Michael Kitada Photography

Welcome Sienna!

2008-11-18T22:06:00.000-08:00

How time flies! Heather and Paul were married in May of 2007 and now they have a 4 month old little girl named, Sienna. I had a wonderful time seeing them and catching up and photographing their pride and joy. Here's a couple of images from their session.

Kristen & Kyle Tate The Hyatt Huntington Beach

2008-11-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday morning after some brief showers, Kristen and Kyle Tate were wed at a beautiful ceremony at The Hyatt Huntington Beach.

A Time To Give....Coast Magazine November Issue

2008-11-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

Well, a few weeks back I posted an image from a shoot for Coast Magazine. Here's the link for this month's issue for the article entitled, "A Time To Give." I'm very excited about this article and the space they gave my photography. Thanks for taking a look and thank you to Jessica the writer, Lisa the managing editor and Justine the editor for shining a light on one aspect of the needy and those doing something about it in Orange County.

www.coastmagazine.com/Coast-Magazine/November-2008/A-Time-to-Give/

Kyle, Chelle & Jeremiah

2008-10-20T12:33:00.001-07:00

Shot my annual family photos of Kyle and Chelle and their son Jeremiah. Remember M&M's when photographing anyone under the age of 2 (or any other potentially cranky subjects). Actually, Jeremiah was a perfect subject and was rewarded with playtime at the park. Thanks for making it such a successful shoot, M, K & J. :)

Kristen & Kyle 11/1/08

2008-10-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Just a last minute update for a very fun couple who are getting married November 1st. Almost there. :)

Holiday Table

2008-10-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

This is what your holiday table could look like if you bought one of the homes in Newport Coasts Tides Model Homes. I did a shoot for Coast magazine featuring The Tides which overlook Crystal Cove beach. Amazing homes, you think you were transported to Tuscany. All the crystal came from South Coast Plaza and check back for all the cool people that helped with the shoot. The holidays are coming. Enjoy the weekend!

2008-10-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

I was hired to shoot some portraits at local charitable food banks and kitchens. Giving is way down and the need is way up. Hopefully, with exposure will come awareness which will lead to increased giving. I tried a couple of new techniques to make dramatic and eye-catching portraits. I'm happy with my results so far. The first photo is of the director of the Second Harvest Food Bank. The second image is of one of the area managers. Thanks for looking and enjoy!

BlueBoy

2008-10-04T15:05:00.001-07:00

Trying out another new technique that I'll be shooting on a freelance gig for Coast Magazine on charitable giving. Thanks to Sean for being my model, plus he uses the good ones for his Facebook.
The technique turns the background from a gray lifeless sky into a cool blue dramatic one. Then a simple snoot makes a mysterious portrait. I was hired to photograph some portraits for an upcoming story on some of the soup kitchens and food banks in the county. I'll post the website when it runs in November. Have a great rest of the weekend.

David and Vanessa

2008-09-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was a busy but productive day. Ended the day with a portrait shoot for David and Vanessa to celebrate their anniversary. The fog started to roll in underneath where we were and the clouds made an incredible backdrop. Wow. It was a beautiful end to a long day.

Wendy and Anthony's Engagement Shoot

2008-09-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Engagement session in Santa Monica where the fog meant beautiful light with a fun couple. I'm looking forward to a very good shoot on their wedding day at the end of October. Enjoy!

Asayo & James

2008-09-21T00:05:00.000-07:00

Asayo and James Yi celebrated their wedding day at the South Coast Westin on Saturday. Friends and family came from as far as Toyko, Texas and Arkansas. An elegant ceremony, a great venue and sophisticated couple made for a great day. Thanks to Kelly Aguilar and Cheers to You!(Marla Lackey)for coordinating such a smooth day.

Claudia & Brian

2008-09-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Hughes Misztal wedding was held at the Summit House in Fullerton on Friday the 20th. Had a great time with them. A very cool couple with fun stories of how they met and their adventures on their first date until now. Enjoy and check back for more images.

Kristen & Kyle

2008-09-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

An urban engagement session with a twist. I tried a new lighting scheme for a more dramatic setting. The first photo was taken about 30 seconds before the second image. It was about 4:15 in the afternoon but we made it look like a night shot. Fun with photography! Ha. Kristen and Kyle(cbu alumni!)and I and my assistants Sean and Tara worked the Belmont Shore digs last Sunday afternoon. We had a great time and even locked Kyle and with a little prodding, Kristen in a large bird cage. Can't wait for their wedding at the H.B. Hyatt.

Brandon and Sara

2008-08-18T22:13:00.001-07:00

On Friday the 15th, at the beautiful Pala Mesa Resort, Brandon and Sara were joined. Their love for each other was so evident that it made for a lovely ceremony. Please enjoy a slice of their special day.

2008-08-16T00:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the annual Harvest Crusade where 109,000 people attended. I was able to photograph for the ministry on Saturday evening. It was exciting and fufilling to be able to contribute in a small way. Pastor Greg was incredible. His sermon was a poignant tribute to his son who was killed in a freak accident just three weeks ago. Here's a small sampling of my coverage of the evening. Enjoy!

Romance by the sea

2008-08-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Robin and Gary were married at the beautiful La Venta Inn overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Coordinated by Kristin Banta and by Roxy from La Venta Inn, the day went smooth and without a hitch. Enjoy these few select images from the wonderful day.

Wedding Photojournalism What is It?

2008-07-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

Choosing a photographer.

What is wedding photojournalism?

Well, photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast) that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, and in some cases to video used in broadcast journalism.

The term wedding photojournalism was coined a few years back by Denis Reggie, a wedding photographer who started photographing his clients in a more hands-off style. He started giving seminars and the term took off.

Essentially, it is the style of photographing a wedding in the, “fly on the wall, “ observer style. Photojournalists are sworn to never manipulate a scene. They are beholden to only record what happens at a given event without influencing it, or as little as humanely possible. To manipulate is to lose one’s job and be branded and blackballed from the industry.

A photojournalist is trained to watch and capture an image that conveys the story of an event, “the decisive moment,” the point in time that sums up the event with one emotion-packed photograph. The problem is most brides would like more than one photo of their wedding day.

Now most brides are not models and just want incredible photos from their weddings. Unfortunately, most wedding photographers are not trained as photojournalists. They might shoot some candid images and brand themselves as wedding photojournalists.
So, wedding photojournalism should really be a combination of capturing moments without intruding, along with subtle prompting to ensure great photography from brides and grooms that are not accustomed to being photographed.

After 20 years in the newspaper industry and being published in most of the major daily newspapers in the nation, including the cover of Newsweek, Michael is an experienced photojournalist. Trained for years, to capture the decisive moment from events that ranged from a 100 year-olds birthday party to making images in the midst of a raging inferno. Michael has honed the skill of real world photojournalism. Combine that experience with years of documenting weddings, and you have the best of both worlds.

You receive photographs that document your entire event and capture the essence of the day. Those moments that define your memories of the most special day of your life and experience that collaborates with you to achieve those images.

In the end, it makes sense to reserve a photographer that is the real deal, photojournalist and wedding professional.

Please visit my website @ www.michaelkitada.com

Cheers,

Michael

Choosing a wedding photographer by Style

2008-07-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

Choosing a photographer's style?

How talented is your photographer? Of course, you want the best. But, how do you even begin to understand that as a non-photographer?
It's in their style.
Do they seem to have a lot of posed photographs? Where the subjects in the images look like they are not having fun? You do not want that to be you. A great image usually has 3 main components.
1) Great composition. Now you don't have to have a degree in photography to understand basic composition, but the subjects are not normally centered in the image(there are always exceptions). Here's a great sign of great photos. Are they memorable? Do they grab you visually? Do they evoke a strong feeling/emotion when viewed? Those are all good signs.
2) Great lighting. Again, we are getting a little technical, but it does help to understand. Is the lighting dramatic? Harsh or beautiful? If the photographer understands lighting, it helps to enhance the subjects, not obscuring them.
3) A Great moment. There is the holy grail in photojournalism called the "decisive moment, " that instant when emotions and timing come together to tell the story of an event. A look, an action or an unplanned emotion captures and reveals a story behind the photograph. That coupled with our previous points combine to make images that are real, not posed or contrived, that communicate your special day.

When you have all three of these "building blocks" in an image you have a great photograph. If you only have two elements, you might have an okay image. If you only have one of these elements, you have vacation photos that no one will want to see more than once!

So, look for a photographer with images that speak to your soul.

Please take a look at my website. www.michaelkitada.com

Cheers,

Michael

How to Choose The Right Wedding Photographer

2008-07-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

How to choose the right photographer for your wedding.

Finding just the right vendor for your wedding can be overwhelming.
In the end, most brides have very concrete ideas of what the venue should look like and what her dress will be. But, most have little or no idea about choosing a photographer to document the most important day of their lives. Most look through dozens of websites, meet with a set number of photographers and finally choose one.

How do they come to that conclusion? For a lot of brides, budget drives their decision. But, most overlook the most important factor after talent. Personality.

Does your photographer make you feel special? Do you click? Remember, you will spend the majority of the day with this person. In fact, on the first day of your married life, you will be with this person more than your spouse. That is why you want to see your photographer as a friend with a big fancy camera than just another vendor.

Have you been to a wedding where the photographer seems more like a drill sergeant. Barking orders and creating a spectacle? Or the photographer who is unable to arrange the family members for a group shot and ends up spending too much time on formal portraits? Like a deer in the headlights of oncoming traffic, this photographer is directed by the situation and not by, making images of the bride and groom.

The perfect photographer is a mix of artist, comedian, disciplinarian, psychiatrist and friend. They will remember that this day is about you, the bride, that there is a time schedule, that photographing the family is important but photos of the bride and groom are more important, that stress on a bride’s face shows in photos so a happy bride makes for great images and a thousand other details. All this while making images that will capture the joy and happiness that is present on this day.

So, talk to your photographer. See if you like them and if they are a great person. When you find that right blend of talent and personality, you’ll know you’ve chosen wisely.

Please take a look at my website. www.michaelkitada.com
Cheers.
Michal

Marin and Steve's Wedding

2008-07-13T15:50:00.001-07:00

Here's a sample from Marin and Steve's wedding on Saturday the 12th. A fantastic family made for a smooth wedding day and a truly beautiful bride made for stunning captures. Enjoy!

Maritte and Brian

2008-07-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yosemite was incredible! Maritte and Brian were married in a small ceremony in Cook's meadow. Tourists stopped to watch and even cry as the two exchanged vows with only their parents and siblings looking on. I had a great time photographing these two. We were worried that all the smoke would obscure the landmarks but, Maritte was sure that it would work out and it did! Hoorah!
Shelly and Devin were my fine assistants. Enjoy the show. Can't wait for the reception on Sunday.

Headed to Yosemite

2008-06-25T15:22:00.001-07:00

I'm headed to Yosemite to photograph Brian and Maritte's wedding this coming Saturday. It's supposed to be a beautiful weekend and I am looking forward to making some more amazing photos in this special place. I posted a few personal shots from last October. My special assistant, Tara(my daughter), and I had the greatest time. Here's a couple of images from the trip. The one of the sun set from the valley floor is really special to me. It was one of the most incredible scenes I have ever photographed. Thanks for looking and I'll be posting some selects when I return. Ciao!

Chris and Anna

2008-06-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Chris and Anna were troopers as we photographed in downtown Fullerton during a heatwave. We still had a great time depite the temperature. Their upcoming wedding is slated for August and we are hoping for cooler weather. Enjoy!

Marin and Steve

2008-06-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

Had an incredible shoot with Marin and Steve. They are a great couple with lots of energy, the light was fantastic and we had a high energy engagement session. Steve, too bad about the Lakers, can't wait to shoot the wedding. Ciao!

Sara and Brandon

2008-06-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

Sara and Brandon's engagement session was so much fun! Their personalities and energy really shone through to their images. Pala Mesa here we come. You two were great!