Towards the end of May this year I was approached by one of my good friends, she ask if I'd be interested in photographing a charity event that she and some friends were going to be running. Of course I made sure I was free and agreed at once. A few weeks before the event was due to take place, I bumped in to her in the local supermarket, we got chatting about the upcoming event and said how we were looking forwards to the day. It was then, it became apparent to me, this wasn't just a event running to make money for a charity there and then, it was in fact a 'calendar shoot!
To me a photographer, who photographs mainly families and weddings, this was the most terrifying but exciting news ever! It had totally not occurred to me what I had signed up to do a few month prior.
When the day arrived at the beginning of July, I was greeted by some extremely nervous models. Some of which were so dedicated to the cause, that they were there extra early and then dashing off to work or one, to get going with her son's birthday party. We didn't have a lot to work with either, some people brought props with them, some came with no ideas what-so-ever, nevertheless we managed to photograph the two calendars all with in the space of one back garden.
It was incredible to see this wonderful, friendly and kind-hearted bunch of people come together at such a low moment in their lives. After to finding out that one of their nearest and dearest had just been diagnosed with Cancer, they decided to take that dreadful piece of news and do something positive with it. They decided that the best way to help him beat Cancer was to standup and do something about it and in this case, they stood up, they stood (some layed, some sat) there butt naked in front of a camera. They didn't do this to glorify or glamourise themselves, they did this because they believed doing something, no matter how big or how little, was worth it. They did this to help create a calendar (which was put together by Gemma Mills @ Big Boolies, a printing and sign writing local business, Gemma did everything at cost!), one for the boys and one for the girls.
The Girls
The Boys
The calendars are now on sale, you can contact Rob Mackie directly to purchase one or they are indeed for sale in a local pub- The Royal Oak, Malton.
When Rob set out to make this idea a reality, he had a target of £5000 in mind to raise for this charity. He launched the calendar last Saturday evening and from what I gathered, he's already S M A S H E D that figure! And you'll be pleased to know that Rob has received treatment now and although he's not full recovered he's on the road to it. He also became a Dad too. So I hope you'll join me in wishing him lucky and the best of health in the future!
Maybe next year we'll do another one, who knows ;)
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