As a photographer, I believe in taking on personal projects to help me to learn my trade and shape who I am as a professional. In 2014, I took on the personal project of helping the Little Bellas with creating a fundraiser calendar full of mountain bike images. A calendar that portrays the female mountain biker as a strong, confident, powerful athlete. Photographing these incredible athletes and working with the Little Bellas Organization was an awesome experience! This experience not only challenged me professionally and enabled me to capture some of my favorite images, but it also helped me to gain a clearer picture of the character traits that I’d like to teach my daughter. My wife and I often talk about what the future holds for our baby girl. I’ll say, “I want her to be a mountain biker, a piano player, a hockey player, a swimmer. I want her to go on hikes and adventures with me. I want her to learn to dance, and maybe she’ll sing too.” My wife just looks at me, laughs, and says, “I just want her to be strong, confident, caring, kind, active, and good-hearted.” Thanks to all of the athletes and organizers involved in this mountain bike images photography project for representing these character traits so well. It is obvious that they are not just helping the Little Bellas participants through mentoring, but they are helping young athletes all over the world.
I dedicate this project to my girls, C and A. Thank you for filling my life with love and laughter and supporting my passion for improving my trade.
About The Little Bellas Organization:
“The Little Bellas is a mountain bike organization whose goal is to help young women realize their potential through cycling. We aim to create a community that will empower girls through the sport, emphasize the importance of goal-setting, promote healthy life styles and recognize the positive effects of strong female bonds. While this program is centered around creating camaraderie for girls on bikes, it is most importantly about having fun in a constructive environment.”
Riders Featured in the 2014 Little Bellas: Women Ride Calendar
- Kate Courtney
- Lea Davison
- Chloe Woodruff
- Georgia Gould
- Katerina Nash
- Elisa Otter
- Joanna Petterson
- Maghalie Rochette
- Clarissa Finks
- Amelia Leme
- Eloise Zimbleman
Good News is that the calendar was a success and SOLD OUT!
Screen shot from Little Bellas Website: 