Ann Arbor Engagement Photos!

It was the PERFECT fall day for an engagement photography session! The yellow, orange and red leaves were all around! We started our engagement session at the University of Michicagn Arboretum! I’ve been to my fair share of arboretums and botanical gardens…and I really enjoyed walking around of UofM Arboretum! You have to remember…I come from Illinois…where everything is FLAT. The UMich Arboretum has great elevation changes!

Right from the get go…Kristin and Solomon were great and making each other smile and laugh! This was from the first set of photos we took! Again- I love the colors!

Kristin wore the perfect fall sweater!

A photo of them enjoying a walk in the park-

A cute photo! I love the background -almost like a painting!

The most unique graffiti ever. But the word ‘pray’ holds a lot of value to this couple-

A photo with a Michigan river/stream…

The fall foliage looking like a painting with my Nikon 50mm 1.2 lens!

A great moment caught in this photo! I love the connection these guys share- it’s so apparent in the photos!

I couldn’t get enough photos with the fall colors! =P

The happy couple!

Possibly the most photogenic spot on campus? Everyone from University of Michigan seems to tell me about this spot!

One last photo on campus!

Thanks you guys for having me as your wedding – engagement photographer! I can’t wait til this summer! After hearing your story and getting to know you both better, I’m so thankful to be apart of your lives! And thank you for giving me a reason to take photos in Michigan! =)

with love,

Kenny

Contact – Portfolio – Facebook – Twitter
New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

90% of my clients who step in front of my lens…are nervous!

Anastasia and Patrick are no exception. This couple is so full of life…they love to travel and participate in all kinds of activities! In fact…while were talking about their engagement session, I was taking notes on all the different activities or places I haven’t done or visited yet (especially in Chicago)! And while they are great friends and love to spend time with one another…they were nervous about the photoshoot! And as I assure all my clients…this is normal. =) But it is my job…to make you feel comfortable during the engagement photo session. This is one of the reasons I strongly encourage couples to book an engagement photo shoot with their wedding photographer. They need to know that they can ‘be themselves’ with their wedding photographer! I hope through these engagement photos, you can really see but more importantly…feel…the love and emotions shared between Anastasia + Patrick!

When looking through my engagement photography portfolio, A + P were drawn to my Chicago urban industrial photography. So we decided to head to the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago for their photos!

Great smiles in this photo!

A gorgeous yellow background in the West Loop~

A larger, wider, creative photo…almost like landscape photography – really highlighting the urban industrial vibe of Chicago

A more creative crop- such strong graphical elements in the photo, but yet I love the moment shared between the two-

This building in the West Loop represents the economical climate in Chicago and our nation during this period of time. And yet while there are so many incomplete projects and many are in difficult financial situations…love remains. And the future is always brighter when you are on a journey with your best friend.

Her face is glowing. =)

We headed indoors to one of their more favorite chill spots in Chicago.

It was great to see Patrick smile and laugh throughout the afternoon –

One of my favorite photos from the engagement session

What a great couple-

I definitely try to maintain a clean and modern look to my photography. This photo is an example of that…And as before, I love their emotions!

Nothing says Chicago like the Willis *ahem* Sears *ahem* tower.

So many great elements to this photo! And being in the west loop, there is an urban industrial vibe in the decor!

Something new for this year…photos in my photography studio! (located in Lincoln Park, Chicago) This is a new option for my wedding couples! A+P are the first couple to take advantage of this new type of engagement photography! Check out the gorgeous soon-to-be bride!

Patrick makes her smile. =)

A studio photo of the happy couple!

Favorite photo of Patrick- almost belongs in GQ or the W magazine!

Not to be out done…This photo of Anastasia..blows me away. I had to ask her if she has done any modeling before. Um…Vanity Fair anyone?

And one last photo of the beautiful couple!

Thanks so much Anastasia + Patrick for a great afternoon! You guys were soooo great to work with, and I hope I was able to put you both at ease throughout the photo session! Your relationship and emotions really shine in the photos…and I am privileged to have been apart of it!

Looking forward to the wedding! =)

with love,

Kenny

Contact – Portfolio – Facebook – Twitter
New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

As I mentioned in the previous post, I am a wedding photographer available worldwide for destination weddings! But for fun…I’m also available for destination engagement sessions too! Like this trip to New Orleans. It was my first time in NOLA, and I had a great time exploring the city. I was inspired by the culture, architecture, and of course…the food. =)

To start things off for part 2 of our destination engagement photo shoot, we returned to the Warehouse district after the sun had set. I love Jason’s natural smile in this photo.

And then by accident…I was bending down changing some camera gear, when I saw this…and I had to take a photo-

One of the more technically difficult photos of the night. I love the motion blur caused by the moving vehicles. New Orleans architecture all around them. And of course…they look good too =)

Since this was my first time in New Orleans, I was told I have to eat a beignet. Fried dough? ummmm yes please! So we headed to the famous Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarters. Even though it was late after dinner…Cafe Du Monde was still crowded, and the ‘heart-attack-in-a-napkin’….I mean ‘beignets’ were still fresh out of the fryer! Oh. my. good. ness. It was good.

If you are ever in New Orleans, be sure to stop by – here’s a photo of the place…with Jason and Hannah relaxing and having a good time. This photo reminds me of a famous American painting. Though at this moment, the name of it is slipping my mind. Let me know in the comment box if you know what I am talking about! =)

More French Quarters at night photos

When people visit New Orleans, they usually head out to Bourbon street….We were there on a weekday, and I was told it gets packed on the weekends.

More French Quarters photography

The next morning, we headed back out to the French Quarters to grab some photos during the day.

I love all the balconies in the French Quarters…well they are all over NOLA. This one was getting remodeled, but I thought it looked cool and thought to grab a photo-

Love this black and white photo. Yes…that would be the French Quarters. Here in Chicago, we don’t have architecture that looks like this.

And to close out our day, we had a photo shoot at a bayou! We have lakes, rivers and streams in Illinois, but no bayous. I love the symmetry of this photo-

A photo of them on the bridge

This was a fun photo. I love strong composition of the X behind Jason…and I think their pose and smiles are a nicely juxtaposed.

And for our first meal in New Orleans, we had charbroiled oysters from Dragos, which was featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” show from the Food Network. Well….the Food Network’s recommendation was so good, that we headed out to another spot as featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate“: Domilises for a shrimp po’boy! This place was a real hole in the wall! No larger than your average dining and living room! And it was in a residential area! Our GPS took us there, but we didn’t even see it! It turned out, Domilises was remodeling, and their sign was on the ground. The only way we knew it was there was by the influx of people into the establishment.

But yes…the po’boy here was pretty amazing. The bread was so soft and not chewy. The sauce they used with the shrimp….sandwich heaven. So yea, it’s a little out of the way, but if you want a great shrimp po’boy, I have to agree with the chefs on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”…well, don’t take my word for it…take theirs! =)

Thanks again to Jason and Hannah for flying this frigid cold Chicago Wedding photographer to warmer weather down in New Orleans! I had a great time with you guys and can’t wait until the wedding! And a shout out to Hannah’s friend Lisa who helped with so many location recommendations for us!

with love,

Kenny

Contact – Portfolio – Facebook – Twitter
Studio: 855 W Blackhawk St #104 Chicago, IL 60642

Right after we landed, we headed to lunch at Drago’s! As soon as we walked in, the oyster bar looked familiar…Drago’s was on the Food Network TV show, “The Best Things I Ever Ate“! I watch this show regularly and I was excited to eat their famous charbroiled oysters! hmmmm! Here’s a pic for you all-

The oysters from Dragos were the real deal. But the entree I had, fried softshell crab…was off the hook! Combined with the charbroiled oysters…this was easily one of the top two meals I’ve eaten in 2010. This crab was huge…the size of both of my hands! Unbelievable. Drago’s is a must visit.

We started our time in New Orleans with a trip out to the Garden District. Some pretty huge and old houses lined the main streets! It was fun exploring different buildings! I love the couch in this next photo-

And nothing says New Orleans like a streetcar trolley rolling by! And you know can know we are in the Garden District by the color of the streetcar.

We headed to a local park in the Garden District, and I was taken back by this tree! I loved the ‘moss stuff’ hanging on the tree branches in this next photo. If anyone knows what this ‘moss stuff’ is…feel free to let me know!

While I was snapping away…they had this fun pose! Shot with a manual focus Nikon 50 1.2 – the ‘glow’ and ‘rainbow’ in these next two photos is not from photoshop…but from the lens- I love it!

I love the smiles and emotions in this photo!

Another distinct tree to be photographed-

I love the NOLA street cars!

We got the streetcar wires in the background of this photo

As the sun was setting we found spot in the Warehouse district of New Orleans and captured this gorgeous light

I love this photo of the two of them laughing!

More fun photos in the warehouse district!

There is a whole fun story behind this photo…but regardless…I love their real smiles and emotions.

And to close this part 1 of the ‘Epic’ New Orleans Engagement Session, I leave you with one last shot in the Warehouse district- I love the symmetry and leading lines in this photo.

Thanks Hannah and Jason for a great time! Thankfully there are so many more photos to share! Stay tuned for more photos! =)

with love,

Kenny

Contact – Portfolio – Facebook – Twitter
Studio: 855 W Blackhawk St #104 Chicago, IL 60642

Mike & Sue went to the same college, and the same church…but they really didn’t know each other at that time. Flash forward a couple years…up in Chicago…a few sparks fly and the rest is history. =)

Heading out to Michigan City was a bit of a day trip. Round trip we probably spent over 3 hours in the car together…but talking to these two was like talking two lifelong friends. Fueled by McDonald’s sweet tea (easy on the ice) we had an awesome time shooting these creative photos in a new location.

***more photos are on my facebook page! feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see the photos!***

Before getting into the photo set, I want to share with you my favorite photo from the session. While on our photoshoot, we could see the clouds rolling in and the rain began to drizzle as we were finishing up our photos at the beach. The clouds really helped to create this awesome photo! It’s a little more on the ‘creative’ side…and I absolutely love it!

When we first arrived, the sun was shining and offering all kinds of gorgeous light!

I feel like singing the theme song from the TV show “California Dreams” when I look at this photo- it definitely doesn’t feel like Lake Michigan.

A little bit of fun-

Gotta love their smiles!

It was awesome to see them smiling and having fun in our photoshoot!

I don’t know…maybe it’s just me, but I love this lighthouse! Maybe from the fact that we really don’t have any in Chicago…

And after the sun set…we grabbed this photo next to a street lamp.

Sue & Mike: I can’t wait until your wedding!

Contact – Portfolio – Facebook – Twitter

There is so much more to their story, but I will save that for future posts as I am excited to photograph their wedding in Cabo, Mexico!

Here are the center pieces during cocktails-

I had to get some photos of the wonderful details-

I loved the fresh flowers and the colors Brittany & Vaido had put together!

A photo of the amazing drinks! =)

And after spending some time in Europe this past February, I was excited to see this plate!

The gorgeous bride-to-be!

Vaido held his own in the wardrobe department

More Truffleberry Market delectables!

Congrats to you guys! What a great party & I can’t wait til the wedding!

with love,

Kenny

Elyse and I have been friends for a long time now, and it was a blessing to see her with David as they shared a little bit of their love story with me. You can see it in their eyes when they talk, laugh and poke each other…that there is some obvious chemistry there- =)

I hope these photos capture that connection – enjoy!

It tends to be a little crowded at Millennium Park on the weekends, so we found a more secluded area where they could be more comfortable-

I love their expressions and the energy in the moment.

Millennium Park has a wonderful garden showcasing various flowers in bloom-

And as usual, we went a couple blocks from Millennium Park to an alley and had some fun taking some photos away from the touristy scenes…

Millennium Park also has a really cool water fountain right on Michigan Avenue-

Capturing a reflection in the photo-

Thanks you guys for really opening up! And to think…you were worried about how the photos would turn out! =) Can’t wait til the wedding!

with love,

Kenny

Nakai Photography

Now I was warned that Justine thinks she is not a photogenic person. (say it with a New Zealander’s accent, it’s way cooler) But I think these eleven photos say otherwise! =)

Justine loves architecture and so we settled on downtown Glencoe, IL as the backdrop for our engagement session photoshoot. Glencoe is a quaint town with a variety of structures and buildings. We took a lot of photos, but I tried to narrow down for the blog.

I saw the shadows on the ground and really wanted to utilize them in a shot. It’s a good thing I am six feet tall to grab a shot like this-

I love their smiles in this photos- they couldn’t keep from smiling when they were with each other-

I love this photo of Justine. The moment and her smile just make me want to smile as well. =) =D

A very real moment- I didn’t tell them to do this, I love it-

We took this photo when Jordan was telling me about his love for Justine. The smiles are all real and you can see a little sparkle in Justine’s eyes-

wow…what an unphotogenic couple! =P Jordan & Justine: you guys were great! Thank you for keeping it real and your willingness to walk around all over downtown Glencoe for these photos! Your wedding photos are due up next! =)

This first image was my favorite…I love geometric shapes combined with the fall leaves.

What a fun moment! I didn’t even tell them to do this!

When in Chicago, gotta take advantage of the gorgeous skyline when possible. =)

This park was pretty awesome. I didn’t even know about it even though I’ve spent some time on the UIC campus.

Again, I didn’t pose them in this way…it just happened…I just have that Titanic scene replaying in my head when I look at this-

All of a sudden, they pulled out the attitude. =)

I love the way she is looking at him- love is written all over eyes-

Thanks you for an awesome time in Chicago! Thanks for walking me around the UIC Medical District! I can’t wait for your wedding this upcoming year! May the Lord continue to be with you both as you prepare for your commitment to one another!

with Love,

Kenny Nakai

I can’t wait to shoot her wedding this upcoming weekend, but until then, here are some shots from our downtown Evanston engagement session!

The light was fading fast, so we had to take advantage of it while it was still around-

We took a break from shooting at had another awesome meal at Joy Yee’s Restaurant before heading out to the streets for some night shots! (my favorite dish there is the sesame chicken) The streets of Evanston had enough light for us to capture some cool shots.

Some good times with Red Mango yogurt. I love all the different berries you can mix into your fro-yo – it not only tastes good, but looks so pretty, you almost don’t want to eat it!