yeung family photos // los angeles, california

After I posted my last blog entry, with photos of Kaitlyn & Matt’s wedding that were featured by Lydia on her blog Ever Ours, I realized that this was perfect timing for also posting her family photos on my blog.

Lydia attending my Good Vibes 101 class at last year’s Yeah Field Trip where I made it a point to share how important it is for us to take tally of the people who have influenced us most & to make sure that they know very well how much they have affected us… and she very intensely shared with the rest of us that her sister is one person whom she admires most, and why. And when I knew that I was going to be working in LA a few months after that class, I knew that I just had to photograph Lydia with her family. I had to know who these amazing people were who were responsible for bringing into this world a woman of such strength & passion… and upon meeting them I came to realize that love begets love, and I instantly & finally knew why Lydia is who she is today.

Lydia’s life has not been without sorrow & heartbreak these last few years, both in her own life & that within her family. They have lost more than I’m sure it feels like they’ve gained at times… I’ve seen Lydia’s heart break wide open, unashamedly. I love that about her. I love that she feels so deeply, and without the need to put on a brave face or tell everyone that she’s okay. She is fierce, and she is an inspiration, even when she doesn’t know it. I could not believe how lucky it felt to meet her family & to see how much love she has in her life… I was reminded, with such force I was reminded, that family is everything. And that to love & be loved in return should always remain the foundation of all that we go through together.

I know Lydia because she started a wedding blog, way back when, to showcase the work of wedding photographers & to have a place for weddings that weren’t all about the weddings… a wedding blog that was about the people & not just about the details (*gasp!*). Lydia’s blog really stood out among the rest, and she really put her heart into this blog of hers, and from it she created a community around the notion that good photos count, and that LOVE is what truly makes a good wedding.

Not only have I watched Ever Ours grow & grow without ever compromising its core mission, but I’ve seen Lydia use her blog as a way to bring people together in ways that spanned much further than just posting about weddings. Since 2011, I have seen her almost singlehandedly rally the troops of this industry to raise money for others in need; upwards of $100,000! And whenever I know that there is someone in our community in need of our attention or assistance, Lydia is always the first to talk about it, to make sure that they are not alone & to remind the rest of us to help in whatever way we can. I’ve never met a more passionate person in this industry, who again & again makes shit happen.

Anyway, I say all of this because the blog Ever Ours is about to go on an indefinite hiatus, so I felt it appropriate to give it a proper send off, especially considering that this was the very first blog that featured me about five years ago… so we go waaaaay back, and I couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of it while I could, and to know the heart that was behind that blog and to be able to call her my friend.

Love you, Lydia.