So how was everyone’s August?  I guess it’s not technically over but somehow I’ve convinced myself that this is my first post of September.  Well not really but it worked out quite nice that the purpose of this post was for an announcement for something exciting that I will be organizing for the next four months.  It is tied closely together with an opportunity for our community to come together and bless each other with blessings and compassion.  I have always wanted to have the opportunity to give back to families with my talent.  A couple of years ago I was deeply motivated to become a volunteer for an awesome organization.  We are Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS).  Luckily our group of other awesome photographers have only had to answer the call of service a couple of times to families in our area.  We photograph the wonderful miracle of a child’s life and sometimes the life they never get to experience.  I’m not sure how a family can deal with losses like this.  Being a man of faith, I know the only way for me to over come something like that would if God was by my side the entire way.

I have experienced through NILMDTS the beauty and honor it really is to be trusted with the memories of a family and capturing that wonderful moments in the short time they have.  I have thought for quite a while about doing something similar for my community in our beautiful Central Coast.  It came to a point that I had to just do it and trust that my community, all of you,  would support my effort to give back.  I need your help with this.

As defined in Wikipedia: “Compassion (from Latin: “co-suffering”) is a virtue —one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism —foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.”

What a wonderful definition isn’t it!  Let’s open our hearts and look at our neighbors with compassion.

Starting in September and through October, I will start accepting nominations to find a family that needs the gift of family portraits.  Portraits to help bring peace, comfort, happiness, smiles, and blessings. I know I too often take for granted my heavenly blessings and I try my hardest to not do that.  All families deserve beautiful portraits too!  Often they are too busy with their tough situation or with all the time they spend serving others, to think about something like family portraits.  This is where all of us, the community, come into the picture and get involved.

I love this classic family portrait of the Spillers!  This is another sneak peek from their recent session captured in Downtown Monterey at the City Hall.  You four are so blessed and have such a beautiful family!  I think baby Sophia is the happiest out of everyone.  What do you think?

I want you all to begin thinking about a family in our community that could use the happiness and joy that comes from being blessed with a great gift.  Contact Me with your family nomination and tell me why you feel they deserve a family portrait session.   Along with receiving a portrait session, my family is going to bless them with a package of prints to fill their home with memories.  After all nominations are in, Elizabeth (my wife) will select at random, the family which was nominated and we will contact them to schedule their design consultation and session.  They will be able to enjoy their prints by Christmas!  The more nominations a family receives, the greater their chances of being selected.  So remember to share this post with your family and friends.

Family is very important to me and powerful images are just as important.  Capturing artistic images has just as much impact for some families compared to classic family portraits.

Include in your nomination:

• ALL of your contact information
• As much contact info as is available of the family you choose to nominate
• Short description of why this family deserves this gift – Are they selflessly involved in the community?  Do they help the needy when they themselves are in need?  What makes them special in your eyes?
• What would you say to the family you nominate if they won?  How would you explain to them why you nominated them for this gift.

Enter your nomination here.  Thank you to everyone in advance for your warm heart of compassion and your nomination.  I hope this ends up being a wonderful blessing to our community and the family selected.  I know my heart will be blessed so I look forward to this being a success.

All parents should have images of their children when they are getting along with each other.  It may only happen once every year so we might as well capture it when it happens!  I’m just kidding because Sam is such an awesome big brother and having awesome parents is how I stay optimistic for our younger generations.  Captured in Laguna Grande Park, Seaside, CA.

This turned out to be such a beautiful classic family portrait of some good friends, the Mastria Family.  We captured these in Carmel, CA.

Another wonderful family portrait of the Peters Family at Laguna Grande Park in Seaside, CA.  Such a wonderful location with many combinations of backgrounds.  I remember getting this shot.  I had just sprained my ankle about an hour prior to starting their session.  They had to witness me hobble around but I didn’t let it stop me from making sure I got every shot I wanted.

Another favorite of mine of the beautiful Makanani Family.  What a joy it was to just have fun with another family and capture their love and happiness together.  There’s is no hiding it!  We spent the afternoon at Monastery Beach in Carmel, CA.

Let’s work together to nominate great families so that I can have the opportunity to capture portraits for them.  Thanks for visiting the blog today and taking the time to read this exciting announcement.  I know it was a little long but you hung in there.  Thank you!

Please Contact Me if you have any questions.  Have a wonderful Sunday!