(as published @ http://www.bnd.com/news/spiers/story/135312.html)
U.S. Army Maj. Dan Duvall gets a hug from his wife after returning from Kuwait on Sept. 11.
WHEN U.S. ARMY Maj. Dan Duvall came home from Kuwait on Sept. 11, his reception committee included his family as well as a professional photographer to capture the emotional moment.
Christie Kohlhaas, owner of Christie Kohlhaas Photography of Millstadt, was at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and took a series of pictures. She presented the family with a photo album to mark the occasion.
Her work is part of Operation Love ReUnited, a group that encourages professional photographers to photograph families of service people who are going to dangerous assignments or returning home.
“I was wondering how I was going to get pictures and a hug at the same time,” said Colleen Duvall, Dan’s wife.
That is one of the concerns the organization is trying to take care of, Kohlhaas said.
“You don’t have to worry about snapping pictures of the moment when you are so overcome with emotion,” she said.
Although there is no guarantee photographers won’t be overcome as well.
“It was emotional,” Kohlhaas said. “It was so cool. I think I was crying more than they were.”
She said she heard about Operation Love Reunited on a photographers’ online forum. It also was featured recently in the magazine of the Professional Photographers of America.
Photographers are required to register with the organization. The Web site: www.oplove.org, lists Kohlhaas and Caleb Heal of Caleb Heal Photography in Waterloo as the only two local photographers involved.
The organization requires photographers to offer a small album and the photo sessions for free. Participants have the option to purchase more pictures at a discounted rate.
“It takes an hour of my time and to pay for a small album and some prints is no big deal,” Kohlhaas said. “These people are giving up months of their lives.”
Colleen Duvall said she heard about the program from a fellow leader in the Girl Scouts and wants to spread the word. More publicity also might help attract more photographers to the program.
Heal said he has some appointments pending and is looking forward to participating.
“It’s something positive and I have a lot of military people in my family,” he said. “I wish I would have thought of it.”