The theme for June’s Photo Contest has been “Dads/Fatherhood”. Today is the last day to submit your photos of that loving, tender, crazy, wild and amazing dad. Or if you want to submit a detail photo expressing fatherhood, you can do that too! Click here for a couple samples ideas.

If you haven’t already, submit your photos to contest@merakoh.com. The deadline is midnight tonight (Pacific Standard Time).

We’ll narrow down all the entries to five finalists. Then comes the fun part because YOU all get to vote!! One of the five will be the Grand Prize Winner and then we’ll pick two random voters to win something too. What’s a random voter? Let’s talk when we post the five finalists.

I’ve been going back and forth on Grand Prize idea. It has to be something cool and different because we’re talking about DADS here. Since the theme is centered around dads, what do you think about a $100 gift certificate to Home Depot? Maybe the dad in the photo will get to enjoy some of this prize too? Good idea?

We’ll announce the two Random Voters prizes later. But get your submissions in today! We do not send confirmation emails to people, but if you make sure to email the photo to contest@merakoh.com you’ll be set. We’ve already recieved lots and lots! Keep em coming! And Happy Monday!!

I sat down to write this post and Blaze looks and me and says, “Mama, sometimes when you talk you sound just like Batgirl!” My day is off to a great start! In Blaze’s world, this is a huge compliment.

So I asked Brian last night what the photo contest should be with all the suggestions made. And he looked at me as if to say “Are you kidding me? DUH! DADS!!”

I guess it’s dads! Or Brian said it could be called “Fatherhood” which may sound more inviting and dramatic.

The deadline for this photo contest is Monday, June 30th!! Send all your submissions to contest@merakoh.com!!

Your entries can either focus on a detail that speaks to dads…

or it can be an image with dad in it that somehow shows us what he’s like in his role.

Your image can be funny or serious. It’s totally up to you!

We’ll have a grand prize for the winner and prizes for the Random Voter Awards! All prizes to be announced! Lots of you have expressed loving these or those for the Random Voter Awards, so maybe we’ll do that again!

Send them in and inspire us!!

To get inspired by previous photo contests, check out the Photo Contest category. Lots of good stuff!

Quick question about the Seattle Workshop!

…are we still wanting one? Check this previous post out. It looks like 29 of you voted for August and 35 of you voted for December. We may be able to pull of both dates–still looking at the details. If we did the August 22-24th dates, how many of you the 29 voters can still make those dates?

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We need another photo contest!! Don’t you think?

So we can see more of your amazing images!!

What should the new theme be?

I always love all your ideas!

I recently received an email from a man named Christopher Lee. He asked if Brian and I would be open to participating in his non profit, Project Childhood.

I looked through his website and powerful blog, and I was so moved by what he’s attempting to do. How could Brian and I not do all that we can to support this cause.

Bottom Line? This is a photo contest that corresponds with Child Abuse Prevention Month during the month of April.

Why? To create a unified front among professional photographers that accomplishes one goal: Celebrate Childhood.

Rules? It’s about giving a little time away. Click here to see the details.

Prizes? You will be amazed and inspired when you see the list of prizes! Check them ALL out!! I was excited to see how many of our colleagues are donating items to celebrate the winning photographers of this contest. When Christopher asked if he could add our instructional DVDs and 101 Kits as prizes, I was totally honored. This is such a wonderful cause. And it’s evidence once again of how great the photography community can be!

So check it out. Consider entering the contest. Give it away!

Deadline is May 7th, 2008, at 11:59 pm PST.

Thank you Christopher for ALL of this. You and your wife are amazing!

Amber Joy. Your name in itself is a healing sound.

Your husband and sister have both nominated you for the Running On Empty Award. Several people read the nominees, and the winner was narrowed down to you.

Would you give us the honor of joining the workshop in San Diego this May? The workshop is sold out, but we have saved a spot for someone like you.

We eagerly await your answer.

Through reading your husband and sister’s submissions, it is clear you have freely given beyond the call to your family and the people of Kosovo. It would be a wonderful honor to now pour into you.

Much love,

Me Ra and Brian

(to read what Amber’s husband wrote when nominating his wife, read here)

In a couple hours we will announce the winner of the Running on Empty Contest, but first I want to honor ALL the women (and one dad :)) who were nominated. What struck me the most is that even though these women are running on empty, their surrounding world sees them as beautiful, inspiring, and strong. I know each of these women have shared their own dose of pain and loneliness, and in some miraculous, mysterious way the little they have to give is being multiplied and changing the lives around them.

After reading their stories, I’m struck by their beauty. I’m inspired by their heroic commitment to their families. And I’m so blessed to have them as a part of this blog community. Here are a handful of quotes I had to highlight.

Some of these quotes brought me to tears, some made me smile deep inside, but all of them strengthened me.

I realized words weren’t enough because she was the glue that kept everything running in our lives.

She has helped me through so many hard times when i have lost hope, she gave me hope through her own personal stories. She is always open to us, students, whenever we need her, as well as her wonderful family. I don’t know how she does it.

She is a person of strength beyond what I could ever hope to be as a woman of God and as a mother.

Every week she meets, shares, cries, holds, encourages & challenges young women to know who they are and pursue a life worth living.

She is that girl that is so free and fun, who meets new people and within seconds has a new lifetime friend.

So, I have taken on watching other people’s kids to try to bring in the extra money we are short every month. I’m also trying to launch my photography business and have bought both or your DVDs and your business kit.

After welfare and WIC and child-support, she still could not support her fatherless family. She went back to work and had to find a college-aged kid to nanny her children. In return, the girl received her room and board as this is all she could afford.

As I stood in a dark place behind the lens I was able to capture the beauty in life all around me and in others. Photography became a refuge in which I could envision and dream for brighter days ahead.

She has been a source of strength, courage and hope for not only me but for everyone around her.

She is making a real difference in the lives of our children.

I now have a new lease on life and am trying to appreciate all the little things more because you never know when they will be taken away from you.

After we go to bed she is up all night surfing the web learning tutorials on photo shop and finding more inspirations for the next photograph she wishes she could take.

It feels refreshing to share hopes and dreams and some of my sorrows here with other Moms who also know how draining it can feel to let go of our dreams for the people we love.

We only have this one shot at this thing we call life, and we need to make the most of each moment.

I am so thankful for the many people who have prayed for us, and I know that has pulled me through some very dark days these past couple weeks.

It feels refreshing to share hopes and dreams and some of my sorrows here with other Moms who also know how draining it can feel to let go of our dreams for the people we love.

I am learning a lot about photography from your blog but I am also learning a little more about being a mom and being myself.

Honey, if you don’t win this trip, please know that the kids and I are blessed to have you, and thank you for your caring, loving, “everybody else before you” attitude. We wouldn’t have made it this long if you didn’t keep us glued together, and strong through all the hard times. Thank you and I love you.

This was the closest the votes have ever come! We recounted a couple times making sure there wasn’t any double, triple entries from the same people. (sneaky some of you! :)) The winner won by five votes out of 300 plus! If the winner cannot take advantage of the prize to meet us in Sonoma for half off the regular workshop price, the runner up will be given the offer. And the one who came in Third place was only five votes behind Second Place! Isn’t that amazing!

Okay, drum roll!

The Winning Finalist is Dancing on the Beach by Caron!!!

Yeah for Caron!!! Great, beautiful job!!!

Your image is timeless, and I have loved reading all the comments on why people voted for you!

If Caron can’t join us in Sonoma, the Runner Up is the beautiful image Birthday Candles by Deb!! I could look at this photo over and over again and never get tired of it. Wonderful image Deb!

Ohhhhh! Brian and I are so excited and hope to meet one of you in person next week!

Email us asap with any questions on Sonoma! We’ll need to know your decision this week!

Random Voters Awards!!!

All you 300 plus voters ROCK!!! It’s our pleasure and honor to give three people their choice of a 101 Kit! You can choose whatever kit best fits your life these days!

If you’d like to check them out, we’ve got the Mom’s Survival Kit, the Portrait 101 Kit, the Wedding 101 Kit, the Associate 101 Kit and the Getting Published 101 Kit. Click on the titles to read all their details.

Here are the three Random Voters! They are Erin, Jeanette and Steve!!

Erin, Jeanette, and Steve! Shoot us an email at mera@merakoh.com and write Random Voter Award in the subject line! We’ll get you a certificate that you can use toward one of the five 101 Kits!! Thanks so much for voting!!!

New Photo Contest Theme Ideas!

Okay friends, what should the theme be for the next photo contest? My garden is starting to bloom with all kinds of life. Should it be something that has to do with Spring? I’m open to other ideas! Post em up and let’s get this new contest going!! I think we may have another Sony camera to give away!!

Julie Watts is a fabulous photographer and woman. Brian and I met her when she attended one of our workshops last year. She sent me this image in regards to the Darkness and Light Photo Contest, and I had to share it with you!

Isn’t this image AMAZING! The story is that she was doing some portrait work for belly dancers in her studio and WOW! Julie wasn’t trying to enter the contest but wanted to share her idea of Darkness and Light, and I couldn’t help but not share it with all of you!

Julie is so sweet! Her life is so dynamic! Can you believe she was a BMX racer?! I mean that alone makes her a “Cool Cat!” because I don’t know anyone else that has done BMX racing!

She also has two little ones and is now a full time photographer! Check out her blog and read the About Me part, it’s awesome! I totally laughed out loud!

Julie can we convince you to tell us a little about yourself?

How did you take this photo? What was the recipe behind it? How did you get the color so vibrant? And for those of us reading who are parents wanting to go full time, what’s one piece of advice you’d share? Or two pieces!

Today is the last day to vote for the winner of the Darkness and Light Photo Contest!!

It all ends at 12pm PT (3pm ET). If you haven’t voted and told your friends to vote, better do it now, or you may end up in his situation!

(had to get the image in one more time for this contest! :))

Click on HERE to post a comment and submit your vote! If we get over 300 votes, we’ll give out two more Random Voter Prizes! Why not! Right!

AND…check back today around 2pm! I’m working on a post about a woman is was a BMX racer turned mom of two and recently became a full time photographer! She is super cute! Totally inspiring! And she doesn’t even know I’m spotlighting her!

(don’t you love surprises!)

Happy Monday friends!

It’s time to roll out the Top Five Finalists for the Darkness and Light Photo Contest!

We went from having maybe a dozen entries to dozens and dozens and DOZENS of entries!! I think it took Brian and I almost two hours to go through every photo, study them, read the stories that accompanied them and just be in awe of your fabulous work. What a honor you give us every time we hold these contests. To all of you who submitted, thank you so much for trusting us with your photos. Please keep shooting, keep submitting, they were ALL amazing!

Voting and How You Can Win as a Voter!

Post a comment and vote for your favorite image. Tell us why you liked it so the artist that took the image will be blessed (this is by far the best part of these contests). And don’t forget, we always pick a random voter to win something too. Prizes and future prizes are listed below. Let’s get to the photos!

Finalist #1, Dancing on the Beach, by Caron (mama to this little girl)

This image feels timeless. It’s beautiful, freeing, inspiring, and makes me want to run down to our beach and dance away. I can almost hear the little girl singing. The sunset colors are gorgeous, but what struck me most about this photo is the timing of the picture. If you’ve ever tried to capture photos of your little girl dancing, it’s not easy. But Caron almost makes it look like a piece of cake in this image.

The placement of arms, feet, and seeing her stand on her tippy toes while knowing this moment only lasted for a second, wow Caron, AMAZING JOB! I also love the composition of this image. Her daughter being off centered adds even more motion to her dancing. I can’t say it enough, great job Caron!

Finalist #2, Birthday Candles, by Deb (mama and wife to these hands)

This is what Deb wrote in her photo submission: “This is a celebration for my husband’s 45th birthday (4 candles on one cupcake, 5 on the other). My 11 year old daughter is lighting the birthday candles for him. I didn’t even realize I had captured the moment between them until I was looking through the pictures. I absolutely love how his hand is gently guiding hers to light the candles.”

When Brian and I opened the image after reading her email, we gasped.

Isn’t this image amazing?! I love the composition of how she framed their hands and centered the cupcakes. The hands and their touch is so tender. Deb, you must share with people how you shot this image! Do you remember your settings? It looks like the candle light was your only light for the image. What an incredible example of darkness and light. Amazing job Deb!

Finalist #3, Red Sky of India, by Ms. Denu

If you’re having a hard time on trying to decide on the finalist after seeing the first two, wait till we add #3 into the mix! Ms. Denu emailed us from India. Her email was precious and explained how she follows our blog and has never entered a photo contest before. Don’t you think she should enter more?!

Can a sky be any more red? I love the dramatic effect of darkness and light in this image–it leaves so much for the imagination to wonder. Are these children playing, are they walking home as a family, is that the mom off to the side, is she holding another child, is the dad comforting the other child? This image is a wonderful example of using darkness and light to inspire stories and creativity. What do I mean by this? Photos can often show us the story, but every once in a while you come across an image that leaves you with more mystery than knowledge. And yet, even in the mystery of this image we still feel warmth, tenderness, family, and what else? Ms. Denu, thank you so much for sharing and taking a chance on submitting to your first photo contest! Wonderful job!

Finalist #4, Ballerina Silhouette, by Susanne (mama to this little one)

Let’s go a different direction in our finalist images and take a look at this beautiful example in capturing darkness and light while inside your home. Susanne said her little girl had just learned to sit up. She set her far enough away from the blinds so her baby couldn’t reach them and took the shot as fast as she could before her baby fell over. Don’t we all remember those tender days?

I love the amount of darkness Susanne used in this image.

What strikes you the most when you see this?

For me, it’s the ruffles on the skirt and the bow around her head. Sometimes I take a silhouette and make the subject completely dark, but sometimes it’s fun to not go completely dark and leave more detail. Susanne has done this wonderfully b/c the detail is in essence the story of the image. The choice to make this a silhouette shot draws out the detail of her ruffled skirt, bows and chubby arms that much more. Would we have had the same effect if this image was in color and/or if her daughter was fully lit? Susanne, this is beautiful. It reminds me of the photo effects I taught on the Beyond the Green Box DVD with Pascaline sitting in front of the window. Thank you so much! You should be so proud of what you captured!!

Finalist #5, Hannah Kate Swinging, by Melissa (mama)

It’s hard to put into words what I think of this image. The soft color, the leaves in the trees above, the darkness and light, the motion of the swing, the old fence, the composition that leaves only a partial profile of her face, the composition that has not wasted a single inch of this image–everything you see lends to the power of the final result. Did Melissa mean to do that? Or was she lucky? Melissa you have to tell us!

The image feels like we’ve stepped back in time, and I love what Melissa writes. “When I think back to my childhood, most of my memories are visually all washed out with light, similar to this photograph. It makes me wonder if my children might remember this exact moment, swinging in the sunlight, as one of their distant memories one day too.”

One more powerful thing to mention about this image. The lack of sound I hear when I look at it. It’s as if the image itself is quiet. I can almost hear the quiet sound of leaves rustling in the wind–her daughter’s breath as she swings higher and higher. Stunning Melissa, just stunning.
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These are the Top Five Finalists for the Darkness and Light Photo Contest! Brian and I debated on allowing ten finalists or fifteen finalists because it was so hard to choose, but I think less is more. These five do a great job at representing the diversity in creativity when it comes to capturing both darkness and light.

It’s always a bit vulnerable for people to send their photo submissions in. So be sure to post your vote and comment below. Let the finalist you choose know why you love their work so much. The winning finalist will receive 50% off to our Sonoma Workshop at the end of this month (April 25th-27th)!!! If the winner is unable to come to the workshop, the runner up will be given the opportunity and so forth. Brian and I can’t wait to meet one of you this month!!

Don’t forget there is always a Random Voter Winner too!! When the contest has ended, we’ll plug the votes in and have excel pick a random voter. The Random Voter Winner will get to choose from one of our five fun 101 Kits (Mom’s Survival 101, Portrait 101, Wedding 101, Getting Published 101 and Associates 101)!

The Deadline for voting on these finalists is this Thursday at 12 noon PT (3pm ET). If your a finalist, be sure to spread the word and get your family and friends voting for you!

Vote Away and Make the Finalists’ Day!! (hey, that TOTALLY rhymed! :))