A few weeks ago an lady from the 557th company asked me if I would donate my time, to photograph some of the families during their family day before their soldiers deployed. I was truly blessed to be able to be apart of something that is so important and so close to my heart. i had some amazing outcome, and today as I was editing, I shed quite a few tears as I got to actually look closely at the moments I captured for this family. There was a little girl that stuck out in my mind as I was editing. She spent the afternoon pushing her baby brother around in his stroller and she just had the most devistated look on her face and at times just could not hold back the tears. I got the chance to take some pictures of her with her Daddy. Her face instantly lit up at the chance to sit and have special "her" time with him. One shot inparticular did my in, as she was kissing her Daddy on the cheek and he was breathing this special moment in so completely, he was truly fighting the emotions. The look on his face just speaks volumes about what our soldiers go through as they are about to deploy away from their familes, especially their children. No one truly knows what a military family goes through accept for another military family. As they get ready to deploy next week, they all will have a very special place in my heart for the next 15 months. Thank you so much for all you do, so selflessly. It doesn't matter what their sex, race, or preference is. They are in it for one reason, to protect and serve. These men and women know that their is a price that may or may not come with this career, yet they choose to defend our country anyway. For they know that freedom is not free, and we are the "Land of the Free, Because of the Brave"
Bring them home safe,
Rowan
