I’ve been working with Backbone Marketing in the Netherlands to provide them with a feature photograph to be used in a second year fundraising campaign that they’re developing for Spa – the big Dutch mineral water brand – in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). They were looking for a photograph of children in Burkina Faso, and had picked out 3 of my Burkina images for consideration. During the 9-week campaign, every liter of Spa purchased by the consumer in the Netherlands helps the children in Burkino Faso, through a donation from Spa to UNICEF. The campaign has just launched, and the final photograph is being used on 600,000 Spa water bottle sleeves, various point of sale materials, and the campaign website.

Now, the really cool thing about this campaign is that it was very important for UNICEF that the children in the final selected photograph benefit in some way from the use of their image. Well, all five children in the photos they were considering are Fulani, which is an ethnic group that is traditionally pastoralist. What they know how to do is raise livestock. Three of the five children happen to be relatives of my husband, Idrissa, and live together in the same compound. We would also be able to contact the families of the other two children, should their photograph be picked. Well, we couldn’t speak for the other families, but we know that my husband’s family has many needs; Idrissa and I already pay for their school fees (though unfortunately, the schoolteacher of one of the children is awful and just sits and drinks tea all day), and we contribute to their food. They have no bank account, and if you give cash to the parents, it will just go towards immediate needs. Therefore, in consulting with Idrissa, he suggested that we give the family money to purchase a cow to be owned jointly by the children (plus a mosquito net for each child). That’s the best thing that we could do if we want the money to specifically benefit the children (not the adults), AND be a long-lasting benefit. When the cow grows older and gives birth, eventually, both children will have cows for themselves (building wealth), rather than sharing a single cow. Plus, when the cow gives birth, the children will have milk – which is high in protein – for the two years following each birth.

Well, in the end, it so happened that Spa and UNICEF picked one of the photographs of two of our relatives (without knowing which photograph was which), and UNICEF went WILD over the proposal to purchase a cow for the two kids. So after the deal was sealed, we sent the money for the cow by Western Union to my husband’s family. Idrissa was worried that if they knew the money was for the kids, that the parents would simply spend it, so he initially told them that the cow was supposed to be for us. Then, after buying the cow, he announced that the cow was actually for the kids, AND he sent someone out to the location where the family was spending the rainy season to VIDEO the two kids receiving the news! We’ve sent along the video – with the kids saying “Merci Spa, Merci UNICEF” (thank you Spa, thank you UNICEF) – to Backbone Marketing. And best of all? It turns out that the money was enough to buy TWO cows!!! Now how cool is that???!!!

Download the calendar wallpaper of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge here, in a resolution appropriate to your computer monitor.  And view more fine art photography of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge here.

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Anyone up for an engagement photography or portrait session on the Eastern Shore?

Between now and the time I post July’s calendar wallpaper, get a complimentary, artist-select and choreographed DVD slideshow ($120 value) of photographs from your engagement or portrait photography session on the Eastern Shore!

Read more about this special offer and when it expires on my portrait-wedding-event photography blog.

Silhouetted ducks and snow geese bask in the glow of sunset in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island, Virginia.

And by the way, I just wanted to say thank you to Brian, Grace’s dad, for writing this awesome review of me on Google:

I can’t recommend Irene enough. We knew when we hired her that we would get beautiful pictures, which we did. What we also got was a photographer who was incredibly creative and original, and unbelievably patient. We hired her for family portraits of my 4 week old baby who, as a result of a vaccination that same morning, was not in a good mood and threw several fits while we were supposed to be taking pictures. Through it all Irene was helpful and patient, and even managed to get some of the best pictures while the baby was crying. After the shoot she was great about helping us pick out the best of the best for framing, designing an album and some that we had blown up into poster size standouts that are truly amazing and the focal point of our living room. She really was awesome in every way.”

Thanks Brian!  It was truly an honor to have the opportunity to create these beautiful portraits of Grace with you and Ana during such a special month of your lives.  I look forward to watching Grace grow up in the coming years!

Fusing fine art & photojournalism to create images that are simply…unforgettable.

Award-Winning Maternity, Newborn, Baby, and Family Portrait Photographer Serving Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, and Destinations Worldwide

IRENE ABDOU PHOTOGRAPHY

So I met Leigh & Garrett on the tennis courts of King Farm in Rockville, Maryland, for their engagement photography session.  And 9 months later on April 16, 2011, exactly one year after our first meeting, I had the great honor of witnessing the most important day of their lives together.  Over the past 9 months, I’ve been fortunate to have the chance to get to know Leigh & Garrett – Leigh by following her on Facebook, and Garrett, through his ever-increasingly popular RingofYes.com blog, and I have not a doubt in my mind that their love is a love so strong and everlasting that it is truly…truly meant to be.  To Leigh & Garrett!

View more photographs of Leigh & Garrett’s wedding at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Virginia on my portrait-wedding-event photography blog.

Anyway, if you’ve ever been interested in food photography, the 3-day weekend with Penny de Los Santos starts tomorrow.  Sign up here.

This was my first year at MARS, and I was excited to be joining Garrett Nudd, an award-winning wedding photographer based in Tennessee; Garrett has photographed local and destination weddings throughout the country and the world.  Garrett’s town in Tennessee was hit by one of the recent tornadoes that have crossed several southern states.  In fact, the tornado killed a number of people just a mile from his home.  After such a devastating event, we really appreciated Garrett’s commitment to MARS, and that while he struggled with being away from home and family this past week, his dedication to MARS and his students never wavered.  I can honestly say that MARS couldn’t have chosen a better photographer and instructor, and I can’t thank Garrett enough.

Before attending MARS last week, other students had told me that I would learn a lot and make lifelong friends at MARS.  I’m happy to say that it was much more than I could ever have imagined.  I learned so much from Garrett, the other instructors, and the other students.  It’s a community, and now I understand why the same professional photographers attend the school year after year after year.

I’m also extremely grateful to MARS for their support to first-time students like myself.  This year, I benefited from a MARS/PPA scholarship that paid nearly half of my tuition.  And I am so excited to say that I was also awarded the Milt Techner Memorial Scholarship, which is a full scholarship for 2012.  I can’t believe I have the honor of receiving this scholarship!  The school also depends greatly on the support of vendors and partners in the photographic community, and I want to express my appreciation and support to them for being there for us.  THANK YOU!

If you are a professional photographer and are interested in attending MARS 2012, you can visit the MARS website here, and when you register, please let them know that I referred you!  (I will be entered into a drawing for a referral discount for 2013…thanks!)

Here are a few of my favorite images that I created at MARS this past week…

View more photographs of Chrissy & Jake’s ocean-inspired wedding at the W Hotel in Washington, DC on my portrait-wedding-event photography blog.

Oh, and don’t forget that one of my clients - Brian Willingham – a loan officer at Fitzgerald Financial, is giving a (free) webinar on May 7th on how first-time homebuyers can get up to $10,000 in help towards their home.  Click on the link to register!

Still searching for the perfect photographer for your wedding or event? Learn more here.

Fusing fine art & photojournalism to create images that are simply…unforgettable.

Award-Winning Maternity, Newborn, Children’s and Family Portrait Photographer Serving Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, and Destinations Worldwide

IRENE ABDOU PHOTOGRAPHY