The PPof Oregon convention is this weekend (Vicki Taufer speaking!) and NILMDTS will have a booth at the trade show on Sunday (10-5 at the Lloyd Center Double tree Hotel).

If you're already with NILMDTS and want to help man the booth or just come by to meet fellow volunteers, that would rock. If you're interested in hearing more about NILMDTS or volunteering your photography or retouching skills/talent this would be a great time to get more info, see slideshows, talk with current volunteers, get brochures etc.

The Trade Show, as well as Friday's print comp and evening speaker, are open to the public. Feel free to pm me for more details.

Also, if you're in (or have connections to) the healthcare profession and can assist in getting the message about NILMDTS services out, it would be great to see you too! Your help would be very valuable!

Thanks (shameless plug ... back to your regularly scheduled program)

Folks, this is an incredible organization. There's lots of support for the photographers (technical as well as emotional). If you think you might want to do this, stop by the booth and see if you can tag along on one of the sessions. I've done a few and I can give you a link to a couple slideshows if you want to see them. Just PM me and I'll send you the link.

And Wendy, the booth is very nice looking. You'll have a lot of people coming up, so try to have two people at a time. I know it's hard to staff the booths.

I'm pretty sure the booth will be at the other PPO (Ohio) show next month.

I have been thinking about signing up with them for about a year and a half - but I'm scared I couldn't handle it! I would love, love to do it. I don't know. It's so heartbreaking! I admire all those who can go and take beautiful pictures for poeple during such a difficult and emotional time!! I think it's a wonderful organization! If I was closer to Oregon I would be there to help with the booth. I'm putting a link to the NLMDTS site on my blog. Maybe that will help a little.

If I was closer, I would love to help. I'm signed up with NILMDTS, but have only had one phone call and it was a 4 hour drive, so I unfortunately had to decline.

Colleen, I'm scared I wouldn't be able to handle it either, but I figure my fears are nothing compared to what the parents are experiencing. We'll see how it goes the first time I actually have to go and photograph a baby, but it's amazing the strength we find when we need to.

Adam - thanks for the advice! There are about 6 or 7 of us PPO (Oregon) members that are also with NILMDTS so I'll see if we can't get 2 at the booth the whole time. The trade show is open to the public, but I'm not sure how many people beyond convention participants will be there (alot i hope).

Karen and Colleen - nilmdts needs more than just photographers -- retouching artists, slideshow creators, people to promote the organization etc. So there are lots of ways to help out. Also, once you sign up, you have access to the photographers forums where there is a WEALTH of information on forms and processes and how to handle parents, your own emotions etc. There have been alot of raw images (ie., before and after retouching) that have been hugely helpful in prepping those of us that haven't done sessions yet (me included!). Seeing real images on line and talking with the photographers and hearing how they handle things is so reassuring. The whole community is very supportive and if you couldn't handle the photography I'm sure they'd understand and you could still find ways to help.

Check the website for local photographers already working with NILMDTS and talk with them about tagging along.

By the way, I just got a call tonight to do some retouching for someone that didn't have a nilmdts photographer close enough... all they have are some snapshots from a nurse on site. I'll touch them up and create a slideshow for the family. And hopefully it will be some comfort to them.

one last btt plug