Behind the Scenes: Camp Quality New Jersey

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"No one can do anything about the quantity of anyone's life, we all can do something about the quality."

-Camp Quality's motto 

Camp Quality New Jersey is one of the most amazing and inspiring places on Earth (That I've ever personally had the privilege of attending), and you've probably never heard of this outstanding international volunteer organization, but that changes today! 

So, what is Camp Quailty anyway? 
Camp Quailty is a non-profit organization that reaches out to children dealing with a life-threatening condition or have had one at any given point during their lifetime. Campers are aged 5-17 and are individually paired with adult companions to experience a week-long sleep-away camp that encourages campers to build life skills, experience an atmosphere full of positivity fun, creates an amazing networking community for campers and families, and there are arts and crafts; SO MANY ARTS AND CRAFTS!!! Last week I returned home from my 7th year attending CQNJ, and every year we find more and more amazing people who becomes part of close tight-knite caring community.

I was 16 years old the first time attending camp- as a camper. It had been a difficult year for me. Recently after moving in to a new town, I was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia), a blood cancer. During the first year of treatments, I was almost shut off from the world, isolated in a sterile environment. With no close ties to the community and being homeschool, I focused my energy towards photography as an outlet. Any chance I could, I'd pick up my camera and shoot. 

At the urging my nurses and parents, I was told I needed to come a sleep-away camp, called Camp Quality. I didn't want to go. Because of the age gap I was in, spending a majority of my time in pediatrics, I was constantly bombarded with Barney, Mickey Mouse characters, SpongeBob, Disney Princesses, and other amazing things for your average five year old. With my experiences, I thought this was how the camp was going to be run, like an elementary school. I thought I was going to be the only one there my own age, with different interests than the other campers… I was so wrong. 

My first two days of camp, you could see me sitting somewhere in the corner, pouting, being anti-social. By the end of the week I had made so many countless friends, some of whom I've lost, and other's I share a strong bond with. I was a camper at CQNJ for two years, and I was brought back the next year by the director to assist in doing the photography for the camp, and I've been coming back every year since. 

Camp Quality surely lives up to its name in unimaginable quantities. A team of amazing people work year round for this great cause, I would love to get the word out there about this great organization.

Below are photos from my years spent with CQNJ and the amazing people who make it what it is. If you have any questions about camp, either donating or to volunteer, please email me on my contact page or visit CQNJ's website by clicking the banner photo of the lake above. 

Behind the Scenes: Great Falls Park, VA

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Part 1

Back in May, I came back home after meeting some of the most amazing people during a photography retreat in the southern countryside of France, hosted by Brooke Shaden. For the most part, everyone from the trip lived in different corners around the world, except for a few of my new friends, Tom and Marisa. We discovered that we only live three hours away from each other at the farthest distance. So, a week after returning home, reality, and to school, we collaborated a meet up and now have been doing so every month since. 

Our first meet up was at Great Falls Park, on the Virginia/Maryland border. This was my first time ever in the area and the location Marisa chose was absolutely amazing. Lush forests, grand rock formations and cliffs surrounding a gushing river down below. Autumn joined us as our model for the day on our adventure. She was simply amazing at everything she did and made us laugh more than a few times.

We scaled the rocks with our equipment and I fell in love with the entire location. Usually on shoots like these I focus on shooting one photograph, but I was so inspired by everything going on I shot three amazing photos that I’m so excited to share with you shortly! 

We’ve had two other photo shoots together since this trip and we just returned to Great Falls Park yesterday from an other adventure. 

I can tell you that I bravely walked through rushing water scaling down the side of the mountain, positioned myself on a slimy rock, and posed with an anchor I found back in February. I can’t wait to start editing! 

Part 2

After admiring the rapids and the amazing cliffs and rocks, we pack our gear, wardrobe, and props, and climbed back up to the trail in the park. But before that though, I poked my head over while I was shooting textures of the rocks and saw a beautifully secluded spot for one more photo. So excited to share that next friday! 

We hiked back up the trail and walked over to a spot we wanted to revisit on our way to the river. It was almost like nature was giving us a stage to use for Autumn. I love how the boulders dominate the landscape out there. In a way it makes me feel small. Not in any bad sort of way though, but more in a child like sense. I mean, put any dog in front of me and I turn into a five year old, but being in an environment where you lose track of your own sense of scale is fun and interesting. 

While Marisa set up for her photo, I wandered off the trail to explore, only to have a run in with a 3ft long black snake that I had no intentions of getting any nearer than I already was. I quickly regrouped with Tom and Marisa, and helped throw the cape for Marisa's shot. 

I set up afterwords and shot Autumn with this gas lantern I came across of in a thrift shop a few weeks earlier. I love her gentle expression in the image, and how the color of her hair and dress pop out from the foliage. The landscape out in Virginia is amazing.

Part 3

When we were on the cliffs by the river, I scouted the location as Tom and Marisa were shooting Autumn. As I was climbing, I stumbled upon this private alcove on the edge of the water, cast in complete shadows and secluded enough to shoot this concept of The Birth of Venus. Immediately finding this spot triggered that image in my mind and I wanted to shoot an image to interpret that. 

I stood high up on the cliffs and shot handheld (which I hardly ever do for expanding my frame). There wasn't a way for my tripod to be used in this situation, so I knew I had shot enough to have the whole scene overlapped. I really love how the color and tonality of this image. The light almost makes it look as if she's glowing. This photograph is my personal favorite from that day. 

Behind the Scenes: The Indulgence of Loss for Gain

• After coming back home from the trip and finally finishing editing, I did some research on the name of the trunk to see if there was any significance to it to base any sort of story to it; and it most definitely did. I search for “A. Dumas” pulled up the name Alexandre Dumas, a frenchman who was a famed novelist and play writer in the 19th century. His most famous novel, Camille (Also known as The Lady of the Camellias) which was made into a play, then an opera by Giuseppe Verdi. In Camille, the main character Marguerite, who dies of tuberculosis, is based off his real life love affair with a french courtesan, Mari Duplessis, who fared the same fate. A year after she had passed, Alexandre had completed his novel Camille, that was greatly inspired by his recent loss. 

This photograph was taken in one of the top floor chambers of a beautiful chateau while attending a week long creative photography retreat hosted by the all-too-wonderful Brooke Shaden. In the southern country side of Sarlenes, France (my first time traveling to Europe!), we were given exclusive accessibility to the entire hillside property, along with 3 models, Brooke’s endless vintage wardrobe collection, and two wonderful assistants. 

On our fist day at the property, we gathered in the front courtyard, unpacked the taxi’s loaded with photography gear, and marveled over the hillside landscape of the country and distant villages. We entered inside through two huge carved wooden doors and were greeted to an extraordinary chandelier and stone spiral staircase. After spending an hour exploring the chateau through and through, we again met in the front room and were given a photography exercise about composing and preconceiving images in our heads as we were blindfolded and gave directions to Brooke how to shoot what we saw in our heads as she operated the camera. 

After this, we broke up into groups and took turns with each model on different floors of the chateau. 

 I fell in love with this trunk when I discovered up in one of the bedrooms and immediately put myself inside to see if I could fit one of the models in to photograph. Just as I was laying inside, a small part of my group walked by and we exchanged some memorable looks with each other. I was shooting with a tighter lens than I should have been using, so I ended up backing into a fireplace with ash covering my backside.