When I look back at last year’s Cookies & Cocoa photos, one of my favorites is a frame I made before anyone stepped in front of the camera. The Georgia G was up, the presents were wrapped, and Uga’s little doghouse was tucked beside the backdrop. The set was ready for Hairy Dawg and the families who came to see him.
I’ve been photographing this Women of UGA event for about eight years. The assignment is simple: make a photo with Hairy Dawg and get it into each family’s hands. The part I look forward to is seeing familiar faces come through the line. A portrait takes only a moment to make, but when families come back year after year, those photos start to tell a story of their own.
One of my favorite parts of photographing an event like this is having a front-row seat to the moment a kid spots Hairy Dawg. There’s a little window between saying hello and looking at the camera when you get to see how much it means to them. Even when the line is moving, I try to give each family enough time to enjoy that moment.
Thank you to the Women of UGA team for bringing me back and to the families who have let me photograph a small part of their holidays. I’m looking forward to doing it again this Sunday, November 15. If you’re coming, I’ll see you at the photo spot. Your digital photo is included with the event.
Go Dawgs!