Saving Little Hearts is an organization dedicated to helping children with congenital heart defects and their families by providing emotional assistance and educational information primarily through the distribution of Care Packages.

Several weeks ago, Karin Coulter, director of Saving Little Hearts, contacted me about the possibility of photographers donating time to create portraits of Knoxville’s “heart kids.” Through the KNOX PHOTO community, I was able to help spread the word to local photographers — and several, including myself, volunteered time and talent to help the organization.

This past weekend, I was so happy to meet up with my heart kid, Landin. We had to reschedule our photo session a couple of times because of the rain; but, luckily, we were greeted with beautiful weather on Sunday and had a great time playing at Fort Kid and the World’s Fair Park.

Landin, who is only 14 months old, has already been through two open heart surgeries. But you’d never be able to tell from his energy and infectious smile, which are both probably the results of being loved so much by his parents and sweet big sister, Abby. He’s a curious little boy — and it was fun to watch him pick up pebbles around the play area… and attempt to eat them! And he surprised us all towards the end of the shoot when he started to run across the playground to his sister by the swings. Landin may have tiny feet and little legs, but he sure could move fast!

I know I always say this, but I love being a photographer. I’m so thankful to be able to meet wonderful families and children like Landin and Abby, and capture photographs of them as they play together and show their love for one another through smiles and hugs and laughs.

(Check out the slideshow below.)

Landin and Abby 2009 – Images by Lia Ballentine

This shirt is available through Cafepress, and the coolest part about it is that 100% of all t-shirt sales will benefit Kids with Cameras — a wonderful organization that I first learned about through the documentary “Born Into Brothels.”

Kids with Cameras was founded in 2002 by photographer Zana Briski out of her work teaching photography to children in Calcutta’s red-light district. We believe that photography is an effective tool in igniting children’s imagination and building self-esteem. We believe in the power of art to transform lives, for both the artist and the viewer.

Kids with Cameras is a non-profit organization that teaches the art of photography to marginalized children in communities around the world. We use photography to capture the imaginations of children, to empower them, building confidence, self-esteem and hope. We share their vision and voices with the world through exhibitions, books, websites and film. By linking with local organizations, we work to strengthen the children’s education and general well-being, providing financial support through sales of their prints or by developing our own homes with a focus on leadership and the arts.

I’m really grateful to Bobby for coming up with such a wonderful design for the t-shirt. We’re really proud that the Downtown Knoxville Photo Walk has grown from being a social photography event to a socially conscious photography event.

If you’re interested in purchasing this shirt, visit Bobby’s Cafepress store at http://www.cafepress.com/wwpw2009.

Also, there’s still room for more Photo Walkers! Click here to sign up for the walk.

It’s really an awesome thing to be a photographer and get the opportunity to meet a family that really, truly loves each other. You can tell by the smiles on their faces — and I could hear it in their laughter as the played by the pool.

Below are some images from our shoot!

I’m also offering on-location photo shoots to benefit ACS. Click here to learn more and book a photo session!

Below is a short slideshow showcasing some of the families that came out to support the Relay for Life. Aren’t they fabulous?!

The book is a collection of photographs from the annual fundraising event, the Gladiator Games, sponsored by Knoxville Leadership Foundation (KLF). The Gladiator Games tests the strength and stamina of its participants in eight different athletic events, including swimming, weightlifting, a 1-mile run, and a challenging obstacle course!

Funds raised from the event go to help KLF and its programs.

The Knoxville Leadership Foundation brings together people from all walks of life to address the needs of our city. We target five specific areas of need: homes for the working poor, home repair for those who can’t afford it, help for non-profit groups, mentoring for children with parents in prison, and an abstinence program to help prevent teenage pregnancy.

We were proud to volunteer as photographers for the Gladiator Games. And I was excited to design this book, which is now on sale to raise more funds for KLF!

The book is a 10×8 Blurb book, and is available in three different formats: softcover, hardcover with dust jacket, and hardcover with ImageWrap. The book is filled with more than 60-pages of photographs from the Gladiator Games, arranged in order of the events. The winners of the Games are featured in the book, and information about KLF is included at the end, along with the KLF’s mission statement and vision.

Take a minute, and click here to check out a preview of the book. Your purchase of this book will help the KLF and its programs support the needs of our growing community.