Is it November already? The year has just whizzed by, hasn't it? And soon, the malls will be all beautifully decked out, and joyful carols will be playing. It's just one of my favourite seasons - Christmas!

Presents will be a-plenty and I'll be home celebrating and remembering His greatest gift to us.

At Christmastime, it's all about family togetherness, gift-giving and receiving. Celebrate this beautiful season with photos for your family, or gift a session to your loved ones. 

In the spirit of giving, when you sign up for a session, you will also receive the following from our friends.

A choice of 2 accessories & RM50 Voucher

A babies & kids online store selling quality baby equipment, wooden toys and lots of pretty accessories.

RM50 Voucher for balloons for your event needs

Puffing up happiness, one balloon at a time. Beautiful balloons for all occasions.

Family is a little world, created by love.

Loud infectious laughter and a huge heart for God - Winnie and I were part of the same all-girls life group, while I was in Perth. We also served in the Children's Church (Inside Out) for a number of years.

She now has an energizer-bunny little boy who makes cute grunts, indicating 'yes' and who stole my heart this visit back to Perth. It was so amazing that even after a decade, our conversation was easy as we picked up where we left off.

In true Winnie fashion (super sweet), she emailed me this after I shared her gallery with her:

Thank you so much for the photos , they are absolutely beautiful and looking at them brought tears to my eyes... We don't have many family photos as we don't get a chance to take them with all of us in them and these are the only family photos we have to date and they look amazing. Thanks for taking them, you are an amazing photographer and person.

Thank you for being an encourager and for sharing your family with me. Looking forward to our next catch up sesh over yummy cheese platter xx

I'll be travelling again, this time to Melbourne and Singapore! If our dates fit, and you would like some portraits taken, give me a shout! Very limited sessions available.

Home is wherever I'm with you.

Bathers Beach at Fremantle holds a special place in my heart, as it was where BLee & I had our anniversary portraits taken, just last Spring. For Anthony and Jessica, it is even more special as it was where they went on their first date, as well as where Anthony popped the question, to ask Jess to spend her forever with him.

It was a beautiful sunny winter morning when we did their portraits. There was lots of laughing, jokes, cuddles and of course kissing!

During the session, Anthony & Jess clued me on a little secret... they just found out they were pregnant! #excitedsqueal. They wanted to do some pregnancy 'announcement' portraits, so we rounded up the session with some. Anthony & Jess, you guys are going to make a gorgeous bride and groom, as well as awesome parents!

The first pregnancy is a long sea journey to a country where you don't know the language, where land is in sight for such a long time that after a while, it's just the horizon...
Emily Perkins

When Sheryn first contacted me, I felt an instant connection with her. She was warm, friendly and down to earth. Meeting her for the first time during the session, I discovered that we had a lot of things in common - we were wearing the exact same necklace!

She was every bit the beautiful, gorgeous glowing mother-to-be. I was blown away by the love J has for her, as he laughed and posed for photos together with her, even though he must be quite jet lagged, after flying a plane (he just touched down from a very long flight). 

Hope you are adjusting well to the new baby! I cannot wait to meet the chubby little baby K. 

Dad...
A son's first HERO
A daugher's first LOVE

Papa, daddy, appa, pa, father, dad - call him whatever you want, they all mean the same.

When we were younger, he is the one who taught us to ride a bike, climb trees. He taught us about patience, as we wait for mom to finish shopping, bought us Macca's and ice-cream when she isn't looking.

As we grow older, when our allowance ran out, he became our ATM, our mechanic when our car breaks down in the middle of the road, and a locksmith when we get locked out of our new apartment, the first night we move out.

The list is just endless, what this superman in our life can do. Daddies are a big deal! 

Samantha Yong Photography celebrates Father's Day for the first time, this year. There was no better way to remember this awesome men, than by appreciating them with flowers and a family photoshoot - where they can be the centre of attention!

Teaming up with the happy people at Happy Bunch, a small contest was ran, and five families won a family shoot, with set styled by the gorgeous ladies of Pretty Little Things.

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All five shoots happened on the same day, in two different locations - Lake Gardens KL and Desa Park City. #superwoman. Thank you families for participating and being such awesome fun to photograph. 

A family who laughs together stays together.

Lots of easy laughter and cheeky smiles with this gorgeous family.

Little Z who was turning 2 (at that time of the session), was just a huge bundle of energy. Despite the park being very new to her, she fearlessly ran around, picked up leaves, and humored me by sitting under the tree, all by herself! She would laugh herself silly, play peek-a-boo, and do a little dance. She was just such a joy to be around. The hour whizzed by so quickly.

.... and this photo is one of my favourites! I love seeing little children folding their hands, trying to keep their eyes closed, and bowing their heads to pray. 

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22: 6

Love and togetherness - key ingredients for family life!

Remember this little girl? I first photographed her when J was just a cherubic 4 month old. They were back from the UK, for a visit with family. Now this little tyke is a year old and she is a baby no more. Little miss J has become a girl, with one of the sweetest dispositions.

The family was back in KL over the Raya break. They decided to celebrate her turning ONE with another session. And I'm so honoured that they chose me again. 

It's been more than half a year since we last met. But when I walked up to her and first said hello, she gave me a big, gummy smile, as if we were the best of friends. Ten minutes into our session, she reached out her arms and wanted me to carry her.

'This is J being moody.' her mom, Su Ann told me at the end of our session. I can only imagine what her normal self is like! 

We took some photos in the park, before heading for a good cuppa at Good Golly Miss Molly, one of my favourite coffee haunts.

Photography takes an instant
out of time
by holding it still.
- Dorothea Lange

I grew up with photographs. From baby headshots to birthday parties, kindy graduation to uni graduation - I had multiple images of every one of life's milestones. These also appeared in family albums or framed on the walls at home.

Perhaps the reason why we had so many photos was because my family's business is in photography.  But I reckon, one of the main reasons was that we wanted to remember those oh so fleeting precious moments. 

I'm very glad to have opportunities  to celebrate life's milestones with a number of families. A frequent portrait request I get is to celebrate babies turning the grand inquisitive age of one! One of which is from first time mother, client-turned-friend, Mummy MinD.

She shared that she wanted photos to remember her baby girl's smile as well as the little things she loves doing at this age - like dancing to the catchy tune of chicken dance. 

It doesn't matter that you are not here in person
as long as you're here in my heart.
- The Little Prince
(Antoine de Saint Exupery)

Maintaining friendships are tough, especially when your life, like mine, has been a series of movements - from one country to another, one continent to the next. For someone who is really bad at keeping and staying in touch, I'm so much more grateful for friends who make the effort. 

From her quirky-cool dressing and easy laugh to her level-headedness, Kim is that special friend. You know that friend who knows what you are thinking, without needing you to verbalise it. The one you know would have your back no matter what. She is also someone who isn't afraid to call me out when needed, provide encouragement and who genuinely listens.

A vet student then, she and I would never have met, if it wasn't for Japanese class at Murdoch University. After being an animal doctor for the last couple of years, she has hung up her stethoscope, and is pursuing something she loves - illustration. She is also a Creative Director who is making clever happen.

As I enter into a crossroad in my working career, she draws from her own experience and has been giving me gentle prods and lots of things to mull over. However, whatsapp and facetime conversations can only go so far. On a spur of the moment, I decided to go on a solo trip to visit her in Melbourne.

There was lots of coffee (tea for her) and good food over even better conversations

Despite the distance, the time difference, our crazy schedules - thank you for always making time and being there.