Is Your Kid the Cutest?

As many of you know, my charity of choice is Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.  Every year, they have a fundraiser, the Charity Model Search, which is a photo contest for the Cutest Kid.  I decided to participate this year, so am looking for models!  Once you have your session, I'll post a picture to the contest and you have all your friends and families vote.  Votes cost $1 a piece, but are absolutely worth it - every penny benefits NILMDTS.  Plus you have the chance to win all kinds of prizes!

NILMDTS (in the recent news)

Today, I went online to renew my volunteer status at Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.  I should have done this months ago, but haven't for various reasons.  It's been nagging me though, so tonight I decided to go ahead with it.  When I went to the website, I found that NILMDTS has been in the news recently as the Duggars of the reality show 19 Kids & Counting required the organization's services this past week.  There's a lot of controversy due to the memorial service and photos which leaked

First off, to those of you who are offended by the photographs - don't look.  I saw a couple images in an article and they're absolutely tasteful.  If you think photographing deceased infants is sick and wrong, imagine it was you.  Wouldn't you want the pictures?  Think of history - in the Victorian era, post-mortem images (especially of children) were quite common.  The mortality rate was high and a photograph was a reminder of the child that was lost.  It still is.

Second - This is a tragedy.  Yes, I completely understand mocking reality show stars, but this is a baby.  A lost baby.  The way some articles online are referring to the child is disgusting.  I honestly am far more sickened by the scathing tone of the articles and their uncaring choice of words than the fact that a family wants to have (and show photos at) a memorial service for their child.

Third - Despite the sorrow (I can't help but get teary when I hear about the death of infants and children), I'm glad that NILMDTS was in the news.  The more that the world hears about the organization, the better.  NILMDTS does a wonderful thing for people going through a terrible time and it's something that everyone should be aware of.

So yeah.  I just wanted to share that with you guys if you weren't aware.  And if you are aware, don't hate, ok?  You can mock reality show people if you want (I know I do it) but don't be cruel about this.

Oh, and seeing as it's the holiday season, if you're in the giving mood, please donate to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.  It's an amazing organization providing professional infant memorial photography for free to families who have lost or are likely to lose their baby.  What is there but memories?

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

http://www.october15th.com/ 
http://nowilaymedowntosleep.org

As a member of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, I've learned that October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.  I don't have any children, but I know people who do, as well as others who have experienced miscarriages and photographed two session for NILMDTS.  Just because a baby doesn't get to grow up doesn't mean they weren't a significant part of their parents' lives.

The infants I photographed were completely different situations and, sad as it was, I'm glad I could help their families even a little bit.  The first was a beautiful baby and photographing him was an experience I will never in my life forget.  His parents are amazing people.  The second was a tiny fighter whose family and doctors did all that they could.  Both children were, and still are, loved.

My heart goes out to these families and all others who have lost a child.  The gift of memories in the form of professional photography was one I am glad to provide, despite the sorrow that comes with such a job.   I feel that if I can help people with my talents, I should do so.  The photographs I and other NILMDTS photographers provide are reminders to parents that even though their child may not be with them anymore, their memory lives on in their hearts and in ours.

NILMDTS

Today I got accepted as a volunteer for the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation. NILMDTS is a group of volunteer photographers who can be called in to photograph, free of charge, stillborn or dying babies. The infants can be photographed while still alive, after death, or, if the mother knows her child has little to no chance of survival, while still in utero. Or all of the above. Whatever the family wants. It's to provide people with lasting, professional images of their child.

It's a beautiful idea and when I was took History of Photography in school, we talked about post-mortem photography in the Victorian age (often done of deceased children) and how no one really does that anymore. It seemed like a cool idea then and still does now. I'm very pleased to have my application to NILMDTS accepted and, even though I'm sure I'll cry, because it is terribly distressing and sad, I am glad that whenever I get called in to do this, I will be able to help someone's grieving process.

To read more about NILMDTS, you can go to their website: http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/