Mother & Son: Reconnecting through adventure & photography
Sarah Jane was a lifelong avid adventurer whose life was completely changed after a routine surgery for a herniated disk left her quadriplegic.
The accident happened when her son Hamish was 3 years old, and afterwards SJ struggled to bond with him as the core of their relationship centred around their amazing adventures. Karen Alsop on the other hand is an internationally renowned photographer based in Melbourne specializing in digital portrait art. Karen’s portraits transport people into a hyperrealistic fantasy world where their personality and dreams are realized. The heART Project set out to change reality for just a moment and preserve the magic of SJ and her son's old experiences.
So what happened when two world renowned photographers, Alsop and Benjamin Von Wong (known for his viral photography) came together to tell SJ's story in pictures? Magic happended .....
A small team helped make the photoshoot happen by hanging SJ and her son off the edge of a cliff, and 5 beautiful images were captured that exude joy and the unbreakable love between mother and son.
While these photos will help SJ to relive her old life, in reality she will continue to have physical limitations. Her fight to support her son despite her disability is truly moving. SJ hopes that she can make a difference in the disability community. Rather than use the spotlight to raise funds for herself, she has decided to make the Blue Mountains more accessible to all that have suffered a disability against their will. Visit her gofundme page and support her effort to making the The Blue Mountains community more wheelchair-friendly and accessible.
Alsop says: “I am a mother of two and it breaks my heart to even try and imagine the pain of not being able to reach out and hug them. We go into each day assuming that our lives will continue to roll by untouched, until something dreadful rocks our world, and turns it upside down.”
Watch Von Wong’s video of SJ’s story here
To read more on SJ's story:
More about The heArt Project
The heART Project is a community initiative which uses photography to inspire hope and to change the lives of those who have faced hardships. Formed by award winning photographer Karen Alsop and Publicist and creative Producer Adam Cubito, the heART project focuses on giving love and support to families and budding photographers who have fallen on hard times due to financial, personal, and medical difficulties.
Each project that the heART Project completes focuses on creating a portrait for someone who is going through a rough patch in life, and during the process Alsop mentors new photographers to develop professional skills. So far the heART Project has completed 8 projects, and they plan to one day help and inspire people throughout the country and the world. Follow the heart Project on Instagram at #theheARTproject or on Facebook
Photos courtesy of StoryArt
