I know it is only supposed to be one blog a day, but who made that rule? Anyway, I have gotten all of the approvals needed and I am officially a photographer for OpLove. Check out my OpLove page!
http://oplove.ning.com/profile/JenAvrilRaeShannon
Operation: Love Reunited May 22, 2009
On a daily basis, I read through the Pictage forums learning about problems other photographers face and how they resolve the issues, interesting facts, etc. It’s a great place to ask questions you may have too. Recently Pictage added a new member to their staff, Jim Collins, who has been an inspiration to so many of us photogs. Today he posted on the forums, reflecting of his past travels involving encounters with soldiers but one part of his forum post struck me, almost to tears (it is pretty tough to make me cry).
“I was on a plane two years ago when the pilot asked us all to sit back down at the gate because there was an escort on the plane taking the remains of a fallen soldier home. We sat in rapt silence as he stood, straightened his uniform and walked down the aisle. If there was a dry eye on the plane I didn’t see one. The pilot shook his hand at the door and went outside on the tarmac with him. Many folks just sat and watched as the baggage handlers carefully removed the casket from the plane. “
The thought of this just broke my heart. I can’t imagine what families go through when a fallen soldier is brought back home. He posted the below link and these photos almost brought me to tears as well. Those of us who have never experienced such a great loss or such an honorable loss will never truly know the emotion of losing the soldier you love.
http://www.toddheisler.com/#/FINAL%20SALUTE/0/
My father, Jerry Gist, was a soldier in Vietnam. I am very blessed and happy to have him in my life. I couldn’t imagine growing up without a father and I can’t even begin to imagine the overwhelming sense of loss someone who had a father now feels knowing they have to grow up without a father who died fighting for our country.
So, with all of this being said, I decided to apply to become a photographer for Operation: Love Reunited. Someone on the Pictage forums posted about it. Operation: Love Reunited is a non-profit organization that helps military families in times of deployment. As a photographer for Operation: Love Reunited, I will have the opportunity to support U.S. Military families by offereing special sessions with a patriotic edge during their enlistment, focusing on deployments– before and more importantly, after, at their reunion when the deployment has terminated and the soldier is safely home– usually in an airport. I will waive all fees of any kind, including sitting fees, and will send a 4×6 printed album of the pre-deployment or family images to the deployed soldier, at no cost to the family, once he or she is stationed. The families are not obligated to purchase anything.
“Our military members give so much to us. They will leave their children at the drop of a command, sometimes not being able to say where they are going or for how long. They do all this… for us, and they expect nothing in return but to come home… safe.” -OpLove
http://oplove.org/
As a photographer, I look for ways to give back to my community. My talents lie within photography and photography is so meaningful. Photography is something tangible that freezes a moment in time that a family can remember forever. Please also consider donating to Operation: Love Reunited.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend and remember our soldiers.
Jen Shannon Photography, Chicago Lifestyle Photographer
