Asah Films

documentary-style photography for modern lovers

06/04/2026

Before every wedding, I love to get to know my couples.

Sometimes it’s over a coffee flight or the best local hoagie joint. Then there are sessions like this one. By the time we reach the big day, I feel like a friend with a camera rather than a vendor they hired.

A&J flew in over the holidays and we spent the afternoon at Filoli together. I got to see their playfulness, the way they love each other with joy and ease. Their wedding is in 2027 and I am already looking forward to it.

If you are planning for 2027, I take on a limited number of weddings each year. I would love to hear about yours.

06/01/2026

It’s an extraordinary thing to witness the coming together of 1,685 years of love.

L&A worked out that was the sum of how long each one of their guests had known them. It revealed the core of how they built the day: sharing their union with their people. Friends entered first as flower children. The rings traveled through the seats, warmed by every guest before the exchange. Songs of meditation and readings on friendship and freedom gave way to moments of silence to be fully present together.

Surrounded by the mountains that have carried his family name since the 1930s, L&A got married on the land of family and in the love of everyone that carried them to this day. It was truly a privilege to be part of it.

Venue:
Photographer:
Florals:
Rentals:

05/30/2026

“I can never stop looking at our photos, so thank you again for your magic!”

I love seeing messages like these. It just reminds me that best candids happen when you are having fun with the one you love most 🥰 and I love being able to create that experience my couples!

So when the waves rolled in at Baker Beach, K&S ran in to meet them, screaming and laughing as the freezing water splashed around them. Me included 😆

Did we get home with soaked jeans and sandy toes? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

05/28/2026

Before I lived in the Bay Area, I lived in Hong Kong. So when I moved here, Chinatown became my happy place. The dense streets packed with people and produce, the vibrant conversations in Cantonese, and the steam rising from dim sum dishes felt like home. This connection drives my entire approach to photographing couples in Chinatown, a living, layered place full of cinematic texture.

I’m sharing a few of my favorite stops and tips for a session in Chinatown (which you can also find on my blog at asahfilms.com). If this sounds like your kind of date, I would love to help you plan one!

05/22/2026

In Lower Haight that afternoon, the wind came up the hill, tugging at everything.

I met T&A at the top of a few flights of wooden stairs, in their art-filled apartment, taking in the view over the city while they finished getting ready. Then we walked. Twice, we passed their neighbors who congratulated them on their engagement. We wandered through the spots that belonged to them, chatting the whole way to Duboce Park, and made it just in time to find the Muni rattling past.

These 90 minutes are the reason I include an engagement session with my couples before their wedding. The day arrives and they already have a friend behind the camera.

If you were on the block that afternoon, you would have caught the start of it. The chats, the laughs, two lovers heading off down a street they have walked a hundred times, toward a beautiful next chapter.

05/20/2026

Spring at Filoli is worth the wait every year, and E&G’s engagement session is exactly why.

They have me smiling at my screen while I edit, and I just had to share more from their sneak peeks. We were blessed with perfect weather, and the rose garden was bursting (to my absolute delight because I have been waiting so patiently for them to return).

It seemed like everybody and their cousin was out to see the spring blooms too, but there is always a corner of Filoli that one can find and frolic in. The estate has a way of giving you exactly what you need if you know where to look. Filoli keeps earning its place on my shortlist for sessions like this.

05/17/2026

I love bringing a few rolls of film with me on a wedding day.

There is something nostalgic about the raw, grainy beauty of film that captures the feeling of a moment over perfect aesthetics, and it draws one in wholly.

Another reason to love film is that it handles bright light so well. These photographs are from a sunny afternoon up on Hawk Hill, after M&J’s civil ceremony at Marin County Civic Center. Warm, a little hazy, and full of the life of the moment.

05/15/2026

The recipe for beautiful engagement photos comes down to three ingredients: a couple in love, a great backdrop, and thoughtfully styled outfits. While the first part is yours to bring, I love helping with the rest 🥰

For the location, sometimes we pick a spot you already adore, and other times I get to take you somewhere I know well. I also send over a prep guide as soon as you book your session that shares more on what to expect as well as how best to style your outfits. A whole new wardrobe is not necessary; just intentionality in the colors, textures, and combinations that come together beautifully.

E&G’s spring engagement session at Filoli is a perfect example of what happens when all three ingredients land 👩🏽‍🍳🤌🏽

05/11/2026

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the thought of how many favorite photos I have yet to share.

Here are a few from C&L’s Filoli engagement session last fall. I love the autumn leaves scattered around their feet; how the pinks in her dress pick up the pinks in the lilies; the way distance can create a sense of romance.

It’s been beautiful returning to Filoli for spring sessions just this past weekend, and I’m looking forward to a couple more this month!

Address

Santa Cruz, CA
95033

Website

http://asahfilms.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Asah Films posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Asah Films:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company in Santa Cruz?