Brianna Graham : Daily Blog

Princess...

I am completing an album order for this client and wanted to share a few.

I have never had a 'first communion' session before, so when I was asked to do this back in May, I immediately thought that this location would be a great place. I love the simplicity of this session, and the grasses add to the mood, I feel...

- Brianna Graham

A sad day...

Today was a sad day for me...

I was downtown shooting a high school senior. As I was driving back, I saw a little girl briskly walking on the side of the street. This was an immediate red flag to me, so I stopped. I got out of my car, and walked up to her, and asked her if she was OK. She said no, and kept walking... I followed her and asked her where her mommy or daddy were, and she said at home. I then asked her where she was going, and she said she was looking for a new place to live. she didn't have a coat, only a t- shirt, and thin pants with flip flops. It was very chilly today downtown, and to think that she had been out there without a jacket was awful...not to mention the fact that she was alone, and had apparently run away from home. I asked her to sit with me on a nearby step, and started asking her more questions.

I asked her why she was by herself downtown, she replied "because nobody cares". I asked how long she had been out, and she said since after school. It was 7:30 at the time that I found her. She said that she was hungry, but didn't want to go back home. She told me that her mother was screaming at her and told her to leave... The little girl was 9 years old.

Shocked yet? So was I...

Another car had pulled up by this time, and a woman got out and said that she had seen the little girl about an hour earlier running down the street... (if you're anything like me, you might wonder why she didn't stop her at that time...) This little girl had been wandering around downtown without food, a jacket, water, or a family for up to 4 hours.

Needless to say, we called the police, and as much as I would like to say that he came and saved the day, I don't think that was the case. Sure he is going to intervene, and I would assume that protective services will be involved, probably tonight, but the damage was already done. In the 30 minutes that I was there talking to her, I managed to hear more negative things than anyone should ever have to endure - especially at 9 years old. I heard this beautiful little girl tell me that she was stupid, that nobody loved her, that her mother slapped her and told her to leave and never come back, that she is the oldest of her siblings, and nobody cares about her...that she is ugly, and she doesn't ever want to go back home...

That's a lot for a 9 year old to have weighing on her mind. Don't you think...

I feel bad posting this, and I obviously would never disclose her name, but the reason for my post is this: How many people saw this little girl walking around from street to street, in her little kitty cat t-shirt, and green flip flops, and didn't take the time to stop? THIS LITTLE GIRL WAS IN TROUBLE and NEEDED someone to care. I find it so incredibly disarming to know that for 4 hours, in the cold wind, without a jacket, food or water, that NOBODY thought it strange that she was alone.

When I walked up to her, as scared as she was, she didn't want to let on that she was hurting inside. It wasn't until I gave her a little hug that she finally allowed the tears to well up in her eyes. She was so young, and has seen so much, and just needed help. I can't tell you how many people passed us while we were sitting on the step, with my car parked in a turn lane downtown on one of the main streets, hazard lights on... Not one person asked if we were OK or if we needed any help... Why? I don't have an answer. I wish I did.

I don't honestly know where she was going, and she didn't either. I guess that she thought anywhere was better than where she came from 4 hours prior.

This is scary...for many reasons. I won't go into details... The police officer said she was more than 2 miles away from her home.

I don't know my point of posting this, other than the fact that I am so unbelievably upset with what I saw, and to further say that I am so disappointed in the many people that saw her and didn't think or care to stop.

No, this post has nothing to do with photography, other than the fact that my senior session led up to finding her and hopefully bringing attention to her home situation. What I really want to know is why. Why do people have to do these things to their children? Why didn't she know that she was a beautiful smart girl? Why was she not out playing on her bike, or with friends, or with her family watching a movie and eating popcorn... These things that most people take for granted...the little things...she may never know.

A sad day indeed...

A little comic relief...

I am trying to catch up, and will be adding more to the blog later...but here is my token for the moment...

The funniest little girl - EVER!! Rock On J!

- Brianna Graham

Back on my Game...

OK, I admit, I have been neglecting my blog, but I have been VERY busy on the photography end of things. I have been putting together literature for my workshop, planning for a wedding that I will be shooting in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, shooting TONS of wonderful people, and still trying to find time for family life.

I have some recent news. I have been selected to appear in an upcoming book - yes, a REAL BOOK...one that will be sold in Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and the like. It will be a book on portrait photography, and only 10 people will be featured. I will be getting a whole chapter, and I can't tell you how TOTALLY EXCITED I AM!  More on that as it develops...

On to the workshop: I have received enough response for 10 complete workshops, pending everyone is able to commit. Since I have pushed it close to the October deadline, I will be offering the first set in November instead. Having the Cabo wedding booking come in relatively last minute, and the fact that my schedule is already busy due to the holiday season, I though that November might be more fair for everyone. I want to give this my all, and want to make sure that I am not distracted by everything that will be going on. I will be emailing everyone that has emailed with details about booking, a complete schedule, and other misc. info this week.

Now for some images... I have been shooting a lot of weddings, children's portraits, families, and senior portraits. I want to share some of my favorites. I promise I won't drop the ball on my blog again. It has been a very busy summer, and I want to thank the people that have emailed me making sure that I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. ;)

A stunning senior with a very bright future ahead of her:

And another beautiful senior...

And a funky one...just cuz.

There are so many more. Check back, as I will be making up for lost time here! I will be adding more this afternoon, and will be adding to my "photo of the day" category as well. My plan is to include one image from every shoot - well, maybe that is a little ambitious, but I like a challenge.

It's good to be "back". ;)

Brianna Graham