This is a part of our Creative Collaboration series, where we introduce you to our creative partners from all around the Bay Area. Today, we’re introducing you to Augie Chang from Augie Chang Photography.
Augie Chang specializes in still photography in the San Francisco Bay Area. His company, Augie Chang Photography, focuses on weddings and families. They have over 15 years of experience and their style is contemporary classic. Augie Chang Photography works closely with clients to create the most memorable experience.
We asked Augie to tell us about what inspired him to pursue a career in weddings and how he got started in the wedding industry.
Weddings always inspired me when I was young. I loved the idea of two people finding one another, and then deciding to start a life together. I am a romantic at heart so being able to witness that union on a weekly basis is a privilege. I was always into photography as a hobby. In 1999, I took some time off from work and fell in love with photography again. I was asked by one of my friends to photograph some parts of her wedding, and I agreed to do so as long as the primary photographer was ok with it. I had such a fun time photographing them and all the details that I thought, ‘maybe that’s something I can do for a living.’ Now I get to do what I love on a daily basis. How lucky am I?!
Augie shares his favorite part about being involved in a wedding.
I love the idea of being able to create and capture beautiful memories for my clients. The idea of them cherishing the images that I create for the next 20, 30, 40, 50 years excites me. It’s a privilege to be the one to document this momental milestone. I also love to enable my clients to be themselves in front of my camera. It is my job, for being who I am, to draw out their personalities. That’s a gift I have to be able to do that.
Augie also told us about the worst thing that ever happened at a wedding and how he overcame it.
In the earlier days of my career, I had a wedding at one of the largest, most prestigious hotels in San Francisco. The couple had a 6 tier cake that they put on top of their cake table. The cake was super high and unfortunately, it was leaning a little bit due to the weight and height. In the middle of the reception, we heard a loud THUMP at the corner of the room. The ballroom went silent, and then everyone realized the 6-tier cake fell on the floor. The cake was unsalvageable. We all ran over to see what has happened. The couple was shocked, as you can imagine. The first thing that the couple said to me was if I’d gotten any photos of the cake before it fell. I calmly looked at them and nodded. That experience taught me to photograph everything before anything can possibly happen. It was an experience that I gained that taught me to be a proactive photographer.
Augie tells us what he’d do with a week off of work.
If I had a week off from work, I would go travel in France. Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. Last year, my team and I were in Paris doing a bridal gown shoot. We were lucky enough to be published in a magazine because the photo shoot was such a success. I would live in Paris for one week to just be. Eat lots of croissants, drink lots of coffee and enjoy the scenery.
Augie is also sharing some advice he likes to give couples planning their wedding.
It is so important to hire professionals for your wedding. A wedding is a once in a lifetime event and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Professionals know what to expect and how to recover from setbacks. A professional will be able to turn a not-so-great situation back into something that’s good for you. Photography is an area that one should take more time to research and find the person that fits your needs. The most important part of a photographer is the person’s personality. You want to hire a photographer and not a camera operator because a photographer will capture who you are. That’s what you want to remember.
Proudly serving Bay Area Weddings for over twenty years, Fantasy Sound aims to be engaged couples’ first stop- offering Disc Jockey, Videography, Event Lighting Décor and Wedding Planning services. They are fueled by great ideas paired with strong coffee, and will never turn down a piece of red velvet wedding cake.
