Images for a Cure welcomes Jacksonville, FL photographer Scarlett Lillian! Ok, so she was actually my third official photographer to sign up, but we’ve been a little slow in giving her the grand welcome she deserves

It takes a special kind of person to share their life story with so many people – friends, colleagues and even complete strangers – but this year, Scarlett’s life has been an open book. She inspires photographers from around the world with her romantic style, light and color. She is always giving herself, whether it’s hosting a “Spend a Day” to let photographers pick her brain, speaking at PartnerCon this year, or helping raise money for Breast Cancer research – Scarlett has a huge heart to help others.

It has been a blessing to know Scarlett and to have her help us with Images for a Cure. She is a woman of great faith, great love and great passion. My sincerest appreciation goes to her for all of her help in recruiting photographers for this event. I couldn’t have done it without you, and I’m not sure I could ever thank you enough.

Website: http://www.scarlettlillian.com |  Blog: http://www.scarlettlillian.net

Why did you want to get involved with Images for a Cure?
I was so excited to hear that this great organization was being formed.  Cancer has struck very close to home for me.  I recently lost my father to lung cancer, and my mom and her mom are both breast cancer survivors.  This disease needs to be stopped and I’m thrilled to be able to use my camera to help contribute to this great cause!

How has Breast Cancer (or any cancer) made an impact on your life?
When my mom got diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, it truly opened my life to how short and precious life is.  From that moment on, I stopped taking things for granted and started living every moment to the fullest.  Though I had a great corporate job at the time, I realized life was too short to be stuck in a job I wasn’t passionate about, so I took the leap of faith to branch out on my own and pursue my heart’s dreams.  While my mom was going through chemo, she asked that I document a photo journey of her doctor’s appointments and cutting all her hair off.  I never imagined it would one day lead to now having the career of my dreams as a photographer, and it’s such a honor to be able to document the special moments in life for other people.  When my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and was told he had six months to live, I suddenly wanted to document every moment and put life on hold.  It completely changed the way I saw photography and how it captures history in a single image.

What is something you don’t share on your blog or in your tweets?
I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve.  What you see is what you get.  It’s not just a photography blog, but a photo journal of my life.  I love sharing about my love for Jesus and all He’s teaching me as He holds my hand leading me through this journey called life.  I believe in keeping it real, sharing the good times and bad.  In writing about hearing the news of my dad’s diagnosis, I was so blessed by my blog readers for their sweet prayers for my family and their outpouring of love in a time I felt completely numb.  They stood in the gap of where my faith was at the time, and I wish I could give each person a hug to say thank you!  It was a great reminder that there is so much goodness circulating in this world, and when I heard about this organization, how could I not give back?