In 2021, I first worked with the Yan Family just as they took custody of their daughter, Bomi. Not only was this the height of the pandemic and the middle of winter, but it was an extremely emotional time for the family. We met up for coffee a day before the session to slowly introduce yet another new person to the young lady ahead of our photoshoot. Slowly, I managed to get her to peer around her pram at me and eventually we managed to smile at each other. At that moment, I knew we’d be fine for our upcoming time together.
The next day started just as slowly while she got used to the fact that I’d be spending time with them again. I had brought along some chocolate mushrooms for the shoot, just in case things weren’t going as well as we hoped. Thank goodness, I did! They saved the shoot and distracted a very tender heart just long enough for us to get some fun moments shared between her and her parents. Two of my favourite moments from the day involved sharing the chocolate mushrooms and playing a new game we made with her bottle. We parted ways after taking a quick selfie together in front of Gwanghwamun to commemorate the day.
Fast forward three years and an email lands in my inbox from Jennifer asking if I’d like to photograph their family again. Without hesitation, I cleared a spot in my calendar and picked up a box of chocolate mushrooms for the shoot!
What a difference time makes. We were free from the pandemic, the weather was much warmer in the late autumn, and Bomi had settled in with her parents and really come into her own. Her sparkle was no longer flickers between other emotions, but on full display for the world to see. I knew this session would involve all the things we couldn’t achieve at our last photo shoot.
Meeting up with this family, despite having only spent a couple of hours together in the past, was like meeting old friends. We immediately slipped into conversation and skipped between photo spots without a moment’s pause. Autumn’s gorgeous light was in full swing and, although we didn’t have too many leaves remaining, we made the most of it to augment our previous session with some lovely moments.
We wound up our session in the rows of columns surrounding the throne room at Gyeongbokgung. We had ended our previous session their as well, but by that time, Bomi was very much ready to go home. So, this time, we made the most of that beautiful space and created the images we’d hoped to the first time.
I can’t thank the Yan family enough for entrusting me with their first moments together and also inviting me to continue documenting their journey together. Being able to share pure laughter and lighthearted moments with them has been a real treat. Bomi’s character and growth is a testament to their love and dedication as parents. These things combined made for a very easy day at the office!
If you’d like to have your own family portraits here in Seoul, please don’t hesitate to reach out! If you’d like to see more of my work, you can also check out my Year in Review posts and follow me on Instagram. Oh, and before I forget. A selfie to document this time, as well!
