As promised, this week I am going to feature each photography related charity that I actively participate in. The first charity I am featuring is very near and dear to my heart. Inspiration Through Art. Through ITA I am connected with children suffering from a chronic illness. We provide photos free of charge for their families to mark this part of their lives be it, remission, recovery, time for surgery or to preserve their memory for their families when they pass on. Meeting these kids can be gut wrenching, but they are all so amazing, and you walk away with a new connection to some of the strongest kids and families you will ever meet. You can connect with ITA on facebook here .
ITA goes beyond just photographing these kids. If you are not a photographer, you can still participate in this program. The connection with these children doesn't end with their photos. They can be paired with someone who sends them a birthday box and/or other boxes throughout the year if they are hospitalized or homebound. They also give away mini getaways for nominated families. Donations are always welcome to help keep the program running, if you'd like to help in that way.
I will leave you with a couple of photos from my own ITA photo sessions ... First up ... Aleigha. This little girl has been through so much, but she is always so spunky and cute and with God and Pink, she can do anything! A little princess for sure :) You can read Aleigha's story HERE . It goes way back. She's been in remission, but right now, she's battling another kind of cancer so keep her in your prayers!
Next up ... Meet Grace. Grace was adopted by this amazing family, and she had several things going on... Graces' parents contacted me when she was going to be at Riley for surgery for her CHD. They wanted this time in their lives documented. They were so great and fun to meet. You can read more about Grace and her family HERE ...
And then, something I wasn't prepared for ... my own daughter was able to benefit from ITA. I chose to be the photographer who did her photos, but I applied because ITA is great about getting those stories out there, and the more we can learn about the different things children can suffer from, the better. My daughter was diagnosed with CHIARI MALFORMATION and went through decompression surgery about 15 months ago. She is doing great now. You can read her story HERE.
ITA goes beyond just photographing these kids. If you are not a photographer, you can still participate in this program. The connection with these children doesn't end with their photos. They can be paired with someone who sends them a birthday box and/or other boxes throughout the year if they are hospitalized or homebound. They also give away mini getaways for nominated families. Donations are always welcome to help keep the program running, if you'd like to help in that way.
I will leave you with a couple of photos from my own ITA photo sessions ... First up ... Aleigha. This little girl has been through so much, but she is always so spunky and cute and with God and Pink, she can do anything! A little princess for sure :) You can read Aleigha's story HERE . It goes way back. She's been in remission, but right now, she's battling another kind of cancer so keep her in your prayers!
Next up ... Meet Grace. Grace was adopted by this amazing family, and she had several things going on... Graces' parents contacted me when she was going to be at Riley for surgery for her CHD. They wanted this time in their lives documented. They were so great and fun to meet. You can read more about Grace and her family HERE ...
And then, something I wasn't prepared for ... my own daughter was able to benefit from ITA. I chose to be the photographer who did her photos, but I applied because ITA is great about getting those stories out there, and the more we can learn about the different things children can suffer from, the better. My daughter was diagnosed with CHIARI MALFORMATION and went through decompression surgery about 15 months ago. She is doing great now. You can read her story HERE.
So I don't think I ever blogged my beach session. Being from Indiana, this is something I only dream of for my clients, but my daughter is a softball player and last summer her team went to Nationals in Panama City, FL . As much as I LOVE watching her play softball, I was most excited about getting my kids out on the beach for a photo session. Now all of my fellow photographers know how difficult it can be to photograph your own children, and in the back of my head, I knew it would probably be tough, but the excitement of trying something new kept me optimistic. I took them shopping to find the perfect outfits and perfect color combinations for the photos. I am actually really proud of the way I coordinated their outfits. They looked so great together!
So the day comes that we are going to do photos. I researched the area to find the best beach and everything. Meltdown #1 happened because my daughter wanted to hang with some friends instead of going on our photo shoot. Meltdown #2 the daughter again, didn't like her dress... melt down #3 ME. In tears because nothing was going as I'd hoped and we hadn't even hit the beach! ha! So we finally make it there, and of course I get the typical photographer's children response. No one wants to touch each other or stand close, kids making funny faces, the little one was obsessed with the ocean waves and kept running out in them *sigh* after about 30 minutes they were all DONE and I felt like I got absolutely nothing ... buuut they don't call me a photographer for nothing! I got home and was pleasantly surprised with what I had to work with. Yes, some of them are silly, but they are all "MY KIDS" and I can't wait to get these on my walls because THIS is how I will remember my children when they are grown ... fun, silly, fighting, laughter, chaos and I wouldn't miss a second of it ... So here are a few of my faves from that crazy day! *Oh, and all that being said, I would LOVE to do a beach session with a family that is not mine, so if you are looking for destination photographer, definitely get in touch with me!
So the day comes that we are going to do photos. I researched the area to find the best beach and everything. Meltdown #1 happened because my daughter wanted to hang with some friends instead of going on our photo shoot. Meltdown #2 the daughter again, didn't like her dress... melt down #3 ME. In tears because nothing was going as I'd hoped and we hadn't even hit the beach! ha! So we finally make it there, and of course I get the typical photographer's children response. No one wants to touch each other or stand close, kids making funny faces, the little one was obsessed with the ocean waves and kept running out in them *sigh* after about 30 minutes they were all DONE and I felt like I got absolutely nothing ... buuut they don't call me a photographer for nothing! I got home and was pleasantly surprised with what I had to work with. Yes, some of them are silly, but they are all "MY KIDS" and I can't wait to get these on my walls because THIS is how I will remember my children when they are grown ... fun, silly, fighting, laughter, chaos and I wouldn't miss a second of it ... So here are a few of my faves from that crazy day! *Oh, and all that being said, I would LOVE to do a beach session with a family that is not mine, so if you are looking for destination photographer, definitely get in touch with me!
Did this session Thanksgiving weekend. What GREAT weather we had! I couldn't believe how warm it was... perfect :) And these guys were lots of fun too:)
This was another beautiful fall day at Falls Park in Pendleton. Such a great location for photos!
So much fun with these two! My daughter and my cousin's daughter. They have grown up 5 hours away, but have become good friends despite the distance :) Love our family! Here are a few of my faves ....
