These Two Brothers

A few months ago, Laura reached out to me. She had a special request for a portrait session. She wanted to celebrate a one year anniversary. A year since one of her sons saved the other one’s life through bone marrow donation.

Rather than posting a few teasers on my Facebook page, I thought these boys and this family needed their story told. And Laura very kindly obliged, when I asked her to tell their tale.

Blake got sick out of the blue on Easter Sunday 2018. Before all of this he was a completely healthy kid. He was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. He probably got a virus and his body went crazy and started attacking his liver. About 6 months later whatever was attacking his liver started attacking his bone marrow. He was diagnosed with hepatitis induced aplastic anemia and had to have a bone marrow transplant. He needed to have a sibling match in order to go that route. Both his twin sister and younger brother were tested and his brother was a complete match. There is about a 25% chance for a sibling match. Jack was more than ready and willing to do this. On December 10, 2018 Jack came to the hospital for the bone marrow harvest and Blake got his cells that day. Blake is now 1 year post transplant and is doing wonderful! We see more and more of Blake’s normal personality every day.

I wanted to have these pictures done to show the significance of what Jack did for Blake and to truly capture the bond they will forever have. We also surprised our family with the pictures and gave it to them at a party to celebrate Blake’s one year anniversary.

When I arrived for their portrait session, I was greeted by three smiling kiddos: Super Hero and bone marrow donor, Jack; curly-haired, big brother to Jack, twin to Ashlyn, marrow recipient, and Survivor, Blake; and Ashlyn, Jack’s big sister and Blake’s twin. All three were ready for their close-ups (even Ashlyn, who was fresh from her soccer game.)

Super Hero, Jack

Super Survivor, Blake

We had a few giggles and made a whole bunch of awesome.

This was one of those wonderful days.

-Lindsey

Christmas Eve at the Ronald McDonald House

The Christmas/Holiday season is my most favorite time of the year. And one of my absolute favorite things to do during this time is to visit the Ronald McDonald House on Christmas Eve. It is a privilege to capture families coming together to celebrate the season. Some residents, some volunteers, some employees; all together to share the season with “strangers.”

Every Christmas Eve, one HUGE group of family members and friends team up to cook, bake, and provide one heckuva tasty dinner. The Hoeh family has been providing Christmas Eve dinner for the House in honor of the late matriarch’s son, who stayed at the House while he battled cancer. I believe this year marked their 20th Christmas Eve dinner.

Following dinner, the House kiddos spend some time with Santa and Mrs. Claus and receive their very own sacks of Christmas presents.

Trust me when I say that pictures do not do the evening justice. But please enjoy a small taste of the magic that is Christmas Eve at the Ronald McDonald House.

Mind the delay as I wish you all Season’s Greetings and wish you a Happy New Year!

-Lindsey

My Monday with Mr. McDonald

Another year has flown by and I once again found myself hanging out with one of my favorite corporate icons, for one of my favorite organizations. June 20th saw the return of the annual Golf Classic, benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Cincinnati.

As with previous years, it was a beautiful, hot, humid, and very entertaining day.

Yep, I got burnt. And I had a blast doing it. Until next year, golf course!

❤ Lindsey

 

 

 

My Monday with Mr. McDonald

Yesterday I spent the day on a golf cart with a very recognizable face…Monday was the Ronald McDonald House Golf Classic at the Kenwood Country Club. So from 9:30am to 6pm I rode around on a golf cart with Ronald McDonald and his assistant, Michelle.  Our challenge was to capture group shots of Mr. McDonald and all of the participating golf pairs.  Even after our cart’s battery died, and the man in the make-up had to push the cart up the very large hill did we still manage to have the most fun out of the entire golf course population.  (Eventually, he went for a replacement and I jumped out to push while Michelle steered -I’m not that much of a princess type.)

Along with the group shots, we took some promo shots for next year’s event (below.)

I don’t know; I think I’m pretty happy with them. 🙂

My Evening with Ronald McDonald

March 31st, 2012 was an evening devoted to a whole bunch of people that devote a portion of themselves to the Ronald McDonald House.  It was a big Thank You! party to honor the volunteers at RMH; it was at the Newport Aquarium; and I got to photograph all of it!I was invited to bring my family along to enjoy all of the festivities and they had a blast!  At one point, while most of the party-goers (myself included) were upstairs, attending the acknowledgement ceremony, the aquarium was left completely empty; leaving my husband and four year old son with the place to themselves.  As I was told, “[it was} pretty awesome, but a little creepy.”

The Ronald McDonald House is currently celebrating their 30th anniversary and likewise, acknowledging those people that have generously donated their time over the past several years (some, since day 1.)It was a wonderfully enjoyable evening that I hope to do again!And, Mighty Mike says hi!

My Spring visit to the Ronald McDonald House

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the Ronald McDonald House and the services that they provide, PLEASE visit their website and read up.  What an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G organization.  The RMH is a nationwide organization (and trust me, I do not do them justice with my brief description) that provides a “home-away-from-home” for families currently seeking treatment at a neighboring children’s hospital facility.  These families travel from all over the world to receive therapies and procedures for their children.  RMH provides them with a place to stay, food for their bellies and a community environment shared with other families in similar circumstances. Crazy-Amazing organization.

My first visit to the Ronald McDonald House (with camera in hand) was during last year’s holiday season.  Santa Claus stopped in to collect the kids’ wish lists and toy requests. He brought along some presents and a pair of dancing Christmas trees.  Each child took turns sitting on Santa’s lap and smiling for my camera.  It was a blast!

This trip (last Thursday) was to provide mini Spring/Easter-themed portrait sessions to any residing families that were interested.

So let me start by describing just how packed my mini-mini van was.  It was PACKED.  I had studio lighting, backdrop stands and backdrops (the folding kind and the rolled-in-the-tube kind.)  I had props like crazy.  It was Easter themed, so I HAD to have over-sized eggs and a basket.  I had my beanbag chair, just in case I had any new babies.  I had stools, blankets, faux fur rugs, flowers, my brand new, really cute baby flower cart, etc.  If it fit, it was in my car.  And if it didn’t fit, well I tried.

I borrowed a concierge cart to haul my studio goodies from the parking lot to the determined set-up area inside the Ronald McDonald House.  It worked wonderfully.  Although, if anyone was watching, I’m sure they got a great show.  There is a 45 degree (that’s a total guess) decline (to)/ incline (from) my car to the front door. The empty cart trip down to my car was a somewhat terrifying journey, with the cart trying to go much faster than my legs care to go.  The loaded trip up just reminded me how crazy it is that I can completely master photographing/chasing a two year old for hours on end, but somehow cannot handle a brief hike up a very small mountain for two minutes.

After I caught my breath and unloaded the cart, I spent a few minutes determining which equipment I was actually going to be using.  After all, these were mini-sessions, meaning that they would last about twenty minutes each, with about 5 minutes in between.  In a full studio set-up, you would generally use 2-3 lights.  With my available (ambient, very vibrant natural sun) lighting, I opted for a single, simple soft box.  The big purple bag could’ve stayed in the car after all.

I then decided that I really should just keep it simple and stick with one backdrop.  After all, a 20 minute, prop-loaded session really doesn’t need a bunch of background changes to make beautiful images in the end.  And, these are kids that I’m photographing; kids that probably don’t need/want to be moved over and over for different backdrops. So BLUE vinyl backdrop it is! (BUSTED: I did actually use my white muslin for a few shots of a larger group (3) of kids.)

I will say that while I didn’t use my beanbag chair, my flower cart, or ANY of my blankets,  I did make use of all of my other props at least once. (Could’ve left about 50% of my prop stash in the car.) The bunny ears were an absolute hit, as were the eggs.  Babies REALLY like to bang eggs together.  I even got to use my newborn, hand-crocheted bunny outfit. 

These families have been through a lot, but for 20 minutes those kids pulled out their “cheeses” and put on the smiles and the funny faces (and the bunny ears.)  I think they kinda had fun and maybe even enjoyed the experience. 😉

It was pointed out to me that so many of these families haven’t had any recent portraits taken; all of the hospital visits, treatments, and long journeys from home just don’t allow the freedom to do so.  And so I will make sure to come back every few months to offer up my services for these amazing families and this incredible organization.

Next time, I will probably pack a little lighter.