12 Days of Joy: The Grand Prize Winner (and a few other thoughts)

Hug someone you love.

Well.

Back on December 7 when I started a simple little holiday contest, the 12 Days of Joy, the world seemed like a different place. Despite grownup problems—the aftermath of Sandy, fiscal cliffs and hundreds of other stories in the news—it was still a world in which where first-graders, despite those stories, had every reason to think they could look forward to Christmas with unabashed six-year-old joy and anticipation.

Instead, we are collectively, as a planet, reeling at the losses borne last week in that school. I haven’t been able to post a “grand prize winner” for something as tepid as a portrait session, when it seems wrong to even wrap a Christmas gift for my lucky, lucky six-year-old.

Everywhere I turn, there is a fundraiser, a vigil, candles, services, a torrent of teddy bears, a collection of school supplies and backpacks and winter coats, a blizzard of handmade snowflakes for Sandy Hook—lovely, all of it, but none of it felt like the right thing for me in pushing back against this terrible wrong.

But then I saw a movement having a bit of a ground swell among photographers nationwide, and parts of it appealed to me—the concept of offering a portrait session to a family somewhere. It’s a gesture done in honor of one of the children of Sandy Hook, whose family had just completed their annual portrait session, one that has now become priceless to them. And then I realized that one of the best things I could do this week is offer that to a family, since those photos will be priceless today, next week or in generations to come.

So I AM announcing the winner of our grand prize–a portrait session and print collection valued at more than $1000–and another for good measure. And, I think I’ll do another one in the new year, too–I don’t think people should have to apply–we’re all deserving of a portrait session, so we’ll make it perfectly random. If you didn’t win, please take a photo of a loved one today, and know how priceless it is.

I’m pleased to announce that our grand prize winners for the 12 Days of Joy are readers Shelagh Michaud and Christian Rollins. I am so looking forward to our portrait sessions in 2013 (we’ll be in touch with the details in early 2013).

(Our 12 Days of Joy Special Sale page is posted now through Monday, with 30% off gift certificates for sessions and “take better photos” classes–take a peek! http://tinyurl.com/12daysofjoysales)