Halloween weekend kicked off to a great start with the Shih family!  Kathy and Sam have two wonderful children who have smiles that just lit up the grey skies!  Even though the rain came down at Vasona Park in Los Gatos, it didn’t keep the Shih family from playing in the fall leaves, tackling each other, and having family races across the park.  Now this is my kind of family!  Constant laughter, admiring smiles, and timid love between brother and sister.    I enter every shoot not knowing what to expect or what fun times lie ahead.  But it never fails.  The day is always filled with so much laughter that I leave feeling as though I have made friends for life.  This shoot really spoke volumes to me as it brought to my attention how much my own personality shines through in each image.  Photography has been another way for me to let my personality come out.  I don’t try and get the perfectly posed picture with the perfect smiles.  I strive to capture the connection between people, the imperfect, and emotions as they unfold naturally.  I find that the most beautiful images are the ones that evoke some sort of emotion…and posed pictures just doesn’t give me the emotion that I strive to get.  So my secret is playing with the kids, interacting with the couple, and creating an environment where suddenly it is as if the camera isn’t even there.   Not only does it make a world of difference in the images, but it is ingrained in every fiber of my being to have fun.  I was raised in a family with 3 brothers and a very goofy, creative, game-maker-upper dad.  It is no wonder that I find laughter as an expression of love between two people.    My goal every time is to capture the REAL smile, and that never comes by saying “SMILE!”  I love the challenge and I love the bonds that are formed in the process.   Thanks to the Shih’s for the fun memories!   I hope that The Little Mermaid and Batman’s sidekick, Robin, got lots of treats on Halloween!

Digital slideshow made with Smilebox