sweet light photographers gives out a big check! (:

so we want to send out at a big thank you to all the women who participated in our fundraiser. the whole process far exceeded our expectations in every way. we cannot wait to do this again next year!!

we chose our recipient and handed over the $1600 check to the family crisis center. we couldn't be more thrilled to give such a wonderful and well known institution these funds that will help women in crisis. the institution has been around for over 30 years and still very much in need.

we also want to thank again all those that volunteered their time to help us with this fundraiser:

ken murphy of murphy empire for all the design work for our promotional materials. his work is amazing. http://www.kennethtmurphy.com/

julia irace of andrea's bridal for the couture and props. breathtaking. http://andreasbridal.net/

the women of bei capelli for the hours of 'make over's' they gave to the women. you can see their beautiful work in any of our photos. http://www.beicapelli.com/

here is the press release that was sent out.

Lois Galgay Reckitt, Director of Family Crisis Services received $1600 from Nadra Edgerley and Jen Dean of Sweet Light Photographers and Nadra Photography. The funds were raised from an event in January entitled “I <3 (heart) Sweet Tarts” - intimate portraits for women. A total of 32 women of all ages, shapes and sizes participated in the 2 day event. The idea was created to help empower women, celebrate their femininity and appreciate the bodies that they have at this moment in their lives.

Nadra Edgerley owner of Nadra Photography and Sweet Light Photographers, holds several fund raisers through out the year. While considering organizations to donate the funds to, Kat Powers, a Sweet Light employee suggested the Family Crisis Services. Powers lost her step daughter Kelley Newcomb of Portland to domestic violence in 1995. Perhaps, if other women like Kelley had more self confidence in themselves, they would be less likely to fall prey in an unhealthy relationship. It is our wish that this donation may assist others like Kelley Newcomb.

Family Crisis Services provide programs that focus on individual advocacy and safety for battered women and their children. They work for and encourage institutional change to assign responsibility for battering to the perpetrators. They also work to change cultural values which perpetuate and support the abuse of women through community education.

Inspired by the stories of the women who participated in these intimate portrait sessions, Jen Dean photographer at Sweet Light Photographers has been motivated to hold a public forum entitled, "Confidence is Sexy: An Intimate Discussion." She looks forward to sharing fine-art prints and a slide-show of her own and Nadra's work, as well as the stories from the women behind these sessions. These images and stories show the beauty of all feminine sensuality, not just that of certain narrow stereotypes. The discussion will focus on these stories, as well as looking at past and present views of female body-image and sexuality, and how these views might be shifted in a positive direction for our daughters and granddaughters. Jen is passionate about using photography and dialogue to create more confident and powerful generations of women. Dates and times to be announced soon on our blog..

You can view a feature done by WCSH-6 by going to the blog section at www.nadraphotography.com.