Utah Breastfeeding Coalition Photojournalism Project

I'm just reposting this in order of when it was written. . .
"The Surgeon General will be releasing a Call to Action on Breastfeeding this fall. To coordinate with this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing a photo library of breastfeeding support in action. Based on the success of our Breastfeeding Cafe and Baby Friendly Community initiative this summer, the Utah Breastfeeding Coalition (UBC)was one of 8 state coalitions to receive funding from the US Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) to provide photos of community breastfeeding support. The UBC has contracted with a professional photographer to obtain the images. In keeping with our agreement with USBC, the UBC is required to obtain written consent for each facility participating in the photo project. This project has short turnaround time, and must be completed during September 2010. "

And I'M that photographer!!!

I was approached a few weeks ago by the Utah Breastfeeding Coalition. They had applied for a grant to hire a photographer for a project. The Surgeon General is issuing a call to action, the CDC is involved, and the US Breastfeeding Committee wanted to give 8 coalitions across the US, a grant to hire a photographer to photojournalistically capture the story of breastfeeding support in action. I wasn't the only photographer approached, but I think I was the only one willing to put together the things necessary, the main of which was to have liability insurance. It really wasn't a big deal at all. . . I'm not sure why someone else didn't jump at the opportunity.

The pay is good, the hours are by choice (but have to be within a certain range), the project is fantastic, the women I'm working with are TOP notch!!! So, I called my insurance agent and we got squared away (she's been after me for a couple of years to get a policy for my business anyway, since my camera isn't really covered under my regular renter's policy if I'm using it for business purposes). As luck would have it, my parents asked Mike to run an errand to the very same city where our insurance office is, on the very same day I needed to sign paperwork, so neither of us had to work very hard to get the other to come along.

That was Friday the 3rd, then began five days of contract working, we signed that on the 8th. There are a list of deadlines along the way and the deadline for the contract was the 8th. Now I'm working on gathering willing models, the story is "Utah Opens its Doors to Breastfeeding Mothers" and goes along with the recent Breastfeeding Cafe theme of "Our Baby Friendly Community." If you remember that this year we approached a lot of local businesses and requested they display the international breastfeeding symbol in exchange for their logo being posted at the cafe?! These are the businesses we are mainly approaching to request they allow us to photograph their storefront with the breastfeeding symbol displayed and nursing moms in the photographs as well. Some will say yes, some will say no, some are small businesses, cafes, etc, others are grocery stores, government offices, clinics. It's a wide variety.

By the time this is posted, the project will be at least photographed, and likely be to the US Breastfeeding Committee because that's about all I'll be working on for the 12 days after I photograph it all, but I wanted to write out where I'm at in this moment in the project. I have 20 or more models, and around the same number of businesses, I've got to coordinate everyone's available time with the business owners' available times or best time for shooting. We have to be sure that releases are signed for the property, so we have to line up times to be at the location when the person responsible for signing will also be there. Models all have to sign releases too. Today Renee and I went to one of these businesses, and she was unwilling, so there will be some "no's" I suppose, but right now I think I have PLENTY of locations to consider.

My brain is forming ideas on how I'd like to shoot, angles, how to get in a storefront, a tiny symbol and nursing moms. Reminding myself to get just the storefronts with the symbols. I know it will come together. Today it feels very. . . flying all over the place. . .but by Sunday I will have a plan of action in place where I've matched up my models to locations and given out the assignments. I plan to do most of the shooting on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, a few stragglers on other days just based on locations.

So, Monday I'll be getting directions to each of my locations and touching base with moms and business owners and mapping everything out. Let me say. . .I'll be glad when two days of crazy running around, thinking hard about how to shoot things, figuring out lighting, hoping I don't screw things up because I can't redo it, no naps for airi, and general chaos are over with. . .then i have 12 days to edit and have the images to the UBC. . . .

UPDATE: It's Tuesday September 15th, I've just completed my first full day of shooting, tomorrow is another, a little longer day of shooting, I have a few appointments on Thursday, Friday, one on Saturday and a final spot next Thursday. Today was not quite as insane and tiring as I thought it could be. Airi is coming along for all of the shooting, and she did really really well today, with very little sleep, but being worn at some sites and in the stroller at others. I wanted to post this because I'm MIA and I'm so far behind on my blog and I just wanted friends and family to know what I've been up to!

Today I photographed a La Leche League meeting
Little Gym
Tutoring Toy
Baby Babinski (swanky baby store)
AMD Architecture
Earth Goods Natural Store
WIC Clinic
And a Daycare at the Dept of Health

More fun tomorrow. . .but for now, an "early night" and a good night's rest.

And I'll fill in the month in between very very soon.