While there are quite a few changes, we’re committed to them, as we know they will better protect our clients, our photographers, and our organization.  A few to point out among others are:

• Disassociating the organization from any sales, if they were to come up
• The Privacy Act
• There is now a policy that if a photographer is reported to be charging for any service or album associated with the OpLove name, that said photographer may be removed from our list without warning.
• It is now a requirement that if an image is to be displayed publicly the DoD disclaimer must accompany it, and any surnames be removed from the images, by means of cloning or otherwise where they may not be technically recovered.
• We are now a 501c3 and have decided to implement a yearly membership due of $25.00, which you will may write off at the end of the year.  The dues apply to all photographers, those who are current and those who wish to join.  If you are a current photographer, but haven’t paid the subscription before, please do so before June 1st, then you will be good for a year   These dues help our foundation out to buy banners for events, and will help to support our photographers more thru this struggling economy with printing, marketing, etc.  We know it’s rough!  We are all feeling it, so if you must have the membership fee waived, please write to us and we’ll discuss it privately.

For our current photographers, we’ll be posting the new policies on our collaboration forum.  At this time you will NEED TO REVIEW THEM, and simply if you do not agree, let us know and we can remove your listing.

These policies are in the best interest of everyone and must be followed in all aspects.  They are put in effect for a reason, to make this organization grow and grow and support every person that is affected by a deployment.

Thank you SO much for sticking thru all this mess with us.  It should be pretty smooth sailing from here out.  We’ll be electing additional board members before the 15th, we have the Texas event that we are planning for THIS WEEKEND, also the San Diego event is under way for planning, and we are organizing a Denver event.  These are just a few of the great things we do for our families each day.  In turn it’s a wonderful feeling to know that we have brought them closer together, and that they have welcomed not only our organization into their lives and families, but also the photographers personally.

OpLove members, give yourself a pat on the back… We LOVE YOU!

If you are a client and have been asked to pay for your session, or been given a price quote for the session or session album, -OR- if you are a photographer and know of other photographers doing this, please send a private email to oplove1@gmail.com.  Your name and information will NOT be disclosed.  Any photographer who is charging will be emailed personally about the allegations.  If that photographer does not reply within 3 days, their listing will be permanently removed.

Clients, please remember that if a photographer is NOT listed in our Finder, then they are NOT an OpLove photographer.  It is OpLove’s goal to make this organization MORE OF an organization and less like a group. To do that, and to grow successfully we all need to stay updated on the ever changing policies per the DoD’s requests, and we need to make sure our Finder is accurate as well.  We need EVERYONE’s cooperation to do this.

Thank you.

There are a few times in everyones lives when your heart warms your entire body- and you actually feel it.  Making eye contact with your new baby- for the first time in his or her life… Paying for someone’s lunch who was kind to you because of a simple friendly conversation- a stranger… Mowing your neighbors front yard, and they bring you cookies as a thank you because they would like to pay you- but can’t afford too.

As OpLove photographers, our heart is warmed everytime we send that album overseas. I know that I envision our finely dressed military opening their package from this unknown person and inside are images of most beautiful people he or she knows, the photos they will cherish for their duration away from our great country and the ones they hold close to their own hearts, and at that moment, we the photographers of OpLove, become angels.

As this Holiday Season quickly approaches us, we are left to remember the thousands of military who are deployed from their families, and forced to celebrate together, thousands of miles away from their homes.  We remember the thousands of wives and husbands who sleep alone in a bed that used to be warm, clenching a pillow that they pray never looses scent.  We remember the hundreds of thousands of children who are missing their mommy or daddy so much… They ask Santa to bring them home.

Many months ago, my amazing sister Sara, suggested an annual album to be made of the prior years images that we acquire from our sessions, in celebration of the previous year, the safety that was blessed upon our military members, and to help our foundation grow larger.  I proudly announce that with the gernerous donations from Jessica Dittmore, Digi-Labs, and our OpLove photographers, our 2008 Annual is underway!

The Annuals will be ready for production around December 15th.  The 10×10, hard black cover albums, will be around 20 pages (but not less then) and designed with Jessica’s stunning “The Brave” template.  These Annuals, which will be produced yearly, will make the perfect gift for any person who is touched by the ultimate gift that our fine military men and women give to us every day of their lives- Freedom.

http://www.oplove.org/Album/OpLove Digital Album/index.html (flash needed)

Please keep watching the blog, the annuals will be sold from here.

In honor of Independence Day, on Thursday, July 3, 2008 a group of photographers will be collaborating to offer Operation: Love Reunited family portrait sessions between 9:00 and 3:00 to families who have their love one deployed. You’ll spend about 30 minutes with a photographer, creating some great casual portraits and candid shots of your family. The photographer will prepare an album of 4×6 prints and send it directly to your deployed loved one, as this is how the OpLove program works.

We’ll be doing this at Liberty Station in the big grassy promenade area behind Vons and the North Chapel (2881 Roosevelt Road, San Diego, CA 92106: enter off of Rosecrans Blvd. and Roosevelt Rd. and park in the parking on the right side before the chapel).

To schedule your appointment, please contact Julie Edwards via EMAIL or by phone: 619-417-7397. Portrait session will have the usual patriotic theme, so wear your red, white, and blue, bring some boots, a hat, a jacket, dog tags or small props like a flag or a photo of your loved one. You will be required to sign a release and show proof of deployment when you check in, other than that there are are no strings attached – it’s completely free to eligible families!

Hope to see you out there!!

www.oplove.org

So if you get a chance, drop her a note and tell her Thanks!! 

OpLove CafePress Store
OpLove Zazzle Store

The above links open in new windows.

Marilyn, Emily, Devan, Philip, Desiree, Kelly, Jessica, Allen, Angel, Rebecca, Joy, Lisa, Dena, and Monica to OpLove!

As you can see our blog is in SHAMBLES!  Jared at ProPhoto Blog donated us a template!!! So excited!

The banner is flash and rotates at the top… so we could have multiple banners of all our images! yay!! and there’s a spot for a nice logo to the side.

I thought it would be fun to have a little design contest (logoish), and the vote for the favored “biopic.” Feel free to jazz it up!!  Maybe instead of our traditional logo, the initial OLR in front of the flag… etc….

We’ll have a vote on the best submission, and winner will receive a VERY generously donated gift voucher (not eligable for custom work) from Renee of Vibe!  If you haven’t checked out the Vibe website, you should! LOTS of yummy actions and fun!

The “biopic” below the header, needs to be 215×312px
and the rotating headers need to be 980×250px

Go ahead and email your submissions for the blog to oplove1@gmail.com  We’ll run this contest until the end of the month and then vote the 1st week of May.