Families receive free photo portraits

Annual event gives people stationed in Denver free photos to cherish

More than 50 military families stationed in the Denver area had portraits taken and printed for free at Mike’s Camera on Saturday as part of the third annual “Portraits of Love” event.

For some military families, a physical photo is the only way to feel connected to parents or spouses deployed many miles away.

The event was organized by the United Service Organizations of Denver, which is part of a worldwide organization that supports and helps military service members stay connected with their families. “Portraits of Love” allows USO Denver to thank military personnel and their families, said Gayle Melges, the operations and programming manager for USO Denver.

“When I first came into this role, I felt the northern Colorado region wasn’t being served as well,” she said as families signed in for their 10- to 15-minute photography sessions. “I grew up in a military family and I remember when my dad was deployed, he would record himself reading a book and then he would send it to me and my sister at home, and having something like that was priceless.”

The Varatharaj family attended “Portraits of Love” last year and liked it so much that they decided to come again this year. As they waited for their prints, Yvetta Varatharaj said it is sometimes hard to get set up in a new place and find regular services such as haircuts, much less professional photos.

“This takes the hassle away,” she said. Her husband, Capt. Ajvish Varatharaj, who is stationed at Buckley Air Force Base, agreed.

“When we were stationed in South Dakota, there wasn’t anything like this,” he said. “It means a lot to have somebody do something like this for you. We really appreciated it.”

Photographers Sandy Puc and Jordyn Koroneos donated their time, and Mike’s Camera in the Belcaro Shopping Center, 759 S. Colorado Blvd., allowed “Portraits of Love” to use its space.

The event was sponsored by The Imaging Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes the imaging industry with memberships from large photography manufacturers and retailers such as Canon, Panasonic and Mike’s Camera. The program director for Imaging Alliance, Michelle Tramantano, said the nonprofit has photographed about 20,000 military families for “Portraits of Love” since 2009.

“Some families may not have seen each other in a year because they’ve been deployed,” she said. “It’s just something really heartfelt. It’s a small but meaningful way to give back.”

Tramantano said a deployed soldier once told her the most valuable thing he had while overseas was a printed photo of his family. But for the Hinds family, also stationed at Buckley, the photos are a way to share memories with their family back home in the United Kingdom.

“It’s more so for our family who we only get to see once a year,” said Master Sgt. Andy Hinds of the Royal Air Force. “Sure you can share photos on Facebook but sending actual photos home is more proper. It’s just something to remember you by.”

Jim Malcolm, president of Imaging Alliance, said many people do not print their photos anymore and several others have never even had professional photos taken since the increased use of mobile phones and social media.

“These are lifelong memories these families are getting and Mike’s Camera is a great outlet to do this because there is a space for the photos and then a printing lab in the back,” he said. Each family received a free photo session, as well as physical prints and downloads of their photos.

Todd Sigaty, district manager of Mike’s Camera, said employees tell customers all the time about the memories that will be made with the equipment they sell, but actually seeing the photos taken inside Mike’s Camera was rewarding.

“This is exactly what it’s all about,” he said. “Ten years from now, these photos will bring tears to these families’ eyes because you just don’t know what’s going to happen. Sure, it could be something bad, but it could also just be looking back on the kids growing up.”

Gen. Ellen Moore, commander of the Air Reserve Personnel Center at Buckley Air Force Base, said she carries a photo button of her daughter with her everywhere she travels.

“This causes a sense of community and is good for deployed families,” she said. “It’s tangible and not just on your phone. We get to frame it and put it in our living room to see.”