"Come as You Are" Project

ok.

So i've had this itch for a very long time...

and now it's time to cure the itch

I am starting my

"Come as YOU are''

project.

This....is very close to my heart

and if nothing else...im doing this for me..to itch an itch.

But my HOPE is that this will touch some hearts...even if it's just one

To begin...a little bit about me. I am a photographer...special education teacher...mom...and wife.

My life can be summed up in these 4 areas.

Nothing means more to me.

As a high school student, my niece was born without legs.

And that did something to me.

It brought an awareness to my eyes...and that awareness and love for others has only since become brighter.

Then in my senior year of high school I became a snowboarding coach for the Special Olympics.

And from there I had found my calling in life.

I never wavered in choosing my path of education...years later I graduated from the University of Utah in Special Education.

My love for photography goes just as deep as my love for teaching kids. I have loved...I mean i have LOVED taking pictures since I can remember. I think one reason I love photographs so much is the way they make me feel. Some people express themselves in the written word, some dance, some sing...I take pictures. Photographs move me.

So when I started teaching I was able to combine these two very important and deeply imbedded passions of mine together.

When you take a portrait of someone...it freezes time.

You don't see the disability

You can't see the prosthetic legs

You don't see their bad day

you see THEM

And that is what this project is about.

It is to spotlight amazing people.

Those people that may go unnoticed day to day

but who quietly inspire others around them

It might be a single mom

a teenage mom

It might be that Dad who is always helping others around him

a baseball coach

a teacher

a child

a friend

a mother of a child with autism

...get the picture

EVERYONE IS AMAZING

so anyone and everyone is able to participate

This project is not to recruit the most beautiful person but rather to spotlight those who have challenges or disabilities but still wake up each day to be that amazing person they are, or to spotlight someone who has made a difference in your life or the lives of others, to spotlight that Mom who is doing an amazing job, or that neighbor, friend, or boss, etc who are admired by all.

now..the last and best part of me.

The Mom

These boys of mine are my world

I want them to be proud of me

and I want them to grow into loving and successful men that make this world a better place.

How can I teach these boys to love, not to judge, to forgive, and to serve?

...I have so much to learn on how to do this

but this project is a start.

It is for my sons, for them to see these portraits of people, some of whom they will know, and others who will be strangers.

I want to teach them to SEE people

i want them to be INSPIRED

and if in the small chance we can inspire someone else along the way

then I've made my sons proud.

NOW the details about the project

I can not accomplish this book without the help of all of you

I am looking for volunteers to be spotlighted

If you don't want to volunteer yourself then please...PLEASE

send me someone who INSPIRES you!

I will come to them and

take their portrait for free.

In order to be apart of this you will need to let me use your images as needed throughout this project. (sign a model release form)

I have not gone as far as to figure out the publishing part of this yet.

So let's get through the first couple parts first.

If you want to volunteer yourself, or someone else...

please email me hillaryhormanphotography@comcast.net

no one will be turned down

Hugs to you ALL!!!

Love,

Me