Ilyssa

What a great session yesterday! I spent two hours with Ilyssa shooting in different spots around her beautiful apartment complex in Mission Bay, San Francisco. I actually met Ilyssa through a mutual friend you may have seen here before– actor Henry Chu– they both have engineering degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Ilyssa is still working in a similar field, but she’s also done a couple beauty pageants on the side. Last year she was crowned Miss San Francisco Chinatown, and it’s not difficult to see why!

The wind was completely on our side for this shot! Perfectly styled.

Love the angles. Super sexy!

Getting cozy with the grass! This one is so happy.

I loved doing this shoot, and I think this is a perfect example of why I encourage people to do the longer sessions. Sometimes it just takes a little while to warm up to the camera and to feel completely comfortable to let the creativity flow. With two hours, we were able to try out three different outfits, visit 4 different locations, and explore a wide range of looks. The photos in the grass were some of my favorites, and they didn’t happen until the very end. You can see the warmth and intimacy that comes from being comfortable with the camera, which often just takes a little bit of time! So if you’re considering a portrait session, think about booking a 1-hour or 2-hour session. I highly, highly recommend it!