life is a gift…
and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility
to give something back by becoming more.
- anthony robbins
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Thanks for stopping by!
Pictures of Hope is a charitable organization of professional photographers who provide complimentary, documentary-style, photography sessions to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and their families. The Pictures of Hope Foundation includes photographers from across the United States and Canada who are dedicated to donating their time to a cause they believe in, and sharing the gift of photography with families in need.
If you’re interested in giving back to your community through Pictures of Hope, please read the FAQ’s and information below to be sure we are a good fit for you. It is our desire to have members who are professional photographers actively participating in community involvement and spreading the word about Pictures of Hope.
As a member of Pictures of Hope, you are required to:
- Provide complimentary sessions to families with a child in the NICU.
- Provide the family with at least a full set of 20-40 (fully edited) loose 4×6 prints from the session.
- Offer at least a 25% discount off your regular prices on any additional prints that families might wish to purchase.
- Make a good faith effort to stay active and promote the services provided by Pictures of Hope throughout your community.
Again, members of Pictures of Hope are required to do as listed above. Anything above and beyond what is listed above is solely at the participating photographer’s discretion. You MAY also, but are not required to, in addition to what is included above, offer a musical DVD slideshow of images, gift a session album, provide the families with an online gallery to share with family and friends, offer a disk of full resolution images, etc..
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PICTURES OF HOPE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Be kind and compassionate individual.
2. A working established professional photographer with a website and portfolio for review, and at least 3 YEARS of business experience. As a professional photographer you should have business and liability insurance, collect applicable sales and use tax, and follow your local rules about licensing and paying taxes.Working would be defined as having a steady flow of clientele, memberships will not be granted to those who are portfolio building or to those without a website.
3. A strong portfolio of images that consistently demonstrates your knowledge of technical skills, proper lighting, focus, and post processing. Consistency is the key!
4. Portfolio of images demonstrating experience with photographing newborns. The “style” in which you shoot is not taken into account…but b&w conversions, compositions, and flattering angles are. (Proper lighting in these situations is different than photographing children & weddings) If you have flat, dull, muddy or very gray black and whites, you may want to work on your skills before applying.
5. The desire to “give back” out of the pure goodness of your heart and not have false expectations of those utilizing the services you are providing.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How is Pictures of Hope different than other bereavement photography services?
Bereavement photography is not our focus. While photographers may be asked to photograph a bereavement session, our services are generally geared to babies in the NICU at any point during their stay (not just those terminally ill) which could mean a 27 week preemie or a NICU graduate about to go home.
Why are we required to offer certain services?
You are required to offer certain services to keep things straight across the board so there is no confusion among NICU families, and no confusion of what your commitments are. We understand that not everyone can commit to our requirements, and that is OKAY. We are seeking photographers who will be involved in the organization and want to provide our services as a way of giving back to their communities and the families in need.
If I join, what do I have to do?
After your application is accepted we will provide you with a password to a private download area of resources for our members. This includes logos, a link back for your site, and sample letters you can send to local Doctor’s offices and/or your local NICU providing them with more information about the organization. We recommend sending a newsletter or blogging about the organization to get the information out there to your clients. You are not required to do the above, but we certainly encourage you to do so.
Do I have to commit to a certain number of sessions per month?
This is strictly at your discretion. There will likely be other photographers in your area you can network with (in the event that you are not available) who are also participating members.
Why does my application have to be reviewed?
Although we understand Pictures of Hope is a charity and provides sessions free of charge, we want to make sure that our members are held to professional standards and have a great technical understanding, experience photographing babies, and can handle shooting in challenging lighting situations that often accompany NICU session. Like any other organization, we want this experience to be a positive situation for everyone, POH, our photographers, and especially the NICU families, regardless of the fact that it is charity based.
Who reviews the applications?
Applications are reviewed by 5 different photographers, and need 3 ‘yes’ votes gain membership. We understand that art is subjective and in no way intend to offend anyone. We try to offer feedback on applications that might not be accepted and encourage reapplication. We review applications because we want this experience to be a positive situation for everyone, POH, our photographers, and especially the NICU families, regardless of the fact that it is charity based.
By submitting your application to Pictures of Hope you are agreeing to the requirements listed above.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PHOTOGRAPHER’S APPLICATION!!
**PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent news about POH, we have had an enormous amount of photographer’s applying. Applications make take 3-4 weeks to be reviewed. Thanks for your patience and understanding!