San Francisco based destination wedding photographer

Welcome to genehiga.net!!!

Hi, my name is Gene Higa and thanks for visiting my online diary. I am a destination wedding photographer based in San Francisco, California. I have an amazing career of traveling the world and photographing weddings with amazing clients both abroad and right here in my hometown. I have seen many great blogs out there and decided to create one for myself and my business. Here I will post images from recent weddings, share stories of my adventures, and update you on what's going on in my life. This is a place where current and prospective clients can see where and what I'm shooting. I will also be using this site to as a resource guide to discuss photography and share any useful tidbits of information that I find on the web to help make the wedding planning process much easier. I have some favorite vendors that I like to work with, so I will include them here as well. I will also share my tips and tricks for getting the most out of your wedding day. I hope you find the site fun and informative, and that you'll share it with other brides.

To view my wedding portfolio, please visit my website at www.genehiga.com. There you will find online events for weddings that I've shot, my current pricing guide and contact information. Keep in mind that I respect the privacy of my clients so online events are password protected. Please contact the client if you have forgotten or need the password.

So bookmark this site as I will update my blog on a regular basis. I have shot weddings all over the world, including the Philippines, Peru, India, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Mexico, Barbados, Jamaica, Hawaii, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and, of course, some killer events right here in the San Francisco Bay Area. So welcome to my world and I hope you enjoy what you read and see. Now hold on to your seats!

CINEMATIC STUDIOS put together this amazing video for me.

Get in touch with me:

studio. (877) 771-3223 or local (415) 771-3223

by appointment only

website. www.genehiga.com

email . gene@genehiga.com

online proofs. www.genehigaproofs.com

Thu - April 24, 2008

The new and improved genehiga.net

Hey folks, as you can see I am no longer posting here. I have a new brand and identity which was just released. There you will current work, publications, interviews, speaking engagements and much more fun stuff.

My new and improved blog is still at GENEHIGA.NET

Here's a sneek peek.

Posted at 02:19 PM

Tue - August 21, 2007

Leonard and Hedda's Baker Beach engagement session

Sometimes accidents area good thing. I say this cause a car accident that happened years ago brought these two together. Funny they now live on the intersection where they first met. Leonard and Hedda are planning a huge destination wedding in Phuket Thailand, but wanted a San Francisco engagement session. I was initially going to shoot the wedding but, had booked the date for a local job. We have been having amazing weather minus all the fog, perfect for photographing in San francisco. Check out some the cool shots we grabbed today.

We started out at the intersection.

Flagged down a cabby for sentimental reasons.

Check out how clear it was today. AWESOME!!!

Created their logo for the wedding. Think silhouette. They have it stitched on the favors, invitations and website.

Baker Beach was equally gorgeous.

When I say RUN, you RUN.

But, sometimes it works for us. So get ready to be wet.

Here is the pay off. Simply amazing.

Posted at 11:19 PM

Wed - August 15, 2007

One lucky bridal photo shoot

It was back in February I was inspired to give away a free bridal shoot. I announced a the winner on March 29th (my birthday) from Las Vegas. Well, yesterday it all came to life. Mandy Scott dropped off a bouquet, perfect and exactly what the bride requested. Maria Chang came in and set up shop. Evelyn my ONE LUCKY BRIDE arrived on time and up for anything. Here is how the day went.

Evelyn getting ready for hair and make up.

Maria Chang of Professional Artistry Make Up doing her magic.

The three os us getting ready.

The idea was to do a bridal session different from anything out there. Here is a couple of shots from our first location. Hair down and smokey eyes for a sexier look.

Second location and new look for Evelyn. Love the feathers.

Last location with birdcage and hair up. We went for vintage-cool. So I did the same with the images. I wanted a distressed look, a very 1920's feel and a little back light.

A little grainy effect.

It was definitely fun to mix it up a bit. Do something completely out of the box and having fun doing it. I am not what it was but, we got front row parking everywhere we went.

Thanks to Mandy, Maria and Tanya for coming together and helping out. I can't say enough great things about you all. namaste ~

For brides out there looking to book a hair and make-up artist or need of flowers for your special event.

Maria Chang
PMA Founder :: Artiste
Studio: 925.308.4916
contact@professionalmakeupartistry.com

Mandy Scott
Mandy Scott Flowers
Studio: 415.441.3758
mandy@mandyscott.com

Here is a email I got from Evelyn today:

WOW!! These are amazing! I love them!! I could go on and on and on! I'm really floored. I love how they're so different..and how they start so tame..and end up...not so much. haha. They're such a great complement to my other photos from the wedding day! What amazing photos! Jason says he can see how I look like my mom in some of them..which is such a nice tribute to her..(Since people always say I look like my dad!)

Thank you each so much. I had so much fun doing this!! I can't wait to see the full set of photos. You guys were all so warm, friendly. Honestly, I was nervous before we started, but felt so comfortable with each of you. You are all sooo very talented and I see why you guys are the best at what you do. I can't wait to recommend you to friends who are getting married (it would be so much fun if you guys worked one of my friends' weddings!) Thanks for all the advice on getting into the industry. I'm not sure if that's what next for me yet, but still exploring the idea.

Gene: We'll definitely be in touch. Let me know when the other photos are ready..and what to do about ordering prints..maybe i'll even order an album for jason ;). All the best with your weddings the rest of this season! Drive safe and keep up the parking karma. Next time I'm in your neighborhood, let's go grab another pom mojito.

Maria: You are so warm, so charismatic, and so very talented. Enjoy your big home in Oakley. When Jason and I go house hunting in the next few years...I'll let you know if we head out there! =)

Tanya: You are the girl that makes things happen! Without you...I'm not sure what would happen to Gene! Be sure he doesn't forget you in the car!

Mandy: Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers! They were absolutely gorgeous even today as they sit on my coffee table.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to work with you guys and see why it is that you all are really so stellar. It's not just your talent, but your warmth, fun, and good-nature.

All the best,
Evelyn "With this hair, I'll do anything!" Ho

Posted at 06:48 PM

Mon - August 13, 2007

Chuck and Beverly's engagement session in San Francisco

All my clients have amazing style. Chuck and Bev, especially. From head to toe these two were decked out. From the Haight to Nob Hill to the Embarcadero we hit all the hot spots. Here are some of my favorites.

Bev was so cute. She stashed a ipod and speaker in her purse to get into the groove.

Love the Meat packing District t-shirt by Ed Hardy. Next time I'm in NYC, I gotta grab one.

Here is a sample of the save the date postcard I custom designed for them. If you are doing a a session with me and are interested in having one to send out, call or email for pricing and quantity.

Posted at 10:10 PM

Sat - August 11, 2007

Tom and Mimi's Wedding in San Jose

A wedding with lots of style and elegance. Tom and Mimi put together a gorgeous wedding. The ceremony took place over at the Mission Santa Clara and the reception in the new Rotunda of San Jose City Hall. I didn't even know they did weddings in there. Mimi is a big part of the Thi' cosmetics team, a amazing company owned by Taylor Pham. Taylor one of the most sought after make up artists of the Bay area was the the maid of honor. Initially Ann Hamilton was to shoot this wedding with me, but as you all know she was away taking care of her family. She was missed. But, luckily our good friend Jesse Leake was open to help shoot this one. Here are some of my favs. ENJOY!!!

Morning Tea ceremony. Simply elegant.

Some details.

Tom and the boys, looking cool.

Love having my brides move, showing a little sas and just being you.

Letting kids be kids.

Here is a little fine art. I took some of the detail of Mimi's dress and created this awesome bridal shot.

Taylor and Mimi, just having a little fun before the ceremony.

Tom's auntie is a nun and had this beautiful detail.

Reception details.

They imported this paper lamps from Vietnam.

Love the sunset lighting.

Here is a shot of the four of us. Thanks for having us, we had a blast.

Posted at 09:24 AM

Thu - August 9, 2007

Meet my teachers

I love my clients. I love doing new activities and learning new things. Well, Kevin and his dad are my new golf teachers. That's right I am taking golf lessons. What better way to spend my sundays after shooting a wedding. Relax, get some sun, and play some golf. I have been been wanting to play a new sport for some time now. Here is the new Titleist ad featuring my groom and his father, my new teachers.

Posted at 06:10 PM

Wed - August 8, 2007

Silk Matted Cypress Albums

I'm in the middle of revamping my business and will be making some announcements of new products, new blog coming soon and a better way to see your wedding online. I am also organizing a very cool way for you to see your wedding images. Something that no one in the wedding industry is doing. Trust me, this is going to be the buzz of San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Always looking to offer some cool, hip and fun for my clients. Check out these cool albums. Silk covers, matte paper pages, and ribbon binding. Take your wedding images to the next level. These can be customized. Choice of covers (with or without cameo) colors, ribbon color, pages in cream or black.

Here is the box the album comes in.

Beautiful pages. Choice of mutiple or single images.

The side view.

Here is the cream ribbon binding.

Here is the black version.

Email or call me for our new 2008 pricing guide.

Posted at 11:41 PM

More iphone fun

As promised here is some iphone shots from Kevin and Lisa's wedding. Not bad considering these are right out of the phone. Now if I could just blog from my iphone. Trust me I am working on that. Seriously.

Tanya took this one. I gotta have my picture taken with all my clients.

On another note. My buddy Jesse Leake and I took some time for ourselves the other night and hit up a SF Giants game in hopes of catching #756.

We got really lucky with tickets. Section 146 row 6.

Check out Jesse with the super duper long lens. Some guys behind us were ready for action. We couldn't resist, and asked if we could check it out.

Here is Barry up at bat.

Need I say more. You thought some guy from Queens, NY got it. Think again. LOL

Just kidding. It would have been cool if this was the actual ball. I'd be a millionaire by now.

Posted at 11:20 PM

Tue - August 7, 2007

Kevin and Lisa's wedding in San Francisco

Where do I begin? These two are the best. Talk about a fun wedding, this was it. From the engagement session in NYC to the wedding, we had a blast. Lisa, a broadway actress and Kevin a Golf pro came in from the east coast to have a beautiful wedding in San Francisco. It was nice to be working so close to home. Here are some of my favs from this weekends wedding.

Love my shoe shots.

I found this framed image in her getting ready suite.

Kevin's 90 year old Grandmother saved the day for one of the groomsman. She sewed up a hole in his pants. This is why I do not disregard getting ready for guys. you never know where the story is going to unfold.

Here is the view of Union Square from the bridal suite.

Kevin getting ready.

Seeing each other before the ceremony. Right after this, Kevin jaw dropped and Lisa was in tears.

Gotta have my cool groom shots.

Little groom detail by Matika of Simply Blooms.

A must have shot. Walking and talking.

Tanya grabbed this of Lisa. Beautiful.

At it again with the iphone shots. I will post that tomorrow. But, don't you love the handbag hanging from my backpack. I do it all.

Lisa's sisters made all the paper peonies .

Floral arrangements brightened the room. Karen Chang did a amazing job.

Lisa surprised Kevin in the cocktail hour by singing a song. She has a amazing voice.

Honey Bunny. Her mom told a cool story during the ceremony, made lots of people cry.

Little more singing. Everyone joined into "Some of Lisa and Kevins favorite things".

Very original first dance.

Simply elegant.

Touche', cake cutting time.

Posted at 10:37 PM

Fri - August 3, 2007

Ann's amazing dad

I wanted to post something here for Franky. But, I think Ann said it best. Here is the copy from her blog. If you want to post a comment for Ann feel free. Thanks for checking in.

blessings~

My beautiful dad passed away peacefully Wednesday morning after a year-long and courageous battle with cancer. Thank you everyone for your prayers for my dad and family during this difficult time.

This is very personal, but I want to share something that I think is very important. Family. Don't put anything before family. Moments. Treasure those moments with your loved ones, and treat the time you spend with them like there is no tomorrow. Photographs. Take lots of pictures. You'll be thankful later on to have captured priceless moments in time.

Becoming a photographer was a second career for me. I was a late bloomer to the profession, but I always believed that it was what I was meant to do with my life. I look back at all the photographs I have taken of my family, of my dad in particular, and I smile and remember those moments as if they just happened yesterday. That is the beauty of photography.

Every time I photograph a wedding and see a bride with her dad, I'm reminded of my own wedding day and the moments I shared with my dad. I've always told my brides that one of my favorite things to do when photographing a wedding is to document those special moments between a daughter and her father (and a mother and her son, too). Sure, the dress, the flowers, the venue, the cake, etc. are all important, but nothing is as important as your loved ones. Cherish your time with them.

Here is me and my dad at my wedding in 1994. It's a bad scan, I know, and I still cringe about my hair... it was the 90's afterall!. But I remember that moment like it was yesterday and I'll always cherish that time with my dad.

Love you, Dad. xoxo

Posted at 11:38 PM

Mon - July 30, 2007

Dan and Anna's wedding in San Francisco

Sorry it's been a little while since I have posted a wedding. It was nice to be photographing in the city over the weekend. Dan and Anna did their engagement session back in May in Boston. I was fun to get out to there for the weekend. The wedding took place just minutes from the studio. The ceremony at the Shakespeare Gardens and the reception at the Flood Mansion. The Flood is literally just up the hill from our studio. Awesome views of the bay, you can see from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz. Anyways, here are some of the shots I grabbed this weekend.

Girls I am really getting into my shoe shots. So get some cool shoes for the wedding day.

These are two of my favorite bridal shots.

Casual Cool shots for the boys.

Anna had to have her jumping shot. My kinda bride.

Woof, woof.

Some artistic bride and groom shots in front of the De Young Museum.

One of the cool moments during the reception. A birthday cake for one of the groomsman.

Thanks you two, I had a blast.

Here is the hot list of vendors who came together to make this a wedding to remember. Happy planning.

James Leary Flood Mansion
2222 Broadway Street San Francisco, CA 94115
www.floodmansion.org

Shakespeare Garden
Golden Gate Park @ Martin Luther King Drive

Wedding Gown Eve’s Bridal
363 Primrose Rd. Burlingame, CA 94010
www.evesbridal.com
650.343.2378

Wedding Planner: F. Duncan Reyes
F. duncan reyes events
583 Myra Way
San Francisco, CA 94127
www.duncanreyes.com
415.586.2252 home office
415.794.4117 cell

Catering (Food): Melons Catering & Event Planning
3963 Callan Blvd
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Attn: Ann Lyons or Charlotte
Jackson (Assistant)
www.melonscatering.com
800.729.6356
650.583.1756
650.583.0329 fax

Dance Lessons: Metronome Dance Center
1830 – 17th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
www.metronomedancecenter.com
415.252.9000

Entertainment (Ceremony): Music To Go !
San Francisco Conservatory
Of Music
50 Oak Street
San Francisco, CA 94102-6011
Attn: Elizabeth Lowry or
Megan Koch
http://www.sfcm.edu/musictogo/musictogo.aspx
415.503.6258
415.503.6299 fax
415.905.8053 (Megan Koch)

Entertainment: DJ Kenfused
95 Stoneyford
San Francisco, CA 94112
Attn: Ken Anolin
www.djkenfused.com
650.245.8299 cell

Equipment Rentals (Catering): Classic Party Rentals
1635 Rollins Road, #A
Burlingame, CA 94010
Attn: Valerie Vasquez
www.classicpartyrentals.com
650.652.0300
650.697.9090 fax

Equipment Rentals: Hartmann Studios
100 West Ohio Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804
Attn: Amber Solomon
www.hartmannstudios.com
415.232.5030

Hair & Make-Up: Irmina Loeffer-Martinez
22461 S. Walnut Circle, #A
Cupertino, CA 95014
Attn: Ifmina Loeffer
408.781.5001

Hotel Accommodations: Clift Hotel
495 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Attn: Lauren Fisher, Sales Mgr.
www.clifthotel.com
415.775.4700 hotel
415.441.4621 fax
415.929.2302 Sales

Floral Designer & Lighting Design: Hunt Littlefield
2565 Third Street, Suite 236
San Francisco, CA 94107
www.huntlittlefield.com
415.738.2360
415.308.3486 cell

Posted at 11:10 PM

Sun - July 29, 2007

Journeyman comes to the studio

Last Friday 20th century moved in the streets of Cow Hollow to film a scene of Journeyman. Hopefully you will get to see some of storefront in it. The whole day we had film crews up and down the street. Pretty cool. I used to do extra work in Los Angeles with David Arquette all the time to make some extra cash. I was in Hots Shots 1 &2 , commercials and what not. Nothing to big.

I admit I had a little camera envy.

Stayed tuned this fall for the season premier of Journeyman. The season premier stars Kevin McKidd on NBC, September 24.

Posted at 11:27 PM

Thu - July 26, 2007

Get well Franky baby

Franky baby, that's what I call him. I can do this cause they guy has the best sense of humor. He has the best one liners and so many fun stories to tell. He is one of those guys you love being around. He loves his family, his dogs and has a passion for traveling. I have taken buggy rides in Waikiki, climbed water falls in Jamaica and had many meals together, good times. He even came out to Vegas to see my talk at WPPI. How awesome is that!!!

Here we are in 2005. A little break between weddings. Check out Franky's hair. LOL. :)

Well, if you have been reading my blog. My friend Ann Hamilton, Franky is her father is very Ill at the moment. But, he still has his sense of humor and still telling his stories. I chuckle as I write this, cause I just love this guy. Ann sent over this photo last night, and I thought it was great. Taken last month in NYC with his wife Evelyn. Now Evelyn, gotta love her. She's a real doll. Notice Franky got a little lipstick on his right cheek. LOVE IT, still the ladies man.

Everyone who is reading this post, please send Franky a get well, message by clicking on the comments section below the photograph.

best~

To Franky,

Hey Frank just wanted to send my best to you and let you know that I miss all of you guys. I know you have tons of family around you and I wish I could be there, but someone gotta hold down the fort. Be strong and Know that I thinking of you all the time. I was reading this morning and I thought you might like these quotes from Buddha.

Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Posted at 10:26 AM

Sat - July 21, 2007

Carol and Greg's wedding in Saratoga

Okay, so after posting my iphone teasers here are the real wedding images. We had a perfect day, in a amazing garden setting. I felt right at home in the Hakone Japanese Tea Gardens. The wedding had everything from fun clients to KFC to a coffee bar. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

Jazzing up the simple style of the rings with chopsticks.

Posted at 11:44 AM

Sun - July 15, 2007

My very first iwedding

Okay, I couldn't resist. Instead of shooting with my 50 mm 1.0, I went for my iphone and grabbed some shots at yesterdays wedding. I had a ton of fun shooting yesterday, check back in for the real shots tomorrow. I'll post those when I get to L.A.

Let me know what you think. Here is my bridal portrait.