random musings from paul hayashi photography

Monku, monku, monku... Frustrated

2011-12-18T12:07:00.000-08:00

I recently photographed the winners of a Scholarship pageant that is a preliminary to the Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant. I had advised the winners and also advised their director of the specific outfits I wanted them to bring. Why? Because I had a vision of what I was planning to do for them and I needed a variety of outfits.

I needed an evening gown, their opening number outfit, a business suit type outfit, a pair of jeans with a WHITE blouse or top and their competition bathing suit or something similar. Both girls "forgot" the bathing suit, one didn't bring their opening number outfit (black dress) and brought a black top instead of a white top.

They forget that I'm doing this practically pro bono (fortunately the director gives me a small stipend so it's not a total loss) but this kind of attitude (because they're the contest winners) gets me irritated.

They don't realize that by conveniently "forgetting" things throws a wrench in my plans of what I was going to create for them that I'm not going to bother especially if they won't respect my wishes.

Studio portraits

2011-02-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

I currently have a studio space available to me in the McCully area and am offering studio portraits for a limited time.

Full family group

We offer portraits of the full family group as well as the individual families, grandkids, Grandparents, Moms and dads and kids.

Just the kids

Parents

Single Family

Next family

We offer the high key (white) background for the large groups and your choice of several backgrounds for the smaller groups.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 808.622.2346 or 808.927.5666 or e-mail paul@hayashiphoto.net.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

It's not too late to schedule your family portrait session

2010-12-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are upon us, it's not too late to schedule your family portrait session. Sitting fees have been waived until the end of the year so schedule your session now to take advantage of the special.

Miss Hawaii 2010 - Jalee Fuselier

2010-10-02T20:36:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to meet the 2010 Miss Hawaii, Jalee Fuselier after she ordered some images from me that I had taken at the 2010 Miss Hawaii Pageant. I also had the opportunity to work with her as I assisted Garrett Nose when he photographed the cover for Hawaii Bride & Groom magazine.

I was impressed with her personality and attitude so offered her the opportunity to do a portrait session in the studio. She graciously accepted and these are the results.

Three outfit changes with both a high key (white) and a low key (dark) background.

I truly hope she does well at the 2011 Miss America Pageant in January. I know she will.

2010-08-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

Just last year, my aunt's family from Japan visited. I happened to be at home so on a whim, I decided that they needed a family portrait. Of course no one had time to dress appropriately except the Japan relatives but who cared, it was time for a family portrait.

They all got together in the backyard and luckily the light was good so we got this portrait. The oldest is either my aunt (in the middle) or her brother (right behind her) and the youngest (Arianny) is been held by her Mom (seated).

It's a good idea to do a family portrait (even if it's just a snapshot) as you'll never know when your family will be together again.

Family Reunion Portraits

2010-08-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

Trying to get 61 people together is a major undertaking. The Kunishige family got together in August and wanted to do a family portrait.

If was a multi generational gathering and photographed at the Wahiawa Freshwater Park.

Besides the main family group, portraits were taken of the oldest generation and each of their families.

I also photographed individual family groups as requested and grandparents with their kids and their grandkids.

Once we started, the session was over in about an hour since they all had to depart for a dinner celebration.

More Family Location Portraits

2010-08-04T01:44:00.000-07:00

I've been photographing a lot of family portraits on the beach primarily on the North Shore. The Cerna family was visiting from Maryland and the West Coast and had rented a house on the North Shore. They decided to do family portraits on the beach right outside their vacation rental.

Because we never know what the weather is going to be on a particular day, we pray a lot. If the beach is open as it was in this case, we also may have to deal with the wind. I try to take enough images of each setup so that I have options on what to do with the images in case someone has their hair in their face or may have blinked or made a funny face or something like that.

I'll do the whole group and any smaller groups that you may wish to have. I normally start about an hour before sunset as the light angle is better and if the clouds and the weather is cooperating, we may get a portrait with a great sunset.

Contact me if you'd like more information about my family portraits on location. Only one more month before the end of my summer special.

Summer Family Specials

2010-07-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Since Summer is here, school is out, your graduate is leaving for college, you're on vacation in Hawaii - now is the time to get together for a family portrait. For a Summer special, we are waiving session fees until August 31 so book your sessions now..

The White family came together for a reunion on Maui last month and decided it was time for a family portrait. One of the family members was familiar with my work through a scrapbooking website so contacted me to photograph their families on Maui.

I flew to Maui specifically to photograph the family and since they were on the West side, the best time was late afternoon.

They were staying in Kaanapali so I met them at their hotel and photographed them on the grounds and on the beach. As it was later in the day, there weren't as many people on the beach.

If you'd like me to meet you on another island to photograph your family portrait, the only added cost is my transportation.

Contact me for more information if you'd like to book a session.

2010-06-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

Off to maui to photograph a couple of beauty pageant title holders, a couple of families and who knows what else in the next three days. Back on Oahu on Thursday night. Mom's birthday is coming up on July 4. She'll be 90 years old. Need to find her a really nice cake.

2010-06-19T02:30:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I posted. I've been contemplating what to do with my price list which really needs a revamp. With the changing scene of professional photography, it's getting more competitive and with so many new photographers entering the marketplace, it's become a challenge to stay ahead of the game.

Stay tuned for some major changes in my portrait and wedding pricing.

I'm going to have to take the photos WHERE?

2010-01-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

I was asked to photograph the contestants for a local preliminary to the Miss Hawaii Scholarship pageant. Since they were meeting at a local car dealership, would it be possible to take the photos in the area? They wanted an outdoor shot and are there any locations close by to take the photo? I drove by the area earlier during the week and decided to wait until I got there on the photo day to make a final determination based on light and weather.

The weather was pretty good when I got there with minimal breezes. This is the location that I selected based on what I knew was going to happen to the background with the equipment I was using.

This is the view from where the subjects are standing. Yes, it's a car dealership.

This is the end product. Sure doesn't look like a car dealership.

Bee in Hawaii

2009-12-30T02:56:00.000-08:00

This is a slide show of my recent session (well, July) of my SOC niece who at this time is 13 years old and towers over me.

The images were taken by the Makapuu Lighthouse and the Makapuu Pier as well as a couple of shots by the Blowhold and Lanai Lookout (where President Obama scatter the ashes of his Mother and Grandmother).

It was cold, rainy and windy but we still had to do it.

2009-04-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

I had photographed this family about 12 years ago while they were in Hawaii. They since moved to the East Coast and were visiting with their two daughters and one of their daughter's friends. They decided it was time for another family portrait. They contacted me, we set the date, time and location. As I drove from my place to the location (Magic Island at the Ala Moana Beach Park), it was raining and it was raining pretty hard. Since the time to do the photo session was later in the day, I started praying that the Hawaiian Gods would be good to us.

By the time I got to Magic Island, the rain had become a sprinkle, the clouds were still there (soft light) but it was howling. So much for hair staying in place. I met the family and started walking towards the tip of the park so we can get "Diamond Head" in the photo. Well, the wind was not cooperating even though the rain was being nice to us and not even drizzling.

This is the first shot. I tend to shoot a LOT - especially when the hair is flying to ensure that I might have at least one or two good ones where the hair is in place and the expressions are good. If the beach looks deserted, it was since it was cold (by Hawaii standards anyway) and I had removed a couple of people in the background.

From there we tried some walking shots to get more movement. Had to remove some bright navigational signs in the background.

That finished, we moved to the other side of the beach to get closer up shots. By this time, the wind had kinda died down so wayward hair was less of a problem.

Two of the girls are graduating so they wanted some "graduation type" portraits for themselves. Not to leave anyone out, I just did individuals of each of the kids (who were a lot smaller and younger when I first photographed them 12 years ago

By the time we finished, it was getting dark so we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways... It was nice to see them again...

Yes, proper makeup is important!

2009-04-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here are three shots of our current Narcissus Queen with three styles of makeup. See what a difference proper makeup makes in your photos?

This first one was taken for the souvenir book. I'm assuming that the makeup was self applied. It's ok but too light for photography so doesn't accentuate her features.

The next one was taken for the official portrait. The hair and makeup were done by professionals that normally help out with the pageant. She thought it would be better to have her hair down but whoever did her hair forgot that she would be wearing the special anniversary crown and gave her a hairstyle that blocked the view of the crown. Not a good idea. The makeup was ok, but again not properly done for photography and I knew she would look prettier if she had the right makeup artist.

Since another photo session had been scheduled, we decided to advise her how her hair should be done to make her look more elegant and I referred her to my favorite makeup artist Beverly Kaneshige (www.makeupbybev.com) whose work I trust as she knows how to properly apply makeup for photography. She also does hair so she created a hairstyle that would make the Queen look elegant and show the crown as it should be without taking attention away from the Queen's beauty.

Proper makeup does make a difference.

Start thinking about doing your family portrait

2009-04-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

Now that graduation season is quickly approaching, it might be a good time to start thinking about doing a family portrait before the kids leave for college. You do have a choice of doing in the studio (limited to 6 adults due to space) or at your place or on location at the park or at the beach.

If you'd like to schedule a session, just call or e-mail us to set up an appointment. Pricing is available in the portrait section of our website.

Custom Designed Business Cards

2009-04-02T02:49:00.000-07:00

Working with several beauty pageants, I'm often asked to produce business cards for the title holders. Here are a few that are being created. The contact information has been blurred to protect their privacy.

Contact me for more information regarding the custom business cards.

60th Narcissus Coronation Ball

2009-01-21T23:30:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 17, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii held the 60th Narcissus Festival Coronation Ball. In attendance were former and current Chinese Chamber Presidents and the former and current Narcissus Queens.

The above is a photo of the current Narcissus Queen Lisa Wong (far left, top row) and past Queens from 1955 to present. I have worked with the Narcissus Queen Pageant since 1975 so knew all the Queens after that date as well as a few before that.

Also honored were the past Chamber Presidents.

It was also the time to crown the 2009 Narcissus Queen Lisa Wong.

Lisa will be making appearances thoughout the year with her court representing the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

Left to right: 3rd Princess Kacie Pang, 1st Princess Tina Ng, Queen Lisa Wong, 2nd Princess Dan Yuan, 4th Princess Kristine Duong.

So it rains...

2008-12-27T21:19:00.000-08:00

My cousin and her family decided to make a trip back to Hawaii during the Holiday Season. I thought it might be a good time to do another family portrait.

So my cousin got everybody to agree (even my camera shy Aunt) and we scheduled an outdoor session the day after Christmas.

As the time for the session approached, the weather started to get questionable. An hour before the session time, we had a major downpour. Well, scratch the outdoor session. Backup plan? Decided to do it at their home, the scene of the annual Christmas party the night before. Had to do some cleaning up but it worked out.

My uncle is the last one remaining of his generation so we felt it would be important to get this portrait done.

If you have relatives in town and the family is together, it's something that I think you should consider while everyone is available.

2008-12-10T00:06:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us and it's time for families to get together for a family portrait. This is especially important if you have family from out of town getting together. As my studio space is relatively small, I find it necessary to go on location for the larger families. Here are some of the images that were created this year before and after my back surgery.

This family was photographed in the morning at the Wahiawa Freshwater park. I've been photographing members of the family ever since the daughters were in high school many years ago.

This next family was photographed at the East West Center Gardens on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It's always a challenge to coordinate that many people but it's always a lot of fun and the weather cooperated.

My dentist's family at the park in Wahiawa. He was a classmate back in intermediate school and I also photographed his wedding about 25 years ago. I watched as the boys grew up year after year. Now the youngest is graduating from high school.

Way out on the beach at Makapuu. I had never photographed there before (primarily due to distance) so new locations are always fun and challenging for me. Since the mountains blocked the direct sunlight, we had a nice soft light for the portrait.

Finally my special beach on the North Shore. I photograph this family every other year and it's getting easier as the youngest one is starting to listen to us as he is given directions on where to stand and how to pose. It was a small challenge this year but the next time should be easier as he will be older.

There's still a lot of time to schedule your family portraits over the holidays so call or e-mail us to schedule a session.

We hope you have a Merry Christmas Holiday and a Happy and Prosperous New Year (we're all going to need it).

It's over...

2008-11-22T18:12:00.001-08:00

My first full wedding since my surgery. I think it went ok considering how kaka the weather was. Raining the whole time, dark, windy, wet, forget about taking any photos in the garden. They moved the ceremony to a part of the hotel where I never shot before but that was no biggie, it was just a matter of adjusting.

My concern was how could I manage the photography. I was concerned enough to make sure I had two of my associates there instead of my usual one. After I started going, I realized that the only difference was that I had to be careful when I moved around otherwise, it was business as normal. I probably could have done the wedding with one associate but having the second one there made life a lot easier.

I'll have images posted once I process them...

Getting back into the swing of things

2008-11-19T22:14:00.000-08:00

Some of you may or may not know but I underwent emergency back surgery on Sept 29 of this year. If I didn't do it, I may have been permanently paralyzed.

Thankfully, the surgery was successful and with ongoing physical therapy, I'll be back to normal in due time. I'm already back to doing studio and location portraits and will be photographing a wedding this weekend, 11/22 with the help of my two second shooters. For next month's weddings (two of them), I should be able to handle it with my usual single second shooter.

I still have to be careful as to how much weight I can lift so my poor assistants will be doing the trucking of the equipment.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I'm on the road to a complete recovery.

The "joys" of having older relatives.

2008-08-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I just put my aunt in a nursing home. She hasn't been the same since she was mugged almost two years ago. Due to her osteoperosis, she fractured her hip in that incident. Since she's never been married (and no kids), I ended up with the duty of taking care of her.

She still has two sisters who are living (my mom and her oldest sister) but Mom has dementia and my older aunt is in a care home so that leaves them out. Her #2 sister passed away a couple of years ago. I have a cousin but he's been taking care of his Mom and works full time and my sister is in Dallas so she really can't help. Since I have my own business, my schedule is a bit more flexible.

She did go into a care home last year while she recovered from her initial mugging but had to go back in at the first of the year because she couldn't take care of herself. Being hard headed and not listening to instructions from her caregiver resulted in a fall which fractured her hip so bad that she had to go into surgery. After surgery, she was put into the Rehab hospital but that lasted about a week because she could not perform her therapy sessions.

Thus she's in a nursing home on a (hopefully) short term basis while they try and get her walking again (at least with a walker). They will continue to do therapy there but on a less rigorous regime.

I know her mind is still good because she is a motor mouth and won't stop talking even though you're trying not to listen. If she shut up without being asked to, I would then worry about her state of mind and her health.

As my Mom says... "Don't get old..."

Michele & Solomon's Engagement Session

2008-05-26T00:15:00.000-07:00

With my full coverage packages, I offer a bonus engagement portrait session on location. There are several reasons why I do this. First, it lets the couple get a feel to how I do my photography, my posing, how I direct the posing or let them do their own thing.

It lets me see how they photograph. Is there a better side to their face, how at ease are they at creating the poses. I realize there are photographers who let the couple do their own poses which is fine but I prefer to direct the posing so that the pose looks comfortable and has a feel of elegance and flow(even though one may not feel that way when executing the actual pose). There will be times when I will let the couple or the group do their thing while I capture the images but I feel that in most cases, a tweak her and a tweak there will result in better images.

It gives the bride an opportunity to do a trial makeup and hair session with their makeup artist to see if she may or may not want some adjustments for the makeup on the wedding day.

These are images from Michele & Solomon's engagement session. The location is Downtown Honolulu on the weekend (nobody around) for an urban look and on the North Shore of Oahu for a more casual look.

It must be the shorts...

2008-05-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have this pair of shorts that I wear whenever I do a beach shoot and I might be walking in the water. Every time I've worn those shorts, it's gotten soaked by a rogue wave. This session was no exception.

This model is a contestant in the upcoming Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant. We were doing a shoot for content to be used in an upcoming advertisement in the Miss Hawaii Program book. She was at the edge of the water and I was up the bank at the edge of the high wave mark. You would think I was safe... WRONG!!!

You can see the sequence as she's posing and the wave is sneaking up behind her. She then gets nailed by the wave. What you don't see and I wish there was someone there to capture the moment in video for America's Funniest Home Videos was that the wave also got me. I'm sitting on the dry sand. After she got nailed by the wave, I felt a lot of water around me. Yup, the wave was stronger than I thought it was and I was soaked up to my hips. Luckily none of my cameras or gear got wet. A couple of things on my belt and my wallet was a little damp but other than that, no problems other than a clammy set of underwear and sand up my pants.

ok, the kid's really getting tall!!!

2008-05-05T15:16:00.001-07:00

So I go outside to take a photo and she insists on posing this way. What can I say? Talk about coconut head.

She's already way taller than her grandmother and will probably shoot beyond me this year. She's 11 going on 12 next month. I can still remember when she was sooooo cute!!! Now she's a spoiled brat. But who spoils her? Uncle of course...

Favorite Texas Model

2008-05-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

I've been photographing Yesenia (aka Jessie) since early 2000. At that time she lived in Abilene, Tx (3 hours from Dallas) and she drove from there to Dallas to do the shoot. I've also driven to Abilene twice to photograph her. We've also met up in LV as well as shot in the miserable rain. Every time I've photographed her, the hair has been different. She got married after my second Abilene shoot and moved to the DC area. We kept in touch and hooked up again when they moved back to the DFW area. She's a great model and I enjoy getting together with her whenever I'm in Tx visiting my growing niece (photos to come).

Workshop, workshop, workshop

2008-05-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

I was involved with a scrapbooking website a while back and disappeared on them even though I still lurk on their message board. I noticed they were trying to do a Get together about the time when I would be visiting my niece (11 going on 22 but turning 12 in June) so offered to do a workshop when I was there.

We decided to meet at the Ft. Worth Stockyards and do things there. I arranged for a couple of models knowning full well that chances are one may flake (that's the average). One showed (even though she got lost and was late) and the other flaked. The one that showed up (Elle Frazier from Model Mayhem) was a trouper and did whatever was asked of her (including sitting on freshly laid caulk that no one knew was there until she stood up and there was a straight gray line on her black shorts on her butt). The group was challenged into shooting in the mid day sun with no clouds. By learning to look for the right light, I think they got something out of the workshop.

Another Bridal Expo, Another Crop of New Photographers...

2008-04-20T12:22:00.001-07:00

Just finished participating in the World Class Wedding Expo at the Convention Center. Another weekend of tired feet, minimal sleep, tired smile muscles, connecting with colleagues and talking to potential clients.

My van is still packed with the materials from the Expo because I was too zinged to store it away. Maybe later today.

What was enlightning was looking at various styles of photography from the different photographers exhibiting their work. Some were very good, others really different (not sure if I liked the style) and a couple photographers that really need more work in their craft if they expect to call themselves "professional".

Need to make a change for the next Expo in October so I guess I'll be beating my brains out trying to determine what to do...

Back to take a nap for now...

The importance of a family portrait

2008-04-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

Late last week, my high school classmate called me to pick up photos of his family that he wasn't able to pick up because of his schedule. When he came by, he advised me that his Dad had just passed away.

We had photographed his family clan just last year since the whole family (well most of them) were in town. Besides doing the big family group, we also got images of the individual families and the parents both together and separately.

It was a simple matter to find the file and prepare the portrait for printing, mounting and framing. I know my classmate appreciated that he had gotten his family together for this portrait session.

Time and time again, I get calls from clients or friends of clients asking if I could take the small photo that they have of a deceased family member and make an 8x10 for their funeral service. I'm happy to do this for them either as a service or at a reduced charge. What's unfortunate is the images are so small or of poor quality that it's a challenge to get a decent image out of them. However, the clients are happy that they at least had a photo to get retouched and enlarged.

To minimize this situation from happening, it's a good idea to have a family portrait taken at least every few years. A good time is just before any family members will be moving out of the area or if the older children will be leaving for school on the mainland.

Now that the school year is almost over, it might be a good time for families with graduating seniors to consider getting a family portrait taken. And don't forget to include the grandparents and any extended families.

Miss Downtown Honolulu Pageant Group

2008-03-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

Here are the new photos of the winners of the Miss Downtown Honolulu Pageant Group.

L-R: Naomi Piilani Klein - Miss Leahi
Lauren Cheape - Miss Ala Moana
Rachael Gonzales - Miss Downtown Honolulu

Naomi Piilani Klein - Miss Leahi

Lauren Cheape - Miss Ala Moana

Rachael Gonzales - Miss Downtown Honolulu

All will be competing in the Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant in July.

Has it been that LONG????

2008-02-29T00:37:00.001-08:00

A bunch of us from my Leilehua High School Class of 1966 got together tonight to celebrate the year that we all turn 60!!! Kanreki in Japanese terms. I haven't seen some of these people since we graduated high school which was 42 years ago!

The restaurant we celebrated at closed at 9:00 pm but at 9:45 most of us were still there catching up on all the happenings over the years.

We almost didn't get this photo as I almost forgot that I had left my camera in the car. Glad I remembered (this old age thing and memory sucks).

Finally finished the Narcissus Archiving

2008-01-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

Still dealing with some sort of nerve or muscle irritant. Walking real weird right now. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon.

Spent almost 20 hours scanning a multitude of Narcissus Souvenir books and who knows how many hours creating the layouts and posters. It was a challenge to get it done in less than a month but hopefully all those who get to see it at the Coronation Ball will have good memories of the years past.

Here's some of the stuff that was done:

1. Court Photos - mostly scanned from the old souvenir books.

2. Contestants Posters - Some posters were still intact but others needed to be recreated such as this one.

Then the Narcissus Souvenir Book Covers - 59 Covers total of which I've photographed a little over half of them.

And lastly, memoribilia posters such as this one which featured sisters who ran in the pageant. There was even a Mother/Daughter combo.

To view the whole set, stop by the Narcissus Coronation Ball at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom on Saturday, January 26 starting about 6:00 pm.

The Complete Set will also be on line once the Coronation Ball is completed.

Ok, so I haven't blogged in a LONG time

2008-01-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Dealing with a bunch of stuff but that's besides the point.

We now have a new Narcissus Queen and Court and this is my 33rd year (or thereabouts) with the Pageant.

The new Queen is Catherine Wong Jayne. Her Princesses are from left, Theresa Lu (3rd Princess), Jacklyn Ma (1st Princess), Leilani Soon (2nd Princess) and Chantel Ching (4th Princess). The official portraits have been taken and I'm just waiting for them to decide which one they want for next year's souvenir book.

I've also been involved with archiving 59 years of Narcissus Souvenir programs. Had to go down to the Chinese Chamber offices and scan 59 books, 59 Queen portraits, and about half of the contestants (those we didn't have posters for). Then those scans were compiled into posters and display pieces to be exhibited at the Narcissus Coronation Ball at the end of the month. I'll post some of the images after the Ball is over.

I also needed to get off this rock (Oahu) so I went to another rock (Kauai) for a day. Visited a photographer friend there (Herbie's photography) and he and I secured a model and went on a photoshoot.

The model is Gena from Hanalei and we all got wet. I was sitting on the sand doing some low level shots when a gentle wave came in and managed to douse me (camera remained dry).

This is to prove to Herbie's wife that he was working. LOL!

Back to work for me. Hopefully the pinched nerve in my back will resolve itself soon...

Miss Chinatown Hawaii 2008

2007-11-21T01:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, I haven't posted for a LONG time. So, here goes. On November 4, 2007 at the Historic Hawaii Theatre, a new Miss Chinatown Hawaii was crowned. The new Queen is Sherilynn Chang and she will be competing in the Miss Chinatown USA pageant in February.

I'm sure she'll be a great representative for Hawaii at the National Pageant.

My Niece - getting taller/older/sassier

2007-09-01T01:47:00.000-07:00

I get to see my niece at least twice a year (or I try to). She and her Mom and Dad came to Hawaii to visit so of course I had to take her portrait. Got my regular makeup artist to make her a little more glamorous but being the rascal she is, getting her to stand still was a challenge. One of the better shots is the Featured Image on my website's home page.

I'll be taking Grandma to Dallas in October to spend time with the kid again. Of course if she stands still, I'll be trying to take her photo again.

Pregnancy Photos

2007-06-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

Trying something different. Lot of photographers are taking photos of pregnant Moms to be. Since many of them are similar in style, I thought I'd try something different. Here's a sample or two:

It was a dark and dreary day

2007-05-30T02:32:00.000-07:00

I've been photographing Yesenia (aka Jessie) since 2002. Except for the first hiccup, she has been an enthusiastic and dependable model for me and I truly enjoy working with her. She's exotic and intelligent with a unique sense of humor. After she got married, she left Texas for a while but we still managed to get together once to do a photoshoot in Lost Wages. She's driving over 100 miles to do a shoot, I've driven over 100 miles twice to her place to do a shoot and finally she's settled down in a community about 30 minutes from my sister's place in Dallas.

Well, I traveled to Dallas earlier this month to visit and spend time with my niece and managed to schedule a photoshoot with her on a Sunday. The day started out nice but by the time I left to meet her, it started to rain pretty hard to the point of thunderstorms. As I sat in the parking lot, it started to hail. Fortunately, by the time she got there, it was still raining but not so hard that I figured if I could find some covered areas, I could still do the shoot. After all, I flew over 4000 miles and to not do the shoot would have been a waste of time.

We drove over to the town of Grapevine (about 5 minutes away and discovered that the streets were completely deserted since it was already Sunday evening. Here are the results of the shoot.

OMG, she's getting TALL!!!

2007-05-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is my 10 year old niece who lives in Dallas. I swear last time I saw her (Aug), she wasn't this tall. I guess it's just a matter of time before her height shoots above me. Her California cousins are pretty tall too but she may surpass them. These shots were taken a couple of blocks from her house.

A Photographer's Wedding

2007-05-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

On May 5, 2007, Stanley and Shiho Shigematsu tied the knot in an afternoon ceremony at the Shingon Misson in Wailuku Maui. Being a photographer, he had several photographers capture the event for him. I took the opportunity to capture the candids with a special wide angle lens to get a different viaew.

It was a local wedding so removing the shoes to enter the worship area is a must.

The bride emerging from the limousine accompanied by her uncle

The uncle receiving the traditional Hawaiian Maile Lei

Walking down the short aisle

The participants remain seated as the priest goes through his mantras. At this point, I had forgotten to turn off my cell phone and it started blaring the Olympic theme. I went to apologize to the priest after the service and he said he didn't hear it. Being that the priest was a classmate of the groom, the photographers had free access to do whatever we needed to get great photos

The bride and the groom share sips of sake at the altar.

Finally, he's hitched!!!

The bridal party. The best man is a school friend of the groom and the maid of honor is a friend from Kanagawa, Japan.

The Bride

The Groom - never saw him smile so much in one day.

Portraits of the couple taken on the grounds of a private estate in Wailuku

With their stretch limousine and the driver

The fabulous photo crew!!! (I'm on the left)

Shots from the reception

The groom was not very nice to the bride during the cake cutting.

Of course, the "famous" money dance.

Best Wishes to the newly wedded couple.

Another year, another fashion show...

2007-04-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

Since the mid 70's, I've kind of "volunteered" to photograph the garments of the Fashion Design students at the University of Hawaii Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising. I don't remember how it started but it was a good way to develope my technical and posing skills and the "cash strapped" students were able to get photos for their portfolios at a reasonable price. I got to work with novice models, established models, some up and coming models and actresses (including Tia Carrere when she was Altheia Janario).

I've seen styles change and was able to photograph some very prominent fashion designers outfits when they were part of the program (including designer Anne Namba).

New Art Type Photos

2007-03-30T00:45:00.000-07:00

I recently learned a new technique for changing an straight image into a work of art. I'm still playing around with the technique to use it more effectively. Below is a before and after image and a closeup of the artistic effect that I used. It's pretty neat.

On a happier note...

2007-03-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

I was able to photograph two additional Miss Hawaii Preliminary winners. The first is Miss Garden Isle Sabrina Ponciano and the second is Miss Windward Oahu Marisa Kellett. Marisa's photo is a copy of her autograph pad.

Whew! Mom's OK

2007-03-23T02:30:00.000-07:00

My Mom has been really fatigued ever since she had that bout with something similar to the flu about a month and a half ago. She's been to the doc and he's given her some medications but it really hasn't helped that much.

Well, she went in for her follow up checkup today and when I went to pick her up, the nurse handed me an envelope and said that I needed to take her to the ER for some follow up testing. The nurse said they called the hospital and they would be expecting us.

My mind's going all over the place wondering what is wrong and what kind of testing does she need and why did she have to go to the ER rather than just check in for a test like a regular patient.

So we go to the ER (Mom seems normal) and check in and no one at the ER has talked to the doctor's office so they don't know why she was there. This is at noon. But they check her in anyway and have us wait. The ER was packed and all the beds in the ER were occupied. Mom is confused as to why she's there as she thought she was going to the hospital for a couple of tests.

As we're waiting, the ambulances bring in a couple of patients with leg injuries. I think nothing of it other than it's getting really busy. So I take a break outside and I spot the wife of my high school classmate. She's there because her daughter in law was in the ER. I then remember the second patient with the leg injury so I go back into the ER and lo and behold, it's a bride whose wedding I photographed last year. I didn't recognize her because she was wearing glasses and had no makeup on. Of course she didn't recognize me when she first came in but recognized me after I said "hi" to her. She had sliced her leg in a home accident. Hopefully she's patched up and on the way to recovery.

Back to Mom. Finally about 2:00 pm, her doctor stopped by and advised me that she was sent there for a second EKG since the one he had done at the office was a little abnormal (nothing serious - yeah, right!). And finally, the ER staff knew why she was there so were just waiting for a bed to open up. She finally gets a bed about 2:30, they prep her and take an EKG. Earlier, they drew some blood for a blood test. Then it's hurry up and wait again.

After another break, as I'm walking in, I'm behind a husky oriental guy and I hear his name mentioned. One of the sons of another classmate was a male nurse so I'm thinking "it can't be him" but the name and his body shape sure looked like him. So I walked up to him and asked "are you so and so?" He looks at me and says "Hi Uncle Paul!" It was him. He's back from the mainland training to be a Physician's Assistant so we got to catch up on some of his life. That was nice.

Finally about 3:15, the attending physican came in to advise us that the tests were normal and Mom will be ok. We just had to wait until he talked to her Doctor and then she'll be released. Finally around 4:00 pm, they discharged her. Of course, not having any lunch, she was starving...

She's back home and resting comfortably. I hope I won't have to visit the ER again soon.

Two More Beauty Queens

2007-03-09T01:33:00.000-08:00

Had the opportunity to photograph two current beauty queens at the Historic Bayer Estate. The owners were gracious enough to allow us to use the property for the site and background for the portrait session.

First is the 58th Narcissus Queen, Jessica Lau.

Next is the 2007 Miss Downtown Honolulu, Brandie Cazimero. The Miss Downtown Honolulu is a preliminary to the Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant which will be held in June.

58th Narcissus Queen & Court Official Portraits

2007-02-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Finally got to create the official portraits (for now) of the 58th Narcissus Queen and Court.

Queen Jessica Lau

1st Princess Sibyl Wong

2nd Princess Adrienne Au

3rd Princess Jennifer Lam

4th Princess Julia Chen

Sore Feet

2007-02-18T01:16:00.000-08:00

Every year, the Narcissus Queen and Court and the officers of the Chinese Chamber visit the businesses in Chinatown to wish them good luck and prosperity in the new year. The open house visit started on the intersection of Maunakea and King Street with fireworks and lion dance groups.

Of course there were the paparazzi.

The Mayor with the Chamber officers and the Narcissus Queen.

The Lion Dancers with the fireworks.

With the officers of the United Chinese Society

Makeing an appearance at the Chinese Cultural Plaza and feeding the Lions.

Pigging on pizza after walking through Chintown for over four hours (lots of sore feet - including mine and I wasn't even wearing heels).

The court with some of the volunteers who participated in the Chinatown Open House.

58th Narcissus Coronation Ball

2007-02-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

58th Narcissus Queen Jessica Lau

It was an evening of pagentry, Kung Fu Demos, piano entertainment, hula performance by the outgoing court and the crowning of the 58th Narcissus Queen and her Court.

Mayor Mufi Hanneman

4th Princess Julia Chen, 3rd Princess Jennifer Lam, 2nd Princess Adrienne Au, 1st Princess Sibyl Wong

58th Narcissus Queen Jessica Lau

The full court & all contestants with entourage

Being crowned by Mayor Mufi Hanneman

The Queen and the Mayor

The Full Court

Crowning "Mother Hen" Michele Choy

58th Narcissus Queen & Court Selected

2007-01-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

Jessica Lau was selected to be the 58th Narcissus Queen and is currently a University of Hawaii @ Manoa student. Formal portraits will be taken within the next month.

The members of the Court include 1st Princess Sibyl Wong, 2nd Princess Adrienne Au, 3rd Princess Jennifer Lam, and 4th Princess Julia Chen. Miss Popularity and the Talent winner was Sibyl Wong and Miss Congeniality was Vanessa Chan.

Left to right: 3rd Princess Jennifer Lam, 1st Princess Sibyl Wong, Queen Jessica Lau, 2nd Princess Adrienne Au, 4th Princess Julia Chen.

All the contestants with Pageant Contestant Coordinator Michele Choy.

Miss Hawaii Prelim - Miss Downtown Honolulu

2007-01-19T23:25:00.000-08:00

Well, there's five contestants for the Miss Downtown Honolulu Scholarship Pageant. All are really nice and any one of them would make a great Miss Hawaii. Pageant is on Saturday, February 3 at the Pearl City High School Auditorium. Show your support!

Brandie Cazimero

Pomai Klein

Keao Mento

Sabrina Ponciano

Amber Williams

Has it been that long?

2007-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Got a call from someone I knew back in high school. I had photographed her wedding and a family portrait when here kids were about a year or so old. She wanted to do another family portrait - this time on the beach - and her kids were older (like in their 20's).

Because of the type of portrait she needed, we agreed to do it in the early morning on the North Shore. As I was driving to the location, I was a bit concerned as the clouds were dark, the light levels were dark and it was raining. For once I was hoping they would be late... they were.

After meeting, we decided to see what we could do with the weather the way it was - raining. We went to one location and it was pouring so that was out. We were contemplating postponing the session when one of the kids asked about Mokuleia. I had noticed that the sky was kind of clearing in that direction so we decided to try it.

We finally got to Mokuleia Beach Park, found a parking space (lots of homeless camping out) and took a look see. The lighting was ideal (soft light because of the cloud cover), the beach was smooth (wave action during the night) and nobody was on the beach.

Spent about a half hour or so doing the photos and got some great images.

Portrait enhancments

2006-12-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

Ever since embracing digital technology, I've tried to make use of the educational opportunities that were offered to improve my skills.

Of course, it's really important to have technical and artistic knowledge and skills in photography itself and digital should be used to enhance the photograph. One can fix a mediocre photograph but it'll look a lot better if it was captured properly in the first place.

The two images below illustrate some minor (if you call it that) adjustments in the portrait to enhance the image.

How Kids Change...

2006-12-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

Photographing kids can be a challenge or a joy. Generally up to 18 months, it's not too bad, then the terrible twos set in and it becomes a major challenge, then they get older and it becomes a routine to them that some of them look forward to. When I started photographing these kids, it was an early challenge with #2 girl. Now, you can't pry them away from the camera.

Valentine's Day Special Packages

2006-12-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

I know it's not even Christmas and too early to think about Valentine's day but some of these packages require a bit of time to photograph, edit, and select photos then get printed so I'm starting early.

The first package item that I'm offering is a framed 8x20 wall hanging with three images. The images can be taken on location (preferred) or in the studio. I'm still working on the pricing so check the website for a Valentine's day special link.

Here's a couple of samples of what it'll look like framed.

My Yearly Christmas Card

2006-12-10T20:40:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Angela, Christy, Tracy, Tiara, & Ashley along with my niece Breanna for being the models for this year's card. As usual, it's a where's waldo thing for me. Photo taken courtesy of Keely Luke. The snow scene is courtesy of Photography by JD in Wisconsin (no way could I get a snow scene here.
Season's Greetings to all.
For the full size image, you can download it at http://hayashiphoto.com/imageweek/xmas07.jpg

2007 Miss Chinatown Hawaii Court Photos

2006-12-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

Finally got to photograph the new Miss Chinatown Hawaii Court (top photo), Queen Sonja Tam (large crown) and her two princesses - Marie Soon (green cheongsam) and Rachel Mark (red cheongsam).

Christmas Photos

2006-11-20T12:55:00.000-08:00

Time is running out if you want your photos by Christmas. There is still time to take the photos to get them back before Christmas so if you were thinking about it, now is the time to book your time slot. Just photographed two of my long time customers on location.

Marlo and Lee's Wedding

2006-11-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

Marlo & Lee were married this past weekend at the Luana Hills Country Club. The weather cooperated and they had a great ceremony & reception with their relatives and close friends.

The Bridal Party included the bride's younger sister, Wendy, and the bride's daughter. The groom's side included Lee's best friend "Hooter" and the bride's son.

The couple honeymooned at the Hotel Hana Maui.

Miss Chinatown Hawaii

2006-11-12T20:12:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Sonja Tam (Miss Chinatown Hawaii 2007), Marie Soon (1st Princess) and Rachel Mark (2nd Princess), selected as the 2007 Miss Chinatown Hawaii Court at the Historic Hawaii Theatre this past week.

Ben and Becky's Wedding

2006-11-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

Ben and Becky were married on Friday, November 10, 2006 @ the Halekulani Hotel on the Hau Terrace. They were blessed with good weather and many out of town guests. They are on their way to their honeymoon in Thailand.

It was great working with them. They were on time, and open to anything we suggested.

As usual, the food and service at the Halekulani were top notch as was the sunset on the lanai.