I hope this set of images will motivate you to go out and create lasting summer memories with your family and friends.  Enjoy!

It was a rainy day but I managed to get the family to explore an area in southern Kokura City called Sugao.  The area is beautiful.  We are definitely coming back to explore more of this place especially when the weather is sunny.

Exploring with the Lensbaby Composer lens.  My vision for this shot was an eagle’s eye view.  What do you think?

Mr. Worm got in on some of the action!

And now for the family shots!

Yes, they are silly like their Daddy and Mommy!!

Our family will be in the U.S. for the months of August and September.  We will be in Virginia most of the time but also doing a 3-week tour of the Midwest.  Let us know if you would like to meet during our stay.  We would love to hang out and catch up with dear friends and families.  Photog buddies, let me know if you want to hang out as well!  Shoot us a message (facebook, twitter or email) or comment on this post.  Hope to see you soon!

I first met Makiko through her mom.  Her mom used to be my oldest daughter’s daycare teacher.  I was excited when Makiko and her fiancee, Takatoshi, asked me to document their wedding day, both here in Japan and in Guam.  They are a wonderful couple and I can’t wait to shoot their wedding this weekend.  In keeping with the traditional Shinto custom, the poses you will see here are on the conservative side.  I hope to balance this with more fashionable poses when they do part two of their wedding in Guam next month.  Congratulations, Takatoshi and Makiko!

There is a slide show at the end of this post and there is the option to view it in high-resolution (HQ).  Enjoy!!!

This is one long overdue engagement session of my colleague, Roger, and his wife (fiancee then), Yukiko.  Their engagement session was so much fun.  Like me, Roger is a big goofball which made for some great candids below.  Yukiko has a great laugh and smile which made me want to laugh and smile.  Did I mention that Roger is an avid photographer himself?  The guy was taking landscape shots during their session!  “Ummm…Roger, can we get back to taking your engagement pics?!?  Put your camera down.”  LOL!  Wedding pics coming soon.  In the meantime, enjoy these images.

Here’s Roger at play with his camera.  It’s hard not to when you have such beautiful landscape and textures.

I love this cute picture of Yukiko.

I was privileged to capture Ikue and Hiroki’s wedding day.  And now I am doubly blessed to witness and capture the birth of their daughter, Mikoto.  I have witnessed the birth of my own three daughters but it truly never gets old.  It is miraculous to see the birth of a life!  Ikue and Hiroki, I am so happy for you both.  Mikoto is blessed to have you as Mommy and Daddy.  Congratulations!!

Labor is not fun!!

She’s almost here!!

Precious!

Mommy’s first touch.

“She’s beautiful!!”

A family is formed.

Happy grandparents!

Daddy can’t get enough.

Getting ready to go home.

“Thank you, everyone!”

Hey everyone,

At this year’s Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI), I was given a chance to give a short 5 minute presentation during the closing program of the convention.  Together with 19 other presenters, the first ever Photographers Ignite was a smashing  success! If you want to find out more about Ignite presentations and what they are, please click here.  Kevin Kubota is the man behind Photographers Ignite and I’m thankful to him and his staff for giving me a chance to share about the country I love: Japan!  My talk focuses on Japanese customer service.  Please watch the video below to hear more about the best customer service in the world!  After the talk, please feel free to download the PDF to stories of Japanese customer service I provided on a recent blog post here.  Please watch the other presenters as they rocked the stage with their talks.  I’m watching now as I write this post

Okay, I couldn’t wait.  2 blog posts in one day: woo hoo!!  Below are some of the pages from this awesome couple’s album.  Ikue and Hiroki, thank you for allowing me to capture your special day!  Enjoy!

Ikue is a close friend of ours.  She was Anne’s midwife during the birth of our second child.  Ikue and Hiroki are a fun-loving couple and I am happy to share these pre-bridal images with you.  My next post will be images from their wedding day.  Coming soon…