I would be remiss if I didn't cover this adventure in October.
Bob and Linda Carey
According to the Breast Cancer Foundation, there will be an estimated 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women and 2,550 cases diagnosed in men in the U.S. in 2018. An estimated 41,400 breast cancer deaths will occur.
Our friends, Bob and Linda Carey are no strangers to these statistics. In 2003, Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer. She beat it, only to have it recur in 2006. Bob had lost his mom to breast cancer years earlier, and knew full well the battle they were up against. Bob, a professional commercial photographer, created a series of self-portraits donning a tutu, conceptualized during a shoot for Ballet Arizona. He shared the images with Linda, which resulted in some much needed laughter. Linda shared the images with other breast cancer patients during treatment and the rest is history. The photos went viral. In 2016. The Tutu Project was officially created. Linda is a now a 15-year breast cancer survivor, and an inspiration to all of us.
The Adventure: Last August, Bob came up to Canada to visit Dave and I in search of locations for some new tutu photos. Our daily road trips consisted of scouting for the perfect backdrop for the quintessential tutu shot. We found some despite the heavy smoke that filled the air, from multiple fires that covered Alberta and B.C. The thick haze and freaky orange glow added a sense of drama to the photos that was truly unique.
Kootenay River, British Columbia
A drought had nearly emptied Goat Pond. It looked dry, but it was incredibly muddy. Dave was worried that a rescue might be in order. Nothing (and I mean NOTHING), stops Bob from getting the shot he wants.
Late one evening, we visited Moraine Lake and Lake Louise to shoot and had quite a few tourists from Germany and Japan recognize Bob, who then graciously posed for selfies with them.
Moraine Lake, camera view.
Tutu at Lake Louise, Banff National Park
Our visit was filled with great conversation, laughter, and a lot of love. Dave introduced Bob to poutine, which quickly became his food of choice. Espresso the cat left a little gift in his suitcase. What a fiasco. All in all, a quick but successful three days of road trips and photographs. What a wonderful way to bring some joy and laughter into people’s lives in a most unusual way.
The Carey Foundation, a breast cancer non-profit was established to provide everything from financial assistance to emotional healing. They are global, reaching over 250,000 supporters worldwide. To find out more about The Carey Foundation or to make a donation please visit thetututproject.com