When Jennifer and Ivan flew into LA a few months ago for their engagement session, I got the unique opportunity to show them a few of my favorite locations. Super easy going and open to cool ideas, they were game for pretty much anything so we warmed up at a life-sized chessboard - playing around with the strong monochromatic shapes and even re-arranged the board a few times to try different looks. We then strolled through the city to get some coffee w/ their initialled Anthropologie mugs before heading to the park to fly balloons and climb felled trees in high heels! (GREAT job Jennifer)

The lighting that day was really balanced so we took our time with each location without having to worry too much about the sun. Typically I angle my shots relative to the sun as it’s moving across the sky but in days with diffused overcast lighting it’s much easier to shoot anywhere and make it look good. =)

Night shots are pretty much tops in my world right now so squeezing in one quick set was a must, hence the lit-bridge photo just as the sunlight disappeared against the emerging city lights.

See you two this weekend! I’m looking forward to your awesome wedding and another epic shoot~

When Judy and Brandon suggested we go down to San Juan for their engagement session I couldn't be more excited. From a photo standpoint the space feels open, not too crowded, and rocks a cool historic feel due to its mission and smalltown appeal. We spent the afternoon exploring the area looking for pockets of great light for them to hang out under and let’s just say…we found a few =) The mission with all its archways, long halls, and varied masonry gave us so many textures to work with. And to change things up a bit we finished the session in a nearby wild field featuring perfectly overgrown tall grass and really big trees. Big trees are the best.

Judy and Brandon, you two did a great job being awesome together and I’m super looking forward to your wedding this weekend!

I hereby classify Brandon and Linnea’s wedding as ultra gorgeous. The two of them + their entourage = they brought it.

Besides the obviously stunning couple…the church was one of my favorites in the Los Angeles area and the reception space was a refreshingly edgy space called Studio11. I couldn't have asked for a more fun group to work with and we got to try some pretty cool concepts. Besides the initial creative set at First Congregational in LA, we decided to venture deep into Downtown to catch the soft light of the setting sun against it’s unmistakable skyline. Being artists themselves, Brandon and Linnea brought tons of great ideas which resulted in an open, honest, and wildly creative collaboration.

Gonna need a while to recover from this one – too much good stuff. Congrats Brandon and Linnea! Love always~

Brandon & Linnea’s Review via WeddingWire:

John Yao of SimplyTwo Photography is, to say the least, an amazingly talented artist. Not only does he know how to use light to capture brilliant shots that just make everything look stunning, he has a unique ability to build a rapport with people that makes the day go easier and flow more naturally. Having done both our engagement and wedding photos with John, I can say with complete certainty that he was the best person for this job. We are extremely happy with his skill, timing, and professionalism, along with his flexibility and creativity throughout the photo shoots. We also appreciated his light-heartedness and humor, and were so comfortable with him that he felt like a part of our wedding party! We give John the highest recommendation to be the photographer of any event you are having - you won't be disappointed! Thank you, John, for capturing the most important moments of our lives so far! :)