BOISE - Picture this!
A true love story-- from here to someone thousands of miles away.
A snapshot of life, a connection.
A Boise photographer and his wife are using a camera to bridge the gap for Military families this holiday season.
"The holidays are a hard time for soldiers." said Randy McCrea, co-owner of Timeless Photo and Portraits. "This is one way we can help out and provide free family portraits to any families of a deployed soldier."
Timeless Photo and Portraits is taking part in a nationwide project called Portraits of Love.
"The goal is to do over 10,000 portraits this holiday season." said McCrea.
It's put on by the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association -- along with Soldier's Angels.
"We are one of the many studios that are offered the opportunity. We jumped on it and thought it was a great thing for us to do."
But photographer Randy McCrea and his wife also have a more personal motivation for getting involved.
"This is something that's important to us. We have a son that is on active duty right now. I know there are a lot of soldiers deployed right now." he said.
Tara Wesely, her son Jack and their Labradoodle, Tucker are one of just a few Treasure Valley families who have taken advantage of the program so far.
Wesely says she appreciates what the studio is doing for local military families.
McCrea says that's what it's all about, "I think it's a hard time for them because they are apart, anything we can give to them that is personal. There is nothing more personal than a family photo."
The Portraits of Love project will last until mid-December.
Military families with a deployed loved one are encouraged to get their pictures taken.
"We are proud of what our military is doing for us, I think it's a great way for us as a member of the community to give back to our military families." said McCrea.
To get your family photos taken and sent to your loved ones serving overseas, you need to show a valid military I-D.
The Portraits of Love project will run through December 15th.
