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please help?
I’m kind of at a loss as to where to even start this post. For those blog readers who don’t know, we live on Long Island NY. And you’ve seen the devastation from this storm on the news, or some of you first hand. We were lucky enough to sustain no real damage from Sandy and only lost power for about 2hrs during the storm. Being that we were so lucky, we’ve made our home available to any and all friends and family to come here- for a charge of their electronics, a hot meal, a shower, laundry, a place to hang out and even stay over on a couch. We’ve probably had around 30-40 visitors here since Monday (it’s slowed down a bunch since most of our town now has electric back) and while exhausting, it felt great to help out where I could.
One story of devastation is worst than the next. I have many friends who have lost everything- entire homes and everything in them, cars, jobs. Friends in Breezy Point, Long Beach, Island Park, Baldwin Harbor, East Rockaway, Bay Park, the Jersey shore, Massapequa, the Rockaways, Oceanside, Wantagh. I’m sure there are more that I just haven’t heard from yet. In the past watching the effects of Katrina and other storms or natural disasters I always felt terrible for everyone affected and donated some money thru Red Cross. But it is so different when you see it in places you actually hang out or have been to. It’s nothing less than surreal. And so, so heartbreaking.
In order to do something to try to help (because it’s pretty easy and painless to open up your home and clean out some closets to donate clothing) I’ve decided to donate $25 from every shoot I have left in 2012 toward some kind of Sandy relief. I’ll be putting the money toward gift cards or direct purchases of supplies that are needed. I’ll make sure the supplies or gift cards (to Home Depot, CVS, PC Richards, Ace Hardware- things like that) get directly into the hands of people that need them. I have a few friends who live in the most effected local areas (or have summer homes there) so they are in and out daily cleaning up- they will let me know what is needed most and will bring it with them back into those areas. That $25 is coming out of my pocket, so no added costs to any bsquared client will occur. However, if you are a bsquared client (past, present or future) and would like to donate ANY amount toward the gift card or supply purchases, please feel free to donate anything you can. You can use the paypal link on the side of my blog if you’re so inclined (click the “donate” button for bsquared sandy relief), or send a check.
And if you aren’t sick of me yet, I’d like to ask for your help for one last matter. A friend/bsquared client’s home has been completely flooded and their family of 7 has lost so much. (By the way, this is the family who’s stroller got stolen off of the Pt. Lookout beach during their shoot last year). They are currently staying scattered throughout 2 states, so they aren’t even together. If you know of anyone who has a house or an apartment for them to rent while their house is repaired in the Wantagh area (they need to be able to bring their kids to school and the parents need to get to work), please let me know. Their friend/another bsquared client has been doing all their laundry and been able to salvage a lot of their clothing, but the girls could use new backpacks for school since their’s were beyond fixing with a wash. Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially on the housing situation!
(picture posted with permission) This is the family. They are amazingly nice and good people. On a beach that probably doesn’t even exist anymore.
If any other bsquared blog stalkers (you know I love my stalkers) have a story you’d like me to share with my readers, please let me know and I’ll get you posted to the blog. I’m hoping all of my fabulous bsquared clients can come together and help each other. It’s like the zombie apocalypse out there (except without the zombies. so far.) with the gas shortage and no power and getting scarier by the day. My heart just breaks for those out there with no place to sleep and get warm as the temperature drops. Wish I could help them all.
Please feel free to share this post on your Facebook wall, or copy to your friends. The more people we reach, the better. Thank you all so much!!
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the rapp family
Getting another blog post up today before the power goes. Wind is picking up a bit, but from what they’re saying it’s going to get really bad tonight. I’m editing my heart out until then.
Our second session from Central Park- a friend from high school (that I probably haven’t seen SINCE high school) and her gorgeous daughter who the camera just loved. She was quite busy during the whole session and there was a lot of chasing going on (big thanks to my photografriend Charlie who assisted me all day and did a lot of the chasing for this session!) but her smiles and giggles made it all work out.
Best face ever.
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the osul family
With the impending storm hitting tonight and for the next few days (this had better not be as bad as they say it’s going to be! I have so much editing to do which cannot be done without power!) I figured I’d blog the pictures as I had them ready. Who knows how long I’m going to be able to edit and how long the internet connection will work.
My first Central Park mini session for 2012 was with this fantastic family with twin boys (fraternal, obviously). There was a HUGE breast cancer walk in the park that morning but I think it actually worked to our advantage. Although we couldn’t get up to the mall area to shoot because that’s where the walk was, I think it actually helped keep people out of the park on a beautiful day. Or at least out of the Bethesda Terrace area for a while.
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the roge family
My second time photographing this family, and since our last session was 2 years ago the kids have grown so much. It was challenging photographing the little guy, but I have my ways and with his family’s help we got him! We were originally scheduled for another beach session but the weather didn’t cooperate and neither did the whole family’s colds, so we rescheduled to a park session instead a few weeks later.
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the rani family {royals supermini sessions}
For the families on the boys baseball team, I decided to give all of them a super quick session so everyone would have a holiday card. I got about a quarter of the team done, and am still trying to get the rest of them in for a session. The day we had the rest of the team scheduled, we ended up having a last minute game so finding time to get the shoot in again is proving rather difficult. But I haven’t given up hope yet…
Here’s the first family I photographed for a supermini session. You may recognize Anthony as the kid with the flames on his feet. Fastest runner. Ever.
