Berwick photographer Barry Weller shares a laugh with four-year-old Katrina. 20957 By Liesel Rickarby
BERWICK photographer Barry Weller describes taking children’s portraits as “fabulous”.
“I really enjoy photographing them,” he said. “Children have a personality of their own and if you let them express that personality, it’s a walk in the park.”
A veteran photographer of 45 years, Mr Weller will have plenty of opportunities to take pictures of littlies as he volunteers his services to the Bonnie Babes Foundation for its project, Pride of the Nation.
The Bonnie Babes Foundation provides free 24-hour grief-counselling services for families that have suffered miscarriage or stillbirth, those with babies in intensive-care units and those with babies with serious illnesses or abnormalities.
Pride of the Nation, a fundraising project for the foundation, is a coffee table book featuring pictures of Australian children.
For a donation of $50 to Bonnie Babes, parents can have their child’s picture taken by a professional photographer such as Barry Weller, which is guaranteed publication in the full-colour glossy publication.
Although the project is Australia-wide, all funds raised stay in the local area, with donations made in Berwick going to Bonnie Babes’ grief counselling services in the Berwick area.
Caroline Pirie, from the Bonnie Babes Foundation, says she hopes the publicity created by Pride of the Nation helps other families in the Berwick area in need of local community services but not aware of whom to contact.
For Barry Weller, a father and grandfather, it’s a chance to see little personalities shine and to do something he loves.
“I love supporting a charity. To be able to support a charity in this manner, I think, is very important,” he says.
“It’s an extremely good cause.”
The Bonnie Babes Foundation also provides medical equipment to hospitals for premature babies in intensive care, assists vital medical research projects into pregnancy loss, provides health nutrition and wellness advice for women before and during pregnancy and supports women who develop pre-eclampsia and other medical conditions during pregnancy.
Pride of the Nation closes on 31 August.
To contact Bonnie Babes or to enter your child in Pride of the Nation go to www.bbf.org.au.
