Many moons ago, my good friend Merri nominated me for the CBS News "Pay It Forward" series, in which the nominator gets to surprise their friend with cash money to help with their service project.
As many of you know, I try to do two complimentary sessions a month, for people who serve our community. I have done photo shoots for public school teachers, foster families, police officers. It is a guiding force in my business, indeed I take paying clients so that I can fund the equipment, software and other costs so that I can do my service shoots.
Tuesday afternoon, there was a knock on the door and there stood Merri (who is on bedrest by the way! hopefully her doctor doesn't watch the news) plus a reporter, a cameraman, and $500. It. Was. Insane.
They set up a billion lights in my living room, hooked me up to mic, and started shooting away and asking weird questions too. Like, what's your favorite photo? (seriously? that's like asking which one is my favorite child) (the shortest labor) (not telling).
They also interviewed Merri and one of my service clients. And she was standing right there, not that I could see her with the lights in my eyes, when they asked why I wanted to provide that service for her and I started talking about how she's a teacher and why they're so important and it was her first baby and I knew she'd had a late miscarriage before and how special it is to capture those first few weeks and I start choking up and get teary eyes, and then freak because I don't want snot on top of the gallons of sweat I've started leaking, and I completely forget the question!!! Are you serious?!!
Yeah, so then they film me editing some photos and let me tell you how incredibly clean my computer area was, NOT. Then they want some footage of me shooting, of course two of my kids volunteer because it means going to the park next door. But I'm like, hello? full sun? no. But they insist that no one will see the pics, they just want the footage.
Once my camera is in hand, my blood pressure goes down and I start breathing normally again and even though there's a news camera in my face and I completely forget to suck it in, I finally start enjoying myself.
It was a blast!! Thank you so much Merri! What an incredible gift you've given me and the kids. So, so fun.
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