As we all know this messy economy has all of us pretty focused on survival at least in the short term.. but more than likely in the long term. If you are anything like us.. speaking in reference to EmeraldLight.. which includes at the least myself.. Elizabeth and Beth.. you need to keep the checkbook locked down pretty tight. Turning over rocks.. big as well as little ones.. is a daily occurrence. After awhile all of your back-burner projects are caught up and your To-Do list has been reduced to a couple of lines.. what are you to do with the extra time in a day? Knocking on doors with a portfolio in hand seems rather fruitless and personal projects feel rather selfish.
Back in November of ’08 I had something fall into my lap that I truly had to follow through on. I was given a business card by one of our client’s business managers. Apparently he had been to a luncheon and had a brief conversation with the Public Affairs person from the local chapter of the Red Cross. He had expressed to the Red Cross individual that he knew a photographer who might be able to help them with telling their story. Upon receipt of the card it did not take me long to make the decision to at least make the call. Within a week.. Elizabeth my assistant and I.. had a meeting with the local chapter and the result of that meeting was very positive. I signed up to do what I could in creating imagery that would go hand in hand with their programs. In the hopes I could assist in bringing them more community involvement and also provide recognition for their unsung volunteers. As a bonus my assistant.. Elizabeth made the decision to go with the whole enchilada and donate her time as well.
That was November of ’08 and it is now darn near the first of July. We are having a blast and at the same we believe we are doing our part to contribute to a wonderful organization and cause. Since day one we have produced several great projects all involving wonderful people. Our first opportunity put us in the position of photographing a gentleman that has 61 years of volunteering with the Red Cross.. simply amazing. Next up we produced a one day photo shoot that involved capturing a very good cross section of the people that volunteer their time on a regular basis. Currently we are working on photographs of individuals that have gone way beyond their normal everyday lives and duties and significantly contributed to the well being of another human being at a time of extreme need. Now we are meeting a whole new group of people that are not necessarily volunteers of the Red Cross.. but have contributed unselfishly to help resolve a bad situation. Pretty moving stuff.
This is silly, but it would be great if I could somehow manage to transcend time.. then have the “transporter” drop me back into my space.. only a few years back. Of course I am only interested in returning with the full knowledge of what the Red Cross stands for and how it works. It feels like I have lost a few years of helping out in some way and would love to regain them. But since that is not possible I have to give it full throttle from here on out and contribute as much as I can. Since the Red Cross is not funded by the government, only “John Q Public” and the donations that they make.. whether that come in the form of a dollar here or twenty there. Maybe even a thoughtful company might get involved. Then of course there are those that provide the manpower to make things happen at the time of need. The drivers who shuttle blood in the middle of the night during a blizzard.. the army of cooks and bottle washers who feed thousands at a disaster. How about the folks who teach CPR to school kids.. that they may save another kid’s life when he goes under at the public pool. The list goes on. Then here we are.. EmeraldLight.. trying to show in a photograph what these people give of themselves.. pretty difficult to do.. showing their heart and soul is beyond monumental and I can only hope to show you a glimpse in the photograph.
It has been such a blessing to have each of you (William, Elizabeth and Beth) work on behalf of the Willamette Chapter of the American Red Cross this past year. We have worked in a variety of challenging locations with an assortment of personalities with one consistent outcome, unique images which capture the essence of each individual.
You have efficiently met challenges without compromising the integrity of the finished product. In fact, you shine as creative problem solvers who are incredibly nimble in your ability to transport the viewer into the intended visual experience. Your work has been instrumental in bringing the work of our volunteers to the attention of our community through increased media exposure.
You listen to our requests, understand what we are looking for, improve upon our ideas and hold fast to your commitment to deliver our work as promised.
We are delighted that this world class team has chosen to support our work locally and nationally as part of our network of disaster relief workers. Your work illustrates that there is nothing stronger than the heart of a Red Cross volunteer; for it is you who carry a spirit of compassion and generosity to the people we serve. Our volunteers are on the job 24/7, making our community a better place to live, work, and play. THANK YOU for bringing light to that!
Margaret A. Sanner
Public Information Officer
Willamette Chapter American Red Cross
Salem, OR USA
Margaret…
Thanks so much for the really great words. By you offering your positive thoughts it gives me renewed enthusiasm to continue producing photographs. If I was the only one looking at my “stuff”… then it would get pretty stale. By sharing and then hearing back either constructive criticism or “glowing” thoughts truly makes my day! Right now I want to go and pickup a camera and do something fun with it. Seriously!
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