Sunday, October 5, 2008

Kazuki and Naoko Kato - 2/16/2007

In February of last year, me and Susie were at Ala Moana Beach Park trying to shoot pictures to enter into some contest. We came across this scene.We made a beeline toward the couple and I snapped this shot, which of course gave me the right to talk to them. I asked them in broken Japanese on the whereabouts of their photographer. They replied in broken English that they had none. NO PHOTOGRAPHER!!! HOLY MOLY!! Can we be their photographers? They agreed. We were excited!
We led them to Magic Island. For one of my first shots Naoko posed with this stance, and I knew we were in for some fun.
She had made her own bouquet
and Kazuki's boutonniere.
Here Kazuki is helping Naoko with her hairpiece.
They could afford either a trip to Hawaii or rings, so neither of them sported a wedding band.
Kazuki tries to lift Naoko.
We had a blast.
Susie and I had no clue on how to pose the couple, but they did fine on their own.
They were leaving to go back to Japan in two days which gave me just enough time to print the pictures as well as burn a CD for them. About two weeks later I got this box from them
with these gifts, a set for Susie and a set for me. I will always remember that amazing, magical day when from across the sea our paths crossed, ever so briefly yet creating memories to last a lifetime.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Kudos to you Jalna
See what a Random Act Of Kindness can do to start a friendship.

jalna said...

Thanks Tippy! I feel that WE were the lucky ones to have been at the right place at the right time to be given the wonderful opportunity of connecting with this couple from another part of the world.

Nippon Nin said...

Nice story! I hope they are still happy and have child(ren) by now. Great job taking pictures. You're so neat!

jalna said...

Thanks Akemi! I hope so too. I think about them every now and then and wonder.