Coming Home to Inay | Portraits at Manila Orchidarium

I’ve been photographing lots of young families lately, and have been assisting them on preserving their moments through print. While checking out my hard drive, I stumbled upon an old photoshoot that I felt was still relevant to share. Shooting weddings, portraits, and birthday parties, has really helped to grow my heart for families ( clients, and even my own as well).  Can you Imagine how big your family may be around 25-30 years from today?

Have you ever though that you may have actually given birth to the best of your friends? In truth, this really is, a Post Mother’s Day blog entry dedicated to moms of all seasons and ages 🙂 Someday, you’ll see your kids fly too, but you’ll always be in their hearts. You’ll see. 🙂

This shoot, is special because it is pretty much a home coming shoot. This is because most of the family members we photographed are already based abroad. For families who are close- knit, it’s quite unimaginable to be miles and miles apart. But this is the reality:

• Sometimes, family members are able to create roots abroad, where they grow new stories and milestones.
• Sometimes, children find employment or become part of businesses that match their own skill sets in a country other than their own.
• Sometimes, people just wake up and realize that everywhere, just feels like home 🙂

This is a great opportunity but unfortunately, this also means, reunions and gatherings that used to be just a phone call away, may become a rare occasion. Transitions and life events happen, yet, it still holds true that,  it is in our culture to stay connected with our roots.

When I asked our client May what inspired them to go for a big family shoot, she simply said it was a gift to their mother. They wanted to give her a complete family picture. That year, was the first time they were celebrating Christmas and New Year after a really long time, with “Inay”. Her sisters are now based in California while both she and her brother are based in Batangas. They all came to Manila for the Holidays and the photo shoot.

May shared with us that, as kids, they were all musically inclined because their mother is a Piano Teacher. All of them can play piano, plus guitar and drums so there was a lot of music and singing. Every Sunday was really a family day. Sometimes, they’d go to the beach near their place. Time together became less and less as each of the siblings went to Manila to study college and then one by one they decided to reside in the states. They now manage to still keep in touch through Viber.

She says that they were raised to be “strong willed and go-getters”, yet they were also brought up with a lot of love and respect for one another.  When asked about the top value that she’d want to pass on to the next generation, she says briefly —“The love for Family —OHANA!”.

We’re glad we’re able to celebrate this rare moment with their family. 🙂 If you’re reading this, we hope we’ve sown some seeds in your heart too. Love your family today:) 

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.”
― Hans Urs von Balthasar, Prayer

P/S Doing this shoot, also made me remember my loved ones abroad. To my loves in Canada, US, UK, Singapore, Qatar and Jakarta, I hope to hug you soon. 🙂