30 Minute Portraits for a Laugh
The big week in spring is here, and some of the funniest talent in the country is coming to Grand Rapids to help us all laugh, in a seriously funny way. If you haven’t had the time or inclination yet, you really need to learn more about these people and what they do.
In preparation for LaughFest, some of the organizers and myself collaborated on some portraits to be used in the program and a few other places, which you can now find at pretty much every official venue in the city.
The idea for the sittings was simple: ten sittings with different people and families, all a part of the Gilda’s Club community. Given that we had half an hour to set up, shoot, tear down and change locations, as well as meet and greet everybody, I think that everything worked out quite well.
I am thinking of exploring more of these 30 minute portraits. There’s nothing like having a time limit to take me out of my comfort zone, and that makes for great pictures.
The first picture I’ve got was shoot in Noogieland, the part of Gilda’s Club that is dedicated to kids and all things kid related. As near as I can tell, from a child’s point of view, this place is pretty much paradise.
This next picture was also shot in Noogieland, but this time in a different area. They have cool things there like mini-castles and other play areas.
As somebody who has a lot of personal experience with cancer, Gilda’s is amazing not because they cure cancer, but cure people’s in-ability to cope, both as individuals and as families. One of the casualties of cancer is losing your sense of humor, and to a degree a sense of humanity. The disease is overwhelming for everybody, family and patients included. Gilda’s Club is a safe place to go, to bring the kids and the family and engage in genuine, heartfelt support with people who are going through the same journey.
In all of the photographs we strove to share the levity and laughter that is so very Gilda’s Club.
To see more of these pictures, check out the Laugh Fest brochure, and for gods sake, don’t forget to get out and have a laugh with the rest of us! [o]