So it’s been months and months since I last blogged… I’m clearly a terrible blogger. But part of the reason for the absence has been a new, all-consuming project —Pink Ribbon Puppies, Inc.
At the start of the year, I received an email from a local dog fancier about shooting a calendar to raise money for breast cancer research. She had a dozen lab puppies at her home and estimated we’d spend 3-4 days shooting them and be done…. Yeah, well, not so much. We’ve shot tens of thousands of frames, have opened up the project to all breeds – purebreds from reputable breeders as well as rescued babies – from chihuahuas to Great Danes, have officially incorporated and filed for 501c3 status, have spent hours and hours shopping for or making dozens of pink props, have designed two wall and one pocket calendars as well as a series of note cards and greeting cards, have set up a website and opened up an online shop, and are continuing to schedule shoots and come up with new products to offer.
So why on earth have I volunteered to take all this on? Simple. My mom.
I lost my mother to breast cancer in 2002. She’d successfully fought the disease 15 years earlier, but it came back and won the second round. And Pink Ribbon Puppies provides a way for me to contribute – to support breast cancer research while photographing puppies.
So with the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are officially open for business. Our main products are our two wall calendars — one featuring labradors and the other “friends of labs” — that are individually shrink-wrapped and mailed flat worldwide (100% of net proceeds will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation™ – an A+ rated organization where over 90 cents of every dollar donated goes to research and awareness programs). Plus we’re also offering a pocket calendar, magnets, note cards and greeting cards, and we have the ability to create custom orders from any of the images in the portfolio.
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The project has taken me out of my comfort zone photographically. Usually I follow my “subjects” around, guiding them into the good light, but just letting them act naturally. The Pink Ribbon Puppies shoots are entirely different – we have an idea of what we want the shot to look like and have to figure out a way to get very young puppies to pose within the scene. I’m working with an excellent wrangler… but many of the scenes would be difficult to get the shot with an adult, trained dog. And we’re working with puppies! Baby puppies – like 6-8 weeks! So it’s been super challenging, but it’s also been super fun. And as a bonus, I get to play with some of the most adorable puppies!
So… PLEASE click over to Pink Ribbon Puppies and purchase a calendar. Or some note cards. Or maybe both! They do make great teacher/nurse/vet gifts and the proceeds go to a great cause… And, while you’re clicking… please like our Facebook page so you’ll see the latest products as they are rolled out (we’ll have holiday cards available soon!).
To encourage you to order this month… we’ll send you a free pocket calendar with your order! (Simply add the pocket calendar to your order and enter PRPFBFAN when checking out. You must add the pocket calendar to your order for it to work.)
AND…. please spread the word!! Share, email, tweet, pin,… anything works!
[We can do bulk orders for your office/friends if you’d like to help us out… we’re getting together a “sales kit” to make things easier – just let me know and we’ll get you what you need!!!]
