Picnic! [Kids Photography]

Models: Casey & Kai @ JE Model Management SF

Makeup & Photography & Prop Styling: Elizabeth Chang (Skyla Arts)

Photography Assistant: Erik Leung
Hair: Erika Taniguchi

Wardrobe Styling: Andrea Schultz Igreja

Yayyyy! This photo shoot finally happened! We had to reschedule twice due to the rain during spring time, and finally finally it came together!  While it's not my first time working with kids, it is my first time coming up with my own ideas, finding the locations, getting the props, shooting the photos, and putting together a team! I've done those tasks before, but not all at once. While there's still room for improvement (like always!! ^^), I am very happy with the results! We were blowing bubbles towards the end, and everyone was having fun!

I want to thank Shannon @ JE for being patient with us with the rescheduling..! And of course, my team members Andrea, Erika & Erik.  Casey & Kai are adorable, and are such troopers!  May-June 2011 has definitely been the craziest ... I need to organize my computer, and keep up with my blogging! I'm also super excited to share more photos from weddings/bridal clients when the photos come back! For now please enjoy super cuties Kai & Casey! :)

Makeup, Hair & Photography for Amber! [Mountain View Portrait Photographer, Makeup Artist]

Model: Amber

Makeup, Hair & Photography: Elizabeth Chang (Skyla Arts)

Meet my gorgeous client Amber! She wanted some portraits done for herself, just to look back and remember how great it was to be young and beautiful! ;) She also wanted some for work, and brought along a jacket! Amber selected the "Single Natural Headshots and Portraiture Package" that includes 30min of shooting time, and one fully edited photo (including skin editing). She selected the top left photo, which also was my favorite one!!  Yay!  We managed to fit in 3 outfits in 30min!  While I was doing her makeup & hair, her friend was calling her for financial advice, and Amber patiently listened to her friends' concern, and found the answers meticulously - I can tell that she is a person who cares a lot, and definitely very trust-worthy! So when it came to the more 'work' type portraits, I wanted to capture her trustworthiness :)  We had a fun and productive afternoon ~!

Portraits by Skyla Arts [Makeup, hair & photography]

Model: Y.L.
Makeup, Hair & Photography: Elizabeth Chang (Skyla Arts)
Photography Assistant: Bochan Kim

Meet my client Y.L.!  She needed some portraits taken to use on her online presence, and she was interested in a more natural portrait.  I had a lot of fun working with Y.L.!  She was the first one to make a comment on the books on my book shelf!!! I was super excited!! :) This took place in July, and at the time I was offering a free masque treatment before makeup application as a promotion.  It was really funny because she was my first client to receive a free masque treatment, but I'm used to applying it on the client when the client is lying down (on a facial bed), so I had said: "This is my first time applying a mask like this" and she was like: "Really!?!?" I'm like: "Nonono not my first time applying a mask on another person!"  Sometimes when I'm concentrating on doing one thing - like makeup or applying a mask, I am so focused I don't finish my sentences.  Oops!  I explained and fortunately Y.L. didn't panic or lose faith in my abilities because I didn't finish my sentence. lol

Below is her testimonial for me on Yelp:

"I don't wear any makeup (I'm the kind of girl who often goes to work in the morning with my hair wet and lets it air-dry there), so when I needed to get a professional photo taken, I felt rather helpless. Liz of Skyla Arts came to the rescue.

I found her to be a consummate professional, from the initial appointment setup to how she was careful to listen to my preferences, while still proferring guidance on what she thought would work best. She has a delightful personality that set me right at ease at her home studio (she also has a friendly cat!).

She handled makeup, hair, and photography, which was wonderfully convenient for me. I went for a more natural look, and even so came out looking probably the best I've been. She also offers some light retouching, but frankly, if I hadn't managed to get lipstick on my teeth (I'm graceful like that), I don't think I would've needed any changes or enhancements at all because the shots came out great. I'm quite proud of the resulting photos and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Skyla Arts to anyone. I'd feel comfortable using her for other occasions as well; I definitely got the sense that she has quite a range, as you can see in her online portfolio, and it's really just a matter of what your needs/wants are."

Thank you again for writing such a wonderful review for me Y.L.!! Unfortunately...Yelp really sucks. What happened was, after she wrote my review, I added her as a 'friend' on yelp since we live close by and it would be nice to read each other's reviews on restaurants and such!! As SOON as I added her on yelp, the review got FILTERED because clearly it's BIASED. There's no way to reverse the filter, and when I talked to Yelp, I also found out they make it a pain in the ass to change the order and edit our profile ON PURPOSE unless you pay $4200 a year to advertise on Yelp! The thing is - Yelp is great for most things, but they are not the kindest to vendors, especially if you do not pay $4200 a year to advertise. This is just my personal opinion! On Weddingwire, when you are listed there for free, they don't impose such restrictions about editing your portfolio and the order of the images. If I wanted to delete, I'd have to do it ONE BY ONE.  

Anyways~ Sorry about the rant about yelp.  Yelp aside, I had a really great time working with Y.L. and also, thanks to my husband, for being a great photography assistant! <3

Mommy & Me - Andrea [1]

When the world gets too much, isn't it nice to have someone you can always lean on to feel safe and warm? The power of attachment is immeasurable and so beautiful to me!  I've always loved high contrast b/w images~ in the days before digital (as if film was such an ancient thing!!!), I'd put a red or orange filter on and go about achieving it with my roll of b/w film~ oh, nostalgia!

Photography: Liz (Skyla Arts)
Makeup: Michelle Tan (MicheStyle)

I've been working very hard to prepare for my first ever bridal show happening on Tuesday. It's a small one but nonetheless there are some preparation work to be done.  I'm almost done with most of my to-do list for the event~ so...! Fingers crossed! Wish me luck! :) :) :) I hope everyone had a great weekend! My moment of relaxation was..going to watch "Inception" which was a brilliant movie but was not relaxing at all! I do highly recommend it but it's not one of those sit back and relax movies~! 

Jason - headshots & men's grooming

Model: Jason (Ford Models)

Men's Grooming & Photography: Elizabeth Chang (Skyla Arts)

Anybody needs a corporate headshot? :) You know who to hire to make you look approachable, yet confident and chic! 

I'm a bit backed up with updates...It has just been a whirlwind last 2-3 weeks with me scheduling photo shoots, trying to lock-in some bridal contracts, bridal trials,  fixing my car, deciding on this and that, trying to buy a condo (gaaaaah), taking my makeup portfolio to get evaluated (last Thursday) by an agency in San Francisco....Phew~! The good news is, I received very positive feedback on these images I did with Jason! Thank you, Jason, for raising my chances of getting into the agency by at least 25%! :D

Anyhow...! I was getting nervous being behind the camera because it seems I only pick up my camera 4 times a year (literally!) so...naturally I made a few mistakes due to lack of practice!  I also panicked because it was drizzling, and I thought I had to reschedule. I need to stay really calm next time.  Thank goodness I did end up with a few good shots!

I started a new picasa Men's Grooming gallery. There's one more photo in there! I'll be updating it as it gets filled up.

Rummy sent me some more edits of June from our previous shoot, but we did another shoot last week and he also sent me his edits! Happy! :D And...I also did a photo shoot with June & Gary where I controlled everything from styling, location (with the help of June! ^^), makeup & hair, men's grooming, and photography! woohoo!  Stay tuned! :D 

Skyla Arts x Shasha

Client (and Model): Shasha

Makeup, Hair and Photography: Elizabeth Chang (Skyla Arts)
The Wardrobe was provided by the Model.

I have to say...When I picked up my camera to shoot Shasha, honestly I was a bit nervous, because it's been a while since I was behind the camera.  In the past, I've received inquiries about opportunities to "model for me" for my portfolio in exchange for some "free head shots" but while I am not a top photographer or anything to not 'test' at all, I am open to provide 'testing rates.' instead of going through the motions, since I am passionate about what I do. I haven't done makeup/hair/photography all in one since August or so, so while rusty, I got more energized as the shoot progressed! I am very happy with what we were able to achieve in an afternoon - I like more emotive portraits instead of straight off 'glamorous' looks.  I am happy that Shasha was super excited about the results as well! Enjoy the photos! :)

Fabulous News + New Testimonial

Very exciting news! My former client Simi, after posting the photos I took (with the hair and makeup I did as well) on her online portfolio, she has been landing tests with prestigious photographers! Here is a new testimonial from Simi that reflects her latest success.

"What started off as a simple makeup and portraits session, based on a whim, led me to sit in the apartment of Matthew Jordan Smith—the photographer who kick-started Tyra Banks’ career in the 90’s and appears on America's Next Top Model—five months later. Matthew was amazed with my pictures and that I had only modeled for a few months; he usually shoots agency represented models with years of experience. Many of the photographers I have worked with since—including Howard Rosenberg who has shot everyone from Justin Timberlake to the Dalai Lama—saw Liz's picture online in passing before asking me to model. Liz is extremely talented with beauty shots and she accidentally launched my modeling career; I now place her photos in the beginning of my expanding portfolio." - Simi Dhillon

:) Congratulations to Simi! My first reaction was: "Can I please meet Mathew Jordon Smith???" I love his work. Hopefully in the near future we'll see Simi in a magazine! Hurrah!

Simi's Before & After + Portraits

Simi wanted a makeup look inspired by Aishwarya Rai for her photo session. I also did her hair too - we agreed that she would do her own her but then I arrived earlier than expected (my bad! I thought it would be much further+traffic!) so I did her hair...which took much longer than I anticipated~ ^^||....Simi was stressed out from exams and was breaking out. She requested that I photo shop out her scars~ it was a time investment and a challenge. As a result I learned new techniques~ ^^v yay for me.

Simi says:

"It was an absolute pleasure working with Liz. She is very charismatic and I felt extremely comfortable shooting with her. I had a clear idea of the types of moods and poses I wanted her to capture, and Liz found my best angles and captured everything artistically.

She is also a very skilled makeup artist, and used exclusive products purchased from Japan. She was patient and responsive to my makeup requests, and gave me better advice about my acne-prone skin than my dermatologist. She was punctual and never complained.

I love the finished products! Her touch ups and color schemes make me look like a character from a fairytale.

-Simi

Simi has such gorgeous eyes~ and with her hair length, it reminded me of the gal in Boticelli's "Birth of Venus"~! Enjoy three of my favorite from the set, and you can see a few more in my Portraits gallery!

Alex's Before & After + Portraits

Alex was on her way to a special event - hot date! (well, after the portrait session of course).

Alex says:

When I went for my appointment with Elizabeth Chang, I knew from the way that she herself looked that I was going to come out looking like a diva. She was both thorough and efficient, tactful and fun, and best of all, both traditional and a visionary. I've had my make-up done at high-end salons and in department stores, but the look that I had by Skyla Arts went above and beyond anything I'd ever experienced. I had a wonderful date the night after Elizabeth Chang made me up, and my date was proud to be with the most beautiful woman in the room. I strongly recommend the services of Elizabeth Chang at Skyla Arts. If you're looking for a beautiful, dramatic look by a gifted professional, then Skyla Arts is the place for you. Thank you, Liz!!!

P.S. THE KITTEN WAS TOOOOO CUTE!!!

-Alexandria Hicks, veteran make-up wearer

Alex works at an animal shelter and the scar on her hand was from a dog at her workplace! Skyla (my kitten) loved Alex's attention and was happy to cameo in the session! Enjoy three of my favorite from the set, and you can see a few more in my Portraits gallery!

Michelle's Before & After + Portrait/Shopping Trip

Pretty Michelle initially came for a short make-up lesson~ at first she wanted a natural look, but once she saw my turquoise eye shadows, she decided to go with a dramatic, glamorous look akin to a porcelain doll! I tried my best~ ^^ and she selected the most dramatic pair of false lashes I got~ it was lots of fun!

After our first meeting, I also accompanied her for a makeup shopping trip! Michelle was super organized! She did her research online and I told her: "That's exactly what I would do!!!" and she was able to get the products she had hoped to get and remained within her budget! Fabulous!

Michelle says:

"My experience with Liz was fantastic! Of course I felt very pretty after being made up but I also learned a lot. Not only things like new products but also new ideas for applying things like eye shadow, lipstick and even foundation. I'm a pretty no- fuss girl when it comes to doing my own make up, so it was nice to see myself all done up properly and I learned several tricks to add to my daily routine. So on one hand the make up advice is worth the time, but seeing many of Liz's photos and seeing a friend's photos, she is also a very talented photographer and will really work to make a beautiful picture of you. Unlike other photography services, Liz doesn't try to pose you too much or come to set with a specific idea of what she wants, instead she works to create natural shots which really show who you are (all be it with much better make up!). Great girl and fantastic service, would recommend to anyone but especially those who are nervous about getting a stagey photo or not feeling like themselves in the make up."

-Michelle

I took this portrait and gave it to Michelle as a gift! I also sent her a version of this photo that made her skin looked very porcelain~~! I hope she liked it!

Kelly's Before & After + Portraits

This makeup & photography session with Kelly happened right after K & J's couple's shoot! So..I got backed up and couldn't work on it until recently! So sorry Kelly!~! Kelly chose the "Single basic natural head shots and portraits Option B with Makeup Application"~ we were going for the pretty Korean celebrity look!

She says:

"Skyla Arts made me feel "comfortable" with the occasion. Liz was great with her brushes. I almost fell sleep! She was accommodating and made sure she understood the look I was going after, and that it was "right". And she did! I had a great time at the party that evening, and loved the more "natural" feel to the job she did! I also loved talking to her. She was really sweet, and seemed to have a genuine interest in simply talking to me. =)

Thank you Liz!"

- Kelly

=) Enjoy two of my favorite shots from the set, and feel free to look at the other ones in my Portraits gallery!

K & J's Couples Photoshoot

K & J chose the package of Lifestyle Engagement/Couples with Makeup Application: $375. The location they selected was beautiful and of course, they are a beautiful couple! As we were shooting, K & J received lots of compliments! =)

K's before and after:

Please enjoy some highlights from this shoot:

Dolly Beauty shot with Kat* at LBC Studios!

Skyla Arts (aka: Liz) was fortunate enough for Jeff to lend her his studio space for these shots to happen! =) Model is Kat* (confidentiality is a must for Skyla Arts!) Her skin was nearly flawless to begin with! *jealous!* but of course, spending more time on the makeup means less time for retouching (I only really had to fix a tiny eyelash that fell on her cheek during the shoot~ ^^) Thanks again Kat* and Jeff! ^_~

Before Makeup (tungsten lights):

From Kat* Dolly Beauty Shots

After Makeup (tungsten lights..sorry I was in a hurry=blurry):

From Kat* Dolly Beauty Shots

With Flash (+tungsten lighting...)

From Kat* Dolly Beauty Shots

On Set:

From Kat* Dolly Beauty Shots

From Kat* Dolly Beauty Shots

From Kat* Dolly Beauty Shots