Vancouver Family Photographer | Saturday Morning with Ah Gong

Vancouver Family Photographer | Saturday Morning with Ah Gong

I think my favourite part about being in a home of the elderly is seeing their collection of photographs over the years. A mantle stuffed with picture frames and knick knack souvenirs and a cabinet overflowing with more of the same. Cards, photos, and artwork, tacked on to make an epic collage with no care for equal spacing or visual aesthetic, but yet fit together so perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle.

It pulls at my heartstrings seeing life come together through these faces. Each and everyone of these photos are speaking to me, sharing stories from years gone by.

Like this wall you see in this story of Ah Gong and Ah Ma. It is dripping rich with family history. I could stand there for a long while studying the details of each frame and wondering how they are related or connected to these two gentle beings.

Alice's Ah Gong (maternal grandfather) has been through some bumpy roads where his health is concerned. There is nothing like the possibility of loss to make you realize how precious the remaining days with a person can be. The good news is, he is in the best hands for treatment, and we are all hopeful for the best outcome.

In the meantime, weekends are like this for Ah Gong and Ah Ma. Their children and grandchildren come to visit, and fill this home with the smell of sweet waffles and california strawberries. They sit around the dining table and share stories about their youth with eager listeners. Once in a while, Ah Ma will give Ah Gong a reassuring squeeze of his hand, or an embrace. Seeing their love language expressed that way makes me wish I could have met my grandfathers, and perhaps seen affection shared between my grandparents too.

As we descended to the level below for late morning chinese tea and karaoke, Alice and her sister relive their favourite childhood moments. Playing with Ah Gong's miniature tea set that was given to him by his mother, knowing full well the trouble they would get into if they broke it. Pulling all the couch cushions off to build their fort, leaving only one for Ah Gong to sit and watch television. The naps they used to take in the next room.

It made me miss my grandmother's home and the smells and feels of the space. I cannot wait to see my 98-year old Ah Ma again and study the photos lined up in the glass cabinet in her living room.

Thank you Alice for having me there to share in your family's morning traditions and for bringing me back to a place in my childhood full of fond memories like yours. I am truly grateful and blessed to have you as a friend.

To book a session with me for a birth, newborn, family life story, or travel sessions, simply contact me and we can start chatting about what’s important to you and your family to remember, years from now.

Saturday Morning with Ah Gong from Felicia Chang Photography on Vimeo.