We just returned from Ethiopia where we were able to help a rad ngo called Agar. Agar (which is the Ethiopian word for “helper”) does incredible work with the segments of society who cannot care for themselves. They do a lot of work with the elderly and just recently obtained a grant to become a rehabilitation/reintegration center for women who have been rescued out of sexual slavery. We’ll be using the imagery we captured while in Ethiopia to create print collateral and a website, as well as a brand package makeover!!! LOVE helping out ngos in this way! Here’s a few of our favorite images from our time in this amazing country filled with the most friendly and beautiful people.

We wanted to briefly share a project that basically has our ENTIRE production team working around the clock to wrap up right now. It’s called The Congo Benefit Project. It’s a DVD and CD project that will be packaged in an 8 panel digi-pack case (above is one of the graphics we created for the packaging). There are six HD videos that retell the story of Congo and what’s currently happening to it’s people. It also includes a 15 song CD with various artist from around the country. It’ll be on sale this winter and all the proceeds go to benefit the people of Congo. Don’t know what’s happening in Congo? Find out by watching THIS VIDEO we produced earlier this year for World Relief NEXT. We’ll let you know when The Congo Benefit Project is avaliable for purchase and where you can find the product. What an amazing project to be involved in. Photography by Benjamin Edwards, design by Gary A Christenson, Copy by Matthew Smith, Video production by Beth Fischer, Audio Engineering and music production by Justin Lavik and Conor Miller. Printed with JC Nore.

The Harvest India video we shot and produced while in India early in 2009 is complete and shown on our website: CLICK HERE to visit our website, click on “Our Work”, then on “Videos”, and it’s the third one down. Shot in India, edited in Oregon. Travel Team: Mark Ellis, Peter Wiley, Gary Christenson. Post Production Team: Mark Ellis, Beth Fischer, Peter Wiley, Conor Miller and Gary Christenson. Enjoy

We are completely honored to be featured in PDN (Photo District News). They interviewed several professional photographers who are “giving back” for this months “Concerned Photographer” issue. We talked about emote360 and were even able to show some images from this year’s trips to Africa and India.

AND TO OUR SURPRISE, we also had a full page inspirational ad that friends in the photography industry created and sponsored for us (thanks to Kubota Image Tools, Azukabook, Lensbaby, VGallery, Doug Gordon and Silverback… you all are outstanding!!!).

The purpose of all the above news is to simply say, USE YOUR PASSION TO CHANGE THE WORLD. 

We are very pleased to announce that in conjunction with World Relief NEXT, we have won the “Come Clean 4 Congo” video contest held by The Enough Project and You Tube. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your votes… and MOST OF ALL, for spreading the word about what is happening in DR Congo. A team from Oregon will be heading down to the Hollywood Film Festival to show this video and speak about the subject. Thanks again for your support, we couldn’t have done it without you.  VIEW THE VIDEO

World Relief NEXT, in partnership with Emote360, created a video for the “Enough Project Video Contest” (sponsored by YouTube and Enough). A trio of celebrity judges narrowed all the entries down to three finalists and we’re honored to be one of the top three. Now it’s up to YOU, the public, to choose the best video. Our video is titled “LIFE SHOULD BE FREE”. Of course we’d love the votes, however, the important thing is that people watch the videos and learn about what’s happening in Congo. 

If you are on Twitter and/or Facebook, please encourage your network of friends to VOTE in the “Enough Project Video Contest” here: http://www.youtube.com/enoughproject

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Video credits: Produced by: emote360, DP/Directed by: Benjamin Edwards, Post/Graphics by: Elizabeth Fischer, Audio/Music Composition by: Conor Miller, Written by: Matthew Smith, On Screen: Micah Bournes, All additional footage and pictures (DR Congo/Rwanda/Burundi) by: Elizabeth Fischer and Benjamin Edwards

ENOUGH FINAL ENTRY from emote360 on Vimeo.

Composed for the ENOUGH PROJECT VIDEO ENTRY: http://www.enoughproject.org/

Great news! Our media team will be heading to India in January. We’ll be documenting an organization called Harvest India (www.harvestindia.org). We’re setting out to tell the story of the work they are doing on the ground that is literally saving lives! They dig wells, house orphans, provide medical training & healthcare, rescue women from sex slavery and so much more. This is a great example of what emote360 is all about:

Partnering with organizations around the globe to simply tell their story. Creating multimedia materials that will help them spread awareness for their cause and in return raise donor support.

That’s always the goal… to really help an organizations cause! The footage (video, photos) and interviews that we shoot in India will be used for Harvest India’s funding campaign in the states. We love it when organization value media and are willing to do what it takes to get the right tools in peoples hands to advocate for their cause. Harvest India can’t cover all of our costs to produce these videos, so we’re asking for peoples support to help us continue to help them. 90% of our trip expenses have been financially met with NO solicitation thus far (which is amazing and we’re extremely grateful), however, we’re still needing to raise $6,000 to help offset the projects total cost. Please consider partnering with us to raise support for the work in India. Donation can be made by CLICKING HERE.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am passionate about being with my family and love spending as much time as possible with them! I have an amazing husband David, and 2 unbelievably creative and inspiring children, Charlie and Olivia.

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Where is home?
I was raised in Jackson Hole, Wyoming so that always feels like home when I go back to visit or work. Now after 5 years of living in Bend and beginning to plant some roots here by getting more involved in the community, Bend is starting to feel more and more like home.

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How long have you been in the event biz?
I think I’ve loved a good party since birth, but professionally for about 14 years now.

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What’s the best part of being an event coordinator?
The end result. I love sitting back at the end of an event and seeing all of the hard work come together! All the food and cake tastings are fun too!

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How would you describe your style?
I love new & trendy ideas and always look for what is cutting edge in the event world. But at the end of the day, I always go back to ‘classic elegance’. Years ago I worked for Ralph Lauren and his timeless style always inspires me and has helped shape my own style a bit.

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Who or what circumstance inspired you to give back?
The huge catapult in my life that inspired me to give back happened in 2003. During an event meeting I had a stroke, followed by open-heart surgery a few months later. I knew that my life was completely out-of-control, working ridiculous hours & drinking 2 pots of coffee a day. Something had to give and because I’m a slow learner, that something had to be extraordinary to get my attention! I think when you are faced with a mind-blowing trial like that, it makes you assess where you’re at in your life and what you are putting your energy into.

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Tell us how you are currently giving back?
I have been planning various events in the community for non-profits over the past few years and they simply energize and inspire me like no other event can. I get to plan amazing, fun, and creative events knowing that what I do can make a difference in the world somehow! I am currently involved with KIDS Center, Morning Star Christian School, The Center Foundation and FrontLine Foundation—a Christian version of “United Way” that is just being launched here in Bend. I have also worked with Pregnancy Resource Center and faithfully pray for them and Ransom Wear as they are doing amazing work in our community and globally.

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Something you’re still learning?
That I cannot do it alone. I try all the time…and God so faithfully & gently reminds me that I’m a total dork and that it is really Him who works through me and in me. It is humbling and awesome! Oh, and I’m learning balance! That’s a hard one for me as I tend to have a ‘go big or go home’ kind of personality. Hard to do on a non-profit budget!

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What advice would you have for others who are looking to start giving back and don’t know where to start?
Follow your heart. I have stepped out over the years in many different directions only to have my path redirected. Huge waste of time if you are not using the gifts that God has given you or are doing it for the wrong reasons. “Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm”–Winston Churchill

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How can people be involved in what you are doing?
Email me at aimeeb@bendbroadband.com or contact the various non-profits I have listed above directly. Volunteers are always needed and resources are always appreciated!

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Readers can find more out about you or your work at:
Your Website: www.bendeventco.com
Your Blog: http://bendeventco.blogspot.com/
(both under construction)

Jane Johnson

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Tell us about yourself:
I am a: wife | daughter | twin | aunty | designer | photographer. Creating is at the core of my being. I love to show people things they have never seen, never thought of, or see in an entirely new light. I don’t just take pictures. I HAVE to tell the story of what lies behind the smile. I suppose that makes me a documentary photographer. Regardless of my title, I am fascinated by people.

I was born in Arizona, but have spent the last 16 years in Oregon. I studied photography at Oregon State, and moved to Bend in 2004 as a brand new bride to help start a church with my husband and three other couples. After three years of acting as a barista, office slave, make-up artist, and graphic designer, I decided to pursue my own career in photography and founded Ethni Photography in 2007. I am currently running Ethni, and am the art director for True North Parenting, a local parenting magazine.

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What does giving back look like for your photo biz:
The vision for Ethni Photography was born out of a large realization that the world is already saturated with so many gifted photographers. Although I knew I was specifically called to pursue photography while I was on a mission trip in Rio de Janeiro in 2001, I was very aware that I wasn’t the only person in this world with that gifting. Last year I found myself on my face asking God what He wanted to do differently with me in the photography industry. I firmly believe that people aren’t gifted creatively to simply get rich doing it. During three days of heavy prayer, the vision for Ethni came together: 25% of every session fee goes as a donation to a missions organization of the client’s choice. Why 25%? Because when I’m shopping I consider anything less than 25% off not worth my time.
“Ethni” comes from ethnos, the greek word for nations. I dropped the “-os” and added an “i” to make it a little more feminine, and it became my business name. I thought I had just made up a word, but interestingly enough, I stumbled across a wikipedia entry just a few weeks ago, nearly a year after Ethni began. It turns out that Ethni is actually the name of a Hebrew man in the old testament, who David assigned to the music ministry of the tabernacle in 1 Chronicles 6:41. However, as I studied the word further, I was even more convinced that I was on the right track with Ethni. The original definition of the word is bountiful and munificent (extremely liberal in giving, very generous, characterized by great generosity). I don’t think coming up with that name was pure coincidence. And in only five months, I was able to donate nearly $2,000 to local, national, and global organizations. I know that’s just a drop in the bucket in light of what God will do in the future.

Just think of the impact that can be made in a country where the donation from one wedding ends up being twice a person’s average yearly income! I’m excited at the possibilities.

So I take every session, and write every check, while continually remembering my life verse: The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. (Matthew 6:22)

Here’s to illuminating the rest of the world.

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Website: http://www.ethniphotography.com/
Blog: http://www.ethniphotography.blogspot.com/

It’s crazy how many media folks are “giving-back” as we take a look around the west coast - even in our little city of good ole Bend, Oregon. It really is inspiring, however, there are still countless non-profit organizations in communities all over the nation that still need lots-o-help! So, we want to challenge other artists out there to give-back locally and globally. Here in the next few weeks we will start our campaign To Inspire. We will be featuring various artists who are volunteering for awesome causes, we’ll be showing their work and telling their story TO INSPIRE other artists to do the same. Life is too short, it should be meaningful.

In two weeks Lauren and I will be taking a small team of people to visit Mamma Naomi in Eastern Rwanda.

We are blessed to have with us Kevin Kubota, internationally known photographer and educator, his wife Clare Kubota and three of their wonderful employees, Amber, Lindsey and Eryn. We will also have with us Tracey Harper who recently was named Canadian Photographer of the year.

Through generous donations from Kubota Image Tools as well as others who have given, we will be able to take part in projects that will truly be life changing for the roughly 500 children that Naomi oversees.

The photography and video we capture will come home not only help Naomi and the orphans, but will be used to demonstrate to others how they can get involved and use their gifts both locally and abroad.

We thank you for any help you can provide Naomi, the children and Emote360.
Blessings,
–Benjamin

Thank you Doug Goron for getting the word out about our work in Africa!

Doug is a phenomenal photographer and educator who speaks all over the world. You can see what Doug has to say about giving back on his blog, here.

Our thanks to Bill Moore at SilverBack Imaging and Design for getting the word out about Emote360 and our work in Africa. Hear what Bill has to say in the “Giving Back” section of his blog.

I had a chance to spend some time with Bill over the past few days and count myself blessed for having had the chance.

If you are a photographer looking for a chance to get your shooting life back, don’t hesitate to hand your processing over to Bill and his team.

Kevin Kubota (www.kubotaactionhero.com/) has been helping us raise awareness and build up funds on behalf of our efforts in Rwanda. He and a team will be traveling with Ben Edwards to Rwanda in July. People like Kevin have been huge advocates for emotes cause. Thanks so much Kevin for all you have done to change the world - quite literally! We hope to raise funds for this trip and many more like it. Will you help us?

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Donate to emote360 (click here)

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