MOTHERHOOD IN FOCUS
Like most mamas, they have thousands of pictures in their virtual library, but rarely have any of themselves with their children. And I'm not counting all those selfies they are forced to take to give them some proof that they actually exist within the family. Time and time again, the feedback I get from my clients are from the mothers of these families. They are always so moved to see themselves in photos with their children. Because let's face it. More times than not, the mothers are also the picture takers.
As my business continues to grow, I have begun to realize that my clientele is drawn from a very specific income bracket, where services such as mine are easily affordable. However, there is a whole world of mothers who don't have the luxury to hire someone like me. I think about the mothers who live in low-income neighborhoods, single mothers in particular, who struggle to put food on the table. These women spend much of their daily lives away from their children, working low-wage jobs. In their fight to provide a better life for their children, there is certainly no room in the budget to hire a photographer. Thus, there is no proof, no tangible memories and simply no photos of them with their children.
I wanted to give these women something to smile about. I wanted to give them the memories they so deserve. Capturing images from their lives with their children, who they work so hard for, would be a truly memorable experience. I wanted to offer my services, free of charge, in communities where mothers are warriors for their children.
So, I teamed up with Disney's Babble.com to create Motherhood in Focus. This project allowed me to take photos of these families and print out photo books for them in time for Mother's Day. Shutterfly was generous enough to fund the albums! Twenty-three families allowed me into their homes to capture the most intimate moments of their days. These women and children are beyond remarkable, to say the least. This was way more than just a photography project, these families have taught ME what it means to be a better mother. It's been a life-changing experience and I hope to do this every mother's day in the future.
And who knows... maybe I can do single fathers for father's day!
Click on below link to see/read the full project on Babble.com
