This month our photographer spotlight is shining on Rebecca of Rebecca Wyatt Photography. Rebecca is a former attorney turned mom of four who discovered her passion for photography during her early years of motherhood. Based in Baltimore, Maryland she is now a child and family photographer committed to documenting the adventures of family life. Shying away from the scripted and posed, she aims to capture life just as it is, knowing that for her real moments will always trump the contrived. She believes that our best work as photographers comes from knowing and accepting our true selves and allowing ourselves to be seen through our photographs.
How would you describe your photography? My photography is casual and fun, often filled with energy and drama. I create photographs that showcase the beauty of child and family life by focusing on a child’s individual personality and the intimate connections within a family.
What made you want to join The Gold Hope Project as a volunteer? My passion for photography comes from a sense of wanting to create something beautiful and tangible to document the things I love. In serving as a Gold Hope Photographer, I hope to give fighters and their families the same treasures I want for myself– photographs that captures and preserve the gift of life they are living today and the depth of their connection to one another. I want them to have something tangible that connects with their memory so that years from now, they will remember the people they were and the love they shared in a way that is both real and beautiful.
What is your favorite thing about being a Gold Hope photographer? My favorite thing is by far meeting the families, especially the fighters. I am always inspired by their strength and the depth of these families’ connections and their love for one another. These sessions always bring me back to why I love photography so much!
Has working with children with cancer changed anything in your life? Working with children with cancer is another reminder that every day is a gift from God. Our relationships with one another and our outlook are everything.
What is one thing you hope the families you photograph for the project can take away from this experience? he number one thing I hope families take away from the experience is a great memory of time spent together and the good feelings those memories resurrect. I always want my sessions to be a fun time shared together. When families are having fun, they will always look back on the images and remember the time the spent together and the good feelings they experienced. An imperfect photograph taken during a great moment–one where the subjects are happy, connected, and belong– is infinitely more valuable than a perfectly executed photograph taken during a time of stress, anxiety, or disconnection. I hope my clients look at the photographs years later and remember only the good from that day.
We are so excited to shine our photographer spotlight on Kacey of Kacey Norris Photography. Kacey is a natural light photographer currently located on Oahu, Hawaii. While she specializes in family portrait photography, her love of newborns makes her very passionate about fresh 48 and lifestyle newborn sessions, as well. Kacey was born and raised in Georgia, giving her a charming southern accent that is noticed and welcomed every where she goes. She is a military spouse of 14 years and a mother to four children. Kacey’s hope is that the portraits she creates will be enjoyed now and cherished in the future by generations to come.
How would you describe your photography? Bright, airy, fun and genuine. (Bring on all the sunflare!) I am a natural light photographer specializing in family portrait photography. My goal for each session is to capture the family’s genuine personality. The real smiles, the pure love and affection they have for one another, and what makes that family unique. It’s amazing what happens when you let the kids run and play and be themselves, that’s when the true magic happens.
What made you want to join The Gold Hope Project as a volunteer? I have always had a heart for children. In 2013 my dear friends’ 15 month old son, Jason, was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia). This was the first time that I knew someone personally that was dealing with childhood cancer. Seeing the struggles they were going through and sacrifices they were making completely changed me. I knew I needed to do something, not only for my friends, but for other families that were going through the same experience. It didn’t take long to realize that I wanted to provide these families with beautiful, priceless family portraits. This made The Gold Hope Project the perfect fit for me.
What is your favorite thing about being a Gold Hope photographer? Meeting these incredible little super hero’s and their precious families! Seeing the smiles on their faces truly brings joy to my heart in a way that I can not describe. For a brief moment, they’re not worrying about cancer, they’re just enjoying their family.
Has working with children with cancer changed anything in your life? Absolutely! There is no way anyone could meet these amazing children and families and not walk away a changed person. Family has always been number one in my life, but I now cherish every moment I have with my loved ones even more than before. I’ve learned to be more present in my relationships, giving all my attention when spending time with those around me. I’ve learned how to not sweat the small stuff and to focus on what’s truly important.
What is one thing you hope the families you photograph for the project can take away from this experience? My hope is that the families can look back at the portraits we created and feel nothing but absolute and utter joy.
We are so excited to share more about Brittany of Brittany Blake Photography. Brittany is a newborn and family photographer in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. She believes in documenting life in a way that tells a story, whether she’s working with clients or capturing her own children. Her motto is simple, “This Moment. Right Now. It’s Everything.”
How would you describe your photography? Honest. Joyful. Connected. The three words here are always on my mind while shooting. I am often seeking joy, but I don’t shy away from honest moments that are sad or real. I am documenting life in for others the same way that I document my own. I want to be able to look back at images years from now and remember exactly who we were in the moment.
What made you want to join The Gold Hope Project as a volunteer? I had seen The Gold Hope Project on social media and it really spoke to me, but what truly made me reach out to apply was when I connected with a friend from high school and started seeing her story over the years leading up to that moment. Her son has a rare blood disease and needed a bone marrow transplant, and by some miracle, his big sister was a perfect match. Their story impacted me in ways that I cannot put into words, because for the first time, it was someone that I knew. Shortly after, another friend’s son was diagnosed with cancer at four years old, and then another. It was heartbreaking, and I just knew that this was something that I could do to share the stories of these fighters, to share their love for one another, and to raise awareness that this big ugly word, cancer, is impacting everyday people, and children that we know and love. It was an instant decision for me, and the experience of photographing a child with cancer is so very powerful, and I don’t take a second of it for granted.
What is your favorite thing about being a Gold Hope photographer? My favorite thing is seeing the strength in the children fighting. Children inspire me every single day with their look on life, but sharing in the story of a child who is fighting so hard for a life that they have yet to experience is awe inspiring. The community of families who lift each other up and support one another in the darkest moments and the moments full of joy is also so inspiring. They are a family unit and fight together. I love listening to their stories and offering them a tangible memory of life’s beauty. Photography holds so much power, and I love sharing it through The Gold Hope Project.
Has working with children with cancer changed anything in your life? Well, it has changed my view on life in general. We take so much for granted on a day to day basis, we worry about the trivial moments, and stress about so much that won’t matter years down the road. Working with children fighting cancer has taught me to slow down and enjoy the moment more. It has taught me to appreciate the moments that we take for granted. It has changed my view on cancer research and makes me want to fight harder for more representation. It’s truly hard to put into words how the experience changes you, but you don’t leave the same person as when you walked in. It may seem that it would be sad, but the experience has taught me to celebrate life through photography, and share the authentic moments more than ever. I hold my children a little tighter and pray that we will find a cure every day.
What is one thing you hope the families you photograph for the project can take away from this experience? This is a big one! I want families to take away knowing that I am invested in them, in their story. That they matter, not only to me, but to so many people around the world who will be seeing their photos and reading their story. I want them to leave the experience knowing that their story will make a difference, and that their love is beyond powerful.
This month our photographer spotlight is shining on Ann of Dillybar Photography. Ann is a natural-light family photographer who loves those candid, in-between moments that happen naturally. Her main focus is on the “right now” in a family’s life and keeps things as light and as fun as possible because that’s when the best moments happen. She lives in Delafield, WI and believes being nice matters.
How would you describe your photography? Natural and Real. My favorite pictures to capture are those in-between moments. The moments when parents are looking at their kids, unaware that I’m still snapping family pictures. The moments when a child rests their head on mom’s shoulder or giggles while dad is playing with them. I’m all about connection and feeling the love. Those have always been the pictures I’m drawn to. I often joke that the best pictures happen after the session is “over,” but it’s true.
What made you want to join The Gold Hope Project as a volunteer? The fact that I couldn’t stop thinking about The Gold Hope Project after seeing a post about applying to be a photographer…it made me realize it was something I had to do. If I could use my talents to help a child forget about being sick for a moment, I wanted to be a part of it.
What is your favorite thing about being a Gold Hope photographer? Meeting these amazing families and the love that is felt at their sessions. My goodness, is there the love! I am forever changed since becoming a photographer with The Gold Hope Project.
Has working with children with cancer changed anything in your life? Definitely. It has helped me get better (I’m still a work-in-progress) at focusing on what really matters. It’s so easy for me to stress over my to-do list and not pay attention to what’s truly important. When I get home from a session, I hug my son a little tighter. He’s my world and I’m even more aware that worlds can change overnight, like they have for all the Fighter Families I have met. I don’t take what I have for granted because it could all change tomorrow.
What is one thing you hope the families you photograph for the project can take away from this experience? I hope that for a moment in their new “normal,” they were able to forget about treatment plans, hospitals, and scans. I hope families can look at their photographs and remember the fun and laughs they had together.
Our photographer volunteers are a vital part of our organization. We are lucky to have so many talented and selfless photographers giving back to our organization. This month, let’s get to know Heather Earle of Heather Earle Photography. Heather is an active hobbyist photographer in the Simcoe County area in Ontario, Canada. She is a quiet, observant person with an admirable amount of patience. She is thoughtful and yet spontaneous in her ability to capture the fleeting moments of the present to preserve memories forever. Heather has a unique perspective and is always ready for that moment you won’t want to miss. In her spare time, Heather enjoys running and interval training. She dedicates her volunteer work to the Gold Hope Project, helping families of children with pediatric cancer by capturing memories on their journey.
How would you describe your photography? I am a natural light, lifestyle photographer and can create lasting portraits from the unexpected moments.
What made you want to join The Gold Hope Project as a volunteer? My sister’s baby girl was diagnosed with Pre B-Cell ALL in October 2015. It has changed and impacted all of us in so many unimaginable ways.Lillian is a fighter and is on course with her treatment. Through my niece Lillian, I have met so many other children and being able to provide these photo sessions to them and their families allows me to give them something they might not otherwise have the time or resources to do.
What is your favorite thing about being a Gold Hope photographer? Meeting the children and their families.The strength and love I feel from them is immeasurable.
Has working with children with cancer changed anything in your life? When I am with other people I am a very patient person, but I do hurry myself through the day to day.Meeting these families has caused me to slow down personally and just take in the important moments in life, even the mundane.
What is one thing you hope to families you photograph for the project can take away from this experience? I hope that they can see that even in their struggles their love endures, their beauty shines through and their strength as a family surpasses all else.
A big shout out to Heather for volunteering her time with our organization. Want to join us? Apply here to be a volunteer photographer.
This month we are shining our photographer spotlight on Melinda Roth of Melinda Roth Photography. Melinda is a natural light photographer specializing in families, kids and newborns. She specializes in natural sessions for families that want to capture their love in casual and authentic moments and settings. She is based in Monrovia, Ca but servicing as much of Southern California as she can get her hands on!
How would you describe your photography? Candid and Authentic! I love meeting new people and documenting all their love, hugs and kisses. I believe in capturing the authentic moments between family members. The side glances, the silly giggles and the genuine love. Give me some natural light, a gorgeous sunset and people who love each other and I’m a happy girl!
What made you want to join The Gold Hope Project as a volunteer? I really wanted to be able to find a way give back with my work. I feel so blessed that I get to do a job that I love and enjoy, if I can give some one even a small gift like this when they are dealing with so much. It is beyond my pleasure. There is no point going through this life without lending a hand if you can. If what I do can bring a smile to someones face then I say, where do I sign up?!
What is your favorite thing about being a photographer for The Gold Hope Project? Meeting these fighters! I am so humbled and honored to meet these kids/young adults. Talk about a wake up call for not taking anything for granted and living each day to the fullest. Every fighter I have met gives me a bigger gift than I can ever give them. They have taught me more about grace, humility and love than I ever though possible.
Has working with children with cancer changed anything in your life? I definitely don’t sweat the small stuff as much, because at any moment the BIG stuff can take over your life and then what will you do? I try really hard to count all my blessings and be so thankful in every moment as opposed to always looking three steps ahead of what I have to do next, which is really hard for me. My family is the most important thing to me, I think most people would say that, but meeting these kids has forced me to really prove that not just think it. I had to really take a look at how I was living and slow down. Living each day like it’s your last isn’t just a cute quote for these families. I feel like this opportunity was the best slap in the face I’ve ever received so to speak.
What is one thing you hope to families you photograph for the project can take away from this experience? I hope that for one hour they get to just relax and giggle with each other. That maybe for a split second they can just be silly and not have to think about a hospital, or tests or shot’s. Hopefully when they get their images it will help them forever have a memory to hold onto that is beautiful. These kids are amazing and it’s worth capturing and documenting!!
How would you describe your photography? I am a natural light, lifestyle photographer and can create lasting portraits from the unexpected moments.
