Livin' the Dream - a Flashes of Hope story

I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know a brave little five year old, Justin Miller, who has neuroblastoma and is fighting it like a superhero! I have photographed his family, twice, through two different programs....first a year ago at Denver Children's Hospital through Flashes of Hope, and now this winter through a local Breckenridge Program, Domus Pacis. Flashes of Hope is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing powerful, uplifting portraits of children fighting cancer and other life threatening illnesses. They have 30 branches around the country and rely on volunteer professional photographers.

Justin has certainly captured my heart, and I figure I was meant to join his support team. There is a benefit for him in Denver on Sunday April 26th, and this Channel 9 News story from yesterday gives the details. (click on the video link in the top right corner)





The fundraiser is this Sunday from 2 to 9 pm at Clement Park and is being organized as a senior project for Michael Spitzlberger of Bear Creek High School - another Coloradan who has met Justin and couldn't HELP but join his support team!

Justin is such a beautiful little spirit - you can see it just lookinig in his eyes! He tells his mom that he's "Livin' the dream." Learning to ski this year, meeting some of his favorite Avalanche players - his photo is even on the home page of the Colorado Avalanche website! If you click on the Children's Hospital link you'll see more of him!

He has spent several weeks in New York City this spring getting experimental cancer treatments and one of my favorite stories is that he had a night that he couldn't be near his family because his body was "radioactive"....so Justin had to stay in his own "isolation room" and his mom was next door, checking on him regularly. Here's what she said about it:

Justin LOVED the isolation room!!!! He spent most of the night jumping from bed to bed and listening to music and watching TV. Anytime I went to check on him, he told me to shut the door because he is in isolation!!! WOW!!!!

You can read all about Justin on his CaringBridge website or check out this SLIDESHOW of his family in Breckenridge!

Flashes of Hope

This year I had the honor to photograph another dozen or so kiddos through the Flashes of Hope program. These photos are some of the most difficult childrens portraits I take every year but they are also the most meaningful photos I take every year.

Flashes of Hope is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating powerful, uplifting portraits of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. They have branches in 30 cities now and each month a different volunteer photographer spends a day at Children's Hospitals and photographs these beautiful kiddos!

The sessions are always free to the families, and they are given 10 black & white photos from the shoot to keep forever. Two 8x10 prints and the rest in smaller sizes.

Professional photographers can apply to help out online at the Flashes of Hope website! I highly recommend it!








These last three photos are of one of my favorite little buddies....I have photographed him twice now, once through Flashes of Hope and once through another Summit County program called Domus Pacis. With the coincidence of meeting up with him twice, I figure I was meant to become a part of his support team - and he has one HUGE support team! But you can see why....he's obviously an adorable 5 year old with HUGE personality!

Flashes of Hope - Giving a Gift of Photography

Flashes of Hope is a wonderful non-profit that brings me to the Denver Children's Hospital about once a year. There are 27 chapters of Flashes of Hope around the country, and hundreds of professional photographers have shared their gifts with families with children struggling with severe medical problems.

Flashes of Hope is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating powerful, uplifting portraits of children facing cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
The portraits, taken by award-winning photographers, help children feel better about their changing appearance by celebrating it. For families of terminally ill children, it's especially important to have a portrait that preserves forever the beauty, grace and dignity of their child.

There is no way to describe in words what this experience does for me each time, but I will try to describe it in photos....











The organization is always looking for more volunteer professional photographers and I promise it will be well worth your while! If you're a member of ASMP, there is no application waiting time.

The video that really convinced me to join Flashes of Hope was this one by Daryn Kagan. Watch it and it might change some things for you!

This Denver 9News Video Clip is also a more local view of what's happening with Flashes of Hope in Colorado and featuring Denver photographer Ray Ng.

New Years Thoughts about Photography.

As the New Year approaches, I think about what worked well and what didn't work so well in the last calendar year. Since I've read The Secret in 2008, I won't concentrate on what didn't work but will spend lots of positive energy on what I want to attract in 2009! Below I have some thoughts and photos of what I would like to do more of in the coming year....

More Yoga!
I have finally found yoga and love what it does for me, mind, body & spirit. Last year I decided to be more mindful in 2008 and I was! I've learned a lot about the yoga sutras and realize how great yoga is for me!

More Yoga Photos!
I had the opportunity to photograph some beautiful fall images of two local yoga instructors and absolutely loved the process! I am amazed by their talent & the way these images make me feel!


More Newborn Photos!
I LOVE photographing newborns! They are so precious! I am taking a workshop from Sandy Puc of Expressions Photography in February and look forward to more and more of these sessions that ALWAYS make me cry!


Getting Published More Often
In 2008 I had a first, getting wedding images published in a local resort magazine, Winter Park Magazine. I also had several images in the Capture My Colorado book & DVD that came out in November. I will have more of my photos published in 2009!

Photograph Weddings at my favorite Colorado wedding venues
I have a couple favorite places that I like to go myself to relax and unwind and I think they are BEAUTIFUL locations to hold weddings. My number one choice is Gold Lake Resort outside Ward, Colorado. I WILL photograph a wedding there in 2009.



The next on my list is Mt Princeton Hot Springs outside Buena Vista. I don't have a photo of my own from there - but that will change in 2009!

Giving my talents to worthy non-profit causes.....
I already do quite a lot of non-profit work, but there are a couple of worthy causes that really capture my heartstrings and use my talent in a way that really means the world to me.

Flashes of Hope - this is an amazing non-profit that works in 27 or 28 cities around the country, coordinating volunteer photographers to capture beautiful little faces of kiddos with life-threatening illnesses. At least once a year I head to Children's Hospital in Denver to do these shoots & it really is an amazing inspiring and absolutely beautiful experience! I would recommend it to all photographers!



Domus Pacis - Domus Pacis (latin for House of Peace) is a new non-profit in Summit County Colorado which offers free vacation rentals to families suffering with illnesses like cancer. During 2008 I had the opportunity to photograph 6 or 7 families that were visiting with this organization, and each are beautiful and inspiring and really help me to stay focused and stay in the moment!




Less stuff
This year I will make a smaller footprint on the earth! And that starts with one very small thing is that I bought quite a lot of new camera equipment in 2008 - some were gifts to me and some I pursued myself. I don't plan to buy any new equipment in 2009! Yippee! And I will follow the lead of other green photographers that I love.

Have a very Happy New Year and take lots of photos!
namaste!
- Kay