A film cake smash by Po Chi Fung Photography, specializing in lifestyle and documentary photography in Washington DC and Maryland (Kensington, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Takoma Park).
A small birthday gathering on instant film!
I love instant film. My sister gifted me the mini instax when E was born, so I've been using that a lot since. I recently purchased more instax wide film my for instax 220 and I've been wondering why I wasn't shooting more of that! It is so nice to have larger photos.
M's first birthday party was rescheduled due to rain and half the household being under the weather, but we still had a really nice and intimate celebration with the immediate family, his nonnie and his paw paw, my sister, and our favorite aunt emma who brought a delicious cake. Sadly, I forgot to take a shot of our grilled lobster, boo!
I highly recommend getting an instant camera. They also make a ton of super adorable albums for instant film. My favorite place is www.mochithings.com (I am not affiliated with them!). There is something so great about having these tangible little photos. E loves to help me wave them around and do the Polaroid dance!
Shake it like a polaroid picture :)
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac
A Black and White Film Friday
I shoot a lot more color film than I do BW film nowadays but what drew me to film initially were the classically beautiful black and white photos that we see from artists such as Vivian Maier and Ansel Adams.
Since I just got a few rolls of black and white film back, here are some of my favorites :).
Film stock: Acros 100 (accidentally rated at 160, so pushed 1)
Processed: The FIND lab (Chris Kale is the BEST).
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac
E's birthday celebration on film
Oh, where has the time gone??? When E turned 2, we started a tradition where J and I both take the day off work and plan a fun birth date to spend some quality time with the birthday child. This year, J planned the whole day and it was pretty awesome. We started with dropping M off at daycare, picking up donuts and eating it at the playground. The playground playing did get shortened A WHOLE lot because of an urgent potty break. But then we had ample time to head to the Maryland Science Museum, eat a lunch, take a nap, and take some birthday portraits. Some pics!
I hate to admit it but you guys are the cutest.
This is blurry but I love this, because this reminds me of how hilarious and strong-willed you are. We are going to clash over many things over my life time, but good god, I love you, E!
REMINDER TO SELF: I will NEVER push Portra 400 in 35mm ever again.
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac
A recent family session with Brianna and her family
This is my third time photographing Brianna and her immediate family. It means a lot when a client welcomes me back for another session, and it means even more that she reached out to specifically get photographs of her kids with their grandparents. How lucky these kids are to have grandma and grandpa loving on them. In a day and age where so many of us live away from our parents, it just feels like a treat to have some of these shorter-lived memories preserved.
Here are some of my favorites from the session. Thanks for having me photograph your family again, Brianna!!!
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac
Letters to our children | April
Hey ya kids.
What's been going on? We had a blast celebrating Evie's birthday at the beginning of the month with lots of good friends. Your father had knee surgery about a week ago to correct some knee issues that he's been having for a while. Evie, you've been (most of the time) a good assistant in caring for the patient and being really understanding that he can't give your shoulder rides for the time being. You ask almost everyday whether or not his knee is fixed, it is quite sweet. It was somewhat of a rough transition having your dad suddenly be out of commission in helping reign you two little monsters in but in all of this, I am thankful for having quality time to really spend with the two of you together. <3
Evie - you are testing your limits everyday, including limits to our patience. Some days when I lose my marbles, I raise my voice because I can't handle it. I hope you take my apologies seriously because I am truly sorry. You are extremely persistent in asking me for treats every day when I pick you up from school. I appreciate you wanting things and happy that you keep trying but that doesn't mean I'll always give in! Oh yeah, yesterday when I was with you in the women's bathroom at a restaurant, you said something super profound. You said, "mama, this bathroom is really big, isn't it?" I love you honey boo.
Max! You started walking on your sister's birthday...not to be outdone huh, buddy? You are toddling around the house, with your arms up on your sides and with a wide stance, as if you own the ground you walk on! Your walking style has been described as sumo wrestler and cowboy-like. You love laughing and being rowdy with your sister and baba. Whenever you guys get rowdy at the dinner table (i.e screaming with joy and egging one another on), I am always part disgusted (1%) and part happy (99%) that you guys are my family. You are growing up so fast and I am trying very hard to hold on and enjoy every second of it.
LOVE YOU GUYS,
Mama
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac
Film Friday
Coffee mug in hand, music playing in the background...I am ready for another film Friday. Are you?
Some photos from our adventure down to the Natural history museum and playing tourist walking around downtown DC.
Also here are a couple of random ones from February and March. This photo is probably one of my favorites of Max and my father.
On the right photograph are blossoms from the cherry tree in our backyard. I can't believe it is three years old now...I still remember Jeremy planting it in the backyard just a few days after Evie was born. Ah.
Happy Friday, everyone :)
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac
Letters to our children | March
Alright guys, spring is finally here and we have fun birthday parties coming up. EEK!
Evie - I just sent you off with 12 vanilla cupcakes with strawberry frosting and a bag of veggie straws for your little birthday party at preschool. The excitement on your face was worth all the energy I put into each one. I can already imagine how wide your smile is going to be when the teacher brings them out and it makes me so so happy. Your dad just came home and said he offered to stop the car so you could eat a cupcake. But you said no and that these cupcakes are for your friends and teachers. HAHA. Evie, I'm so excited that we'll be taking you on a 2 on 1 day trip tomorrow, we don't get a whole lot of that dad/mama/Evie time these days, do we? It seems your second year of life flew by and in some ways it is really bittersweet for me because I missed so much of it caring for Max. A part of me wishes I had just brought Max along to more of your outings but I think I was also just trying to figure out how to care for a little baby again and keep my sanity. I'll make it up to you, promise!
You are looking more and more like a little girl. Even when I search and search your face for signs of baby, l fail. And you are definitely talking more and more. We love asking you to tell us stories, so you've been telling us stories about Joe the doggy and all sorts of other wild imagined things. I'm not much of a storyteller but I will remember for always the night we lied down when you asked me to tell you a story and I told you about us taking Joe to the beach. And how Joe sat on my lap in the front seat with his head out the window, his ears flopping in the wind. You told me it was a good story. That might have been the best thing I've accomplished. Love you.
Max - The long wonder week seems to finally be over! No more intense screaming and crying every time I walk out of your sight! You and I had a short Max and Mama trip to California last week, all by ourselves. It was for Mr. Zabel's memorial service. He was my math team coach when I was from 5th-8th grade. I pray that you and Evie will have teachers and mentors as amazing as he was, that would make us all so lucky. I think you had a good time with your paw paw, gong gong, and Aunt Ying Ying and you loved all the attention! You're cruising a lot more, babbling, and eating more solids. You love watching your ga je, jumping in the crib with her, yanking the mouse off your dad's desk, and chewing your sippy cup. You are calm and relaxed, enjoy alone time, and can giggle the best giggles in the world when you feel like it. Your glare and stoic looks are also well practiced by now.
My babies - there are so many tiring days where your father and I hum and haw at the dining table talking about the injustices of our world...but because of the two of you, there are so many many more moments where I thank the universe that we have your giggles to live off of. Thanks for bringing meaning to our lives.
Love, Mama.
*Po Chi Fung is a Washington DC and MD lifestyle and documentary family photographer serving Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and Potomac