CA-Modern Magazine|Eichler Homes is the full-color quarterly publication of the Eichler Network — mailed in January, April, July, and October. Its content is aimed at mid-century modern homeowners and enthusiasts, with an emphasis on Eichler, Streng, and other mid-century modern homes and communities throughout California. It also focuses on home maintenance features, solutions, and furnishings for modern homes; profiles on special California neighborhoods; mid-century arts and lifestyle; and much more.

Since I shot a lot of Eichler Homes, I have a good size of collection over the years.  When the editor need a few photos for the magazine, he will contact me and that was how I started the working relationship.

After a year or so, the publisher Marty and I were chatting over the emails about project ideas then I got my first two articles photoshoots – Foster City, and Remodeling back in September 2016 for the January 2017 issue.  Out of my surprise, one of my photo was up on the cover.

By the end of January, a few readers had email the publisher Marty and the editor Dave about the “new photographer”!!

Hi Marty,

I just wanted to write and say as a CA Modern reader and even featured home owner 🙂 I really enjoyed the new photographer Sabrina Huang’s work in the latest issue!
 
Sabrina’s talent really enhances the magazine and brings it to a new level. She has a great eye and her shots really highlighted the homes and neighborhoods in both features in a more architecturally focused way.  Keep up the good work!
 
Kind regards,
Cassandra
– – – – – –
Dear Dave,
 
Thank you for your article “Forgotten by the bay” on Eichler homes in the Winter issue of CA Modern.  I like the way you and writer Jack Levitan were able to weave together a fascinating and interesting article on the hidden treasure of  Eichler homes in Foster City. I also liked the photography by Sabrina Huang, an amazing, talented and personable young lady who will do much to contribute to your publications. 
Kiyoshi and I have lived in our Eicher since 1968 and when we discovered it being built in a new community called Foster City, we knew we could only live in an Eichler, a home that would provide light and space and a sense of calmness and serenity.

Thank you for including us and our photos in your article and I look forward to meeting you again.  Happy New Year to you and your staff and may your publications continue to do well.

Sincerely,
Dorothy Matsuo

Then next two assignments, Marin County, and Aged in Comfort, came around for April issue.  The writer Cathy Smithwick who wrote the Aged in comfort story told me that she just received a lovely handwritten note from Maryhill Gleason (one of the homeowner in the article).
Maryhill wanted Cathy to pass along her thanks to me for my pictures, which illustrated the article so clearly. Cathy said it’s not every day that she get notes from 100-year old ladies!
I was overjoyed when Marty, Dave, and Cathy told me that they don’t get many of those emails from the readers which  makes me realized why I love doing what I do.  I get to go see many places that I wouldn’t of,  the stories that my subjects shared with me, the connections I made with them, and the photos been published in a magazine for many people to enjoy, etc.
Being a photographer is not going to make me rich.  It makes me HAPPY!!!  At this point in my life, I began to appreciate the little things, the smell in the air, the cloud in the sky, the color when sun goes down, the wind makes flowers dance, the sound of birds singing, the warmth of sun shining on my face. . . it’s beautiful.
Thank you Marty of CA-Modern magazine for the opportunity and took the chance on me.
And now I would like to make a wish.  I want to shoot for AD, dwell, Modern Home, Inside Out, Interior Design, Garden Design, Sunset because those are the magazines that I love reading!!!

A side note: I was in Palm Springs this week for an architectural photo workshop with Scott Frances as the instructor.

Guess who was sitting next to me today?

Darren Bradley who is also shooting for CA-Modern magazine and his image was on the cover of the April’s issue.  We were chatting after the class today and showing each other’s work on our computer and then I saw the cover photo on his computer so I said, “that’s your photo?”

What a small world!!!  Although Darren called himself as a architectural junky than a architectural photographer, his work are awesome!!!  His real full time job allows him travel around the world and taking architectural images.  I am so happy to be in the class with him.