A few years ago I noticed that a lot of the photos they showed on the screen during the slideshow when they introduce the honorees were not very well taken. Most women submitted grainy cell phone photos or dark or out of focus images. I thought I could make a difference for these women if I gifted them a session for themselves so they could have nice images to share during the slideshow, but also so their families can have nice images of them. The wonderful ladies at BFC jumped right on and got William Edge to volunteer to give the ladies a makeover before their session.
Ever since then I've been welcoming the honorees into my studio with their hair and makeup looking fresh and pretty and feeling good about themselves. Getting a makeover and a photo session is a pampering experience and many of these women have never had that experience.
It also gives me a chance to meet them and get to know them so I'm better able to photograph the event by focusing on them and their families and friends.
It also has introduced me to some really good friends. I've stayed in contact with most of the women and consider many of them my friends. One of them is even one of my close book club buddies now!
This blog is actually about a week later than I wanted to write it. I needed to gather my thoughts to discuss something with you that I had a hard time with last week.
They showed a memorial section at Bras for a Cause last week and some of the images of women showed who have since passed away in the past couple of years were my images. Seeing these faces on the big screen one after the other was like being told an old friend passed away. And then hearing that another old friend passed away. And another. Somehow I'd missed the news on these women and seeing their faces hit me hard in that moment. I held onto my camera and tried to put myself back into the moment. I had a job to do. I was supposed to be photographing the slideshow and the audience reaction to the slideshow but it was hard to focus through tears.
I had to pull myself togetther.
Fortunately, most of the women I've photographed for Bras for a Cause are survivors. They fought cancer and they're in remission. But as you probably know, once you fight cancer, the fight continues for the rest of your life. You're always at risk for a return.
These are some of this year's honorees that I had the honor of photographing in my studio.
Each and every one of them is a beautiful person and a beautiful soul. I can't wait to see the friendships with each of them grow.
Lisa On Location Photography
