Morning friends! Man, I can’t even describe the past couple days. We just finished up holding a workshop through Photography Concentrate, and it was incredible. The photographers we met and connected with were truly amazing people, and to share our insane love of photography with them was the best thing we could have asked for. So I’m already in this slightly emotional state of mind, and now I’m sitting down to write this post. This could get mushy :)
You may remember the portraits we took of the Wiens Family; an absolutely beautiful group of people full of love, and undergoing some challenges in life with their little boy, Kortlandt. He is still fighting, and we saw him running around Ronald McDonald House at our last visit.
Well, that shoot really really inspired us. Not just inspired us, but motivated us to do more. So we met up with Jessica, the amazing Fund Development Officer at the House, to chat about how we could be involved more. We said that we wanted to try to shoot a family every month, and now that’s exactly what we’re doing! I can’t even begin to thank Jessica and all the other employees at the House. They have been working hard to make this project happen, and we are truly truly honoured to be working with such an amazing organization. More and more we’re seeing that great things can happen when you team up with people who love what they do!
So this month we shot Jeremy and Ida. And wow. Wow wow wow. This was an experience for us, and I’m positive we came away profoundly changed.
Sadly, Jeremy suffers from an inoperable brain tumor that is causing increasingly frequent seizures. He is the only child of Ida. And they had never had a “good” photo taken of the two of them. I can’t tell you how happy we were to be able to do that for them.
You see, despite the sadness of their situation, they are so filled with love that it knocked me backwards. Jeremy was quite shy, and didn’t want to look at the camera too much, but that didn’t stop him from telling his mother that he loved her. All the time. They shared butterfly kisses, belly laughs, looked at clouds, and just enjoyed spending time with each other. It was truly powerful to sit two feet away and watch them, and really be drawn in by the connection they share. (I told you it was going to get mushy :) But I’m totally serious, when you’re that close, you really do feel it.)
I hope by looking at these images you’ll know just what I mean.
Looking at the clouds.
We found a heart.
And a galaxy.
We used our Fuji Instax to take a couple photos for them. The effect those simple photos had was really incredible. We found the same when we traveled in Peru. Digital cameras are fun, and showing people the images on the back is great, but it can’t replace the tangible feeling of holding a photo in your hand. We took a shot of them, then let Jeremy watch it develop. He very quietly whispered “Magic” and my heart exploded. Photography IS magic.
Then Rob got Jeremy to shoot a photo of his mom. I hear the entire House has seen these Instants, he is really quite proud of them.
We also got to chat with Ida a bit after the shoot, and hear about what Ronald McDonald House means to her. It’s not a house, it’s a home for them in a very difficult time. She doesn’t have to worry about anything except Jeremy, and I can’t even begin to imagine how valuable that is. So if you feel like giving, Ronald McDonald House is truly an amazing organization.
Lauren :)
FitroPokdreewq 5 hours, 46 minutes ago
looguecen 1 day, 7 hours ago
AdultHentaizz 6 days, 2 hours ago
marcela 6 days, 22 hours ago
Have fun and enjoy this new adventure!
angela 1 week, 3 days ago
so much fun:)
free style roadtrip? awesome adventure:)