A lesbian couple kiss on their bright and sunny wedding day, with the Chicago skyline visible in the background.
A couple stand at a reception window, smiling and laughing, while checking in for their city hall wedding (B&W).
A young man dips his girlfriend and goes in for the kiss while she smiles and laughs. The sun is bright and the river visible in the back.
Photographed from chest down, a bride and groom pause on a stairway landing. Her leg peaks out through her slit, her hand rests on his chest
A newly married couple hold hands and smile at each other in front of the City Hall sign in Chicago
A candid picture of a group of friends with the bride and groom at a cafe micro-wedding. Two friends are seated, the couple in between.
A lesbian couple slow dance together at sunset under string lights at their wedding reception.
A couple kiss underneath a bridge along Chicago's riverwalk on a bright summer day, with a glittering river and bridge in the background.
A bride and groom stand together, faces turned out slightly, while bathed in dappled sunlight (BW).

PORTRAITS  |  WEDDINGS  |  EVENTs


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hi, it's me, hanako


and this is me giving you permission Not to put your best foot forward...

but your realest

Rooms get messy. Drinks get spilled. We laugh until we’re red in the face. And cry until our cheeks are wet. I believe that's where the magic is, and I'll forever be chasing those moments through my lens.


My educational background is in photojournalism, but my love for storytelling grew long before I was an undergrad. A bookworm as a child, I discovered the world of romance young and have been living with one foot in reality, and one foot in those beloved stories ever since. Now, I get to photograph real life love stories, and I couldn't feel luckier ✨


So, whether you're celebrating a union with your partner, celebrating a personal milestone through portraits, or celebrating community through an event, I'm thrilled to photograph it all! If it's sounding like I'm your gal, let's talk!

Because let’s be real — life isn’t perfect.

But it’s always picture-perfect. 

A film photo of an Asian woman photographer on the job, smiling next to a bride in a white, off-the-shoulder gown.
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A young Asian woman photographer poses in a studio next to lighting equipment in a sweater vest and denim skirt.