Last weekend, I was excited to be a part of the Hold That Hug photography event at Stewart Park in Columbia, Missouri.

The event was held in memory of Columbia photographer (and wife and mother) Sarah E.M. Becking, who died of cancer this summer.  Although Sarah Becking photographed her children, there weren’t very many photos of her with her children.  Her photographer friends decided that every mother and father should be photographed with their children, so they set up a party in the park last Sunday, complete with musicians and crafts for the kids, and did family portaits for anyone who showed up. 

I was invited to take photos of the overall event!  I had a great time.  It was a beautiful fall day in the park, with lots of happy families.  A wonderful tribute.

The portraits are now available online, on the late photographer’s website, with proceeds going toward Picture of the Year International.  Mine are included in the ‘Event Overview’ gallery.

Photographer Kim Wade of Silver Box Photographers, Anastasia Pottinger of Anastasia Pottinger Photography, Amy Enderle, also of Silver Box Photographers, and LG Patterson of Recess Inc. were four of the photographers present at the event last Saturday.  Ashley Turner of Ashley Turner Photography and David Rees were also doing portraits that day.

Meanwhile, at the children’s craft and activity area:

The event was mentioned in Monday’s Columbia Missourian newspaper, and I’ve heard that a writeup with some photos may be included in this Sunday’s Columbia Tribune.  (Some of my photos may be included with that!)  I will update this with a link if it happens.

Updated:  There were pictures in the Columbia Tribune on Sunday, and I was credited for several of them (including one that was credited to me but that I did not take!).  It was in the Style section (I think) on the second page- several large color photos with a description of the event.  But unfortunately the Columbia Tribune does not put many pictures on its website, so the only way to see them is to get a copy of Sunday’s paper.  Maybe sometime I will start scanning in these tear sheets!  Anyway, it was there, but no link.  Sorry.