Woodbury, NY—The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA), a respected photo industry organization that brings together some of the most renowned brand names in the photographic community, will launch the third annual Portraits of Love project in October 2011. PMDA’s goal is to provide 10,000 deployed military troops with free family portraits in time for the holidays.
For both military families and their loved ones deployed overseas, the holiday season can be an especially difficult time. Through Portraits of Love, soldiers can receive a small token of home at a time when it may be needed most. Launched through a joint effort between the PMDA and the military support organization the USO, the Portraits of Love project also seeks to provide professional photographers with an opportunity to use their talents to show their appreciation for all those serving abroad.
Starting October 1, 2011 and running through December 31, 2011, military families can sign up for a free portrait session that will be hosted by the program’s growing support network. By participating at select USO facilities, military bases hosting on-base sessions, or at the project’s nationwide network of local photography studios, military families will receive a free family portrait and one will be sent to their loved one on active duty overseas
To find a local independent studio or for information on participating USO offices and on-base sessions, military families can visit the Portraits of Love website at pmdaportraitsoflove.com.
“Our servicemen and women have sacrificed in innumerable ways to defend our nation and the Portraits of Love project is a small but meaningful way for the photography community to give a little something back,” said Joellyn Gray, president of the PMDA. “Now in its third year, the Portraits of Love project has grown from a small grassroots collection of independent photographers to include more than hundreds of professional photographers and incredible support groups like the USO, all of whom simply want to bring our deployed military members closer to their families during the holidays.”
To take advantage of the free portrait offer, families of deployed or soon-to-be-deployed military personnel should schedule a free family portrait session with one of the participating independent photographers, or plan to attend one of the USO-hosted or on-base sessions in their community.
Participating through Independent Photographers
For families looking to participate through the Portraits of Love project’s local network of independent photography studios, a complete database of these volunteers will be available online starting September 1 at pmdaportraitsoflove.com/families.php.
Families can simply locate their preferred studio and contact it directly to schedule an appointment through that website. Following the scheduled session, military families will access the portrait at seehere.com to claim their personal photo and to send a copy to a deployed loved one in time for the holidays.
Participating through the USO
For families taking advantage of the sessions scheduled at a local USO facility or on military bases listed below, the process will be very similar. A complete schedule of sessions is available at pmdaportraitsoflove.com or on the USO’s site at USO.org.
Registration for Independent Photographers
Interested photographers can register to participate in the program online at pmdaportraitsoflove.com/photographers.php between September 1 and October 1, 2011. Volunteer photographers will receive program promotional materials from the PMDA along with directions on how to upload portraits to the project’s fulfillment system. Additionally, volunteer photographers will be asked to provide details about their studio space, such as location, size and setup, to allow organizers to plan for anticipated volumes in each market.
Sponsors of the 2011 Portraits of Love project include: Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Bonnier Technology Group, Digital Photo Academy, Photo Industry Reporter, SeeHere.com, Samsung, Panasonic, Hewlett-Packard, Tamron and The Tiffen Company.
For more information on the Portraits of Love Project, please visit pmdaportraitsoflove.com or check out the project’s Facebook page at facebook.com/portraits.of.love.
About PMDA: Founded in 1939, PMDA provides a series of forums throughout the business year for its membership to exchange ideas and learn about new technologies and business trends, in addition to administering programs that promote photography to the general public. Programs and symposiums feature leading photo-imaging product suppliers and retailers, as well as financial analysts and technical experts. The organization has also teamed with PMA International to produce TakeGreatPictures.com, a site created to help American consumers find meaningful ways to incorporate photography into their everyday lives, while helping them to make intelligent decisions about buying new cameras and accessories.
