Sunday, March 2, 2014

Ray + Elisabet + Owen + Mila = Happy Family



My first visit to Elisabet and Ray’s house was two weeks before the family photo shoot. I will never forget that first visit in this beautiful Victorian house: filled with aroma of insense and Stacey Kent’s jazz song playing in the background. Elisabet prepared some croissants and tea, served on vintage plates, forks and tea cups. I could not help but disturb the peaceful ambience with my loud voice:” I really like you house! I collect vintage plates and tea cups too!” Elisabet laughed at me, and shown me the design details of their house. From their choices of furniture, to the natural sky lighting from the ceiling, this is the perfect home to live in.

Elisabet and Ray met in an architecture firm ten years ago. Ray is now running his own architect company, www.krisnacheungarchitects.com.au, and Elisabet owns a boutique selling recycle luxury goods  on Toorak Road, www.secondo.com.au. I adore their house – simple yet cosy. I agreed with Elisabet when she said: "a house should be a place that you love to hang out.  Elisabet has a very good artistic taste, you can tell from the decorations of the house to her clothing.

On the day of the photo shoot, I spent two hours busily shooting between the kids and every single detail/drawing in the house. It was a very happening two hours for me - one minute Mila would be running in the hall way, the next minute Owen would be telling me about his drawings, and then Mila would show me her favourite story book which is Snow White… Two hours is enough for me to experience how it’s like to have kids haha!

In hall way, there are drawings of Ray hanging on the walls. I love his unique drawing style, the portraits of Elisabet that he did, there’s so much love in it. What make the house more meaningful are the drawings of the kids that are hanging beside their dad’s drawings. I notice that Owen is gifted in drawing and building  stuffs, it must have been inherited from his parents. He is a very smart boy.  The kids grew up in an environment seeing their parents designing houses and building models,  that probably have indirectly influence them. I guess one of my kids will grow up to be a photographer too, one who is greater than me haha!

It was dinner time after the photo shoot, Elisabet kindly asked to me stay for dinner. Cute little Owen and Mila also said me to:” Wei Wei~~ Stay~~” And Mila presented me a Hello Kitty bandage. I will keep it in my camera bag forever as my lucky charm.

The third time I visited to their house, I got to spent some quality time with Mila. She asked me to read her story book. Oh my, I was so surprised, because this was the very first time in my life a kid asked me to read her a story book! Hmmm, I started to worry if I couldn't pronounce the words accurately. Mila probably never know that actually I am very shy to hang out with kids, I really don’t know how to communicate with kids. But all my worries were useless, her request was so pure. Now I understand when Jesus said, only kids can enter the kingdom of God, because there’s no one as pure as children. Surprisingly Mila is a very social person, she actually entertained me a lot haha! Thank you Mila.  I wish I can share here how Mila calls me: “ Weei~Weiiiiii~” Oh, my heart melts every-time when she calls me so. I will never forget the way she writes the alphabet “G”, and her alphabet “J” was mirrored.

To Ray, Elisabet, Owen and Mila, thank you for honouring me with the opportunity to take photos for you, and trusting in me in making your photo album. Thank you God for this wonderful happy family, I wish them all healthy and happy always :)