{Photography: Sitting Down with Kevin Chin}

Our PBL contributor, Nancy Liu Chin had such a great time talking with photographer Sabine Scherer last week, so we asked her to talk to another wedding pro. Since Nancy's schedule was a bit full, she sat down over brunch with her husband, Kevin Chin for this quick conversation.

Shall we get to know Kevin Chin who was recently named by The Knot as one of the best photographers in the Bay Area?

NLC: Given what you know now, what one thing would you change about your wedding(I mean our wedding)?

KC: My dream wedding would be to have a beach wedding on a warm tropical island. My bride (that would be you) and I would be barefoot on the beach saying our vows as the sun sets. And of course the dinner reception would be alfresco on the beach under the stars.

NLC: Aww. That's so sweet. I like that.

NLC: What's your top five Guilty Pleasures?

KC: US Weekly, TMZ and anything tabloidish. 2) All types of magazines. Of course you know that we subscribe to about a dozen of them. 3) My Cuban cigars. 4) Clothing and shopping. I take up more closet space! 5) Entourage. I secretly want to have my own entourage. Do you think anybody would want to start an entourage with me?

NLC: If you could attend any celebrity wedding, who's wedding would you like to attend?

KC: I would have loved to attend Madonna & Sean Penn's wedding back in the day. They are meant each other and I predict they will end up back with each other. I am waiting for US magazine or TMZ to make the official announcement.

NLC: Can I be your mystery date?

NLC: Given the current situation with brides and grooms, what is the one thing that you would suggest that they reevaluate when planning their wedding.

KC: I think cutting down the guest list has the biggest impact on the cost of a wedding.

NLC: What is one thing about being a photographer that people don't know about?

KC: As a photographer, we may not be curing cancer but I feel our job is very important in preserving important moments and memories. I love it when I show up at a the bride's parent's house and displayed are old photos of their parents and grandparents. It reminds me that the photos that I am capturing today will be shared with future generations long after I am gone.

Random Final Notes: Kevin is a self taught photographer who has been shooting weddings for nearly two decades. Though located in San Francisco, some of his wedding projects have taken him to France, Italy, Thailand, Philippines, Holland, and Peru. His wedding work has been published in Elegant Bride,Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, The Knot, and Bride & Bloom magazines. You can also find some of his work in the 2008 coffee table wedding book called Style Your Dream Wedding by Susie Coehlo. A recent educator at The Wedding University and member of SF's Short List, Kevin Chin continues to use film in a world of digital photographers and has plans to do small workshops later this year for amateur photographers. It's great to see that this medium is making a bit of a comeback.

Thanks, Kevin!