The Why Behind The Wish | Make-A-Wish Portraits

The Why Behind The Wish campaign | Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island

About a year ago, I received a call from my old friend Sean Cunningham, a super-talented art director, inviting me to participate in a special project celebrating Make-A-Wish's 40th anniversary. Several months later, my photo assistant and I found ourselves on a plane heading to Boston, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to photograph a group of wish kids and create enchanting portraits in the studio.

Make-A-Wish is an organization that grants hundreds of wishes to children diagnosed with critical illnesses every year. For these children, a wish come true can be a crucial turning point in their lives. It can be the spark that helps them believe anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illnesses. This is why the "Why Behind the Wish" campaign was so important to us.

During the photo shoot, our goal was to create stunning and magical portraits of wish kids who had already had their wishes granted. We wanted to highlight the cause, encourage the community to donate, and make the kids feel like the shining stars they truly are. As a team, we aimed to capture the essence of each child and showcase their unique personalities and wishes in the photos.

The "Why Behind the Wish" campaign was an unforgettable experience that highlighted the power of a wish. It showed how a single wish can have a profound impact on a child's life and inspire them to keep fighting. As a photographer, I feel honored to have been a part of this project and to have had the opportunity to work with such inspiring children. I hope that this campaign will continue to raise awareness and encourage more people to support Make-A-Wish and the incredible work they do for children with critical illnesses.

Meet Maleah, a confident 13-year-old who had one simple wish - to become a model. During our photoshoot, Maleah dazzled us with her fierce looks and runway-worthy poses, proving that she was a natural in front of the camera.

Allow me to introduce Drew, a 10-year-old wish kid who dreamed of having a hobbit house. As we embarked on the mission to make his wish come true, Drew fully embraced his role as a hobbit and transported us to the fantastical world of Lord of the Rings. It was a magical experience to witness his enthusiasm and imagination come to life in the photoshoot

Say hello to Ella, a 10-year-old wish kid who had a magical dream - to swim with a mermaid. As we brought her wish to life, Ella fully embraced her inner mermaid and transformed into a graceful and enchanting creature before our very eyes. It was a joy to see her dive into character and create unforgettable memories that she will cherish forever.

Introducing Hunter, a 10-year-old wish kid whose dream was to visit the beautiful land of Hawaii. He brought the tropics to life as he rode his surfboard and rocked his shades with a laid back attitude.

Meet Alex, an 8-year-old train enthusiast who can recite everything about trains with incredible detail. He had one wish - to be a train conductor, and I, along with an amazing team, had the privilege of re-creating that wish (which was previously fulfilled) in the studio, as we partnered with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts & Rhode Island, @makeawishmari to celebrate 40 years of wish-granting. ⁠

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Thanks to this super-talented team for both bringing me on board and for helping bring this project to life...⁠
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Client💫: Make-A-Wish MA & RI ⁠
Agency: @sleekmachine

Producer: Eric Montague⁠
Creative Director: @sean_cunningham27⁠
Photographer: @sonya_revell⁠
Retoucher: @rhymeswithpixel⁠
Digital Tech 💻️: @lock.photo⁠
Lighting Assistant 💪: @joellaino⁠
Studio: @highoutputinc⁠
Wardrobe 🎩👖: @jpaqobie with @anchorartists⁠
Hair & Makeup 💈: @saraibyday with @anchorartists