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Photographers offer special family photo session to deserving single parents

Posted at 11:30 AM, Mar 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-17 11:30:07-04

RICHMOND, Va. — Raising a family can be challenging under the best circumstances. When those challenges fall on the shoulders of a single parent, they can, at times, become all consuming. Richmond photographer Meghan McSweeney can relate to single parents in that situation. The single mom of two children was herself raised by a single mother.

“My mom was a single mom until I was nine and I am rapidly approaching my ninth year as a single parent myself, I simply want the opportunity to help tell a story for a single parent family that otherwise wouldn’t have access to this type of session,” McSweeney said.

That is why she recruited a group of Richmond-based photographers to capture life’s precious moments for a single parent and his or her family in the form of a family photo session.

“Photography is a luxury that often doesn’t make it into a single-income family, but I know how much I treasure the photos that I have had taken with my children and really appreciate it when we have more than just a selfie on the phone!” she said.

Meghan McSweeney and family.

Meghan McSweeney and family.

McSweeney said she was inspired to make the offer after finding an old box of photographs that contained images of her late father.

“It literally felt like a treasure box. There weren’t many photos in it, but there were photos that I hadn’t seen before of him. The photos prompted me to hunt around and ask questions about him that otherwise wouldn’t have even come to mind,” she said. “I wish I had more photos from when I was growing up; photos in our kitchen, snuggled up with my mom, playing with my brother. The moments that seem super simple, but show our connection to each other in a tangible way and help us get through the harder times in life.”

If you know a deserving single-parent family, you can enter by sending an email to Meghan McSweeney at meghan@meghanmcsweeney.com.

“The contest is limited to single-parent families in whatever form they are in (mother, father, aunt, uncle, grandparent, sibling),” McSweeney said. “Please make sure that you indicate how we can get in touch with this person. We would love to have a little background information on the families, but will be choosing the families at random.”

In addition to McSweeney, other Richmond photographers donating their time and talent include Seth Roberts Photography, Stephanie Yonce Photography, Bob Schnell Photography, and Betty Clicker Photography.

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