I'm Eileen, so nice to meet you! I am a Los Angeles based photographer, passionate about people and a huge fan of love. I truly believe photography is God's gift to me; through it I am able to share life with some of the most amazing people. What a privilege and joy it has been!
Click on the next page for more on me or take a peek at my own wedding day here.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Blessings!
photo by Shelley Paulson Photography
RANDOM FACTS
I use way too many exclamation marks, but I'm really just that excited!!!!
I want to know what moves your heart.
I say "that's so funny" quite a bit, but it can mean a number of things.
I am a lover of donuts and tea.
I floss every night before bed!
I love the idea of being spontaneous, but rarely do things unplanned.
I am the youngest of four girls, but I'm taller than all my sisters.
I would love to open a cafe someday.
I am fascinated by the bridegroom God and his ravished heart for all of humanity
My baby niece Olivia is growing up so fast! These pictures were taken a month ago and now she’s almost 4 months old! The other day I was holding her and was kind of surprised by how much she looks like…ME! Let me know if you see it too! : )
My sister and her two girls stayed over at my parents’ house for a few nights last week and it was so much fun hanging out with the girls. Livie is so smiley and giggly and she LOVES to stick out her tongue! I’m kind of really in love with these pictures : )
Livie’s older sister Angelina is growing up so fast, too! I can’t believe she is almost 4 (wow!). I really love how these next two pictures capture a different side of her.
And I LOVE this next one of Lina and Livie.Â
Now some with my sister Liz and Leonard (Leonard, Liz, Lina, and Livie…isn’t that fun?!)…
My dad LOVES peanuts. Any kind, every kind. Â Growing up we always had a plate of peanuts as a side dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He takes some with him on walks, short or long drives, and even into the movie theaters (we were always kind of embarrassed when he did that!)! Some of the church members found out about his love for peanuts and now we get quite a variety right around his birthday and every year for Christmas. I think with so much peanuts around the house I’ve grown to love peanuts over the years, too and can’t eat certain meals without that extra crunch to go with whatever we’re having. Oh Daddy, look what you’ve done! : )
The other day my mom was talking to my 3-yr old niece Angelina on our family room couch. Lina was bouncing up and down, telling my mom that her daddy promised to take her out to Mimi’s Cafe when he gets back from his business trip. My mom laughed and commented on how it’s always so much fun when Daddys go away (but not, since we miss them so!), because it always means that there’s a treat when they return. My mom looked at me and asked if I remember how my dad used to save his bags of peanuts from his plane ride to bring home for us. Her question triggered memories that I would otherwise have had a hard time recalling.
Why yes, I do remember (I also remember preferring the honey-glazed ones over the salted peanuts). But for the first time those peanuts meant so much more than just a fun snack we got when Daddy came home from out of town. I mean I always knew that my dad loved peanuts, but as a little girl I never thought about how him bringing peanuts home for us meant him not eating his portion on that long flight home and saving them for me and my sisters. Wow. I know this seems like such a small thing and even kind of silly, but I want to cry just thinking about what might have crossed his mind at those moments.
Yes my dad loves peanuts, but he loves his girls at home even more.
Philip and Jeanette’s wedding took place in Irvine last October and I had the pleasure of shooting their beautiful day with my dear friend Loretta. Philip and Jeanette had been dating for many many years before they got engaged and it was so fun to celebrate their wedding with them. : ) Congrats again to the beautiful couple!
I was able to sneak in some time with the ladies before the ceremony. Most of these photos were taken minutes before the actual wedding started- can you imagine the excitement they were all feeling?! ahhhh!
This little boy is so cute and handsome! : ) He’s sneaking a peek at the bride…
And it begins!
Philip and Jeanette, hope you’re enjoying the married life! : )
Shiloh is a huge blessing and joy to our family! It’s only been a little over a year since she entered this world, but it’s hard to imagine a time without her. I loved getting to know her and discovering her personality this past year- ahh, just thinking about her now makes me smile! : ) Shiloh is such a joyful baby. She loves to smile and laugh and more recently, “stretch” and dance. I can’t wait until she can talk more (right now it’s mostly MAAAA or babababa)…I’m sure we’ll have much to chat about! : ) I feel so so privileged to be a part of this little girl’s life and to love on her as an auntie. Happy 1 year Shi!
And just for fun, here’s a peek into our last sessions.
Shiloh was actually feeling pretty sick when we took her 1 year photos. She’s usually much more smiley, but she did so well and was SUCH a trooper since it was quite cold outside that day. For this shoot my sister thought it would be special to have Shiloh’s grandparents in the pictures (I couldn’t agree more!) and so here they are! : )
After taking some photos with the grandparents, Shiloh had a zoned-out moment. She just rested on Ben’s face for a while. Poor thing!
More with the grandparents! Here is my dad playing music with some random leaves he found. That’s his specialty, actually. He can pick up just about anything off the trees or from the ground and start making music! Shiloh liked it : )
And just for fun, I took some portraits for Eunie and Ben. You guys both looks SO good! : )
Anthony and Nina’s love story will show you that love will find a way, always. I remember asking for a very detailed version of their journey together and they both laughed and agreed that they just couldn’t get away from one another no matter how hard they tried (…and they did try!)! It all started (well, for Anthony at least) when a friend wanted to show Anthony a cute girl (yup, Nina!) from a different church. While Anthony did indeed think she was cute they didn’t officially meet until Anthony’s apartment invited Nina’s apartment over for dinner. They so happened to sit next to each other that night and were able to share about their majors, future, and dreams. Nina said they were so similar she felt like Anthony was her long-lost twin! haha
I knew Nina since the 7th grade and wow, it has been such a joy growing up with her and watching her mature into the beautiful woman that she is today! I am so so SO excited for the two of you- ahhh, just a little over a month until you guys get married! : )
I love when these two are together : )
Nina, you look AMAZINGGG!
The lovely couple with paintings by…me! : ) Nina had asked me to paint something for them as a mark and celebration for their 2 year anniversary. Love that they wanted to include these paintings in the shoot! : )
I drive by this building so much and knew I just had to have a session here someday. I came to check this location out the day before A+N’s session and was even able to meet the owner of this shop (I’m sure he thought I was creepy, because I had my iphone out and kept taking pictures around his building. Finally he came out to find out what I was up to! Good thing he was a nice man, haha). I love the way these turned out!
It happened in November of 2000- over 10 years ago, but I still remember everything so clearly. We had just finished dinner at the time and decided to take a stroll down the streets of New York to walk off what we just ate. It was a beautiful night, really. The streets were as empty as NY streets could be and we still had some time together before I needed to head back.
I was bundled up in my scarf and coat, trying to keep warm from the biting cold. Some girls like it when it’s a bit chilly outside because it gives them rosie cheeks, but Oh! I was extremely grateful when the the idea to grab hot chocolate came up. Â It wasn’t long before we came across a Dunkin’ Donuts shop and I quickly stepped in to let the warmth of that little store cover me. It felt so good.
We ordered one hot chocolate to share and I couldn’t wait to let that hot liquid-y goodness fill the inside of me. When it was my turn to drink, I embraced the cup like an old friend and started sipping away…sipping and slurping, sipping and- what was that? There was a chunk of something there and thinking it was a chunk of chocolate maybe? I tried to suck it up. When that didn’t work, I puckered up my lips and tried once more, this time with a little more force. But no, that piece of chocolate still wouldn’t let me have it…why?!
Confused, I looked down at the cup I was holding. More specifically, where I had been sipping. At the tip of that cup, at that very edge, was NOT a piece of chocolate, but a…are you ready for this?…a cockroach! A COCKROACH!
Yes, that’s right. My first kiss went to a dead cockroach…
My sisters and I screamed..and screamed! I spit out all the spit in my mouth and put a bunch of gum in its place, hoping it could and would erase everything…how it felt, what it tasted like, even the memories! Oh, but to this day the memories are very much alive. But now I am thankful for these memories, because I get to share them with you! : )
(…come to think of it, since when did they have chocolate chunks in hot chocolate?! I should have known better…)
Happy Friday! And Happy early Valentine’s Day! : )
This was the first time in years that they were able all come together. Friends since middle school, these ladies grew even closer in high school and remained besties throughout college despite the distance. I definitely felt their strong bond during our shoot- there’s just something so great and safe about being known inside-out. Love that. Great friendships don’t come easy, ya know?! Loretta, Lisa Kwon, Pauline, Lisa Gomi, Annie, and Vivian- you girls are blessed.
What better place to have their shoot than at their high school?!
Beautiful, beautiful ladies! They all have such colorful personalities, so FULL of life!
Now, a few individual portraits. Here’s a little something something about each of them…
Loretta: adventurous and fun (but sometimes known as “grandma” for her funky sweaters and for going to bed at 7pm some days), Loretta is the social butterfly. She knows just about the whole world and dreams of traveling the world. With her camera. Yes, she’s also a fellow photographer (check out her website here!).
Lisa Kwon (aka Kwon):  this girl loves to bake and she loves kids! In fact, she is about to head off to Korea to each English for one whole year (perhaps she should open up a bakery there too! : )). Every once in a while she will bust out her model skills during hang-outs and photoshoots.
Pauline (aka Pau): the little one and the smallest one in the group. While she is little, she has a huge heart and is currently working with AmeriCorps in Boston. Always cute, sometimes clumsy, and super paranoid. She researches everything and thinks she carries every disease, haha.
Lisa Gomi (aka Gomi): this one is full of sarcasm. Predicted to to be the president of the world one day, it is no coincidence that she is currently living in DC! : ) (I actually met Lisa before I met any of these other girls. During our Sophomore year in high school Temple City (woot woot!) and Arcadia had an ASB exchange. We worked together, because we she was the class President and I was my class V.P. Little did I know that I would be taking her portraits years from then! : ))
Annie:Â super artistic, full of sarcasm, Annie is all things Korean (looks and everything)! Annie and I met in college and were a part of the same church group on campus. She is always so full of FUN and can get along with just about everyone. I am so proud of her for taking advantage of all her resources and really living life to the fullest. Be on the lookout for her art blog (ahem, Annie!). She will go far! : )
Vivian (aka Vee): this girl has such a fun and bubbly personality and laughs at EVERYTHING. She is miss fashionista and just opened up a store in Alhambra where she will be selling her own designs (check out her website here!). Vivian is in her last semester of undergrad and everyone is sure that she will be a big hit in the near future!
A few more portraits.
These girls are SO much fun! Thank you all for such a wonderful session : )
One of the biggest JOYS of being a children’s photographer is watching these kiddies grow. I loved being there to photograph Anna when she could barely open up her eyes, when she was just learning how to smile, laugh, sit up, tummy time…everything! Ever since she was a newborn, Anna has been such a laid-back and joyful one and I feel so privileged to have captured her first year. This is Anna at 1 year old! : )
And just for fun, here are some pictures from each session we had leading up to Anna’s 1 year. I not only love to see how much Anna has grown, but how much I have grown as a photographer! I feel embarrassed posting pictures from earlier last year because I feel that my style has changed a bit from then, but here they are anyway!
Now back to Anna’s 1st birthday shoot! : )
Here Anna is telling you that she turned “1.” Good job Anna! : )
Timmy and Judy, congratulations!! You made it through your first year as parents and you both did such an amazing job..what an accomplishment! : ) Thank you for such fun memories with your family this year. I love you guys so much! : )
