"Home is where the heart is."
I first came across this quote on the stitched artwork at my Aunt's place when I was much younger. The artwork followed when she moved and to this day, it sits nicely on the wall at the entrance of her dining room. Home is also where Pastor and Ah Ma Evelyn lives and raised her two blessed daughters Mary (in blue) and Karen (in pink).
Earlier this year, I was invited to do a very special family shoot. When I heard their stories, I knew it would be worthy of a blog space. This has got to be one of the most 'international' photoshoot for me in a while. Well, you see sisters Mary and Karen are happily married to their husbands, and residing overseas with their families. Mary lives in Hanoi, Vietnam while Karen calls Melbourne, Australia home. Despite the distance of the two cities, it was such a blessing to have them all come back home to spend some quality time with Ah Ma and her lovely grandchildren.
Sometimes, the most challenging part of such shoots is in capturing the smiles of the kids, but once we are fortunate enough, getting those shots can be extremely endearing. In my photo assignments, my clients are always advised to be themselves and have fun, occasionally putting on that smile in case their kiddos exhibit that 'perfect' smile for my frame. Due to their very short attention span, children are unable to just sit there and pose. And as a photographer, I learn to 'read' when they are about to reach that border of boredom. Name it any way you like - tickles, carrying them high up in the air rocket-style, saying a trigger word, or even telling them 'not to smile' can have a great effect on getting them to smile. And their smiles make a whole lot of difference to an overall photo as you shall see below.
To me, happiness is having a large loving, caring, close-knit family, whether at home or anywhere in the world. Singapore will always have a special place in their hearts and Pastor Evelyn now has a beautiful and complete family photo to remember for a long time to come.
At Kelvin Luffs Photography, we are able to tailor to your specifications including location and style of shoots. We endeavour to create images you will smile to each time you look at them. Please drop us a message and we will be more than happy to discuss your preferences. Making each click worthwhile.