Baby Buddha’s 1st Birthday

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is getting to know my clients in the way that I do; imagine a couple about to embark on parenthood, telling me about how they met, how they reacted to the news of their pregnancy, how long “she” waited to tell “him,” and what preparations they’ve made to welcome this new addition to their unit. Intimate details. Or, imagine a young family in Hong Kong, with all the busyness and demands of having one or two full-time working parents and a newborn (or toddler, or more) opening their home up to me, allowing me the freedom to connect so lovingly with their kids. Without sounding corny, there is something so sweet and so real about these few hours I get to spend with these people — because that’s what they are — more than just clients, they are people with lives that are unique and precious, and I’m the lucky girl who gets to capture these milestone moments in time for them.

Whew, talk about an intro! And there’s nothing better than a repeat customer…er, person. So when Sandy (whose family I’d photographed only a month earlier) reached out to me about coming over on a Wednesday afternoon (a breath of fresh air from all those weekend morning shoots!) to celebrate her son, Jayden’s 1st birthday as a friend with benefits, I was so down.And so it was only a few days ago when I made a reappearance at the lovely, feng shui-ed out Midlevels home of Sandy and Barry for miracle baby Jayden’s big 0-1. It was a gathering of boys, with friends Victor, Maximilian, Christian, and 小虎 (translation: “Little Tiger,” I know!) and their mommies all taking time out of their busy schedules to ring in J’s birthday in the way all little boys do: with Thai food and Sift cupcakes, of course.

Four helpings of Pad Thai, stuffed fried chicken, mango with sticky rice, and one cupcake later, we were one satisfied bunch. Seriously, who was the real customer here? So lucky to be doing what I am doing.

Some photos from the afternoon: