser

2008-07-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

I'm trying out a new slide show applet that ties into flickr. Pretty cool...

Luke & Lynn

2008-07-23T02:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots of Luke and Lynn.

Yay! New Larger Picture Format for the Blog!

2008-07-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

Rustin Cerveny was kind enough to show me how to get larger photos on my blog last night. Woo hoo! Now we're off and running.

I'm fascinated with some of the effects I've seen with a tilt-shift lens. For those non photogs - one of its effects is bending the light in such a way that it can make full sized things appear miniature. I doubt one is going to be in my purchasing future ANY time soon, but I saw some Photoshop tutorials that get a similar effect. I grabbed an image from my library to try it on.

I guess I'll call this one TOY CAR...because as much as I'd like to argue that the M3 is a safe, practical and reliable family car (it even has two car seats in the back...), it does drive like a bat out of hell. I hope to still have this when my son is a teenager...but he will NEVER drive it.

Zach, the Rock Star

2008-07-21T13:13:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of photographing Zach for his senior portraits. He and his family (from Colorado) were visiting Los Angeles over the weekend and hired me to squeeze in a few senior portraits that night while they were here. As soon as the family arrived, the sun dove behind a cloud and was never seen again.

This was a test in lighting improvisation.

We grabbed a couple flashes and went to town. We had to act quickly as the lighting was changing by the minute. I think I used every piece of equipment I had in my bag. I even used the snoot I made for one of the flashes out of a mini cereal box and black tape (thanks to Strobist for the idea!). The whole family helped assist. Ken (uncle) held a reflector, while Lynn (cousin) and Luke each held the flashes. We had a great time experimenting with different lighting ideas and looks.

In the end, I think we were able to create some really cool images, and Zach ended up looking like a rock star. And chicks dig that :)

Weekend Photo Shoot

2008-07-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

A Few of My Babies

2008-07-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

After an afternoon at the pool

Chase attacked by his sister's intense love

Jaelin watching "Ni Hao Kai Lan"

50mm 1.4

2008-07-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

My first shot out of the box with my 50mm 1.4. I have a feeling this lens and I are going to be good friends. I turned to the nearest victim as soon as it was on my camera. Thanks to Judd Simantov for his role as guinea pig. More to come...

Naughty Dog Bowling Night

2008-07-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Our studio recently rented a bowling alley
to celebrate the completion of one of our big deadlines.

I think this ball took three minutes to hit the pins.

Judy and Chase

Jaelin throwing the bowling ball with all her might.

Benson striking a box pose.

Chase, aka the Ladies' Man, getting passed around, but mostly monopolized by Anna Simantov.

Look at that form!

Mike and Matthew showing their impersonation of a coat rack.

Jaelin giving me some TLC (aka bossing me around).

Sea World

2008-07-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Catching up on some old posts...
We took our daughter to Sea World for the first time.
It was a magical experience for her. Shamu is her new hero.

Feeding the dolphins.
Is it me or don't dolphins look like the happiest creatures on earth?
This one looks like it just winked at me. Maybe he was just using me for my sardines.

I know we've all seen this guy perform these flips. But DUDE! It's a WHALE doing a freaking flip! Who was the guy who first thought, "Hey, I think I can train whales to do tricks for food."

The excited choke-hold.

Alaska

2008-07-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

Last week (June 22-29), our family was able to sneak
away for a 7 day cruise along the coast of Alaska.

Alaska is humbling. I was caught breathless standing
in the center of some of the most picturesque and epic views on earth.

God was clearly inspired when He created Alaska.

Morro Bay

2008-04-17T23:04:00.001-07:00

We recently took a weekend trip to Morro Bay for Judy's birthday.

We gave Jaelin a new set of bubbles for the trip.
Judy blew while Jaelin ran around trying to pop the bubbles.

This was the coolest dog. He lived in one of the boats on the dock and loved to run and splash in the water. A little boy was playing with him, throwing rocks into the water for him to fetch.

Jaelin's Ariel pose on a rock.

Judy striking a pose.

Jaelin swinging like a monkey.

This was one of the best meals we've had in a long time. We bought fresh halibut from a fish market on the docks. They grilled it, and we sat & ate by the waterfront. It was soooo good.

This guy lived in a local aquarium.

This guy looked pissed at me.

Much to Judy's annoyance, I saw this and had to drive back a couple of exits to take a photo. Very inefficient point A to point B traveling. It was well worth the evil eye I got for it though.

The Kids Workin' Their Moves

2008-03-06T07:23:00.000-08:00

Jadden Chase and Jaelin

The kids each have their own moves.
For Jaelin, she's a dancer.
And Chase...Well, he's just a lady's man all the way.

--°O--

Jaelin was kind enough to give Chase her doll to hold while she ate dinner.
Chase apparantly had another agenda...

Chase, you dirty dog, you...

An interview I recently did for my role on Uncharted

2008-03-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Here is an interview I recently did for my role on Uncharted.

Snippet

Full article

GDC Presentation Download

2008-03-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

For any of you who have been asking where to download our talk on the animation workflow of Uncharted, I've posted it here.

You can also download speeches from the other Naughty Dogs here.
(just click the Press and Events link)

And at least one guy was paying close attention. Here are some great notes to the lecture. His notes have even more detail than the outline we wrote for our speech!

Weekend Family Painting Project

2008-03-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

(written by Judy)
It's been a sick, sick weekend. Sick as in sore throat, running nose, throbbing headache, and endless fatigue. So what did we decide to do? PAINT! We are crazy wanderers with no understanding for rest. Actually, I think that only applies to me.

Jeremy and I have been searching the world over for the perfect painting with colors that will cohesively glue the living room together. One problem or another inevitably surfaces - his taste I do not agree with, my taste too "girly" for him, the colors do not work, too darn expensive...Tired of the empty wall, we thought we'd try our hands at creating together. We saw the original version of this painting that we shall call "Life is a Beach and then You Die" while on our last vacation. We were browsing an art gallery, and this painting by Todd Goldman caught our eyes. We both liked the concept but because the colors in his painting were not right for our room, we decided to do a similar version but with the magical colors that tied the living room together.

This is our first family painting - Jaelin painted happily on the side, Chase sat contently watching us, Jeremy did the overall sketching and the wide strokes, while I did the tedious details that gave him a headache. We are a good team.

The dining room in utter disarray.

"Life is a Beach and then You Die" - by the J Lai-Yates Family

The Big Speach

2008-02-27T07:08:00.000-08:00

I recently achieved a life goal. I presented an one hour speech in front of 600+ of my peers at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). About six months ago, I was given the opportunity to speak at GDC. The idea sounded cool but speaking in front of hundreds of people honestly scared the pants off me. So...I decided to jump in and do it. It was a lot of work and preparation but ended up being one of the most thrilling and personally rewarding experiences. I seriously can't wait to do it again someday. Click the following links for more details on the speech.

Description of speech

Article written about it

Jaelin and Cousins...

2008-02-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

I'm a couple of months late with this, but these are from a photo shoot I did with Jaelin and her cousins around Christmas.

New Pics of the Kids

2008-02-16T18:19:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since we've posted...but here are a few
recent photos of the kids. More to come soon.

Jaelin carefully guarding her piece of cheese from our dog.

Jaelin trying on her new princess dress in the mirror.

Chase already showing some attitude.

a fan's video tribute to Uncharted

2007-12-25T21:53:00.000-08:00

This was pretty funny. It was created by an Uncharted fan as a tribute to the game.

GAME HUNTER: Drakes Fortune

More videos from the "Game Slap!" channel at Heavy.com

I've been "booked"...

2007-12-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well, published in a book. :)

A few of us at Naughty Dog were interviewed for the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Official Strategy Guide and each ended up with our own page. I answered questions like, "what keeps you in the games industry," "what's your current gaming obsession, etc."

The guide book was done very well and takes you in detail through the story, backstory, levels, and concept art of the game.

Jaelin & Jadden Chase December 2007 Photos

2007-12-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

Nap time...one down, another to go.

Jaelin LOVES to help with the feedings. She screams, "I wanna help! I wanna help!" as she dashes madly to the scene of a hungry little man.

Need I say more? Yes, that is my hubby in all his smackin' glory.

Look at the way Chase is looking at the Lady. He loves looking at her, and she loves being looked at by him. "The baby is looking at me, Mommy!"

Jaelin reading to her baby brother.
No one asked her. No one suggested this idea to her.
The act was self-initiated, spontaneous, beautiful & perfect.
So ecstatic Jeremy caught the moment with his camera.

Decorating the tree...(that we forgot to water, so it is already wilting & browning).

Dancing to her own beat.
Love the way she hears the sounds of life.

-Judy Lai-Yates

Here are more photos from Noah's shoot...

2007-12-12T16:09:00.001-08:00

Life is unpredictable - as are boys...

2007-12-05T15:16:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot with an awesome family and their 2 year old boy at a local park. My style of children's portraiture is very 'play' based. I basically follow them around with a long lens and capture them being themselves and creating real expressions. Children are both magical and unpredictable. Their expressions change from moment to moment with each click of the shutter.

About a third of the way through the shoot, while Noah was playing in a sandbox with his bright yellow truck, something caught his eye and he got up and started running as fast as his little legs would carry him toward the lake. We all stared at each other for a few moments of perplextion when we realized that he wasn't going to stop. Jason (father) started running as fast as he could after Noah. But it was moments too late. Noah had ended up ankle deep in vial, black, mud surrounding the lake. Jason, whose momentum was no match for the extremely slippery mud, did an amazing home plate slide to his sons rescue. It actually looked quite heroic if was actually purposeful. Unnecessary, but heroic all the same. They were both covered in mud. Becky (mom) was holding back tears thinking the whole shoot would be ruined. Luckily she had an alternate outfit for him so we kept going. The rest of the day came out great, with over 300 great shots to pick from and they'll get an unforgettable story to go with it.

More pictures from the shoot to come soon!

-Jeremy

The Gray

2007-12-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

It is so easy to judge and blame others for what appears to be their "mistakes." They didn't make the right choices. They were stupid enough not to think this through. How could they not see this coming? But the truth is even when we try our best to make every move calculated, smart decisions, our lives come crumbling down around us uncontrollably at times. All too often and far too quickly, we find ourselves in a heap of emotional entanglement, a freakin' mess. We wonder How could this have happened? How did things get so bad? While we are not victims of our circumstances, life does happen even to the best of us. We all need grace to buffer the rain, forgiveness as we struggle through the gray shades of life.

-Judy Lai-Yates

One fine day in Geekdom

2007-12-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

Today I spent some time shopping at 'Geek Mecca' (aka Fry's Electronics to Westerners). Ah... those isles and isles of goodness. While checking out the Playstation 3 display, I ran into one of the other animators on Uncharted. He and I proceeded to find all the copies of the game and spread them out on top of all the other titles. That's right. We play dirty.

I also saw that we got the cover of Play magazine. They gave us a great review! 10 out of 10!!! They also had an article where they interviewed a few of us on our experience making the game.

On another geeky note - the actual reason for my trip to Fry's was I added another hard drive to my home PC, bumping me up well past the Terabyte mark. Holy crap. I remember the day when a gigabyte was huge. For that matter, a Zip disk. My next upgrade will be bumping up my power supply up to 1.21 jiga-watts.

Oh, what a fine day in Geekdom.

-Jeremy

Jadden Chase - All BOY

2007-12-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Jadden Chase is all boy. He communicates via grunting. He slurps loudly while he eats. He pees on walls and even his own face. His entire existence is defined by massive explosions of gaseous substances from multiple outputs. He is simple. There is no confusion to him, no complicated processing. When he is hungry he eats. When he is tired he sleeps. He is pleasant, courageous, easy going and pure sweetness. It does not take much to make him smile. And it does not take much for us to smile in return. It is a taste of heaven to have a boy like him.

-Judy Lai-Yates

Introducing Jadden Chase

2007-11-27T23:11:00.000-08:00

On October 28th, 2007 at 11:38pm, Jadden Chase entered the world and into our arms. He is the completion of our joy. Up until then, we never knew our family was missing a vital piece of existence. When he arrived, our hearts knew this family was always meant to include him. He filled and expanded our already full hearts. He is our miracle. And his health is a divine gift we will never forget.

-Judy Lai-Yates

Uncharted: Drakes Fortune - in stores now!

2007-11-27T23:10:00.000-08:00

The game I've been slaving away over the last few years in in stores now. Here are some video clips...

the tv spot

the game trailer