Sigtuna, Sweden: Lim & Andreas Wedding

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Ryan C

I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of my very good friend Lim’s wedding in Sigtuna, Sweden. It was a small yet amazing wedding. Set in one of the oldest (you can say it’s pretty medieval) churches in Europe, I felt very lucky to witness a precious moment in Lim’s life. Lim has been a very important figure in my development as a photographer and also as an individual, and I wish her nothing but pure happiness in her life with her husband Andreas.

Here are a couple of snapshots from her wedding last month.

Stylist | Model | Bride

Commence the throwing of the rice.

Paparazzi.

Congratulations to the lovely couple!! =)

This is just the beginning.

Keep an eye out for my adventure with Lim in London!!

Meet Ukushu

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Ryan C

This was a very momental shoot for me. I once ran into a really beautiful Russian model at a fashion show a year ago. I was very intimidated to ask her to do a shoot and when I finally had the courage, she did not even respond to my invitation! Yes, Ryan Chua gets rejected sometimes! But it was fate that led us to meeting at Borders that one afternoon. It would lead us later to do a shoot for ASTONISH Magazine featuring Japanese designer Jumpei Ando from Paris. We had an amazing team: Lim Utairat Konberg as our stylist, Nina Skokan as our hairstylist, and Janet Mariscal as our makeup artist and touchup hairstylist.

It was a very cold, rainy day in San Francisco, but all the fun was had in our shoot!

Nina working on Ukushu’s hair extensions.

Looking good so far!

Lim getting Ukushu ready for the first look.

Janet putting on some touches!

Candid shot!

The second look!

Stay tune for more updates from this shoot.

On a sad note, the very Borders location where we met (Union Square) is closing. It was a very memorable place, and I am at least glad it had served a purpose!

Teaser.

Behind the Scenes with Natalya Asadullina and Lim Utairat Konberg

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Ryan C

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from yesterday’s photo shoot with model Natalya Asadullina, stylist Lim Utairat Konberg, makeup artist Sandra Martin, and hairstylist Jeremy Martin. We started at 11am in Nob Hill (or as the locals call it, “Snob Hill”). It was a beautiful day in San Francisco which provided wonderful conditions for the shoot. Lim pulled garments from European designers which costs to a total of $5,000. Check out Lim’s blog for more details.

Natalya waiting to get her makeup completed.

Makeup artist Sandra Martin working on Natalya.

Hairstylist Jeremy Martin attending to Natalya’s hair.

Pre-shoot warmup.

It just so happened that everyone in the team wore black.

Sandra putting on some retouches.

Prepping Natalya for the next look.

On the streets of Nob Hill.

Stylist Lim Utairat Konberg making some adjustments.

A good stylist always keeps an eye out on the garments as the model moves.

Another makeup/hair change!

The Team – Jeremy, Natalya, Sandra, and Lim!

And back by popular demand, Natalya tells another round of Russian jokes! (This is our on-going tradition by the way. Natalya and I always make a mini-video skit of some sort after every shoot)

Newsflash: Russian Model Gets Casted for Having Awesome Bangs

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Ryan C

This just in. Russian model Natalya Asadullina was recently casted for a photo shoot because of her awesome bangs. A few weeks ago, stylist Lim Utairat Konberg was looking for the perfect model to cast for her magazine submission shoot with fashion photographer Ryan Chua. She said “Ryan, I want a model with the perfect bangs.” And Mr. Chua replied, “Yes. How about Natalya Asadullina? She has perfect bangs.”

The shoot involved $5,000+ worth of garments from European designers. Clearly having the perfect bangs was not just a nice fit, but an essential part of creating the perfect look. When asked about the news of being casted, Miss Asadullina responded, “I guess I was just lucky! The hairstylist from my last shoot just trimmed my hair and gave me these cute bangs.” Luck definitely was on her side.

A snapshot of Natalya from today’s shoot. Makeup by Sandra Martin. Hair by Jeremy Martin.

And now Natalya will tell you Russian jokes. Because the best way to tell Russian jokes is by a Russian model!

An Afternoon with My Stylist

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Ryan C

Lately I have made it my goal to gain more understanding about fashion and style. What better way than to spend an afternoon with one of my dear stylist friends Lim Utairat Konberg. We first had a nice chat at a downtown SF cafe over hot tea and soy chai latte. Then we headed on over to H&M on Powell, which is becoming our tradition each time we meet.

Taken by my HTC Droid Incredible camera phone, here is Lim flipping through the latest styles at H&M.

What did I learn? When styling for a photo shoot, a good stylist doesn’t just pick out an item just because it “looks good.” The stylist must take into consideration the body type of the models involved. How the clothes fit on the model is very essential. A stylist must also consider if the item would look good in front of the camera. The type of fabric and material will affect how the clothes will look in pictures. For example, this jacket has a very reflective fabric. Stylists should take into account the effects of studio flash when dealing with such material.