I had posted a contest last week about a free portrait session and 8×10 print where people needed to email me their stories as to why they deserve/want a session from me and also a picture so people could vote! Here are the top 5! Voting is now open and will remain open until SUNDAY AUGUST 22nd at 9pm PST. Voting can only happen once per IP address per day so make sure to send this page to everyone and anyone! Hit “share” to share on facebook and tell people to vote for you…. tweet it on twitter…. get your votes in!
The top number of votes will receive their complimentary on-location (up to 20 miles from 91941) or in-studio (only if up to 4 people) session and an 8×10 art print. Additional products will be available if they wish. The next two runners up will receive a session at 50% off the creation fee ($250/$350).
Here are the stories and pictures…voting is at the bottom of the post
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The Dare Family
(Entered by their best friend Alicia)
If there were ever a more deserving family for a professional photo shoot by Hillary, it would be the Dares. Like most of us out there today, my best friends Kristen and Brandon Dare, are your typical hard working American family. But unlike a lot of us in this economy, with the pressures of finances looming over our heads, Kristen and Brandon still manage to maintain the most selfless and carefree attitudes, concentrating solely on the support and happiness of their children Noah (6 years) and Lola (9 months.) Anything extra whether it be time or money is spent on friends, family, community, and charity.
After 8 years together, Kristen and Brandon were married in a modest wedding ceremony last November, only 2 DAYS after their beautiful daughter, (my god-daughter,) Lola was born. Even after all that time, and through so many note-worthy events and experiences, there are NO family portraits of them ANYWHERE. The photo I’ve included is the closest one I’ve come across, so you can see why they are in need of some professional help, lol. I think it would be really great to give something back to a family that gives so much to others. This couldn’t have come at a better time, since their daughter’s first birthday and their first wedding anniversary is right around the corner.
With love and admiration for my best friends family,
Alicia Kell
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The Kerby Family
My twins were born on 12/22/2008 at just 25weeks weighing 1lb 10oz each. My daughter(Gabrielle) spent 87 days in the NICU and my son(Jerome) spent 112 days in the NICU down in San Diego. Jerome had heart surgery at just 1 week old to save his life. He spent a month on a venitaltor machine before moving to other methods of oxygen. He was released from the hospital on Easter Sunday in 2009 requiring the use of oxygen. Gabrielle needed to have glasses at just 1 year old and has done really well with the adjustment of having them. They are on track with devlopment and my son is requiring therapy 2 times a week to help build muscle tone.
I have been lucky to have my husband home in a non deployable unit since they were born. However he will be returning to the fleet at the end of the the year with a deployment following soon after. I would love more than anything to have a family portrait for him to take with him and to provide to our familes. The kids have over come so much in their short lives that I want to give them the best there is to offer.
Thank you for your time
Christina Kerby
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The Ridge Family
We would love to win a family portrait with you! I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 5 years, and it has gone by in a blink. I’m so grateful for the time I’ve had with my little ones! I will be going back to work full time so we can start building on our next dream – buying a home. Our oldest starts Kindergarten & our twins will go to Preschool in the fall so this is a time for big changes in our young family! Since I’ve made the decision to go back to work, I often fall asleep wishing I could freeze this moment in time before September comes.
Please capture this time — and this memory — for us. An expressive, urban portrait will remind us not only where we’ve come from but also who we want to keep being.
With hope & appreciation,
Lisa
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The Huff Family
My name is Nakia and I think my family(my sisters, my son and I) are deserving of a complimentary photo session! 
) If we were to win, I would surprise our mother with the photos.
My mom was a single parent, raising 4 girls. There was never extra money for us to get photos taken. The last time I remember having professional portraits done as a family was when I was 10, my sister Alyssa was 2 and my twin sisters Sydney and Sasha were 1. We sat at a Sears portrait studio for HOURS the week before Thanksgiving. When it was finally our turn, my sisters were in full-blown tantrum mode. We ended up leaving and having to come back later that day. By then everyone was tired and even crankier. We got our photo taken but the picture wasn’t very good at all (lol). Imagine pouty toddlers with swollen, red eyes. Times three.
I am now a mother, myself. My son is five years old. The last time he and I went in for portraits were when he was two years old. We went to a Picture People studio. I spent alot more money than I wanted and I hated the final product.
I would love to have family portraits taken to give to my mom and also for myself.
Thank you,
Nakia Huff
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The Kern Family
Attached you will find a pic of my handsome hubby, Michael, and our 3 darling kiddos, Bella (3), Lola (1) and Xavier (5). Noticeably absent is myself, and this is the reason why I am entering our family in this contest. You see, like many moms across the country, I am the designated photo-capturer in our family because I have better luck getting the kids to smile at the same time & hopefully look in the same direction…..preferably toward the camera 
We have not had professional portraits taken of the kids since our 2nd-born, Bella, was 3 months old & we have no professional portraits of our family of 5. The last few years have brought many changes…the most obvious of which is caring for our babies…three little blessings in 5 years. But we have also purchased a home in that time & have put any extra money toward remodeling the house ever-so-slowly. We have been blessed with health & happiness so I am certain there are probably many more families with more heart-wrenching stories, but winning one of your fabulous sessions is definitely worth a try!!
Thank you!
Brandy Kern
Now you get to vote! Just click the dot next to the families name and hit submit 
[poll id="4"]
Anyway here is a sneak peek on the custom designed holiday card line for my clients. They are WAY cute and I can’t WAIT to show them off! Look for details in the newsletter in August!
