I can’t believe it’s already been a year. Wow, time flies.

And boy, do I need to apologize about the delay in getting Images for a Cure up and running this year! I’m soooo excited about what the future holds for our little event, and this year, I took some time to go through a major overhaul of the event. New logos, buttons, marketing materials – and coming very soon, a brand new website. I was hoping to have the site up before launching registration, but it got delayed just a bit and now we’re looking to launch it Oct. 1 with a brand new crop of sponsors, photographers and beautiful ideas.

Last year, I spent about 70 hours a week for 6 weeks prepping the event, promoting, doing paperwork, fixing and updating the website and blog, and of course, hosting my own sessions.When the Director of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation called me after the event to congratulate us, I was so proud to be a part of such a ground-breaking event. When I was asked to continue the event, there was absolutely no way I could say no.

But this year, I knew I just couldn’t do it alone (not that I was alone last year, but probably should have delegated a bit more… ). Running my own budding photography business has taken a lot of my time, so I reached out to a group of local photographers who stood by me the whole way this year. They’ve been a valuable resource for me, and I honestly couldn’t have done it without them. So, from the bottom of my heart – thank you so much.

Some changes you’ll see this year include the incorporation of Images for a Cure, a new website and logo – done by Karrie Pyke Designs, and a brand new website that we’re currently working on! We’re also going to be planning a workshop for Spring 2011 to start planning and ideas for next year.

We have 3 levels of participating photographers (platinum, gold and pink). Each level has some amazing benefits and will help us support this amazing event. So please review the photographer participation media kit and see which level best suits your business.

Also, we’re getting ready to file official non-profit status before the end of 2011 (fingers crossed!). It’s a huge undertaking – but I know we can do this!

I can’t do it without the amazing photographers and sponsors that participated last year – so I’m asking to join me, again, to do something amazing for our community. Be a part of the second annual Images for a Cure. Help us support the event and our amazing charity.

Download the complete Participating Photographer Media Kit here

Ready to register? Click here to join us!

If you’re interested in sponsoring this year – please email me at info@imagesforacure.com. The new Sponsorship media kits are being finished up and will go out mid-week. This includes anyone in the industry, bridal blogs, coordinators, etc. Thank you so much for helping us achieve our goals and supporting our amazing group of photographers!

Thank you, a hundred times over. I can’t tell you how proud I am of being a part of such an amazing community of artists.

We accept all kinds of sponsors from makeup artists, videographers, industry companies and private individuals. We accept sponsorships through donations to either Images for a Cure, Inc. (for start-up costs and support), our First Giving page (going directly to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, and prizes and services for our participating photographers. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, and would like more information, please email Kristen at info@imagesforacure.com.

If you’re ready to make a donation to the Start Up costs for Images for a Cure, Inc., please use the Donate button below.

If you’re ready to make a donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® via our First Giving Page please use the link below.
http://www.firstgiving.com/imagesforacure

 

 

http://www.imagesforacure.com/participate

A special thanks to Amanda McMahon for joining me to eat Rolos, wear my Snuggie, and perplex over the boy in the balloon. Oh yeah, and she also helped to draw the names, keep track of the winners and make phone calls! We shot the intro and winner’s announcement on her Canon 5D Mark II and Ryan Poirier graciously edited them to make our video! Because of the length of the drawing, we didn’t record each individual drawing – we figured it wouldn’t be much exciting anyways But be sure to watch to see if you’re a winner!

*If you won a prize that you already own, or have, kindly let me know so I can draw another lucky winner!
**SmugMug winners cannot currently have a SmugMug account already. Due to this, the winners may be different than I announce in the video. Scroll to see updated list.
***Winners, please contact me to claim your prize or account details! Must claim within 14 days or another winner will be drawn.

SmugMug Pro Accounts
Diane Johnson, Diane Johnson Photography
Connie Rollins, PhotoArt by Connie
Joe Sanfilippo, Joe Sanfilippo Photography

SmugMug Power Accounts
Brock Lawson, Brock Lawson Photography

SanDisk Extreme III Cards
16GB: Jennifer Ring, Jennifer Ring Photography
16GB: Melissa Tirado, Tirado Photography
8GB: Neil Cowley, Make Love Real
8GB: Mark Doescher, Mark Doescher Photography

Collages.net $250 Print Credit
Jolene Grizzle, Snapshots by Jolene

Shootsac and Baroque Cover
Amy Dungan, Amy Dungan Photography

Totally Rad Actions
TRA 1: Brooke Lowther, MaddiePie Creations
TRA 2: Deborah Montgomery, Deborah Kaye Photography
Dirty Pictures: Amanda McMahon, Amanda McMahon Photography

Adorama
$250: Ann M. Ruttle
$150: Laura Leslie Thompson, Laura Leslie Photography
$150: Allen Taylor, Allen Taylor Photography

FMN Design, Album Design
Susan Prater, Designs by Prater
Taryn Williams
Brent Michael, Photography by Brent Michael

Jennifer Frances Professional Retouching (2 Images Each)
Jenn Hyman, C&C Photography
Doug Hilton, Doug Hilton Photography
Nicole Benitez, Perfectly Posh Photography
Christy Penn, Christy Penn Photography
Paula Herko, Splendid! Photography

Zoe’s Collection Camera Straps
Crystal Balazik, Little Lane Photography
Caroline Sullivan, Creative Photos by Caroline
Stephanie Reinish, Mel Stephens Photography

Rockstar Imaging (5 action sets)
Tod O’Driscoll, O’Driscoll Photography
Clark Lara II, Clark Lara Photography
Chad Webster, Bowen Rain Photography
Diane Kovach, DB Impressions
Chris Shepard, Shepard Photography

OneWed.com – 1 Year Platinum Vendor Listing Grand Prize
Sara Kauss, Sara Kauss Photography

Photographers, don’t forget about the awesome donations made to ALL of our photographers!
I’ll be sending an email with discount codes and how to redeem these prizes in the next day or 2.

15% Discount on AdoramaPix Photobooks (limited time)
20% Discount on Jennifer Frances Retouching (until November 11)
Colleges.net Unlimited Posting account for 6 months
Collages.net $25  Print Credit

A HUGE thank you to all of our amazing sponsors! I can’t wait until next year, and I hope you’ll all participate again!

My favorite part about organizing this event, has been hearing the amazing stories from other photographers. I got this email tonight, and wanted to share

Kristen,

This is the McElhenny Family. Mom, Dad, and 6 siblings. Their beautiful mother was diagnosed 7 years ago nearly to the day of the Images for a Cure Event with Breast Cancer. She is a survivor!  Her birthday and wedding anniversary were the following day. Her beautiful children and husband decided to surprise her with a photoshoot in honor of being a Breast Cancer survivor. They came from just outside of Baltimore, Md to see me in Woodbridge, Va. 2 of the kids came in from out of state to surprise their mom and to celebrate…her. She had no idea where they were going or what the day held until they pulled up to where we would meet. Tears streamed down her face as she sat in shock, surrounded by the love of her husband and children.

We laughed the afternoon away as I imagined what it must have been like to grow up in their home. One full of love, life and dreams.

I send this email to celebrate you. You have touched so many lives with your vision for Images for a Cure. I am honored to be part of your vision and spread the cause that so dearly touches lives across the world daily.

Thank you for an amazing opportunity to support this great cause.

Always,

*Nicole

www.perfectlyposhphotography.com
www.perfectlyposhphotography.blogspot.com

You can see more of Ryan’s work at http://www.ryanpoirierphotography.com!

The team of the day – Christina and James from In Motion Video Productions, and my 2nd shooter, Reema!

My first session was with Jessica and Tim, recently engaged and so much fun!

My girl, Reema – rocking out her Canon!

Christina and James

Eye-level with my second little clients of the day, Sky and Wes!

My assistant, Angie, helping Wes

Wes is “popped-collar” cool

Ryan really got the essence of their session in this shot. Wes made that face all day, and Sky looked like a little angel

Oviedo is known for their chickens, which, yes – run rampant all day.

I should make a note not to hunch over when I shoot sitting down. In my defense, I was about to fall backwards down that hill.

I’m not sure how Ryan thought he’d get out of this one… I had to share the end of the session – Ryan made a new friend

Yes, I did a quick wardrobe change due to the insane heat for my third session, Melissa and Sean. I actually love this shot of us

Here’s my view of Melissa

I <3 Ryan for capturing this. It’s gorgeous.

My shot

Look how much fun we had! Melissa’s face says it all

I’m so excited to announce our 22nd sponsor of Images for a Cure – SmugMug and SmugMugPro! SmugMug allows photographers the opportunity to upload unlimited images, and share or sell them via their SmugMug site! In conjunction with their print service, SmugMug has created a service aimed at professional photographers. Professional accounts have the ability to add custom watermarks to their photos and add additional forms of image protection. They can also sell prints and digital downloads of their photos through the SmugMug interface with their own custom pricing.

This week, I connected with the fantastic Markham from SmugMug! This guy is awesome – and has graciously donated 5 awesome prizes for our giveaway!

Courtesy of SmugMug, we’ll be giving away (3) 1-Year Pro Accounts and (2) 1-Year Power Accounts!

Now, the only thing is that you must be a new customer to get these prizes, so we’ll be drawing for these next Thursday (before the big drawing on Friday) so that we can be sure to select photographers who don’t already have an account. We’ll contact you if you’ve been selected for this prize (more details to follow).

I wanted to thank Markham and all the fantastic people over at SmugMug for this amazing contribution and for their continuous support of our talented and dedicated photographers! I know they’ll all be excited to hear about this!! Thanks!

Ladies and Gentlemen – It’s Time.

Can you believe it’s already October? Here we are, right around the corner from this amazing opportunity and event!

To my photographers: I’m so proud of all that you have accomplished in this short amount of time. I’m honored and extremely humbled to be a part of this group of doers. You have all shown me the most amazing strength, courage and commitment. I’m blessed to have met all of you.

In times when the economy is tough, families are struggling and day to day life isn’t as easy as it seems, I have been touched by our clients and sponsors, who have given their money and time to this important cause; who have supported our efforts and truly been the heart and backbone of this organization. Without them, we would have been a group of photographers, aimlessly wandering Facebook.

As we draw near the close of this event, we are reminded every day at the tragic effects of Breast Cancer, and I can only hope that our contribution makes our statement loud and clear. We want to find a Cure. We must find a Cure.

This is only the beginning, and we will continue to fight.

Whether it’s in the donation of money, time or talents – we are not obligated to be a part of the battle – we desire to be part of the battle.

I am proud to announce that as of today, October 6, 2009, we have exceeded our donation goal of $5,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

However, I am even more proud to announce, that this will not stop today. Even as I write this, donations keep popping up in my email. Let’s continue to support, continue to book our sessions and I hope our final numbers surpass our goals tenfold.

So I challenge you, photographers, to continue to promote your event. If your sessions are sold out, reach out to other local participating photographers to send referrals. If you’re struggling to book sessions, keep your head up and push through.

And I challenge you, clients, to get involved! If you can’t do a session yourself, help spread the word among family, friends and coworkers. Call that long-distance cousin and ask them to get involved! We can all help – nothing is too big, or too small.

We’re in the final stretch, and with 239 participating photographers across 44 states and 3 countries – our opportunities are endless.

It is with a great deal of love and faith that I leave you today, with the courage to make an impression, and the hope to pass along our accomplishments to our own children; that they never know the battles of so many before them.

Thank you for your patience, and thank you for joining me.

Kristen Weaver
http://www.kristenweaverblog.com

Collages.net works with over 10,000 professional photographers across the United States and enjoys strong partnerships with Professional Photographers of America (PPA), Disney Weddings, and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS).

Now, they can add Images for a Cure to their list! This amazing company provides online workflow, printing, product, design, and marketing solutions for professional photographers. Their products are amazing, and their customer service is superb!

So let’s cut to the chase!

Collages.net would like to contribute the following to all of our participating photographers: (did you hear me, I said ALL!)

Free Collages.net account for 6 months where they can post the images from this event

PLUS a $25 of print credit to our collagesColor lab

And if you didn’t think that was awesome enough, one lucky photographer will also win a $250 print credit in our Photographer Giveaway!
I’m ecstatic about this! The company is amazing, their contribution is awesome and their support of our photographers is incredible.

I can’t say it enough; not only am I so blessed to have these amazing photographers who are so willing to give themselves and their time for this cause, but I’m in awe over the amazing number of sponsors who are contributing their products, talents and hearts. Thank you, 100 times over, for everything you do for this cause! – Kristen