I remember feeling so helpless last year as images and stories of refugees trying desperately to flee war torn countries flooded social media and the news. My heart broke and continues to break when I think of what that must be like, and beyond the heartbreak, there's a feeling of hopelessness that can sometimes creep in. Because I feel like I must do something. But really, what can I do? It turns out there's a lot we can do! If you're looking for ways to help ease the refugee crisis, there are so many amazing organizations you can donate to. I love Together Rising, and it's where my family contributed last year as well as recently to help those suffering in Aleppo right now. Preemptive Love, The White Helmets and Doctors Without Borders are other great organizations, among many (too many to name!) But back to these Minis. :) I've done food bank fundraisers through Raw Footage Photography in the past and wanted so badly to help refugees who were arriving in Canada with nothing. So I organized mini sessions and partnered with St Aidan's Anglican Church here in London to raise money to provide groceries for a newly arrived family they were sponsoring. 100% of the proceeds went to this very worthy cause, and the minis booked up. Which means that together, we got to create lasting memories AND meet real needs. Doing this has been one of the highlights of my career as a photographer so far, and it's definitely something I will be doing again and again.

Thank you to everyone who came out for these minis!! Here are a few favourites. :)