Before the weekend, we had over fifty video entries for the SOAR! Application!   As of Sunday, late afternoon, we had another fifty submitted!  We are up to our eyeballs in your amazing SOAR! Video Entries.  If you haven’t found your video on the website yet, it’s because we are BURIED with reviewing and uploading the newest entries! (and that’s a really good thing )  In case you need this warning…the SOAR! Video/Application DEADLINE is TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT PST! If you are unable to sleep at night b/c your nerves are keeping you awake, head over to the SOAR! website and join in the conversation.  These women are talking at ALL HOURS of the night to help each other make it to January 1st and beyond.  I can tell from their encouraging words that you will be totally welcome to join them.

Oh, one last reminder, check your Inbox today for a VIP Pass in our Newsletter that will allow you to sign up early for the Spring CONFIDENCE Workshops TODAY!  Registration for everyone else goes live tomorrow!

But now that we have all that squared away…your video is submitted, there is nothing you can do but wait between now and January 1st.  Why not grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and lose yourself in another world—Anne and Preston’s world.

To skip right to Anne and Preston’s Engagement Slideshow, CLICK HERE!  To meet them and hear a little more of their story…

Brian and I have been given the incredible honor of shooting Anne and Preston’s Colorado wedding in 2010.  For the engagement shoot, Anne asked if I’d come to Virginia and do the shoot at her old horse ranch.  The pastoral scenery of rolling green hills was medicine to the soul.

Horses have been a BIG part of Anne’s life.  So it made perfect sense to capture this setting for her.

We decided to schedule the shoot for the Fall, and wow, the East Coast puts out a beautiful Fall.

Everywhere you look, the scenery feels timeless.  Even the simplest of moments, a man with his dog…felt like it was a piece of literature I’d read and now it was living and breathing—right in front of me.

One of my favorite moments is when one of the horses spontaneously decided to join the photo shoot.  Anne and Preston didn’t even know the horse had leaned down so far!  It was the cutest thing!

But the animal with the MOST camera-ease was their amazing dog, Tennyson.   This is by far one of my favorite images.  It was the complete, unexpected shot.

To watch Anne and Preston’s Engagement Slideshow and see more favorites, CLICK HERE!

A big thank you and hug to Anne and Preston for inviting me to one of the most beautiful places on earth.  It was wonderful to have that time with you both.  Brian and I can’t wait for your wedding this coming year.  It’s going to be amazing!

Much love,

Me Ra

p.s. I also have to thank Brittany for referring Anne to us.  I love you girl!  I can’t wait to see you in January and give Hudson the biggest hug and kiss!

Yuriy is super talented, very kind, pays close attention to every detail and then is able to step back and see beautiful, wide framed shots.

Here are some of his “Best Of” from a recent engagement session he did in Seattle with Tiffany and Ian.

Look how he got the light to do a star effect into the camera with a touch of sun flare. Yuriy, I forgot to ask you what your recipe settings were on this shot. Would you mind posting a comment and telling the blog readers what your settings were and any tips to getting the light to create a star effect like below? (thanks! your the best!)

It’s hard to pick my favorite, but this is right up there for sure! I love the energy in this shot with Ian on the bike and Tiffany loving it.

Same set up and prop but from a different point of view and different post process choice…

This one really brings out the story of Seattle. The Photoshopping Yuriy did enhances the overall culture and feel that Seattle can give. Does that make sense?

One thing I admire about Yuriy’s work is that he is so intentional as to when and how he chooses to Photoshop an image. He picks actions and effects that accentuate the story in the image and doesn’t just Photoshop something to Photoshop.

I love this portrait shot too!

And the color vibrancy works so well in the overall cheerful mood of this image. Don’t you love that green door!

Yuriy and I talked after he finished this engagement session. He told me that they all had such a good time together that they literally went all over downtown Seattle and spending a couple of hours together. Last week was their wedding, and I can’t wait to see what Yuriy captured. Better believe, we’re going to share it here too!!! Stay tuned!

Tiffany and Ian, I have a feeling your still on your honeymoon but just had to say how beautiful you two are! Yuriy filled me in on your wedding and said you were all dancing by the end of your wedding reception! I’m so glad he was available and go to be a part of your wedding day! It sounds like it was a blast! Congrats to you both!!

For more info on Yuriy and his work, you can see his gallery on our website at www.merakoh.com. FYI, Yuriy does have a second photographer accompany him when shooting a wedding. Her name is Julia, and she is a gem! For info on his availability and packages regarding wedding coverage, email genie@merakoh.com. Who is Genie? That is a special story that is coming soon!

For example, when I’m done working on a slide show for a client, I feel all goose bumpy. The music is romantic, the couple’s connection is intimate and pure–I’m telling you, I love what we do and how it makes me feel.

When you work with a couple as kind and open as Katie and Fred, you can’t help but walk away a little more in love with life. These two have an incredible connection with each other, and it was a honor to do their engagement shoot in Colorado a couple weeks ago.

Here are a few of my favorites!

There was this wonderful open grass field. We had to take advantage of it!

Katie is so beautiful with the most petite features. Doesn’t she have this wonderful vintage look about her?

When we meet a couple for the first time, we have no idea what their connection is like and how safe they feel with one another. Since our clients are often out of state, the first time we meet face to face is at their engagement shoot or wedding day. It’s an adventure to see how we will capture all the dynamics these two share.

And when he grabs her, kisses her and makes her laugh with such spontaneity, you know they’ve got a wonderful future ahead.

One of my many goals during a shoot is to capture the couple in a variety of different moods. I know these two have found safety and love in their laughter as well as their quietness. Our hope is to show them that no matter what space they are in, no matter how loud or quiet they are, their relationship remains true and beautiful.

I think I’ve watched Katie and Fred’s Engagement Slideshow a dozen times. I’m so happy with how it turned out, and I can’t wait for them and all of you to enjoy it!! Turn up your volume and click here to watch it!!

Katie and Fred, what a honor to work with you both! Thank you for being so open to me and all my different ideas. Brian and I can’t wait for your wedding day!

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Two more days to vote for your favorite photo! If you haven’t already, check out the amazing work of the Top Five Finalists for June’s photo contest, and cast your vote here! The theme was Fatherhood, and I guarantee one or two will make you cry.

To see our day job, visit here.

To learn more about our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese, our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography, or for details on any spots left in our upcoming Chicago Workshop, click on the words of your choice!

Enjoy!

If you want to get some food inside the Whole Foods Market deli, Me Ra will meet you at the outside tables and chairs depending on how long the photo shoot goes today. Below I posted the address, time and links for directions.

Where: Whole Foods Market 870 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80246-2014

When: June 22, at 4:30 or 5:00 PM (depending on how long the photo shoot is).

Have a great dinner and ask her some REALLLLYYYY hard questions!!!! Thanks!!!

Trevor is a competitive surfer, so of course we had to bring the surfboard! And I about died when I saw the pink garage across the street!

I especially like this second one. See how the trees are leaning to the left. I had Trevor walk on the left side and then asked him to lean in to Catherine for a kiss. I wanted the motion of the trees, Trevor holding her hand as they walk, and then they kiss so that the overall image feels like everything was swaying. Does that make sense? I know it’s totally abstract talk, but those were my thoughts when setting up the shot.

Brian and I also did some fun close ups with the pink garage as our background.

Being able to shoot with your spouse is wonderful in endless ways! I don’t think either of us would ever shoot a wedding alone because we so deeply respect each other’s point of view. If Brian wasn’t at the wedding shooting with me, I would feel like half the images were missing. Why? When I’m taking the above straight on shot, Brian is off to my right taking the close up shot.

Brian is also the master at using his 70-200mm zoom to take these close up, intimate shots. I love his eye! But a big part of the emotion in images is how safe the couple feels with each other. If the safety and tenderness don’t exist we can’t fabricate it.

Tender is the word to describe Trevor’s affection for Catherine. Completely tender.

Can I share a couple more.

We did these shots at the Valencia Hotel in La Jolla.

Brian and I refer to our style as Photo Coaching. This is a term we kind of came up with one night because we aren’t true photojournalists (the fly on the wall). We find that our clients really appreciate and want direction for their photos. And we love giving them ideas of what to do that will evoke different types of emotion. It’s as if we’re coaching them through a session. Here are two shots of me explaining what I’m thinking for the next part of our photo shoot.

We are going to be working with the doorway behind me and the beautiful ivy. You can tell in the shot below that Catherine and I are totally having fun and Trevor, what a great guy, he’s not so sure but will go along with anything.

Thanks for trusting me on the set up Trevor! You did exactly what I was hoping! I love these shots! The way Catherine is nestled into you says your her resting place.

And then again, here is Brian’s close up, intimate shot from a different point of view.

Catherine and Trevor, we are so honored to be the photographers for your upcoming wedding. Witnessing the two of you together showed us how safe you feel with one another. Trevor’s tenderness toward you shows me how much he adores you–and you in turn feeling at rest with him. What an honor to document this for the two of you. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

Meet Marian and Greg: two of the cutest people ever!

What do I mean by cute? Greg decided to try and make Marian burst out in laughter–his solution: burst out in laughter like she’d never seen!

He kicked up his legs and every thing!

I think Marian and I both almost wet our pants b/c of how hilarious Greg was!

Ahhhh, didn’t I tell you? They are super cute!

We also did a photo shoot at the beach in Santa Monica with all of Marian’s friends who came from Korea just for the wedding. Remember this shot?

Her friends were so sweet, and each one was thrilled for Marian’s wedding day. It was a total pleasure to work with them.

Marian’s friend to the right of her (in the shot below) is a designer in NY for Oscar de Le Renta.Can you believe that she and her sister asked Marian to pick whatever wedding dress she liked in any magazine, and then they sewed it for her. Oh my goodness, wait till you see the dress. It’s breath taking!

And this shot of Brian just kills me. He’s very comfortable around beautiful Korean women.

But Marian…Marian is the icing on the cake!

Whenever she emails me, she addresses me as “Uni” which means big sister in Korean. Even though I’m only half Korean, I LOVED working this wedding and being a part of every detail from the intense emotion

to the beautiful tradition and culture I’ve grown up with. (and don’t tell anyone but I had to help her mom tie the Hanbok. )

Marian and Greg, we absolutely adore you two and all the little things that make you who you are. Thank you for inviting us to document your story. Yours, Me Ra and Brian

Now are you ready to see Marian and Greg’s Wedding Day Slideshow too??!!

Yep, it’s LIVE!!!

Last summer, Brian and I shot Brittany’s sister’s wedding, Shannon and Rob, in Sonoma, CA. And bottom line…we fell in love with their whole family.

Here’s one example of how great they are! It’s embarrassing to say, but I totally forgot to book a hotel! And I didn’t realize it until they asked me where I was going to stay that night. Talk about feeling embarrassed! Brittany insisted I stay in their beautiful guest room, and that night they even took me out to this fantastic sushi dinner with Rob (Shannon’s husband–the coolest guy!) and a group of their friends. I even got to reconnect with some of the friends who were at Rob and Shannon’s wedding. (Brian was so bummed he didn’t make this shoot! )

Here are a few of my favorite photos, but you’ve got to see their slideshow to see them all! And the music that they picked is perfect b/c it rained the whole day. But we still had a blast!

Their two dogs are so sweet! You can’t help but fall in love with them, especially the chubby one.

Their wedding is in September, and I honestly feel like it’s to far away. I wish we lived closer. Their family invited Brian and I and the kids to their cabin in Vale, CO, and we are so excited to vacation with them next winter. If you know them, you know what I mean when I say this family, Brittany, Greer, Shannon and Rob, are the kind of people who have experienced things and endured pain that makes them so beautiful. You simply can’t get enough of them.

Congrats Brittany and Greer! I hope you love your slideshow. I loved my time with you and can’t wait to see each other again! Much love!

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To see our day job, visit our website.

To learn more about me visit About Me Ra.

For information on Me Ra’s popular photography workshops and DVD series for parents, visit DVD series and “Documenting a Child’s Life.”

They were married right before Christmas. The air was crisp, and the sun decided to make an appearance for them. Bright sun! The kind we’ve been talking about this week. So of course, I went crazy!

The story behind how we ended up in Pike Place Market and what happened while we were there is hilarious. I promise to share it when their wedding is done, but for now I had to show you these two shots. Look at the sun just pouring through the Public Market Center sign. Winter sun light just leaves me speechless!

As the two talked and laughed, I grabbed the zoom and decided to change the point of view.

Instead of letting the sun come through the middle of the lense, I decided to let it peak in to the top left corner to cast a golden light on Angela. Could she be glowing any more?

Angela and Mark are the greatest! Last February I got to fly down to San Fransisco with Ginger and shoot their engagement photos. Their chemistry was beautiful, and I knew their wedding would be amazing! Mark was an especially good sport for getting in the waves in the middle of February! How can you not love a guy like that!

John and Lauren booked Me Ra Koh Photography for their upcoming June 2007 wedding. Brian and I fell in love with them because they’re so kind and incredibly cool in their unique taste.

As many of you know, Brian and I only accept twelve weddings a year. Bleu and Ginger, our wedding associates, book more, but Brian and I like to keep it at twelve. How do we decide on what twelve weddings to shoot? Since we send our weddings to various magazines, we want our twelve weddings to be different in location, style and taste. And most of all, we want to feel a connection with the couple.

Well I spent over an hour with John on the phone in our first phone call. He said that it was the longest he’s ever talked to anyone! When we found out their wedding was going to take place in a funky garage in Southern CA, we knew this was a perfect wedding for 2007. Not to mention how great John and Lauren are! Check out their garage wedding site!

For the engagement shoot, they wanted it all in an alley. So Brian and I flew to Santa Monica, and we all went hunting for the perfect alley. Can you believe we found it?! It had ivy growing on brick, funky doorways, two cafe chairs!, a grocery cart and awesome graffiti. All in one alley!

To see all their photos, check out John and Lauren’s Slideshow. Here are a few of our favorites!

Can you believe this wall! Loved it!

I thought the below shot was fun. Brian caught me laughing with them in between shooting. They were such fun!

John and Lauren are also starting their own photography business, so you can imagine how much fun we had talking!

Here are two more favorites. I loved their glasses!

Brian and I find that most our clients have a personal connection to photography. Whether they had a grandfather who was a photographer, or parents who collected photography, or they themselves are in the business-they all have a personal connection to their wedding photography. Some of our clients have a budget of $600K plus on their wedding day. Some have a quarter of that but they put their money into the photography b/c they know this is what they care about most in the end. With this being true, we can’t help but fall in love with our clients since we all share the same passion on some level.

I’ll be sure to keep all the rest of you updated on the unfolding of their new business. They’re going to be great! Congrats John and Lauren!!

Gita and Nick are one of those couples that make you richer from spending time with them. Nick adores Gita to such moving levels that if you didn’t believe in a Prince Charming before, you do after seeing Nick with Gita. And Gita is so striking it’s impossible to take a bad picture of her.

Here are a few of our favorites, but check out Gita and Nick’s Slideshow for the rest. The music we chose for this slideshow is a track titled Sea Breeze by Tyrone Wells. It seemed to fit these two perfectly.

The lighthouse.

A different kind of “ring” shot.

This is one of my favorite shots! It was almost like the clouds crawled to the top corner of the frame to accent the image just right. You’ve got to love it when every thing comes together so wonderfully.

It was an honor Gita and Nick! I had the most wonderful time with you both!