It's about Love.
It's about Community.
It's about Healing.
The heart-lifting effort to collect 10,000 photographs of the affectionately-inclined from around the world.
I will admit it: I get tired sometimes. Life can often be hard. The last couple of months have been challenging for me health-wise (a cold that just would NOT go away) and emotionally (the recent loss of an elderly family Matriarch). Even my enthusiasm for The Smooch! Project seemed a bit stale. That is definitely NOT a good thing! What’s a photographer to do? Well, I decided to review the images so far uploaded into the online Smooch! Archive and re-discovered Claire luvs Jerilyn. Exactly what I needed.
Who can look at this photograph and not feel their heavy heart lift? Safely placed in the All in the Family: Moms luvs Kids category of the archive, I am personally glad to know I can go take a look at this photo whenever I wish.I also really like the idea that a growing percentage of the archive images so far collected are available to you as well via The Smooch! Project website. Almost 300 photos are posted there now, out of 770+ total. The site is well worth a visit anytime. The “door” is always open. Only a click away . . .
The March 14 Smooch! shoot at the Minneapolis Wilde Roast Cafe went gangbusters. The tally: 82 humans + 8 dogs. The photos from the shoot have already been posted to the archive on the The Smooch! Project website (which now displays almost 300 photos!). Several of them came out very well — Be sure to visit to see. (We are happy to be back again at The Wilde Roast in May. Check out the calendar at the right for details.)
The additional promotion provided by Sidewalk Dog really helped get those four-leggeds ‘in the picture’ (pun intended). If you are an urban dog owner, you would find LOTS of useful information at this amazing website. As they say themselves: “We’re working hard to become the go-to, metro-wide resource for ALL who care for the over 700,000 dogs across the Twin Cities.” To help increase their advertising support base, Sidewalk Dog has a goal to collect 5,000 signatures of support from dog owners throughout the Twin Cities. If you own a dog (or two!), please consider signing their petition. Doing so will help ensure the continuing growth of Sidewalk Dog.
The next Smooch! shoot is being held on April 4 & 5 during the Upper Midwest Living Expo in Hopkins. Check the calendar to the right for the latest details on this and other upcoming shoots. Plans are underway to get The Smooch! Project ‘out of town’ in 2010. For the last three years, Minnesota residents (specifically people in the Twin Cities) have had ample opportunities to participate in the project and Be A Part of Art. Those opps are going to be fewer and far between, if the future rolls out as anticipated. Be sure to check here or the Smooch Project website to find out where and when a shoot is scheduled.
Smooch! shoot volunteers help by allowing the photographer to concentrate her primary task: Capturing the best images possible. Past volunteers have commented the experience was highly enjoyable. Always lots of smiling going on! Are you friendly? Then you are fully qualified! One or two volunteers are needed to help during the upcoming shoots on April 4&5. If interested, simply send an email to photogirl@thesmoochproject.com. Please be quick, as the shoot is fast approaching! Thanks in advance for your interest and support of The Smooch! Project.
Five-year-old Augie started it. He would not, could not simply smooch his big sister, Helena, on the cheek. While he mugged for the camera, I asked him if he would please, please, pretty please not make a face for just one photo, as a gift for his mom. He paused, gave the idea some serious thought and said, “I don’t know how to do that.” I totally believed him. So when he proceeded to stick his tongue out and lick his sister’s cheek instead of smooching her, we simply went with the concept. Helena was appropriately horrified but gamely agreed to allow it. The adults and children watching the shoot found the children’s antics hilarious. But Augie didn’t realize that Helena would soon get her turn to lick him. The image above captured his moment of shock. Their mother called the licks “dog kisses,” a description I enjoyed immensely. Helena luvs Augie (with dog kiss) is now in The Smooch! Project archive category, All in the Family: Siblings. This photo – along with the other 49 archive images gathered that day – can be seen on The Smooch! Project website.
The Feb. 7 shoot at the Walker, where I met Augie & Helena, was a resounding success. Half of the 120 participants were children. The line of people waiting to be photographed stretched long, with some groups waiting for nearly an hour for their turn in front of the camera. The age of participants ranged from babies only a few days old all the way up to a much-loved mother who had passed her hundredth year. I felt very lucky to be me, dog kisses included. Which provides a an extremely good segue for the next story . . .
All affectionately-inclined, well-behaved pets – and their humans – are cordially invited to participate in the Saturday, March 14 Smooch! shoot at the Wilde Roast Café. We are anticipating several furred (and even feathered!) smoochers will be making an appearance. If you bring your pet, please be sure to enter via the rear door of the café. You can bring your favorite human(s) as well. Further details can be found in the calendar on the right. And since we are on the topic of this shoot . . .
Do you like happy people? Animals? Are you friendly? Do you like to smile? Then you are qualified to be a Smooch! shoot photo assistant! One or two volunteers are needed to help manage the paperwork and flow of Smooch! participants during the Saturday, March 14 shoot at the Wilde Roast Cafe. Smooch! shoot volunteers help free the photographer to concentrate on capturing the best images possible. Past volunteers have commented the experience was highly enjoyable. Interested in learning more? Just send an email to photogirl@thesmoochproject.com. Please be quick, as the shoot is fast approaching! Thanks in advance for your interest and support of The Smooch! Project.
I love The Smooch! Project because it brightens up even the darkest day.
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