Addis Ababa, Ethiopia I photographed this incredibly sweet baby just over a week ago. As a result, this image will join a new portrait gallery in the orphanage where he lives in Addis Ababa. The making of this shot - and pretty much all the others - was the product of a group effort. For instance, I photographed him in a darkly-lit, rather crowded baby room. Firstly, we squeezed him between two other babies who helped to prop him up on a diaper-changing shelf. Secondly, he la

I met these two beautiful boys for the first time while they were still in Ethiopia. They were babies at the time, twin boys who lived in a rural orphanage far south of Addis Ababa. Photograph by Tamara Lackey They had just met their family, our friends Angela & Clint, parents who would shower them with love, expanding to a family of eight. These two joined four older children who adore them - and a mom and a dad who are SO grateful to have them in their lives. At the time th

We founded Beautiful Together over four years ago. Since then we have been able to start and, gratefully, finish fourteen projects and establish four funds. The projects all focused on supporting children without families. Along the way we have done our best to advocate for these children. For instance, many of these children living in institutions do not have an opportunity to even be adopted. Mainly, this is due to a significant amount of red tape and doors closed by gover

I love to read. I always have. For me, reading has been an adventure and an education, a bridge to what matters, and a steadily reliable escape from what doesn’t. I spent a lot of time in libraries growing up. As a military family, we moved again and again and again. So my first best friend in every new city was actually my library card. Eventually, I’d find a human friend, but I was never able to get one of those just by filling out an application and showing proof of reside

I'd love to share the latest updates from our Beautiful TogetherOrphan Prevention Care Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where we are working to keep impoverished families together by protecting children & empowering women through education, vocational training, and community support. Four months into program kickoff: As their children are now being well cared for, the women in our program are attending this vocational training center three times a week and will be doing so f

With the holidays here, many of us turn our thoughts to giving to those less fortunate. We'd love for you to consider joining us in donating to Beautiful Together. Most people think of family when they think of the holidays. But for children waiting for families, the holidays are a little different. Beautiful Together works hard to make children waiting for families have a better life. From improving living conditions in orphanages to feeding funds and disaster relief to

We are soooo close to fully funding for our Orphan Prevention Care Center in Ethiopia! Help us set up daycare rooms (one of the current ones is pictured here - may need to zoom in to see all the babies) that offer these little souls more space, mind/body stimulation, early literacy education opportunities and are also connected to an eating area that would provide children with regular meals - ALL while empowering mothers through education, vocational training, and an opport

The Beautiful Together Gallery Exhibit at the Union Square Ballroom in New York City, generously hosted by Adorama, showcased 100+ pieces printed and produced by Nations Photo Lab. All proceeds from this event AND from this online auction (live until midnight of Aug 25th: biddingowl.com/beautifultogether) go directly towards Beautiful Together's orphan care work. Such an incredible turnout with much heartfelt support towards improving the lives of children who wait for famili

August 17th from 6-9pm - Union Square Ballroom, New York City We're very excited to invite you to join Nikon Ambassador Tamara Lackey on Thursday, August 17th from 6-9pm for a one night only exclusive gallery event at the Union Square Ballroom in New York City supporting the incredible work of Beautiful Together. See imagery from some of the life-changing recent projects, hear from Tamara about the inspiring work still to be done - and enjoy generous raffle prizes (list const

Beautiful Together is creating an Orphan Prevention Care Center in Addis Ababa to support mothers and children. Please consider supporting this project, so that we can start making a difference right away in the lives of these children and families. 100% of donations to this project go directly to support this program. The pervasive, extreme poverty in Ethiopia is at the epicenter of far too many painful experiences: hunger, homelessness, social ostracism, illness, and even

Every year in May, we take a day to honor our mothers. And, if we are mothers ourselves, we enjoy the singular attention from our children. But, there are millions of children around the world who need a mother's love. You can spread that special kind of love to orphaned children by donating to Beautiful Together today. How You Can Spread the Love Choose one or more of the projects below to make an immediate difference in a child's life. One hundred percent of all donations

Update on the Beautiful Together Korah Disaster Relief Project After a 29-hour trip back, we have returned safely to the U.S. In summary, our trip in Ethiopia was extraordinarily productive, quite emotional, happily sweet, and deeply exhausting. I want to thank each and every person who helped us collect donations for the Beautiful TogetherKorah Disaster Relief Center. It is beyond surreal, how substantial the damage is to this village we have spent time in again and agai n

Beautiful Together is working to create a Relief Center for the families displaced by a devastating landslide that occurred on March 12th. A disastrous landslide occurred in Korah, Ethiopia on March 12th. The death toll has now risen to 115 people – mostly women and children – and a significant number of injuries. Many more are still very much in need of rescue, medical supplies, food, water, and fundamental shelter. 100% of donations to this project go directly to a Korah R

WPPI 2017 Convention, Full Agenda + 3 Free Full Passes Giveaway The WPPI 2017 Convention in Las Vegas is coming up very soon - like, sooner than ever, actually, as it is scheduled for February 5th-9th this year! There are a whole lot of reasons to love this convention - but one big one?? Professional photographers and filmmakers travel in from all over the world to attend it each and every year. Last year, there were more than 50 countries represented at this one convent

Feed, Clothe & Shelter 100 Aleppo Orphans - the newest Beautiful Together project For more than five years, the world has watched the conflicts in Syria escalate into more violence, more heartbreak – and now more orphaned children in need of care than ever before. The children that have been able to flee Aleppo are leaving the biggest city in Syria - and endless bombing, drastic food shortages, an increasing lack of medical aid and the heartbreaking destruction of their home

Our Beautiful Together Safe Showers for Homeless Youth Project is FULLY FUNDED! We are thrilled to announce that our latest Beautiful Together project, Safe Showers For Homeless Youth, focused on improving the quality of life for impoverished youth in America – specifically, homeless youth who have recently cycled out of foster care and are struggling to find a home, a job, and a community - is now fully funded ! We are thrilled to be partnering with RunningWorks, as they e

Our first Beautiful Together US-based Project - Safe Showers for Homeless Youth Our brand new Beautiful Together project, also our first full project based in the United States, is focused on working to improve the quality of life for impoverished youth in America – specifically, homeless youth who have recently cycled out of foster care and are struggling to find a home, a job, and a community. We are thrilled to be partnering with RunningWorks, as they expand their extrao

Effective Immediately - 50% of Lush Albums proceeds now to go directly to Beautiful Together! A very exciting shift for Lush Albums and Beautiful Together! As many of you know, we started our Beautiful Together non-profit to work to improve the quality of life for children waiting for families and those living in extreme poverty. One steady source of funds to support our projects have come from the sale of Lush Albums, our gorgeous fine art photo albums that have given 10% ba

An update on Beautiful Together & the Build An Orphan Feeding Kitchen Project In February, my husband, Steve, and I flew from Dubaito Ethiopia. Almost immediately upon landing in Africa, we learned of the urgent need for a kitchen in the new feeding center in Korah that Beautiful Together helps to support through our partner organization, Life To Live for Korah, a grassroots feeding program in the village. More specifics from our project page here: “Korah is one of the poores

Believe in fate. But lean forward, so fate can see you. ~ Quentin Crisp We left Ethiopia looking somewhat like these people, but we actually took this shot when we first arrived there. It was a sloppy, fun marker of just how excited we felt to be leaving customs as we headed straight to see our little boy again. We didn't take a photo when we were leaving Ethiopia because we were far too emotional, exhausted and bedraggled to even think of it. We left Africa feeling dee