Oakland A’s and the “Diamond” treatment!
Posted July 29th, 2008 in EventIt was the red carpet experience, or the life in the “diamond” section of an Oakland A’s game! The diamond section refers to the seats directly behind the home plate. Tonight, we were so close to the action the security guards had to repeatedly remind us before entering the section that we must not interfere with the game (like shouting out “Strike!!!” randomly). It was the first A’s game for Peggy and me, and we could never see a baseball game the same way again.
First, it started with parking. There was a special parking area for the diamond ticket holder which directly led us to the back entrance of the stadium. Once we checked in, there were a series of security guards who guided us through the maze of stairs and hallways. On TV they normally show the behind the scene interviews with players and coaches in stadium corridors and tunnels… that was exactly what we walked through! In fact, as we were making our way down the corridor to our seats, a few players from Kansas City Royals passed right by us!
Once we entered the stadium, the feeling was indescribable. We were right in the middle of the action where the umpire/batter/catcher were no more than 50 ft in front of us. The bright lights and the chants from the crowds were dizzying. The thunderous clap when the pitch hit the catcher’s mitt (gave me a whole new appreciation of a 95MPH fastball) and the heavy thud when the batter made contact with the ball really brought us into the game. The only other way I could describe the feeling would be that from the outer bleachers, you feel like you are “watching” the game - behind the plate, it does feel like you are “in” the game.
And then, the free food and drinks. I proceeded to devour 2 beers, a pizza, a sausage, chips and nacho, ice cream bar, and ice cream sandwich.
By about 7th inning, we had finally taken in all the experiences and realized there was a baseball game going on. The Oakland A’s mounted a decent comeback but unfortunately lost in the end. Nevertheless, this was an incredible experience we would never forget.
View from our seats (I wasn’t sure if a D-SLR would be allowed, picture taken with the phone)
and look, we were on TV!!
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Chez TJ Restaurant and Happy Birthday!
Posted July 20th, 2008 in Event, FoodHappy Birthday, Peggy!
We celebrated Peggy’s birthday last night at Chez TJ, a contemporary French restaurant in Mountain View that recently received a 2-star rating from the Michelin Guide. Our friends Margie and Jim and Peggy’s sister Cat all came over to our house in Mountain View before heading out to the restaurant. There were quite a few memorable dishes including the foie gras trio, habibut fennel, lamb “four cuts”, and the desserts - orange mocha mudpie and summer berries! We each ordered different dishes and in the end got a chance to sample almost everything on the menu.
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White Corn Veloute Tarragon Gnocchi, Summer Truffle
with 2006 Prius Verdejo, Rueda, Spain
Heirloom Tomato Cubes Balsamic Gelee, Pistou Goat Cheese
with 2006 Moshin Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley, California
Cucumber-Mango Lobster Salad Mint, Yogurt-Creme Fraiche
with 2005 Esterlina Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, California
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Trio: Summer Truffle, Torchon, Peche-Romarin
with 2006 Viento Reisling, Columbia Gorge, Oregon
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Seared Californian Halibut Fennel, Saffron Saveur
with 2004 Chateau de la Preuille Muscadet, Loire, France
Day Boat Scallop Paire Asparagus, Chanterelle, Preserve Lemon
with 2004 Macon Cruzille Les Avoueries, Burgundy, France
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Elysian Farms Lamb “Four Cuts” Artichoke Arpege, Lemon Thyme Garlic Jus
with 2004 Rosso di Montalcino, Montalcino, Italy
Meyer Angus Sirloin-Mishima Ranch “Kobe” Short Rib Zucchini Melange, Cabernet Jus
with 2004 Domenico Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
California Duck “Salmis” Rainbow Chard, Roasted Porcini, Apricot Gastrique
with 2006 Summers Charbono, Napa Valley, California
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Fromage Plate: Crottin, Chevre, Fourme d’Ambert, Tete de Moine, Brillat-Savarin
with 2002 Chateau Peyruchet, Bordeaux, France
Summer Berry Flood Blueberry Financier, Jus de Fruits Rouge
with Kir Royale (Black Currant and Sparkling Wine)
Pineapple Carpaccio, Spiced Cake, Vanilla Nougat, Rum Gelee
with Hana-Awaka Sake “Sparkling Flower”, Hyogo, Japan
Orange Mocha Mudpie, Chocolate Ice Cream, Trifle
with Domenico Orange Muscat, San Carlos, California
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What is Black and White, Really?
Posted July 18th, 2008 in FAQOne question I always get asked nowadays is whether I shoot in color or black and white, and for the black and white images, can they have the color version as well? I shoot 100% color and digital, and by shooting everything in color, it gives me a lot of flexibility on post processing.
Black and white images are more complicated than most people realize, but at the same time, digital imaging gives us photographers a lot of flexibility in getting the exact look we want in the final image. Below are some examples of how versatile black and white images can be. Credit goes to Totally Rad Actions! for such an incredible set of post processing tools!
Above is the original color image and a straight grayscale conversion to black and white (BW). This type of BW conversion is available on practically any photo processing program. The common problem with simple grayscale conversion is that the image may look washed out with limited contrast between light and shadow. Also, depending on the original color, some areas of the photo may appear too dark or too bright in the final BW image.
Above are a couple of examples with a nice soft glow. A little bit of blur combined with slightly exaggerated highlight = a slice of heaven! I often use this BW conversion for those romantic images: a loving glance or an emotional embrace.
Sometimes it’s important to raise the contrast and bring details back into the images. In the couple of images above, note the sharp contrast that clearly delineates the tree branches and the details of her dress, each to a varying degree.
These may not be considered as “black and white” per se, but there are only 2 tones in these images. Often color will bring warmth and comfort to the images, and the classic sepia and selenium conversion bring out the playful nature of the image.
I love these effects! The image on the left is something you’d expect to find at the bottom of the drawer at grandma’s house - the burnt corners and the grain on the image create a feeling of nostalgia. The image on the right is like a newspaper clipping from the 1930’s - warm and emotional.
So, there you have it, not all black and white images are created equal!
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Cooking Party: Crepe!
Posted July 18th, 2008 in Event, FoodThis is starting to feel like an episode of “Iron Chef” - today’s theme is CREPE! Thankfully there was no ticking clock or some un-pronounceable secret ingredient.
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Bo and Leo Engagement: Grace Cathedral, De Young Museum, and Baker Beach
Posted July 13th, 2008 in Lifestyle / EngagementBo and Leo are actually from the Bay Area, but since most of the families are back in Asia, they are holding a destination wedding in Phuket, Thailand in September. Nevertheless, they wanted the engagement photos to be done here in San Francisco, and that’s where we come in! (we certainly wouldn’t mind traveling to the beautiful Phuket either!)
They were such great subjects to work with, and I have to thank them for braving the San Francisco traffic with me - at one point, I placed them in the middle of the intersection with cars whizzing by!
Congratulations on the upcoming wedding in the tropical paradise of Thailand!
Posted in Lifestyle / Engagement
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Angela and Michael Wedding and Slideshow - Portola Valley Presbyterian Church and Pacific Athletic Club
Posted July 8th, 2008 in Slideshow, WeddingWe got a chance to work with Angela and Michael a few months ago for their engagement shoot at the half moon bay and we’ve been looking forward to their wedding ever since! We got a chance to visit the lovely Portola Valley Presbyterian Church during the winter months, and the backdrop of the church was breathtaking - nothing but a sea of green from the giant redwood grove.
Don’t forget the slideshow of the full wedding at the end. Once again, we showed the first half at the reception that evening and everyone seemed to loved it!
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Here is the slideshow! Just click on the “PLAY” button below
Posted in Slideshow, Wedding