a little story
Hello! I'm Vivian. I'm the first born American in my Filipino - Vietnamese family and ever since I was a baby, I traveled. My maternal Grandmother took me off to the Philippines for a few years while my Mom finished college to build a life for us in the States. My Uncle who taught me everything from riding a bike, to cooking and eating was a flight attendant. Through him, I was able to fly around the country so that members from both sides of my family could take turns babysitting me. I saw a lot during my jetsetting childhood days, inevitably shaping my outlook on life. From the way people treated each other in transit, to how a smile and a thank you could cheer up a groggy overworked employee, and how having a conversation with a stranger on a plane instead of tuning them out with headphones could be life changing.
I went to a dozen different schools before I entered University and I was never good at academia. Being the new girl in class always made me tune out and thus my thirst for knowledge was quenched by reading and self-learning. Reading adventure books and memoirs by Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, and John Muir filled my head as I soon realized that there's beautiful land outside of the city and that being in touch with nature was more fulfilling than collecting material things. And so, a lust for wandering and being a vagabond became a lifestyle choice that consumed my twenties and when I found out that people lived aboard boats that took them to exotic lands, I was hooked.
Combining media art with my love affair with sailing has now become a fantasy turned reality. It is with my pleasure to travel, document, and sail to places near and far. My husband and I now welcome people of any sailing experience aboard our Compass 47 Ultima, and together, we enjoy passagemaking in its simplest form. It's about taking time to disconnect and slow our pace of life to the rhythm of the waves in search of our destination.
When we aren't sailing, it's time to create. I'm game to collaborate and read on if you want to know more. Till then, follow my journey while I capture yours. Let's join forces to make brilliant content.
what I know and do is clear to me:
- I love to learn and create
- I've become a jackass of all trades, master of none
- I'm downright silly and you might have fun working with me
- My life goal is to leave this world with meaningful content - whether it be movies about our Earth, portraits for your family's legacy, or even if you need footage of your plot of land - let me take care of it through my lens and perspective.
I offer a wide range of services from a mix of all things photo, video, travel and exploration. Feel free to browse around and see what I've been up to. I wouldn't label myself as just another wedding photographer or production coordinator or any singular person with one objective but I can help with your project.
Send me a message any time.
work, publication, and collaborations
On the Cover
My drone shot on the annual special edition of OCEAN NAVIGATOR. Picture of SV Quetzal underway in St. Thomas, USVI. 2021.
Testimonials
“Vivian took the most amazing pictures for both our engagement photos as well as our wedding photos! She has an amazingly artistic eye and is so fun to work with! I would recommend her for any kind of photo event because she can do it all!”
“Vivian took the engagement photos for Carlos and I. We talked to her a bit about what we were looking for and I showed her some example shots I had in mind. When we met up she had already scoped out places around the city, and so we were off! We had a GREAT time during the shoot, and the places she chose were perfect. In the end we got a ton of amazing photos, one of which we are using for our save the dates! When friends or family see our photos and ask who took them, I am always proud to recommend Vivian!”
“Vivian captured Quartet Movement concerts with artistic magic! She worked well with the youth and captured the excitement of their concerts. These were not easy events due to unusual lighting and fast moving instruments. She worked very hard and at the same time she was extremely easy to work with. I highly recommend Vivian! Her photos are artistic, unique, and her eye is superb!”
“Vivian did an absolutely amazing job capturing exactly what I wanted for my head shots photo shoot. Not only did she suggest the most magical backdrop but was so incredibly patient, professional and easy going. I would without a doubt recommend Vivienne as a photographer. She is superb.”
“We were so fortunate to have Vivian capture an event we were throwing - the photos came out absolutely incredible! Her eye for unique photos in combination with her editing talents makes her truly gifted. We walked away with some of the most badass photos that left both attendees and sponsors excited. She's also one of the kindest and hard-working people I know to boot! Cannot wait to work together again someday.”
“Vivian took promotional pictures for my company. She made everyone comfortable and look beautiful, while dealing with some challenging conditions. All of the ladies loved her and her work. I will definitely use her again.”
“We have been very fortunate to have had Vivian as our family photographer for over four years. She is a wonderful photographer who has an eye to beautifully capture the details that matter most. Not only is she artistic, professional, prompt, reliable, friendly, and fun, she works great with kids. From outdoor to indoor-start to finish, you will love working with VIZA photography!”
