Entering the Final mile of the charitable photography mission

A brief but exciting update after the last post on this adventure (last post linked here)– J’s parents have kindly provided permission for the photo of ‘J’ to be used. I received the model release today. Next step… submission into the photo book. Then it’s up to the judges. J is the nickname I use for my subjects name to protect her identity.

It’s been quite the adventure tracking down the model release for this photo. From a photo made two years ago in Mexico.

I think I have yet to mention that the first time I mailed the package it was returned. A problem with the address it seemed. It sat in my office for a while as I decided if I was going to have one final run at it. Turns out I’d made some errors in addressing it to the school which ehow and a few other sites helped with remedying. So I made the fixes and sent the package out again.

I’ll post information on the book when it’s available, hopefully with the photo of ‘J’ in it. And you two will be able to buy a copy, and help us raise even more for charity. Here’s the 2011 book: http://www.photographersatmicrosoft.com/ 

Updated 10/23/12 with 2012 EXPLORE book cover with ‘J’s photo in the ‘X’ of Explore.;

Charitable photography mission–one step closer…

I am very excited to be able to post an update on this story, where I’ve been trying to track down a model release signature for a photo I took in Mexico almost two years ago so that I can enter it into a photo book to help raise money for charity.

Like I said, I’m excited, really excited.

So the package was returned. Seems you have to be very accurate with your addressing of items to Mexico. I did some further research, altered the address and resent the package. That was about three weeks ago.

Today I received an email. More after the photo….

A friend of the family of the girl (Let’s call her J) in the photo reached out! They wanted to clarify, get a little bit more information on what my plan for J’s photo was was. They, acting on behalf of the family, shared a photo of J and her family. Confirming the connection.

I recapped and provided a little more detail on the project;

I would like to submit the photo to be considered for entry into a competition to be placed in a Photo Book created by the Photographers at Microsoft which is sold to raise money for charity. I work for Microsoft in Seattle and am also an amateur photographer. Each year the photographers at Microsoft work together to create a beautiful book of photos. We have a competition where photographers submit 3 photos. There is a judging committee who select what they consider the best photos. Then these photos go into the book. We then sell the book to raise money for the Microsoft Giving Campaign charity effort. In 2011 we raised over $100,000 for the Giving Campaign and contributed to the biggest year in employee giving so far. Microsoft matches the funds raised by employees.

I explained how whilst submission didn’t guarantee entry I was confident it was up for a good chance. I also explained how the photo of J would only be submitted with the explicit permission of he parents. With the return of a signed model release.

Well that’s the update – with a bit of luck J and her family will be up for participating in the project. And then after that hopefully the photo will get selected for the book.

Say tuned…

Portrait Shoot

Today’s #365Project photo comes from the shoot I did for my friend and colleague Jack Elmore. We’ve been trying to get something on the books since February after he sort the shots I did for a few other work friends.

From his shoot I chose this for the #365Project;

 

Update: A charitable photography mission

Sometime ago I posted about this charitable photo mission aligned with the photographers@Microsoft project. Between life and all the other stuff I’m ashamed to say it took me the best part of half a year to get the final package off to Mexico but it sent it this past week.

I sent a package to the school with a letter to the headmaster, with a package inside to the family of the child-  hoping the headmaster knows the family. Both packages included a print of the photo enough cash for return postage and a promise to send the school and the family a copy of the book if the photo is selected.

It’s in the hands of the gods now!

I do love the photo and would love to be able to share it via the book.

Here’s the original post.

Here’s the photo;

Playing catch up on #365Project

A varied week in some ways, in others… i.e. B&W not so varied

   

   

   

Replicant #365Project #53

One of the reasons I’m so glad I carry my camera with me every day to work…

Nighttime Photo shoot

Photographing the photographer continues…. Was this Chas Jarvis’ crew? I don’t think so, even though it was a stones throw from his office. This group were having all sorts of fun taking photos of the city and doing some ‘model’ shots as well.

365 Project #24-Apple of my Eye

How this little fella can fail to appear at least monthly in my 365 project would be a mystery to me.

Surf, Sea, Sand, Solitude

Envision, prepare, observe, shoot… create. I really enjoyed the process of creating this photo. Some modest darkroom work to convey what I saw in the scene.

Breaking with Convention

Traditional western photography teaches us to appeal to our cultures left to right sensitivities in our composition. We do this by encouraging the eye into the photo where it is captured by something pleasing. We then work to keep the viewer in the photo, moving around it, pondering it.

I do love breaking with convention. Here our model is instantly blocking our eyes journey into the photo. Not only that she’s looking back off out to our left, encouraging us to go back to where we came from. Does the negative space somehow balance this out, forcing us to get lost in her gaze?

I’ll let you be the judge, and see if you like it as much as I do.