If you have seen my facebook page then you have heard what I plan on doing.  The people of Japan need our help:  citizens and rescue teams alike.  I am offering $200 1 hour photoshoot sessions with all of that money going to the Red Cross.

I’d hope this would simply be understood but I want to assure you that what I am doing here is not a self-promotion at all.  While it would be great I am not looking for new leads or repeat business.  In fact if I could somehow take my name out of all of it, I would.  Something that comes to mind is an anecdote that has been told to me over the years.  It’s a great line in Superman the movie where Clark’s father tells a young Clark Kent when he is upset about having to hide his powers while playing football.  He says,

“[...] That is, you are here for a reason. I don’t know whose reason it is, or whatever the reason… maybe it’s… I don’t know…. but I do know one thing: it’s not to score touchdowns.”

I don’t feel that I am superman.  I do feel that this is something we can all take to heart when thinking about all the things we do in life.  I have often admired those who have dropped everything and taken up photojournalism to spread the word of what is happening in the world a la the amazingly talented photographers ostentatiously aggregated at The Big Picture.  While I am not at a point in life to be able to do that, I do feel that I am able to help.

It comes down to this, an awesome way for you to get those photographs that you have been wanting and needing for a bit of time now and to do something wonderful for the world.  I’m going to break this down into a few sections that will hopefully explain how everything will go down this next week.

The Situation:

Not that “Situation”, this one actually means something.  Last Friday an earthquake, which scaled at 9.0 on the Richter scale, blasted 8o miles off the coast of Japan.  This is one of the largest known quakes in Japan’s modern history and one of the largest in recent years globally.  Not long after, due to the quake, a tsunami washed over many parts of the coast of Japan destroying villages and people’s lives.  The footage online is obscene, watching it you feel as though something like this cannot possibly be real.  It is.  In fact, it is very real.  The death toll is still climbing, the amount missing still not entirely known.  Nuclear disaster seems nearly imminent and we can only pray to whatever God or gods or positive spiritual entity in which you believe that they are able to stave off such a disaster.

However, there is good.  Human nature is good, the Red Cross gives on average 91 cents on the dollar that is donated to them.  Artists abound are donating their time and effort in donating money for these causes.  It is times like these that make you want to step up and start making a difference.  I feel as if this is my time to help in the way that I know I can.

The What:

$200 1 hour long sessions in which all of the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross for relief in Japan.  I don’t care what this session is for (within reason, of course;).  If you want this to be for your Engagement Shoots, awesome.  If you want to take concert shots, great.  Studio shots?  Fantastic.  Headshots?  Yes.  Fashion shoots for a portfolio?  Perfect.

I only have a few stipulations and I will list those later.  The point is, if you have a photographic need of any kind, now is the time to take advantage of this.  Sessions that are typically $250 are discounted and all of those funds.  Every last penny.  It’s going to help those in need by this disaster.

The When:

Sessions need to be booked by next Wednesday, March 23rd 2011, and paid for in full by next Friday, March 25th 2011.  Sessions need to be fulfilled before the end of August, 2011.

The Who:

You.  Bring yourself, bring friends, bring lovers, bring enemies.  It doesn’t matter.  Just get ready to have an awesome time for a great cause.

The Where:

Unfortunately, and this is one of those stipulations, this deal is limited to those in the greater Milwaukee and Chicago areas.  If I can easily make it to you, by my judgment, by car from Milwaukee then please.  Participate.   Unfortunately, I cannot simply afford to travel and donate all proceeds.  However, if you do want to pay for my travel costs and then the $200 on top for a donation and it is able to be scheduled out, then by all means I am down and I am game.

The Fine Print:

Why am I putting a time limit on this?  Honestly, I don’t know the response.  This could flop and I may not get any responses.  Or this could go even crazier than I expected.  Without this being my full time profession I only have a limited amount of time that I can physically devote to sessions.

Why paid for in full in advance?  I simply cannot afford to foot a bill on this one.  The sole purpose of all of this is to raise money that I would not typically be able to donate myself for a situation that is heartbreaking to me.  This is also about commitment, it would be one thing for me to track someone down to pay me for services I have given but I feel it sort of breaks a whole new slew of ethical violations to make me track someone down – for whatever reason – for a charitable cause.  That doesn’t really matter though, you want to donate.

Why is it that only awesome places like Milwaukee and Chicago get to take advantage of this?   Like I stated before, it is due to travel costs.  I cannot afford to travel much without compensation and this is not about being compensated.  It’s about giving.

Finally, these have to be new requests.  If I have been in talks with you about a photoshoot, engagement shoot, etc then this offer, unfortunately, does not apply.  I sincerely appreciate your desire to donate but it is simply too complicated for me to logistically tackle this on my own if this is not a separate entity.  This is new photoshoots that are being proposed to me starting today and going through next Wednesday.  I want the sole purpose of these shoots to have originated with the idea of giving to this fund in mind.

What do you receive?

The last point to address is what are your receivables for doing this.  I am so grateful that you are looking into doing this that I want to send you a specialized receipt stating what I have done with the money and how awesome you are for helping out.  On top of that you will receive a proof of delivery for the $200 to Red Cross.  Thirdly, you will receive your photographs, ALL usable photographs (something usually reserved for Weddings & Engagements) from the shoot.  The number of these entirely depends on set up time, repetition and similarity of shots, and technical details such as blur, focus, color, lighting, acts of God, etc.  But trust me, it’s more than you would typically get in any other scenario.  You deserve it.

In closing, please help me help those in need.  Look up this situation that is going on.  Watch the videos, see the photographs, hear their stories.  If you think you have a photographic need in the near future please contact me via this blog, my facebook, twitter @aarcusphoto with hashtag: #ArcJapanRelief, e-mail at adam.arcus.photo@gmail.com, mobile phone, tin-cans, morsecode.  Whatever and however you can.  And finally, spread the word – e-mail this to your friends, lovers, coworkers, enemies, cousins, barbers, etc.  The more we do together, the more we can raise.  If you don’t chose to do this through me, look up those other artists, donate to Red Cross’ text method for donating $10 automatically by texting REDCROSS to 90999, go through Google’s crisis response at http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html , other artists: go and do this for your talents as well!  We can make a difference.