Pictage Partner Conference - Day 3 - 11.5.09 - New Orleans, LA

Not be outdone by the previous 2 days of seminar learning, Day 3 began Thursday with the highly anticipated off site shooting workshops. Pictage hosted 8 off site shooting workshops for the conference attendees that registered. These 2-hour workshops were held at various locations within the French Quarter and within walking distance of the Astor Crowne Plaza. The sessions were led by some of the best photographers in the country, including David Beckstead, Mike Colon, Joe Buissink, Sara France, Kurt Gerber, Scott Bourne, and Grant Oakes.

The second half of Thursday was the event that nearly everyone has been talking about and eagerly waiting for the past 9 months and was extremely excited to be a part of. Pictage coordinated with a local charity to host nearly 200 families for a free portrait session. These families were the unfortunate victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that lost virtually everything they owned including all of their family photos. Many of these families have never gotten a chance to have their family pictures taken again because of the painful recovery process and costs involved.

Myself, to be a witness and participant to this event was truly touching. I thought to myself, what better way could we "give back" to these families by using our talents and skills and providing them with "new" family portraits as a small step in helping them rebuild their lives.

One lady that came to have her portraits taken stated to us: "We thought everyone had forgotten about us..." Another stated "this is just the beginning, my children will never have pictures of their grandparents again" To me personally, this was the "icing on the cake," the "satisfaction," the "joy and happiness" of all our hard work this entire week. To see the smiles on these people's faces said it all, they didn't care what they were wearing, they didn't mind at all because they were having their pictures taken again, not by the media as victims showing their anguish and loss, but as people, as American Citizens.

Enjoy...



Mike Colon (center), Jeff Youngren (far right)










Joe Buissink (left) and Denis Reggie (right)












On the bus back to the hotel from the portrait shoot. Downtown New Orleans at night.