Holland Photography The Blog

Tonight I had another wonderful session with a Little Hero and her family. Addie Grace was adopted from China when she was 20 months old but before that, she had to endure a heart surgery at only 8 months of age to repair a moderate sized hole in her tiny little heart. Her mama commented on her application about how sad it makes her to know that she had to do that without loving parents to hold her and tell her everything would be alright.  She has overcome so much in her short little life and now she is blessed to be part of a wonderful and loving family! She is also a trooper to have endured the humidity tonight – you can see we were all starting to sweat before it was all over with. But no matter, she is an awesome and courageous  little girl with a bright future in front of her! I feel very blessed to have met her and her wonderful family!

For more information on a wonderful organization that offers complimentary sessions and prints to families with children like Addie Grace, please visit the Littlest Heroes/Inspiration Through Art website. If you are local, put “Athens, GA” as your location to increase your chances of being matched with me.

My very beautiful and talented friend, Maria Gloria Cardarelli is asking for your help! Maria is in the running to be part of next year’s Athens Dancing With the Stars!! To get her coveted spot, she needs to raise money for a very worthwhile organization: Project Safe. Project Safe is a non-profit organization working to end domestic violence through preventative and educational programs, crisis intervention and ongoing supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and their children. Their advocacy systems, which help provide legal help to obtain orders and press charges against abusive individuals, change lives in our community and liberate the mentally and physically oppressed, frustrated and vulnerable victims of abuse.

You can donate by going to the Project Safe link above and clicking on the Dancing With the Athens Stars link and selecting Maria – contestant #3 or by contacting Maria at 706-255-5522. There will also be special nights (certain Wednesdays in August) at the Hilltop Grille in Athens where you can come and hear music and have wonderful food and a percentage of the sales will go to support Project Safe through Maria’s campaign. The first one is August 11th and it’s a Caribbean Night featuring the rhythm of Los Pleneros del Caribe and complimentary appetizers will be provided by Plantation Quail. Don’t miss it!!!!

There will also be events at Casa Mia in the month of August! For more information about either restaurant and these events, go to http://www.hilltopgrille.com/ and http://casamiatapas.com/

IT IS THROUGH GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE!

If  you’ve been following my blog for awhile you may remember THIS post about an organization called The Littlest Heroes Project. Well tonight I had the honor of shooting my first session for LHP! Today I met a wonderful family with an amazing little boy named Lance. No one can tell you about Lance as well as someone who is very close to him so I will give you a little “Cliff Notes” version of his story as told by him mom in his LHP application. You can also read more about Lance’s journey on his website: http://www.cotaforlancew.com/

“Our son Lance was born 7-14-2003 with hypoplastic right heart ventricle, ASD,VSD. At the age of 6 months he had his first open heart surgery. We then had a somewhat calm 5 years. We had doctors appointments but we lived a normal life. Then Dec 2008 Lance started getting sicker.

We scheduled his second Heart surgery and he had this surgery in April 2009. After this surgery his heart function went down hill and his kidneys shut down. The doctors tried everything, but after 2 months it became apparent he needed a new heart

After we got over the shock he was listed ,and five days later received his miracle heart. He was in the hospital 3 months, and it was a very scary time for us all. He came home in August 2009 and he was still very weak, but with time and love he is now thriving.

He does have a lifetime of care and statics say that there will be future transplants. We are staying optimistic and with prayer and medical research we focus on the positive. He is about to be 7 and is now playing baseball and a fearless base runner. We are so Thankful to the donor family that gave so many people a second chance. “

Check out this “fearless base runner”…

He has an amazing family to back him up!

This is big brother Emory. He was happy to make sure I was well versed in the art of buying Silly Banz…

Obviously this family has been through A LOT! But their love and support for, not just Lance but each other was apparent and heck, the fact that they hung out with me for an hour and a half in the Georgia summer heat and humidity says a ton about their spirit and resolve! Lance is obviously doing great right now but I’m sure they would appreciate if you’d send up a prayer for him, next time you are sending them up! One of his interview questions was “if you could have one wish what would it be” and he said “to stay out of the hospital”! That says it all right there.

So Lance, (and family), may God bless you and lift you up! I sincerely hope to see you all again sometime!

Happy April Fool’s Day!!! Hope you make it through the day without having your leg pulled too many times!! I thought in the spirit of the day I’d run a quick little sale – and it ain’t no joke!!!

DIGITAL FILES FOR ONLY $25 EACH!!!! NO MINIMUM PURCHASE!!!
(Single digital files are normally $75 each w/a min purchase of $250)

You can use the button below to pay. If you want more than 5 files please contact me. After you pay, email me with your image numbers and I’ll email you the files along with your print release. If you don’t know the image number, let me know and we’ll figure it out together! Email: info@sueannhollandphotography.com

On a heavier note – today marks the 3rd anniversary of a sweet angel growing his wings. Kyan Michael Alltop died in his sleep on April 1, 2007 from SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in a Child over 12 months – similar to SIDS).  100% of the proceeds collected today will  be donated to SUDC research in memory of Kyan. You can visit http://www.sudc.org/ for more information.

SALE ENDS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!!! HURRY!!!

Not only did I decide to add a “donate” button, in case you don’t have or want the files but want to give anyway, BUT I also decided to extend the sale!!!

SALE ENDS SUNDAY, APRIL 4th AT MIDNIGHT!!! Happy Easter everyone!!

Update – 4-5-10 – Thank you everyone who bought files and donated!! I was able to donate $200 to SUDC research today!

Little Heroes are everywhere around us. Some are more obvious than others. Some have no hair – they lost it during chemo. Some hide scars under their shirts from heart surgeries. Some are in wheel chairs. Some prick their fingers after every meal. Some live in your house. In your life. In your heart.

Littlest Heroes is an organization that allows photographers to give a priceless gift to the families of the littlest heroes and to the heroes themselves. They give them the gift of memories. Holland Photography is proud to be a participating photographer in this organization.

LITTLEST HEROES

You can read all about the organization on the website linked above but I am here to announce to you my participation in this worthy organization and encourage anyone out there that knows and loves a little hero to contact them and apply for a littlest heroes session. Holland Photography would be HONORED to photograph your hero!! You do need to apply through the website and state your location as “Athens GA” and you will be more likely to be matched with me. Once you are approved and accepted, we will get together and hold a session, free of charge, featuring your hero. You will receive a min of 10 prints from your session that are yours to keep – again, no charge. Should you apply and for some reason get denied (sadly they are not able to accept all applications due to the sheer number that apply) please contact me directly but please make every effort to apply through the organization first.

Any and all heroes are eligible. Let me help give you something that will last a lifetime. The gift of hope, strength, and courage through the art of photography.