Quinceañera
June 5th, 2010 by catalina
Amazing opportunities present themselves when you least expect them.
During a dinner given during Andrea & Brendan’s wedding celebrations, I head the pleasure of meeting one of Andrea’s former co-workers and friends Sylvia, whose friendly, funny vibe I loved right away. During dinner, she started to tell me about an organization she volunteers for called Trekking for Kids. TFK is a non-profit that travels the world once a year, completes hikes to mountains including Cotopaxi (Ecuador), Mt. Kilamanjaro (Tanzania), the Inca Trail (Peru), and completes volunteer work at an orphanage located near the hiking trail of that particular trip.
Last year, TFK went to Ecuador where TFK built a laundry room, an infirmary and planted a garden for the girls at the Quito orphanage called Casa Hogar Madre Rafaela de la Pasion Veintimilla.
It just so happened that Sylvia was in town for Andrea & Brendan’s wedding and 6 of the girls at the orphanage where TFK volunteered last year in Quito were having their big 15th birthday – called Quinceañera – the Sunday following the wedding. Sylvia was helping the orphanage with a surprise birthday celebration, which included Sylvia bringing the birthday girls beautiful dresses all the way from NYC.
“Would you be interested in taking photos of this special day?” Sylvia asked. I said YES in a heartbeat.
At the orphanage, I felt that the best gift I could give these deserving girls was a portrait in their lovely dresses – a gift they could treasure for the rest of their lives.
I left, filled with joy, ecstatic that I had the opportunity to capture these very special Quinceañeras.
1:17 pm on June 6th, 2010
These brought tears to my eyes. You are an amazing photographer and captured their soul! Thank you for being so giving, so generous! THANKS and I hope that you and Juan can come with us to one of our treks. GRACIAS and congratulations
2:55 pm on June 6th, 2010
Very cool Catalina! Beautiful shots!
8:53 pm on June 6th, 2010
These are incredible Caty!! I love them all!!
8:30 am on June 7th, 2010
WOW! You did something amazing for these girls with photos that capture their “special day”
Congratulations!!!!!
11:52 am on June 7th, 2010
So much enjoyed these pictures: well done!!!
These girls will treasure the pictures for sure, you did a good job: giving them moral and visual support.
Very interesting faces and probably very sad stories behind those faces but you caught them in their moment of pride.
Good luck for the future!!
9:28 am on June 8th, 2010
What a wonderful organization! Love the pics as always Caty – A special day and beautiful photos for them to remember it!
10:57 am on June 8th, 2010
I love these!!! Cata you are such a trooper to go take these beautiful pictures after partying until 6 AM the night before!!!
3:52 pm on June 9th, 2010
Really lovely Catalina. The images are simple and beautiful and the pared down environment adds a strong dimension when one knows that the girls are orphans. Glad you took the opportunity to make these images.
8:54 pm on June 12th, 2010
Wow, amazing and such a precious gift you have given them. God Bless you and the girls. It’s people like you that make this world a better place.
1:38 pm on June 15th, 2010
These are amazing!