HOPE organizing’s Post

If you recognize someone (or yourself) in one of these photos, let us know

Hey everyone! I just got some new photos and need your help picking a favorite. 📸✨ Which one do you think best captures my personality? Vote for your favorite in the comments below! 👇 #PhotoFun #ProfessionalLook #HelpMeChoose 📸: Heather Mikel

My Great Grandma Ester would have turned 125 in November. This photo makes me think a lot about legacy, but maybe not how you would expect. Despite having albums of photos of her, some in dressed up attire, some with family, many without the distress of energetic great-grandkids wanting to play solitaire with her at all times, this is a photo proudly displayed at my parent’s house. Think-nothing-of-it photos are scattered throughout her 9 grandchildren’s and 19 great grandchildren’s homes. She was never asked “what photo of you do you want us to display and show future generations” though I feel strongly this random photo of her enjoying a quiet moment on a deck would not be her first choice (I’m also not sure she would care) And that is the point. We don’t get to choose how people remember us. Professional headshots, carefully staged family photos, posts of living your best life be damned. Expand beyond photos, and that super important meeting, career defining presentation, the early flight home to see the school play, the late night comforting a friend. It all matters but may not be the photo people display of you. Is it terrifying to think that at any moment, any big or small action, that could be how people remember you? Would you behave differently? Get haircuts more often? Be perfect all the time for fear of being remembered for the wrong moment? Or would you try to live in a way that made people want to remember you, whatever the picture may be. I’d argue the latter is way easier. In the case of Grandma Ester, the photo is merely a trigger that reminds me of how she used to sprinkled Yiddish seamlessly into conversations and was quick with a quip, incredible at math, a talented knitter, and a lover of family. Focus more on building a legacy of being good to others than on a perfect photo no one would care to display.

As we head toward Christmas, here’s some fun facts regarding the first commercially printed Christmas card.   In 1843, British civil servant and inventor Sir Henry Cole commissioned London artist John Callcott Horsley to create what is now accepted to be the world’s first mass-produced, lithographically printed, Christmas card. The colourful, single-sided card depicted three generations of the Cole family raising a toast. But the card caused much controversy and criticism via temperance groups of the time. It was seen to promote the act of underage drinking, despite the card's intended message of holiday cheer. An original copy of the card (a section shown above) can be viewed today at the Charles Dickens or the V&A in London where Sir Henry Cole was the first Director. Only 1,000 were produced and, at a shilling each, considered an expensive flop and quickly written off as a fad. As a result a second card did not appear for another five years and it wasn’t until 1873, that the lithograph firm Prang and Mayer began creating greeting cards for, by then, the popular British market. Early British cards rarely showed winter or religious themes, instead featured designs of animals and fairies that reminded the recipient of the arrival of spring. By the 20th century, the production of Christmas cards became highly profitable, and artworks depicting themes to cater for all religions and tastes were introduced—much like we see today.    Wishing you all a season filled with joy, creativity, and maybe even a moment to appreciate the craftsmanship behind every festive print!   #thefirstchristmascard #historyofgreetingscards #printedcards #bfspressroomsolutions #bfspressroomsolutions #printingindustry  

A beautiful way to preserve memories for your child! 💌 Create an email address for them when they are born and send photos, notes, stories, and achievements over the years. On their 18th birthday, gift them a treasure trove of memories. Small steps today can mean the world tomorrow! 🌟 #ParentingTips #MemoriesForLife #DigitalKeepsake #FamilyTraditions #ThoughtfulParenting

You can stay in your office chair & still vote for me In case you missed it my piece “The Souls of Black Folk” was selected as a Photography Award Finalist for the 2024 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Which puts me in contention for the Catherine K. Gyllerstrom People’s Choice Award. VOTING INSTRUCTIONS BELOW: 1. Click link - https://lnkd.in/gXWhPVrn 2. Click the HEART at the bottom 3. Fill out the entire form, entering your • Name • Email Address • Agree to be added to the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine email list. 4. Check the “I’m not a robot” button 5. Then click VOTE. 6. SHARE SHARE SHARE!

When you look at these photos, which one do you prefer? Why? For me, I have a clear winner and I know why. It's the top one for one very important reason: the baby is looking at the camera! This is the key for a great photo. You feel more connected when you are looking the subject in the eyes. Here's my details on how to have a successful session: So you’ve scheduled your first birthday session and you want to capture your adorably smiley baby. 😁 You know “that thing” that makes the baby giggle like crazy. But. See how the baby in these photos is looking into the camera in the top photo and off to the side for the bottom one? 👀 🩷If you stand off to the side, because the baby knows you, that’s the direction they’ll look. Then all of your photos will look like the bottom photo and not the more engaging top photo. So even though it goes against everything that makes sense because you KNOW how to make your baby smile, don’t call them. 🗣️ If you can, just sit to the side and watch - or as I tell people, come stand inappropriately close to my head so your baby is looking in the direction of the camera. 📸 💜And pleeeeaasssee, only bring out Ms Rachel videos if we are at defcon10. 🤣 

🖼️ Why Pictures Are Worth a Thousand Words From the back door to the barn door—photos do more than just capture images; they hold emotions, history, and connections that last beyond lifetimes. Read more about the profound impact pictures have on our perception of history and personal identity in our latest article. https://lnkd.in/gGMe9zUj #VisualStorytelling #EmotionalDepth #LegacyPreservation #watershedmoments 

What memories flood your mind when you look at pictures of yourself as a child? I do this work of helping people use their photos to tell their stories because I’ve seen the results with my own sons. The impact on their identity, sense of self-worth, and confidence have grown partly by looking at their photo books from birth to the present. I know this because when they want to take a relationship to the next level, out come the photo books. It’s a way of sharing who they are. When was the last time you looked at your childhood pictures? If you have children, have you looked at their baby or childhood pictures with them lately? What was their response? Share in the comments. #Quote #PhotosStoriesGenerations #Memories #FamilyLegacy #PhotoEstate

Want to learn more about discretionary effort? Or perhaps you just want to see a (very cute) baby photo of Andy? Either way, watch below ⬇️ Highlight from last week's webinar ✨