Charles Gupton

Attitude

Flashes of Hope – Feb ’09

Children at UNC Childrens' Hospital
Children at UNC Childrens' Hospital

The images above are from a recent day working with some of the children being treated at UNC Children’s Hospital as part of a project with Flashes of Hope. If you’re not familiar with Flashes of Hope, it’s an organization dedicated to creating uplifting portraits of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. The NC Triangle Chapter, run by Kim Conard and Nancy Padgett, has photographed over 180 children. The images are given to the families at no charge with the purpose of documenting and celebrating where they are at this point in their lives.

Flashes of Hope volunteers assisting this month.
Flashes of Hope volunteers assisting this month.

When I’m working with the children, I try to capture the essence of each of them — where they are at this stage in their lives, not just this stage of their treatment. I don’t view them with pity as cancer victims. I view them as children who are dealing with an illness, but have a whole life to live in. I want my images to capture who they are as people, as children. Sometimes they laugh and play. Sometime they’re in pain and very tired. I don’t try to make them smile and be something they’re not. I truly want to capture the feelings of their heart as I read them through their eyes.

As I’ve said before, I enjoy working with children. But these children bring a special joy to be involved with and to photograph.

What projects that you are involved with bring you a sense of joy?

Charles

http://www.charlesguptonphoto.com
On Twitter @ http://twitter.com/CharlesGupton

Great people

“Really great people make you feel that you too can become great.” ~ Mark Twain

Not Without Hope – Avery Clifton

This is the first in a series of stories of people who are currently unemployed but not without hope for their future…

Lisa and Avery Clifton
Lisa and Avery Clifton

My wife, Lisa, left her retail job of 14 years in March of 2007. The stress of long hours and holidays away from the family had taken a toll, and, since our lifestyle has always been modest, we felt we could make it on my income alone.

So Lisa quit her job in March, and then my supervisor made an announcement at the end of August that our office would be closed. My job responsibilities, and those of my two co-workers, were to be moved out of state. I was asked to stay on for the next 6-8 weeks to help with the transition and office closure. After about 6 weeks I called my supervisor and told him my work was complete. I locked the door, turned in my keys, and drove home on October 19, 2007, with the performance bonus I’d earned and a modest severance package. I’d been with them a month shy of 14 years, the last 9 of which as manager of Information Technology.

I figured I’d be out of work a couple of months at the most. I had always thought that an honest man who was willing to work could always find a job. The new reality is that many employers are placing an emphasis on younger employees with a college degree and less on job experience.

I’ll have to admit there have been times I have been kind of embarrassed when someone asked, “What do you do for a living?” and I have to explain that I’m out of work. And I do feel like I’m letting Lisa down as we watch our savings dwindle. But, my unemployment has given me pause to try to see my life from God’s perspective and to learn from the experience. For example, I’ve discovered that faith is just nice concept until it’s tested by adversity. In addition, unemployment helped me see how closely my sense of self worth was tied to my finances and career… before I’d never thought of myself as a “material” person. Also, I have come to recognize a lifelong desire to be a part of something of real significance, in stark contrast to the way I’d been living my life.

Because of this experience I find myself relating to others differently and looking at the world from a new point of view. I’ve become more involved with church activities, and have found that working with other Christians helps me grow in faith. I’ve been pursuing my interest in photography and have found that it has the added benefit of allowing me to meet some truly amazing people. And I’ve learned the importance of prayer.

In short, I’m “not without hope” because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. Although I don’t always understand how God is working in my life, I know He loves me and that He is working. ~ Avery Clifton

As always, I’d love to hear your comments or views.

Charles

http://www.charlesguptonphoto.com
On Twitter @ http://twitter.com/CharlesGupton

Not Without Hope – Introduction

Whether you read or listen to the news, follow blogs or simply engage in conversation in or out of the office, you’ll find it difficult to avoid dire news of our economic state. I have no interest in sticking my head in a hole nor ignoring the impact it’s having, to some degree, on everybody. But I do have an interest in focusing on the positive opportunities that it does present. And there are many.

As I interact with people each day I listen for stories of hope and optimism – stories of people who are out of work but have positive, hopeful stories of how they are using this time to re-evaluate, redirect or otherwise use this time as an opportunity in their lives.

At some point in the past few weeks I realized I could gather some of those stories and share them with you. My hope is that, as you read them, you’ll realize an opportunity in your own life to grow in some new directions, appreciate the gifts you already possess and use them to build up the lives around you as well.

The stories will be posted as I hear them and will be their own words.

If you know anyone who is swimming against the current of economic fear and would like to tell their story, please have them contact me.

As always, I’d love to hear your comments or thoughts.

Charles

http://www.charlesguptonphoto.com
On Twitter @ http://twitter.com/CharlesGupton

Don’t be Ordinary

“I don’t think there’s anything worse than being ordinary” – Angela (played by Mena Suvari) in the movie American Beauty.