photography for weddings & more Miura Images Blog

Formula Drift Rd. 7 "Title Fight" - Toyota Speedway 10.08.11

2011-10-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

The final round of the 2011 Formula Drift Championships were held this past weekend at the "House of Drift" at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. Entering the weekend points leader Daijiro Yoshihara looked to capture his very first championship title after 8+ long and difficult years of professional drifting in North America. Giving close chase in the points were Justin "JTP" Pawlak, and 2009 Champion Chris Forsberg. After a hard fought battle by all of the drivers throughout the championship round, Daijiro captured the 2011 Formula Drift Championship by a narrow margin of 6 total points over JTP.

Below are a handful of images from the drifting action, Enjoy!!

Motion Auto Show - 08.21.11 - Long Beach, CA

2011-08-25T22:44:00.000-07:00

The Motion Auto Show rolled into the Long Beach Convention Center on Sunday, August 21 for its 6th annual showing of some of the hottest customized imports, Euros, and domestics in Southern California. The show was presented by ProMotion Distributing, the industry's largest wholesale distributor of High Performance Aftermarket Products.

Here are some pictures from throughout the day...

Extreme Autofest - 07.10.11 - Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA Part 3

2011-07-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

Last but not least, Part 3 of the images from Extreme Autofest...THE GIRLS.

NOS Energy Drink hosted the Model Lounge, which featured a number of girls in attendance promoting their goods. As usual, this attracted all of the dudes, and many of them simply hung around all day to check them out.

Here are some pics for your viewing...

Extreme Autofest - 07.10.11 - Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA Part 2

2011-07-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

Continuing with more coverage of Extreme Autofest - San Diego here are more photos of the cars that were on display. As mentioned in Part 1, there were plenty of Low Riders on display, along with cars and trucks with big wheels, custom paints, and chrome!!

Take a look....

Extreme Autofest - 07.10.11 - Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA Part 1

2011-07-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was the return of the Extreme Autofest for 2011. It was hosted at Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chargers NFL team.

The overall car show was big, there were lots and lots of cars on display by their owners including: Low Riders, Low Rider Bikes, Hot Rods, Imports, and Exotics.

Here is Part 1 of some pictures of the cars on display...

Handa & Namba Wedding - 05.22.2011 - Monte Verde Park; Lakewood, CA

2011-06-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

Looking at the calendar, May 22nd seemed like any normal Sunday; except May 22, 2011 was anything but normal...there seemed to be a certain magic in the air this day. After a luminous weather forecast during the week, and early morning overcast skies (perfect for photos by the way) the day turned out to be specatcular. The overcast skies cleared and sun broke through at approximately 3:30pm just in time for Kaz to walk down the aisle to her awaiting groom Mike.

Set in the Monte Verde Park, a small and quiet neighborhood park in Lakewood, CA, Kaz and Mike were joined with the love and support of about 60 of their closest friends and family. Kaz and Mike shared their vows with one another, shared in communion, and with one final prayer, and kiss to seal the deal, they were married.

To view all of the images from their event, please Click Here.

SNEAK PREVIEW: Kaz & Mike Wedding - 05-22.2011 - Lakewood, CA

2011-05-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak preview from this past weekends wedding of Kaz and Mike on May 22, 2011 in Lakewood, CA.

To view all of the images from the day's event, please Click Here.

Toyotafest 2011 - Long Beach, CA - 05.14.2011

2011-05-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

The 16th annual Toyota Owner's and Restorer's Club (T.O.R.C.) stormed into Long Beach, CA complete with classic Toyota makes and models, current Toyota, Scion, and Lexus models including a display of the supercar Lexus LF-A. Set under the shadows of the famous Queen Mary, it was an overcast day, but it did not stop the crowds from coming out to see a wide variety of vehicles (past and present) including a few from Japan and South America.

Formula Drift - Round 1 - Streets of Long Beach - Pit Walk - 04.09.2011

2011-04-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

Bright blue skies and sunlight shined in Long Beach on Saturday at the Formula Drift 2011 Season Opener. Aside from all of the brand new race cars sliding sideways at speeds of 80+ MPH through a tight and narrow race track with less than forgiving concrete walls; there was plenty of action in the pit area that also included the Slammed Society Car Show presented by Fatlace.

Formula Drift - Round 1 - Streets of Long Beach - 04.09.2011

2011-04-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Season of the Formula Drift began the 8th season of the premier North American professional drifting championships at the famed Streets of Long Beach. Utilizing a section of the actual race circuit for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the season got off to an exciting start with 2010 Champion, J.R. Gittin failing to qualify in the Top 32 and the chance for the season opening win. Not be outdone, the Top 32 qualifiers were determined to stand on the podium at the end of the day.

Many new cars were debuted for the 2011 season, including Chris Forsberg and his 2011 NOS Energy Nissan 370Z, Rhys Millen and his 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Fredric Aasbo and his 2011 Team Need for Speed Scion TC.

2011 Round 1 Final Results

1st Place - Justin Pawlak - Team Falken
2nd Place - Matt Powers - Team Deal With It/Team Need for Speed Nitto Tires
3rd Place - Daijiro Yoshihara - Team Falken Tire/Discount Tire

2011 Chinese New Year at Bellagio - Las Vegas

2011-03-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

For everyone that have visited the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, whether it was their first time or 20th time, they have stepped foot into the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens area. This area is features seasonal displays throughout the year to represent the seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.) This year, they have a special display greeting the visitors, and that is a representation to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, The Year of the Rabbit.

On a personal note, I have been lucky enough to view many of the different displays during my many visits and every time I see the seasonal displays at the Bellagio, I am in awe of the attention to detail and the creativity that goes into sculpting the landscape into the beauty it displays. During our visit to Las Vegas in February for the annual WPPI Trade Show, we had the chance to meet up with great friends and have lunch at The Bellagio. Before lunch though, there was just enough time to check out the Conservatory for the Chinese New Year display...Gung Hay Fat Choy!!

2011 The Year of the Rabbit.

WPPI 2011 Summary - Las Vegas, NV

2011-02-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

Another year, and another WPPI has come and gone. Each year when reflecting back, the saying "this year was so much better than last years" is mentioned by the majority. Well this year certainly did not disappoint and it was certainly "so much better than last year!"

The main hall was filled to the limit with power hitting manufacturers and companies such as Canon, Nikon, Sony, Epson, Kodak, Fuji, B&H Photo Video, Adorama, Pictage, Think Tank Photo, and Unique Photo to name the least. Attendance was reported to be significantly higher than 2010 - some 3-5k more attendees this year. The highlight of the show had to be the $10,000 giveaway from Pictage. One lucky winner had their business card drawn from the bag containing over 2,000 entries to win $10,000 CASH!!!

With so many attendees, it can be very overwhelming when looking at everything there is for the photography industry, but it is also a great time to connect with new friends, and certainly catch up with many other friends that you rarely get to see because of geographic locations.

Here are a few pictures from the WPPI Trade Show floor.

2011 Trump Bridal Show - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 01.23.11

2011-01-31T19:57:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone...to say that is has been a long time since the last blog post would be an understatement! It literally has been TOO LONG since the last blog post, so to get things started for the new year, we will begin with the 2011 Trump Bridal Show hosted by Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA on Sunday, January 23, 2011.

The event featured a wide variety of vendors, from florists, photographers, party planners, venues, and even some chiropractic services. Here are a few pictures from the event, which also included a mini runway show featuring some wedding dresses from Jobyna's Bridal by Ines di Santo.

To view additional photos from the event, please click here.

SNEAK PEEK...Moreno Family Portraits - Torrance, CA 10.10.10

2010-10-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

The weather this past Sunday was perfect, bright blue skies, with a slight breeze in the air. We had the opportunity to photograph the grandparents and grand children of the Moreno Family. The timing worked out perfect and we were all able to meet up at Torrance Beach for some family fun in the sand.

Formula Drift Round 7: Title Fight 10.09.10 Toyota Speedway Irwindale, CA PART II

2010-10-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

Drifting wasn't the only thing going on at Formula Drift this weekend.

Here are a few images from the walk through the pit area, which included a few of the models and the car show taking place.

To view all of the images from Formula Drift Round 7, visit http://tinyurl.com/2777no3

Formula Drift Round 7: Title Fight 10.09.10 Toyota Speedway Irwindale, CA

2010-10-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Formula Drift season came to a conclusion this past weekend, but not before the Top 32 qualifiers battled it out one last time to determine the race winner, and the overall season points champion.

The finale event did not fail to disappoint showcasing intense drifting action to determine a new champion. The battle for third place pitted Darren McNamara in the Falken Tire Saturn Sky against Michihiro Takatori in the BF Goodrich Nissan S15. McNamara pushed his car too hard hitting the wall taking himself out of the competition giving Takatori third place. The finale battle put 2-time Formula DRIFT champion Tanner Foust against Vaughn Gittin, Jr. After a close One More Time battle, Foust edged out Gittin to take the event victory and also secure his first Tires.com Triple Crown bonus prize.

Here are some images from the drifting action Saturday...enjoy

To view more images, visit http://tinyurl.com/2777no3

Miramar Air Show; San Diego, CA 10.02.10

2010-10-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the annual Air Show, hosted by MCAS Miramar in wonderful San Diego, CA. The skies looked a bit ominous early in the morning, but gave way to broken clouds and lots of bright sunshine. In fact it seemed like too much sunshine because it got down-right hot at certain times. Nevertheless, the blue skies provided the perfect backdrop for some aviation at its finest.

The aerial displays included fighter jets, transport helicopters, and attack helicopters. It even included some vintage aircraft, as well as experimental. Here are a few images from the event that was surely a great memory. Even more importantly, it is a quick reminder of what its like to be a proud American!!

Jet Engines + Drag Cars + Las Vegas = FAST HEAT

2010-08-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

On Saturday during the Top 32 competition of the 2010 Round 5 Formula Drift, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway was also hosting some very fast drag cars. The highlight of the night on the drag strip were 2 separate runs by jet engine powered drag cars.

If you have never seen one of these run, let me tell you that they are F-A-S-T! If you have never heard one of these cars, I can tell you that they are LOUD! I made it to the grandstands, camera in tow, just in time to see these insane jet engine powered beasts nearly fly down the drag strip.

Here are the few images that I was able to capture before I blinked and missed everything...luckily I was able to get a few with the entire car in the frame.

To see the additional images, Click Here

Enjoy.

Warming up the afterburners at the starting grid...

Pre Launch of Black Rat

Finishing 1/4-mile time of Black Rat...5.65 seconds at 283.19 MPH!!!!

For the finale, 2 jet engine powered cars lined up against each other and raced head-to-head.

Warming up the afterburners on the engines...

Both cars on the starting line just before they launch

This in Incinerator as it began to "fly" down the race track. I believe it finished with a 5.50 second 1/4-mile time at a speed over 286 MPH!!

Formula Drift - Round 5 - Las Vegas - After Dark - Las Vegas, NV part 2

2010-08-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

Since the previous post was only a sampling of images from Formula Drift in Las Vegas, NV last weekend here are some additional images from some of the hot action on the racetrack.

Click Here to view more images online beyond the blog.

RESULTS:
The Falken Tire team swept the podium with a First, Second, and Third Place finish. Tyler McQuarrie took top spot on the podium, Dai Yoshihara took second, and Vaughn Gittin Jr. completed the sweep with a strong third place finish.

First Place and Round 5 champion, Tyler McQuarrie

Second Place winner, Dai Yoshihara (left) battling Sam Hubinette (right) during the round of Great 8.

Third Place winner, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his Falken Tire / Monster Energy Ford Mustang GT (right) battling Charles Ng (left) and his 1991 Mazda RX-7.

Conrad Grunewald and his Hankook Tires Chevrolet Camaro SS (right) battling against Joon Maeng and his Nitto Tires / Full Tilt Poker Mazda RX-8 (left)

Justin Pawlak and his Falken Tire Ford Mustang GT (right) battling within INCHES against Tony Brakohiapa and his Cooper Tires / Team X Ford Mustang (left)

Rhys Millen in his Red Bull Energy / Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

Michael Essa and his GSR Autosport BMW 350R. This machine is powered by a V10 M5 motor under the hood.

Ryuji Miki and his 2008 A'PEXi / Hankook Tires Lexus SC430

Robbie Nishida and his Hankook Tires Nissan GTR

Formula Drift - Round 5 - After Dark - Las Vegas, NV part 1

2010-08-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

We have returned after a long, extremely hot weekend in the Nevada desert attending Round 5 of the 2010 Formula Drift season. Hosted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the high speed course was sure to create lots of action and tire smoke as the worlds best drifters invaded Sin City. Temperatures soared in the afternoon to nearly 115-degrees, and track temperature had to be pushing close to 130!!

Here are some shots taken from Fridays action which included practice and Top 32 qualifying rounds for the main event on Saturday.

Click Here to view more images online beyond the blog.

SpoCom Super Show - Long Beach, CA 07.18.10

2010-07-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

What - Cars, Models, Vendors, Music, sparkling paint, shiny wheels, JDM, and a lot more...

Where - Long Beach Convention Center

Sunday was the return of the Spocom Super Show to the Long Beach Convention Center. Some 100+ cars were prepped, detailed, and ready to show at this years stop and all were ready to grab your attention. Would it be some radical paint? How about some really big wheels? Would it be a Ferrari? or would it be a Nissan GTR? Perhaps it would be a classic Nissan Skyline, circa 1970's...

Here are a few pictures from the event to get an idea of what you missed if you weren't there.

Charlize - Mardrona Marsh - Torrance, CA 05.09.10

2010-06-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

It certainly has been a long time since the last blog post here, so I better get something updated. This little photo session took place on Mothers Day Sunday at the Madrona Marsh in Torrance, CA where we met little 2 year old Charlize. She was a bundle of fun, who made sure that her beloved Elmo was by her side every step of the way.

Have a great day everyone!!

Lily - Playa Vista, CA - 05.02.10

2010-05-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Since it has been a little while since the last blog post...this one comes a bit overdue.

A few weekends ago, on a sunny Southern California afternoon we met with Lily and her Mom and Dad in Playa Vista for a fun little photoshoot. Lily is such a cutie, what we thought would be about a 40 minute session turned into about 90 minutes instead. Once you see the pictures below, you will know exactly why!!

Also, to make things even better, the minor image retouching was done by Lily's mom!!

Enjoy...

More of Washington DC....at Night

2010-05-04T22:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday everyone, I hope your week has gotten off to a bright and wonderful start.

During our visit to Washington DC, we were able to visit many different places and experience many things that are different from Southern California. Seeing the different buildings, the monuments, the Smithsonians, etc during the daytime was wonderful...but once the sun goes down, the lights come on and Washington DC is transformed into a completely different view.

On our last night in Washington, we had the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful dinner at the historic Old Ebbitt Grill across from the White House, and then take a walking tour of The National Mall. Once I saw the lights shining on the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial I was in complete awe!!

Here are some pictures from our night walk of our Nations Capital....enjoy!!

Relay For Life 2010 - American Cancer Society - 04.24.10 Torrance, CA

2010-04-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

Each year, the American Cancer Society organizes a fund raising and awareness event called Relay For Life. This "relay" is a joint gathering of many different local organizations (teams) that help promote awareness for cancer and cancer research. This past weekend was the annual Relay For Life held at South Torrance High School with over 60 teams participating. As exciting as it is to see such an event come together with so many people, it is all too real when reality sets in that there are so many people affected by cancer. Each person is in one way or another impacted by the often-deadly disease; either they themselves are battling the disease, or it is a family member, relative, friend, co-worker, or someone they know through another person.

At the "half-way" mark, all participants gather together for a moment of silence to honor all of those victims and survivors of cancer. In memory of those, the participants light a luminaria in their honor and all join together. Here are a few pictures from the evening of the event, during the luminaria ceremony.

About Relay For Life:
Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are 24 hours in length; representing the reality that cancer never sleeps. By participating, you honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives we've lost to the disease, and raise money to help fight cancer in your community. Relay began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since then, Relay has grown from a single man’s passion to fight cancer into the world’s largest movement to end the disease.

Honor, Power, Praise - Easter Sunday, Arlington National Cemetery - 04.04.10

2010-04-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

During the planning for our visit to Washington DC, Melissa and I made a list of the sites, museums, and landmarks that we wanted to see and visit. One of the many popular places to visit while in Washington DC is Arlington National Cemetery. One of the most popular and best known national cemeteries in the United States, Arlington National is the final resting place for more than 320,000 servicemen and their family members. All who are remembered here have one thing in common: service to their country.

During our visit, I found it fitting to visit Arlington National on Easter Sunday. Melissa and I found ourselves 3,000 miles away and were unable to celebrate it with our own families. While I may never know anyone that is buried at Arlington National, I felt honored to be able to share and celebrate Easter Sunday with Melissa in such a sacred place. After all, we were able to celebrate Easter Sunday, our vacation, our freedom to walk these grounds because of the very people that are buried here. These brave servicemen sacrificed their very own lives for our freedom and for that I/we are deeply honored.

Here are some images I captured during our visit...enjoy!

President John F. Kennedy gravesite and the Eternal Flame

View of Washington DC from the Kennedy Gravesite

Senator Robert F. Kennedy gravesite

Gravesite of the late Senator Ted Kennedy

Memorial for the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Columbia

Memorial for the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Challenger

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Cherry Blossoms - Washington DC; April 2010

2010-04-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

During our recent visit to Washington DC, we had the opportunity to see the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. Now after the harsh winter that DC experienced with over 2 feet of snow on the ground and winter storm after winter storm in the beginning of the year, Melissa and I were beginning to grow concern whether the trees were still going to bloom or not; let alone still be alive. In the end, mother nature decided to cooperate and the weather greatly improved and a few rain showers aside, the sunshine arrived and the cherry blossoms bloomed and were showing their full beauty just in time before we arrived. During our visit, the National Cherry Blossom Festival was in full swing and we were able to experience much of the excitement and beauty of all the trees around the Tidal Basin and Thomas Jefferson Memorial, as well as the National Mall.

Here are a few pictures of various cherry blossom trees from our visit.

Formula Drift Round 1 Top 32 - Long Beach, CA 04.10.10

2010-04-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday at Formula Drift began with the Top 32 qualifiers from Friday going head-to-head in tandem battle eliminations to determine the overall Round 1 champion. All of the drivers were focused and had their sites locked on the First Place carbon fiber trophy.

Below are some images from throughout the day of practice and competition. The eventual winner would be Vaughn "JR" Gittin Jr and his Monster Energy/Falken Tires/Ford Racing 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Second Place went to Rhys Millen and his Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe, and Third Place to Tanner Foust in his V8 powered Rockstar Energy Drink/Scion Racing Scion tC. Congratulations to all of the drivers and winners of Round 1 Formula Drift!!

The 2010 Formula Drift Season Begins... Round 1 - Streets of Long Beach; Long Beach, CA

2010-04-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Drifting is back...The 2010 Season of Formula Drift has begun and Round 1 on the Streets of Long Beach, CA is the stomping ground. All of the drivers have had the winter season to put the finishing touches on their drift machines (new and old) and are ready to begin another exciting season. Using a portion of the race course for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and the Izod IndyCar Series for Round 1, more than 50 drivers compete in the season-long race for the championship to be decided and concluded in October at The House of Drift, the Irwindale Speedway.

Friday was the qualifying portion for Round 1 and saw new machinery debuted, including Sam Hubinette in his 2010 Dodge Challenger, JR Gittin in his 2011 Ford Mustang, Conrad Grunewald in his 2010 Chevy Camaro, and Michael Essa in his V10 M5 powered 2008 BMW 3-series to name a few.

As expected, the race course, tire barriers, and concrete barriers claimed a few victims as the drivers were forced to push the limits of their driving skills and capabilities of their vehicles.

Here are pictures from today's action on the race track...

Here are a few of the casualties today...

Yasu Kondo direct from Japan misguided the entry turn and met the tire wall and ended his day on the track.

Cody Parkhouse of Long Beach, CA came in a little too hot into the first turn and met the tire barriers.

Michael Essa's BMW didn't fair so well and found the tire barriers after the first clipping point.

SNEAK PREVIEW: Michele & Sheldon 02.20.10 - Sacramento, CA

2010-03-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a sneak preview from Michele and Sheldon's wedding on February 20, 2010 in Sacramento, CA.

To be notified by email when the entire event is online, Click Here.

Details:
Church - Buddhist Church of Sacramento
Reception - Vizcaya Pavillion and Mansion

What Will Matter...

2010-02-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

What Will Matter

Michael Josephson of the Josephson Institute of Ethics

Ready or not someday it will all come to an end. There’ll be no sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things that you’ve collected whether treasured or forgotten will be passed to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear. So too your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won’t matter whether you’re beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you’ve learned but what you’ve taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew but how many people will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.

Another Year in the Books!!

2010-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone... Thats right, this past Saturday (January 23) was my birthday. I can remember the days as a child when you couldn't wait for your birthday to come around again. Was it because you looked forward to a birthday party? or a birthday cake? or was it the presents and gifts? I guess as you get older, you lose touch with those emotions and you begin to think..."yeah another year older... blah blah blah."

While last year was a bigger "celebration" for the big 3-0, this year kind of seemed like one of those birthdays that was "just another day." No big celebrations, no big plans made, no special trips, etc. This year for my birthday I found myself sleeping in (7:45am)... only to find myself falling back asleep on the sofa again around 1pm. The only "plans" for my birthday was a nice dinner reservation made by Melissa at da Vinci in Long Beach, CA. Little did I know that my surprise gift that evening was a helicopter ride over downtown Long Beach. Melissa had to tell me what we were doing before we left the house because she wanted to make sure I brought the appropriate camera with me to make sure I caught all of the scenic views. All in all it was a wonderful evening...what began with a 15-20 flight over downtown Long Beach and the Queen Mary concluded with a spectacular dinner all planned out by my awesome wife!!!!

Here are a few pictures from our helicopter ride....have a great week and enjoy everyone!!

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 1600 f/5.6

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 4000 f/2.8 1/13 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 4000 f/2.8 1/6 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 12800 f/2.8 1/40 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 12800 f/3.2 1/50 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 12800 f/2.8 1/30 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 12800 f/3.5 1/60 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 12800 f/3.2 1/60 sec.

Details: Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 12800 f/2.8 1/25 sec.

Behind The Price of Wedding Photography

2010-01-21T23:13:00.000-08:00

I was reading the blog of a good friend of mine (Katie Van Buren) and on it I noticed this article that she had posted. It turns out that she borrowed it from a friend of hers (Christine Tremoulet) but I thought it was something I would share with all of you.

This is what is read on Katie's blog which was originally posted by her friend Christine.

Christine so eloquently expressed what is behind the price of wedding photography. I have copied what she said and modified it a bit to fit what was applicable to my studio and my clients.

Most of the time, the first thing anyone asks me about when they contact me is for my pricelist. How much will wedding photography cost. And sometimes, I know that the price tag that I put on our weddings causes a bit of sticker shock. I understand. I am not the perfect fit for everyone, and I know this. My feelings aren’t hurt.

I wanted to provide a breakdown of what goes into our costs though, because I think it is a really important thing to understand. Your wedding photography is one of the only things that remains after your wedding. You have a spouse, a ring, a dress, maybe a few other mementos, and your wedding photography. Photographers are really the only vendors that you work with after your wedding day is over. So while it is easy to think that you’re hiring your photographer for just 8 hours of time on your wedding day, you’re not. You’re actually paying for:

- Wedding day coverage
- Second photographer for the wedding day
- Backing up of files (in my case, extensive backups)
- Processing and Editing of your photographs (roughly 2-3 hours for every hour of coverage, which is 16-20 hours per wedding)
- Posting photographs online
- Backing up the final edited files
- Preparing an initial album layout
- Album modifications
- Album printing and binding
- Other items such as DVDs, DVD cases, and so forth
- Preparation of files for printing, creative and artistic edits and other enhancements
- Archival quality prints of your wedding images
- Packaging in all archival quality products
- Engagement Sessions
- Proofing and placing engagement sessions online
- Anything else that a package might include

Then there are all the other things that go into running a proper business:
- Taxes
- Insurance
- Studio space (optional, but an option I choose to have so that I have a nice place for my clients to come to.)
- Paying employees
- Ongoing education – courses throughout the year both locally and across the country with some of the best photographers out there
- Marketing, magazines, research, blogging, posting on forums, and a long list of similar tasks

And the one I feel most passionate about?
- CAMERA GEAR – I use the top of the line that Canon has to offer to wedding photographers. I have backup equipment, and backups to my backups. From camera bodies, to lenses, to flashes. I have a lot of nice gear and have spent thousands of dollars on it because I want to capture the BEST photographs I possibly can, and I want to be prepared for any situation.

I know there are photographers out there that only charge $100 to $1500 to photograph your wedding. What you receive from them in the end varies wildly. Some of them hand you the photos straight from their camera, and you take them to a lab and print them yourself. Never mind if the color is off, you’re in shadows, or anything else. There is no enhancement at all to the image files in the digital darkroom. Some of them somehow manage to provide you with not only the photos on DVD, but an album at that price. I don’t know how they do it – they must have a weekday job to pay the bills, because there is simply no way that I can crunch the numbers and do the math to make it work. That means that the time they have to focus on you is limited. Most likely, they are not paying themselves. They have no backup gear in case anything happens to their camera on your wedding day. They don’t have insurance. They think that $1000 is great for 8 hours of time – and they ignore everything else that goes into taking care of you. They can’t afford quality gear to produce fantastic images* because they are not charging enough for their work.

You’re not just paying for 8 hours of photography. You’re paying for so much more than that. Hopefully, this page helps to clarify that. My commissions for wedding day coverage currently start at $3800. Please inquire for more details and to find out if I am available for your wedding day, as I take on a limited number of weddings each year. Prices are subject to change throughout the year, and are normally modified quarterly. Reserving your date now will lock you in at my current rates. Commissions are currently being taken for 2010 and 2011. Please contact me to learn more.

*Note: Part of the magic of taking great photographs is within the person holding the camera – I am not a gear snob. I know this. Having nice gear helps. Having a variety of lenses and knowing how each lens impacts the photograph that you envision inside your head helps even more in making that vision a reality. I love my camera and my lenses, and with them I can achieve any photograph I see in my mind.

Jellyfish - Steinhart Aquarium - San Francisco, CA

2010-01-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

Well I apologize to everyone for the lack of updates here on the blog. No excuses, just being lazy and procrastinating on putting up new posts.

While in Northern California during the Christmas holiday, Melissa and I took a day-trip out to San Francisco to hang out for the day. What turned out to be a beautiful day - no fog, no gloomy skies, no rain, etc we were able to catch up with some friends for lunch at Stacks before we headed out to the Steinhart Aquarium and the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.

This was Melissa's first visit to the Aquarium, and my first visit since the complete renovation/remodel of the Academy. Once inside the front doors, it was not the same Academy that I had last visited while in college and everything was brand new to me. As we strolled through the aquarium we saw some pretty interesting display of sea life, but none more eye-appealing than the jellyfish! Watching them float/swim so gracefully through the water is very soothing and calming; and it makes for a great photo-op.

Enjoy...

Christmas Day at Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Sacramento, CA 12.25.09

2009-12-30T20:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone.

It has been a little while since our last post, and a lot has happened since. Christmas 2009 has come and gone, and while many were spending time with family and loved ones I was fortunate enough to get outside on a beautiful bright sunny day to escape to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Sacramento, California. When I woke up around 7:30am my iPhone read that it was 30-degrees outside and while there was a chill in the air, it had that clean, crisp feeling (one that you dont often get in Southern California.) After spending the morning with my parents and Melissa and sharing gifts with one another, we had a quick lunch and then I took Melissa out to the Nature Center (where she had never been before) and we got to enjoy the time together without all of the busy traffic and noise customary to Los Angeles.

When we got there, I was telling Melissa how we may see some deer, wild turkey, and various birds in the area but wasn't too sure because it was around 1:30pm and most of the time they are "hiding" until near sunset/dusk. Sure enough, no more than 5 minutes into our walk down the path, we encounter the wild turkey in the near distance and shortly behind were a small family of deer wandering around. After the deer crossed through, we proceeded down the path and down to the American River where the cold water from the Sierra Mountains were running downstream and there wasn't a single disturbance. Off in the distance were a few Mallard Ducks in the river swimming around, and overhead was a hawk circling in the sky apparently hunting something from above.

All said, it was a beautiful day at the Nature Center, the weather just warm enough to not need a jacket and Melissa and I were able to spend some time together doing something completely different without any distractions of a cell phone, computer, internet, traffic, etc. After our nature walk, it was back to the house to prepare for family to arrive for Christmas dinner and more quality time together as a family. Good times in deed!!

Happy New Year everyone, please be safe where ever you may be celebrating and ringing in 2010.

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

2009-12-20T22:20:00.000-08:00

Here we are, its December 20, 2009 and there are only 4 days left until it is Christmas. There are only 11 days left in 2009 and then we are off to 2010 and the start of a new decade!

Can you believe that this year has gone by so fast? I know I have said it before, but when you look back on 2009 and have flashbacks to all of those wonderful memories from this year doesn't it just make you want to relive it all over again?? For some, the end of 2009 may be a good thing...maybe they have a bit of superstition in them and are excited to begin a new decade! Just think, it was 9 short years ago and everyone seemed to be freaking out about Y2K and the possible end to all computers!!

Christmas is a special time for me each year, being far away from my family it is a time when I am able to relive my youth and be "home" with everyone again just as though I had never left home. I get to spend quality time with my parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts...and even catch up with old high school friends that I haven't seen since last year. This year is extra special for me; this is my first Christmas being married. So this will be extra special for Melissa and I as we spend our first Christmas together as a married couple.

So to everyone reading this I ask that you please be safe out there if you are traveling (as we are) and here is to wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

Live Sockets Block Party - Orange County - 12.05.09

2009-12-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

Last weekend in Orange County, our friends over at Live Sockets Entertainment hosed a Block Party at BDL Industries near Angels Stadium. The weather was a bit overcast and cool, but that did not stop the faithful from bringing out their cars one last time for the winter. Along with a mini car show, there were vendors showing off some of their latest equipment including Volk Racing, Trendy Threadz, Live Sockets, and INGS.

Here are a few pictures from the days events...enjoy!!

a mixed (golf) bag of emotions....Tiger Woods, life, etc.

2009-12-04T23:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday everyone. I apologize that it has been so long since the last post here on the blog and I apologize because this is probably going to be a long post. A lot has happened since the last post shortly before Thanksgiving...it is now December, and we are less than 3 weeks away from Christmas 2009! This means that we are only 27 days from 2010...the start of a new year, and the start of a new decade!!! To many that may be a big relief, and for many others it may be a time to celebrate and really reflect back on their 2009 and everything that has happened for them, to them, or what they have done for others.

I will look back at 2009 and remember lots of happy moments (getting married, buying a house, welcoming a new puppy into the family, maturing as a person, having photographed the most weddings on my own than ever before, and the list can go on for quite some time)...I will also look back at 2009 and try to evaluate where I can improve and make 2010 even better than 2009.

The past few days I have been struggling with a personal emotion inside my mind and my heart... and I just dont know how to feel. As many of you know, I am an avid golfer and I have been playing the game for over 20 years now. When I began playing, golf was not the "cool sport" to play and it honestly was not very popluar. Around 1994 or 1995 a man by the name of Tiger Woods began to surface in the media and was being touted as the next golf phenom to the legend of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, etc. I can honestly admit that I am a fan of Tiger Woods. During my high school golf years I watched Tiger as much as I could and would marvel at just "how good" he was at the game. I am even quoted in my high school yearbook as quoting Tiger Woods.

This past week Tiger fell into the media in no way he has ever been - linked to a scandal. I was heartbroken, torn, and confused. I never thought I would hear his name linked to something like this and ever since I have been torn inside and feeling crushed because he clearly is "my favorite athlete," a "role model," a "hero" if you will. With all of the media attention, and rumors floating out there now my mind has gone into a serious denial that this has even happened. I feel like this is just a bad dream and I wish it would go away as though it never happened. I am sure Tiger is thinking these very same feelings as well.

I doubt that Tiger would ever read this post, but if he should...please know that you are an amazing athlete and that I still think very highly of you no matter what "wrongs" you have done. I agree, these are your personal dealings and they do not need to be splashed all over the media. I truly and sincerely hope that you have since become a better man because of this and realize how much this truly hurts people like myself...your fans!!

OK, enough venting for now...everyone have a GREAT weekend! Photograph lots of spectacular images and enjoy the weather wherever you are!

Thanksgiving 2009 - What are you most thankful for??

2009-11-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving just days away, I thought it would be appropriate to share some of things that I am most thankful for. Now it is always easy to use Thanksgiving as your "one time" to really focus on what you are most thankful for, however many times that focus ends minutes or hours after you have stuffed yourself with turkey, stuffing, cranberries, biscuits, pie, etc and spent another Thanksgiving holiday around the dinner table with those that mean the most to you.

Here are a few things that I am most thankful for (this year in particular)... and they are not in any specific order of significance.

My Family and my new extended family
My Wife (Melissa) and our new puppy (Mika)
Our jobs
Our new home (purchased in April 2009)
Our friends (co workers, church friends, etc)
Our relationship with God and learning to know him better
Witnessing the moment of putting smiles back on the faces of those affected by Hurricane Katrina at the Pictage Charity Portrait Session earlier this month
Making new friends
Having an open mind for learning, creativity, communication, and dreaming
Being inspired by all of our friends and family
The gift of life

Think about it for a second, this list could go on and on and on...take a moment and think about it, but dont do it just because it is Thanksgiving! We should always be thinking about it every day and being thankful for what we have, except in our busy lives these days we often forget to take a moment and think about the other 364 days in the year. I know I am guilty of this, as I am sure many of you reading this would agree.

Time yourself and find out how long it actually takes you to say "thank you" whether it is to a friend, your husband/wife, your girlfriend/boyfriend, a family member, the server at your table in the restaurant, the clerk at the register, or your mailman.

Thank you for taking a few moments out of your busy schedule to read this. Thank you for taking the time to bookmark my blog. Thank you for your interest in my photography. Thank you for being a friend to me.

See...that wasn't too hard.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone! Be safe and enjoy your time with those that mean the most to you.

SOLD: Canon 1D Mark IIn DSLR and Pocket Wizards (TT1 and TT5)

2009-11-21T16:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday to everyone out there.

Can anyone believe that Thanksgiving is only 4 days away??? Where has 2009 gone? Have well all been "that" busy that we didn't even realize there are only 40 days left in 2009? 40 Days!! Can you believe that? Wow, what an amazing year it has been for me (personally) and I am sure many of you can say the same thing if we all took a moment to stop and look back at some of the memories we have from 2009. What are you thankful for this year? While the list is long and could go on until next Thanksgiving...please do not forget to take a moment and say thank you to someone, or remind yourself how special all of our family and friends are and be thankful for all of them for being in our lives.

I still have so many photos from New Orleans and that magical week of the Pictage Partner Conference, I am going to step aside from posting pictures from New Orleans today, I am actually posting a bit of a classified ad instead.

I am now selling my Canon 1D Mark IIn DSLR camera body along with my Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 and 2 Flex TT5 units. If you are interested, please email me and we can discuss it further. If you know of anyone in the market, please be sure to pass along the message to them as well.

~~First Up - my Canon 1D Mark IIn.~~ SOLD

* Original Owner
* Purchased brand new from an authorized US Canon dealer in Oct '06
* Less than 21,000 actuations on the shutter
* Complete with original box, packaging, strap, manuals, discs, charger, cables, etc.
* Excellent condition, no major scratches, dents, marks, etc
* Owned and Stored in a smoke free environment

I am asking $1,500 shipped via UPS Ground to anywhere in the US. Canada and International shipping requires additional cost. All serious/reasonable offers will be accepted.

~~Second Up - Pocket Wizards:~~ SOLD

I have decided to sell my 3 Pocket Wizards because I have never used them. I purchased these shortly after they were released (April-May 2009) anticipating using them but ended up never actually using them. They have since sat in my roller bag unused.

Each Pocket Wizard comes complete with it original factory packaging, including all manuals and CD information. I am passing the opportunity to own these along to you at my loss. The Mini TT1 retails for $199 and the Flex TT5 retails for $219 each.

I will accept all serious and reasonable offers for these Pocket Wizards. I prefer to sell all 3 at once, however if you only need 1 or 2 of them, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.

A Gallery - Pictage Partner Conference - 11.3.09 - New Orleans, LA

2009-11-18T17:28:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night, The Contrast Show displayed pieces of photography by fellow Pictage members at the A Gallery for Fine Photography in the French Quarter presented by Pictage and ShootQ

Here are a few pictures from the evening fun.

Friends of Pictage Partner Conference 2009 - New Orleans, LA

2009-11-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday everyone, can anyone believe that we are just over 1 week away from Thanksgiving already? Where has this year gone?

On to the fun stuff, here is a collection of photos from Partner Con - NOLA of a bunch of Pictage friends doing what we all do best...Have a great time!!

Enjoy.

Shari Zellers and Alex Abercrombie

Jim Collins and Rene Tate

Pictage's Danny Faccini and Michael Caro

Shawn Reeder, Sarah Hodzic, Monty Jessop, Danny Faccini, and Nitin Somalwar

Chris Williams and Alex Abercrombie

Alex Abercrombie, Debra Gerson, and Jessica Del Vecchio

Kip, Laura, Shawn Reeder, and Sarah Hodzic

Pictage's Paul Manke with lots of lanyards

Pictage Partner Conference - Day 3 - 11.5.09 - New Orleans, LA

2009-11-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

Not be outdone by the previous 2 days of seminar learning, Day 3 began Thursday with the highly anticipated off site shooting workshops. Pictage hosted 8 off site shooting workshops for the conference attendees that registered. These 2-hour workshops were held at various locations within the French Quarter and within walking distance of the Astor Crowne Plaza. The sessions were led by some of the best photographers in the country, including David Beckstead, Mike Colon, Joe Buissink, Sara France, Kurt Gerber, Scott Bourne, and Grant Oakes.

The second half of Thursday was the event that nearly everyone has been talking about and eagerly waiting for the past 9 months and was extremely excited to be a part of. Pictage coordinated with a local charity to host nearly 200 families for a free portrait session. These families were the unfortunate victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that lost virtually everything they owned including all of their family photos. Many of these families have never gotten a chance to have their family pictures taken again because of the painful recovery process and costs involved.

Myself, to be a witness and participant to this event was truly touching. I thought to myself, what better way could we "give back" to these families by using our talents and skills and providing them with "new" family portraits as a small step in helping them rebuild their lives.

One lady that came to have her portraits taken stated to us: "We thought everyone had forgotten about us..." Another stated "this is just the beginning, my children will never have pictures of their grandparents again" To me personally, this was the "icing on the cake," the "satisfaction," the "joy and happiness" of all our hard work this entire week. To see the smiles on these people's faces said it all, they didn't care what they were wearing, they didn't mind at all because they were having their pictures taken again, not by the media as victims showing their anguish and loss, but as people, as American Citizens.

Enjoy...

Mike Colon (center), Jeff Youngren (far right)

Joe Buissink (left) and Denis Reggie (right)

On the bus back to the hotel from the portrait shoot. Downtown New Orleans at night.

Pictage Partner Conference - Day 2 - 11.4.09 - New Orleans, LA

2009-11-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

With Day 1 in the books, and Partner Conference off to an unbelievable start...Day 2 was sure to be even better with so much positive energy, inspiration, dreaming, and creativity in the air it was easy to look past the early AM start to the day.

The day began with a powerful lineup of speakers ready to go featuring Steve DePino, Kevin Meyers, and Grant Oakes...and that lineup would only get stronger throughout the day with featured speakers including Joe Buissink, Zach and Jody Gray of Gray Photography, Skip Cohen, Dane Sanders, Jay Goldman, Roberto Valenzuela, and Shari Zellers to name a few.

Once the speaking sessions concluded, all of the attendees gathered in the Grand Ballroom for closing remarks by Pictage CEO, Jim Collins which included a few surprises, also produced many tears of happiness, awe, and joy, and not to mention - a few standing ovations. This was truly a sight to see, and experience and will not be forgotten for quite some time.

Celebrity Wedding Photographer Joe Buissink addressing the question "Are You In A Rut?"

Zach and Jody Gray of Gray Photography discuss "Executing The Dream"

Dane Sanders about "How To Rule Your Photo Business (before your business rules you)

The Grand Ballroom during the Closing Remarks

Pictage CEO, Jim Collins presenting his Closing Remarks

Jim Collins acknowledging the 3 main people that organized the ENTIRE event - Scott Anderson, Lisa Allen and Emily Engle - BRAVO!!!

Jim Collins introducing the "surprise" guest during the closing remarks.

Enjoy!!!

Pictage Partner Conference 2009 - Day 1 - New Orleans, LA

2009-11-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

The Pictage Partner Conference Day 1 got off to a rockin' start on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 to the wonderful sound of live jazz music. With Pictage staff ready to kick the event off this was surely to be the event we all envisioned that would soon become reality.

The event got its official start with Pictage CEO, Jim Collins, kicking off the event with an invigorating Keynote that was sure to energize everyone and get their creative minds clicking without a second to spare. The schedule was jam packed with a lineup of speakers sharing their insight, leaving everyone trying to figure out just where they were going to finally sit down and begin their furious note taking.

Here are a few images from Day 1 to show exactly what Partner Conference was all about....

Jim Collins presenting his Keynote to open Partner Conference Day 1

The Youngrens with their presentation, "Keepin' It Real In A Rockstar World"

Jared Bauman - "Your Business – On Auto Pilot for Six Figure Income"

Phil Thornton was gracious enough to review SEO - "SEO for Photographers - Google Ranking Demystified"

Denis Reggie had an all new presentation, conveniently titled, "A debut presentation – never seen before"

During the lunch intermission, the Sponsor Hall was well visited by all of the attendees. Sponsors included: Canon, Simply Canvas, Livebooks, KISS Albums, Tafota Designs, Leather Craftsmen, and Asukabook to name a few (in no particular order)

Pictage Partner Conference 2009 Welcome Reception - New Orleans, LA

2009-11-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

The Pictage Partner Conference got its unofficial start by hosting an evening welcome reception at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, LA on Monday, November 2, 2009. Complete with live jazz music playing, fellow Pictage members and non-members attending the conference got a chance to meet/greet with the Pictage Staff and many other photographers that had arrived from all over the country for this very special week.

For many (including myself), this was an opportunity to put a face to a name, put a face to a voice from phone conversations, put a real face to a forum avatar, or put a face to an email address...or to simply catch up with friends from all over the country that we rarely get to see and have fun together.

Here are a few images from the evening reception just to give you an idea of the fun and what was shaping up to be an incredibly inspiring week to come...

Monty, Chelsea, Jayse, and Jessica

Live Jazz music in the reception - NOLA Style

An overhead of the many who attended

Night time view of Canal Street from the balcony of the reception

New Orleans, LA - Pictage Partner Conference 2009

2009-11-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

WOW!!

What a week this has been. Words cannot even begin to describe what an awesome week it has been in New Orleans for the annual Pictage Partner Conference. This was truly a week of inspiration, dreams, happiness, joy, sadness, warm hearts, accomplishment, firsts, great friends, great conversation, and the best part - Memories for a LIFETIME!!!

While there are now over 1000+ images from the past 5 days to now go through, I cannot wait to begin sharing them with everyone so please stay tuned for new pictures from the past week!

Thanks again for your patience, and have a wonderful weekend!!

Twitter, Pictage Partner Conference, and MLB and NBA rambling...

2009-10-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...I hope this post finds you well. The weather is changing and it seems as though Summer may be over for us here in So Cal. The temperatures have dropped and the winds have picked up. Hopefully there will not be any new wildfires popping up any time soon.

Here are a few updates for the week for Miura Images:

1. After much resistance, stubbornness, laziness, you name it...we are now on Twitter! Please follow us: @miuraimages

2. We are off to New Orleans (NOLA) in a couple of days for the annual Pictage Partner Conference to hear some of the best photographers in the nation share their wisdom, insight, and experience with the rest of us. Be sure to check back next week for pictures and updates from NOLA.

3. The World Series has finally begun...while the Dodgers and Angels came up short, the Yankees and Phillies are sure to put on a good fight for the Championship. Game 1 goes to the Phillies, winning 6-1 and taking the 1-0 lead in the best of 7 series.

4. The 2009-2010 NBA season kicked off last night...The LA Lakers begin their title defense and all of the blockbuster off-season trades and free agent signings should make this a very interesting season of basketball, both in the East and the West.

That's all for now... until next time.

Mika - 5 Months Later...

2009-10-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Mika (our family Havanese puppy) will be turning 5 months old in a matter of days, and I thought I would share a few pictures of her growing up in front of our eyes.

Here she is her first days at home (approximately 10 weeks old)

These are from a couple of days ago, just short of her 5 month birthday.

Audio Interview with the Pictage CEO - Jim Collins

2009-10-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Borrowed from FrederickVan.com

Get to know our new CEO at Pictage, Jim Collins. This is an audio interview by Mr. Frederick Van Johnson, a professional fashion, portrait, and wedding photographer.

Enjoy.

http://frederickvan.com/blog/2009/10/pictage-com-under-new-management/

Pictage Partner Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA - 20 Days and Counting

2009-10-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

20 Days Left Until Partner Conference 2009

Register today and prepare to experience 2-1/2 days of engaging speaker sessions, knowledge sharing, hands-on shooting workshops, and leading demonstrations for professional photographers.

Discover first-hand what is becoming one of the most talked about professional photography conferences of the year! Be sure to sign up and register now...do not miss out on your opportunity to learn from the best. Click on the logo above for more details and information. Hope to see you there!!

If for some reason you cannot make it to New Orleans to experience this first-hand, be sure to bookmark/follow/tab my blog page for photos from the events of each day.

Sodano & Flowers Wedding - 07.02.09 - Casa Real @ Ruby Hill Winery - Pleasanton, CA

2009-09-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Two very good friends of mine finally got married this summer at the beautiful Casa Real at the Ruby Hill Winery in Pleasanton, CA. The event took place over the Fourth of July weekend and while the weather was a bit warm in Northern California, it did not stop us all from having a ton of fun!! Please enjoy the slideshow from Dara and Jason's wedding.

Krystal & Christian - January 24, 2009 - Los Verdes Golf Course. Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

2009-09-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Back on January 24, 2009, two very good friends, Krystal Actkinson and Christian Aponte were married at Los Verdes Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. In between winter weather storms the event went off without a hitch and the sun broke through the clouds to shine on this beautiful day! Here is a slideshow of images from their magical day filled with lots of fun and smiles and great memories. Please enjoy!!

Victory Fellowship All Church Picnic - 09.27.09 - Rolling Hills Estates

2009-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, September 27, 2009 Victory Fellowship will be hosting an All Church Family Picnic at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates.

NEW Slideshows on Pictage!!!

2009-09-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

Pictage quietly unveiled their new slideshow feature overnight, and while it is still in a Beta testing phase, it is quite impressive and there are many new and additional features that will be added over the coming months. Here is a sample slideshow I created using my wedding images.

Event Details:

Date - June 20, 2009
Location - Kyoto Grand Hotel - Los Angeles, CA
Photography - James Abke c/o Weintraub Photography - Redondo Beach, CA
Cake - Rossmoor Pastries - Signal Hill, CA

Pictage Partner Conference 2009

2009-09-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

Dream. Create. Inspire.

Professional Photographers - Welcome to Partner Conference New Orleans 2009!

Register today and prepare to experience 2 ½ days of engaging speaker sessions, knowledge sharing, hands-on shooting workshops, and leading exhibitor demonstrations for professional photographers.
We invite you to be a part of the dream -- discover first-hand what is becoming one of the most talked about professional photography conferences of the year!

When registering be sure to enter "Scott Miura" as your referral or reference. Thank you.

Hope to see you in New Orleans!!!

Rancho Palos Verdes Fire

2009-09-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

Late last week, a wildfire broke out in Rancho Palos Verdes. This is an image I was able to capture from Torrance, about 10 miles to the north of the fire. While the fire was contained in a matter of 24 hours, it was certainly a sight to see and a real scare for many in the South Bay!

Welcome to Miura Images!!!

2009-09-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Miura Images and the very first blog created. Please forgive me as I am very new to "blogging" but I do thank you for stopping by. While the blog is being created and updated, please visit my main website for more information and to see samples of my work.

I want to especially thank Mr. Ralph Alswang of Ralph Alswang Photography in Washington D.C. for continually pushing me to strive forward and encouraging myself and my photography, one of which was to start this blog. Please visit Ralph's website when you get a chance and be sure to leave him positive comments and feedback.

Please stay tuned for more information and pictures to come.

Thanks,

Scott