January 17, 2023 • 29 mins
Where to find Karen
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Episode Transcript
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Matt (00:06):
Every child has a different kind of flower that
altogether make this world abeautiful garden.
Karen Allsop is a highlyacclaimed photographer, an
artist with over 20 years ofexperience in both photography
and graphic design.
She is known for her ability toblend these two mediums, to
create breathtaking artwork thattransport the viewer to another
(00:26):
world.
In January, 2016, Karen foundedthe heart project, which allows
her to use compositing skills togive children with severe
disabilities, the wings to fly.
The heart project is bringinghope worldwide to children and
families through the power ofphotography.
Hi Karen.
Thanks for joining me today.
(00:47):
I appreciate you taking time andwe rearranged our schedule a
little bit because you are fromwhere.
Karen (00:54):
Uh, Melbourne, Australia, and yes, it's 9:00 AM here
today.
So on a Friday.
I said thank you so much forrearranging that schedule and
letting me have a couple ofcoffees before we get started.
Matt (01:04):
Uh, absolutely.
I've had more than a couple.
It's 5:00 PM on a Thursday, soI'm kind of time traveling, so
that's exciting.
So we're here to talk with youabout sharing ripples, which is
making, impact with thecommunity and doing good things.
Please tell me about the HeartProject and what made you start
the Heart Project.
Karen (01:25):
Okay.
So yeah, the HAR Project isreally a group of volunteers
that work together asphotographers and and Photoshop
artists to make a difference in.
Particularly children's livesand families that are going
through big challenges, bighealth challenges.
And the reason that we started,that was around seven years ago,
(01:46):
I was creating Photoshopartworks.
I had won some awards and I hadsome people following me and I
had a, a mom reach out to me andshe explained to me that her
daughter, ta.
Was five years old and she can'twalk.
She can't speak.
She can't hold herself up.
Her mom, Jackie asked if I couldcreate an image that would free
(02:10):
her from all of theselimitations, and that was really
the start of the heart project.
So I created that artwork withTalia flying with the
butterflies and with her doglooking up at her, and she's
free from that wheelchair.
Big joyous smile on her face,and that was, uh, an incredible
opportunity for me to use my.
(02:32):
To make a difference insomeone's life.
So that's really what startedit.
And from there there's beenmany, many projects, that we've
undertaken.
I'm sure we'll chat about someof those today.
So that's how it all began.
Matt (02:44):
So did you realize when you started this, and this is
not a so many Angels podcast,but I'm not gonna run away from
the fact that that's what I do,something similar, to what you
do, but did you realize when youstarted this, I'm guessing you
feel this way, that this was foryou as well and for the parents
as well?
Karen (03:03):
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely.
for me, it is so important to bedoing something that is giving
to other people.
You know, I could be creating,I, I have an amazing job, you
know, be being able to createartwork on a daily basis and be.
Completely creative, but thatwill be quite hollow without
being able to give that tosomeone else.
(03:23):
So these projects, uh, arereally the most important thing
that I could be doing.
Yeah.
Matt (03:29):
It, it really is amazing.
And, and just watching some ofthe videos that you post and,
and all the people that I knowyou have involved behind the
scenes, how do you stayorganized?
Because I'm looking for personaltips on this, on how you stay
organized because sometimes itcan get a little overwhelming
leading up to a larger event.
sometimes it's like a lot ofhurry up and wait, and then
(03:53):
everything at once.
And then so how do you stayorganized with things?
Karen (03:57):
Yeah, yeah.
I've, I've got a few independentthings that I do.
You know, I've got my Googlecalendar, I've got, everything
on my phone and all of mydevices and, I use Google a lot,
so I use spreadsheets andinteractive things that other
people can access.
But one of the big things I'velearned is I need help.
You know, when, when we startedChristmas Wish in particular, I
(04:19):
did that first year.
Everything.
I had a group of a team with me,helping on the day, but I did
all of the backgrounds, I didall of the editing, I did all of
the work and, you know, myfriends that were there said,
you're gonna need to get help.
And now we've got hundreds ofpeople that are part of it.
And.
one of the key persons that ispart of this, her name's Charm
(04:41):
Hura, I never say her last nameright.
But Hurai, I think I got thatright.
She's in New Zealand and everyyear she heads up the, the
backend, the admin, the, theworking with the editors.
And that frees me up to be ableto be on the ground with the
teams.
And, yeah, I couldn't do thatwith, without these people that
(05:02):
are alongside
Matt (05:03):
Yeah, charm.
Charm is amazing.
I've seen a little bit of whatshe does.
And, uh, how long does it takefrom the photo session to the
delivery of the printed imageand what, what are you giving as
the final product?
Karen (05:16):
Yeah.
Well, with, Christmas Wish,that's a really tight timeframe.
So we have teams going into thehospitals that take the photos
of children with Santa and.
These are then deliveredimmediately to the teams that
are editing it.
So they go online, they getsorted, and then the editors
start working on them.
(05:37):
There's a really fine tunedprocess behind it cuz we've
gotta get through about 150 to200 photos within the space of
around two to three weeks.
So those edits are happening.
24 7 with people all around theworld working on them.
Once they're finished, we thenneed to get them out to the
families.
We also need to share them withthe world and, um, share that,
(05:58):
that joyous, story with theworld.
And we also need to get themprinted.
So we have,, people that helpwith that.
We have companies, photo Kingand profile products this year
that printed them and deliveredthem to all of the families as
well.
Sometimes they might turn upafter Christmas though.
It just depends on AustraliaPost, but we do our best.
Matt (06:17):
Yeah.
We, we aim for, we tell peoplewithin 30 days, we try to get it
done within 10 to 14, butsometimes it just, especially on
the larger events, we don't doanything the scale you'd do yet
Any particular children orfamilies or just interactions or
experiences.
Are there a few that stand outin your memory that you just,
(06:38):
you just always go back to?
every kid we photograph, it'svery special to us, but there's
some interactions where it justhits you a little more for, for
whatever reason.
Karen (06:50):
Yeah, I mean there's, there's definitely quite a few
of those.
Uh, there's so many stories Icould tell I'd probably be here
forever, but one of them thatreally hit me probably the
hardest, uh, is I, I had a emailfrom someone that was asking me
if I could create a, an image ofher son with, all dressed as
superheroes.
So, She said, can you do it?
(07:12):
he loves all the differentsuperheroes, and can you create
something from the photos that Ihave now?
generally, I wouldn't do that.
I would normally take thephotos, but there was something
about this email and it didn'thave the context.
I, um, I wrote back to her andI, and I soon found out that her
son had died in the Barcelonaterror attacks, and she'd been
(07:32):
holding his hand, the, the, youknow, the, the band ripped
through and taken him from her.
And like that, that just hit meso hard.
And so I had to do something to,to bring.
Sense of healing and joy to, toJohn.
So I, um, I actually ended upgoing up there and visiting her.
(07:53):
We, we got all the photos.
I created this piece from all ofthe photos that she'd taken on
her phone to make him an amazingsuperhero, like a superhero
poster and Yeah.
And then took that up to herand, and we were able to gift it
to her and that.
That hit hard because I've gotkids.
Obviously that makes a, a bigdifference.
(08:15):
My kids are healthy, my kids arewell, I'm so thankful and
grateful, but just in thatmoment, you know, just to, to
have that child ripped away fromher was just, yeah.
So hard.
So, yeah, that, that, that was atough one.
But there's other, there'sothers that I, I guess there's,
there's the ones.
We help and we create images forand them, and then they pass
(08:38):
away.
And that's really, reallychallenging and hard.
But we know that those imagesare so important.
There's others that we're stillin contact with and we've, we've
struck up such strongfriendships, uh, and, and we
keep working through theirjourney, you know, their
challenging journey, that, butwe are there as a friend as
well.
Matt (08:55):
Yeah, it's amazing because I, I never actually had kids,
but I, so I, and I did notphotograph kids before this, so
I started a charity where Iphotographed kids, which might
not make sense to some people,but I feel like.
God kind of said to me, youknow, you never had kids, but
I'm gonna give you more kidsthan you know what to do with.
And in the back of my mind I'mthinking, wait, I don't have to
(09:16):
change a diaper and I don't haveto pay for college.
I said, yes, sign me up.
I'll do that in a in a second.
But yeah, the ones, um, when youlose a child that you
photographed, it is, it isdifficult and part of me.
Sometimes I think, wow, can Ikeep doing this?
But at that same time, I thinkthis is why I have to keep doing
(09:37):
this because we know what thepower of photography is.
And if you're listening what isone of the first things you do
when you lose somebody?
You go through pictures andyou're not usually going through
your phone.
You're going through printedpictures.
That's what we, we try to do is,with so many angels, we want
these kids to put these on theirwall in their bedroom.
(09:59):
So it's the last thing they seebefore they go to sleep, and the
first thing they see when theywake up and they can actually
inspire themselves.
And that's the amazing part.
And then if something doeshappen and we do lose the child,
then the parents have this greatexperience, this memory of them.
That just it, you cannot put aprice on it.
(10:20):
The first kid we'd lost Andrew,I heard from his, uh, cousin a
couple weeks later, and she toldme that they had the canvas
print out at his funeral and.
That never occurred to me and Istarted crying because it's
like, wow, the impact that wemade and the fact that, you
(10:41):
know, they could see him as IronMan.
You know, his, his nickname wasI Iron Andrew.
So it just, that is like, howcan I not do this anymore?
Now you use live characters inyours?
Sometimes like a, I'm not sureif he's called Santa Claus in,
in Australia, but, uh, SantaClaus or, or you use characters
(11:01):
with your photos.
How's that?
How's that work?
Karen (11:03):
yeah.
Well, Santa in particular, and,you know, he, he, so Santa
Claus?
Yes.
Uh, he's been working with us.
The real Santa Claus has beenworking with us since we
started.
He volunteered the first yearand has been with us ever since.
And we, we do try and fly aroundto as many places as possible
because he is one of thosepeople that just knows what to.
(11:27):
To the child.
He, he connects with each andevery child.
He really understands them and,you know, the loud ones, the
quiet ones, and he makes adifference in their life as
well.
So for, I, I truly believe thathis gifting, that why he was put
on this earth was, was to be sadto Claus.
And, um, and that's what, whathe feels as well, he's really,
(11:49):
um, just it.
Everything to him.
And, that's important to us it'snot just about the photography.
The photography's such animportant part, but it is about
that experience as well.
and the stories that they cantell and the memories that they
have.
you know, one other, one of thefamily that we helped, Callum,
he, I heard from someone that hedidn't have long to live and,
(12:12):
and they wanted us to createsomething.
And similar to what you do withso many angels with, a picture
of him as a superheroes, Batman,and the thing that we did for
him as well as we filmed.
So behind the scenes, uh, a lotof the time we create a video
that tells the story of what'sbeen done.
He shared, Callum shared, uh,about why he was a superhero,
(12:38):
why he, what, what it meant forhim to, to be a superhero, and
his voice is, Hard as it is tohear his voice just shares that
strength behind who he was.
And that was actually played athis funeral.
So we went to his funeral andthat was played and, you know,
some of the footage and thephotos were shared.
(12:59):
And, and you know, and to thisday, um, we are still friends
with this family and, and thesememories are, as you said, so
important.
The pictures important, butthose memories are important
too.
Matt (13:09):
Very much so.
And then there's, uh, like yousaid before, you get to watch,
you become friends with some ofthese families and you get to
watch them grow up.
We photographed,, This littleboy, he was less than one years
old when we photographed amaverick and he was dressed as a
pilot.
He couldn't even sit up becausehe wasn't old enough to sit up.
So we, she was the last sessionof the day.
(13:29):
So we wrapped mom in greenscreen fabric and she held him
up.
So that was, that was kind of afun one, but now I don't know if
he's just started kindergarten,but he's, he's like four or five
now, and it's like he's, he's atotally different person than
when we photographed him.
And it's just amazing to watchthese kids grow up and, and you
share, you know, I had no ideawhat these families go through
(13:52):
all the time.
You know, what they're, whattheir normal, normal is like,
and that's what we kind of tryto do is try to give them a
regular.
you know, even if it's just forfive or 10 minutes during the
photo session.
I want to give these families somuch more, but you know, part of
the reason I wanted to have youon is to share, I know with me
(14:13):
it gets addicting and when Ihave other people volunteer with
me, you know, halfway through,The events or the photo
sessions, they're like, when areyou doing this again?
Because this feels amazing tojust do something for somebody
that, that I don't want anythingin return.
You know, you don't needanything in return, and they
couldn't, they couldn't pay youenough to do.
(14:34):
What, what we're doing for them.
And it just, it just gets soaddicting so fast that it's, you
know, I want others to get thatfeeling as well and just try to,
you know, whether it's taking ashopping cart back for somebody
at the store or holding a dooropen, just something simple that
somebody else might.
Pay something forward like that.
So switching, switching out ofthat a little bit, tell us about
(14:57):
any hobbies that you have thatare not photo, if there are any
that are not photography relatedor editing related.
Karen (15:05):
Okay.
I think most of them areconnected to that and somewhat.
I used to be a musician.
I'm kind of not, not really, um,playing anything anymore.
Um, I look, I love camping.
I love camping with my family.
I don't think they love it asmuch as I do, but you know, I've
got a little pod that we, uh,drag with our little mini
countrymen, put the bikes on thetop and off we go and camp with
(15:26):
friends.
I love that.
so one of the things that I'mreally delving into now is
augmented reality and making myart augmented, making it come
out in 3D and taking photos andmaking them, yeah, it's, it's,
that's, that's kind of my thingat the moment, which I'm really
enjoying.
It's like that next level of, ofwhat can I do?
Matt (15:45):
Were there any reactions with any of the families that
changed your behavior in anyway?
Was there just something thathappened that it clicked
something inside you that madeyou approach things differently
or approach people differently?
Karen (16:01):
I think it's all of, all of the different families that
I've met.
Um, you know, as, as I saidbefore, my kids are healthy.
They haven't had these strugglesthat many of these families
have, and every singleconnection with families just
makes you realize more and more,how hard it is for them and, and
what they're going through on adaily basis.
The, the little girl Talia thatI mentioned, as our first one,
(16:23):
she is now about, 11, I think.
And, um, she, yeah, I just sawher at Christmas.
Wish her mom runs the AdelaideChristmas wish, you know,
through those challenges,through having Talia as
dependent on her 24 7, with afeeding tube and, and everything
(16:44):
else she's there.
Heading up a team and making ithappen.
And so, yeah, I just appreciateit.
It makes you appreciate your ownlife, but it also makes you
understand, what everyone goesthrough and it's, it's makes you
wanna do it even more.
So.
Matt (17:01):
exactly.
So if you could re be rememberedfor one thing, what would it be?
Karen (17:08):
Oh, big question Matt
Matt (17:10):
Thank you.
Karen (17:11):
big question.
Um,
Matt (17:13):
Just one.
Karen (17:14):
I, I, I think it, it's not about me being re remembered
for one thing, but that I, Ihope that my, what I've done and
what I've shared has helped tochange someone else's way of
life.
So mainly, you know, I thinkabout that as.
(17:35):
Influencing other photographersand other artists to make a
difference.
You know, if what I'm sharingcan in turn give them that
ability and that, boost to makea difference in whatever it is
that they do, then that, that'sthe biggest thing for me, I
think.
Matt (17:52):
exactly why I've started this podcast because I want your
story to be told the people.
Never heard about you,especially in the US that need
to hear about the amazing thingsthat you guys do.
I want to give and give and giveand give, and at the same time,
I just wanna share the storiesthat other people have because
I've.
Through the past, uh, five yearsof doing so many angels, I've
(18:15):
met so many amazing people and Iremember meeting you at
PhotoPlus in New York and I waslike, I don't even know if I
knew you're gonna be there.
I was like, wait, I know youfrom your videos.
So, uh, since this morningthere, let's do this question.
Do you have a morning routine?
And if so, what does it looklike Besides drinking mug loads
of mug, loads of coffee.
Karen (18:36):
The coffee is probably a big thing.
I, I probably should cut down.
I have a, a coffee machine thatdoes all the beans and
everything, and, uh, apart fromthat, yeah, I, morning's
important, you know, um,praying, waking up, facing the
day.
Establishing what am I doingtoday?
You know, I've got family, as Isaid, I've got kids.
(19:00):
Um, so when they're at school.
So let's talk routine whenthey're at school, cuz it
routine's completely out thewindow in holidays.
Um, yeah, my, my husband bringsme more coffee and in the
morning.
He's wonderful.
He takes them to school becausehe is, uh, he works there, so
that's fantastic.
And then, you know, yeah, yeah.
Very, very helpful.
And, and then I, you know, I.
(19:21):
Wanna start the day in my studioby figuring out, okay, let's get
through all the, all the emailsand the, all the admin stuff,
and then let's get into thecreative stuff.
What am I creating today?
What am I, gonna make?
And, and what am I gonna dothat's different?
And marketing for me too is abig thing.
I love coming up with new ideasand new ways of getting my work
out there.
(19:41):
And, um, just pushing, pushing.
Boundaries of, of what I've donebefore.
So yeah, it's um, it's alwaysexciting.
Matt (19:52):
So if you had to eat one meal, one meal only for the rest
of your life, what would it be?
It could be, uh, breakfast,lunch, or dinner or a snack.
But if you had to be restrictedto one type of food the rest of
your life, what would it be?
Karen (20:05):
I hate eating the same thing.
all the time so that, I don'teven know how I can answer that
question.
Look, I'd say curry, but everytime I go out, I will eat the
most different thing on themenu.
Um, so so I don't, I, I find itvery hard to eat one thing
forever.
Matt (20:24):
So have there been any, uh, let's take the photography
industry.
Are there any people that haveinfluenced you, uh, in business,
in your style and your, in whatyou do in any way?
Karen (20:38):
Oh, there's many.
Yeah, I there.
There.
There's so many key moments, Ithink as I've been developing
this.
You know, we, I, I was a weddingand portrait photographer for
many years, so I wasn't doingPhotoshop art.
And it was because I had kids,that we were finding that we
couldn't shoot the weddingsanymore.
It was really hard with themlittle, so that's when I started
looking at different types ofphotography.
(21:01):
I think early on, one of the.
People that influenced my workwas Adrian Sommeling and the
work that he was doing backthen.
Um, and then there's, there'speople now that I'm just
completely in awe of and alwaysinspired, and people like Ben
Shirk who just, he, he helpswith, uh, the Christmas wish
(21:22):
every year and always just pullsout something brilliant.
But yeah, there's, there's somany.
People.
Um, one of the people I do wannamention though, too is, um, my
friend Robin Campbell, who, um,I've known through the
Australian Institute ofProfessional Photography, which
is no longer, that finished up,uh, a couple of years ago,
unfortunately after 75 years.
(21:43):
But Robin.
Is someone that is very, verydriven, much like myself.
And, um, I think yeah, as havingsomeone alongside you that can
push you and can ask those toughquestions and that can really
challenge you every day,, issomething huge.
And we run the AustralianPhotographic Prize together,
which is something that we,started last year, massive
(22:05):
undertaking, but I don't think Icould do it with anyone.
Matt (22:09):
Yeah.
I tell people I'm the least busyright now than I'll be for the
rest of my life because I justsee things getting busier and
busier.
Two of our people to edit for.
Else.
They also photograph for us toMickey and Josh and I was
totalling up the number of editsthat each of them had done, and
at one point they were tied at31 to 31.
(22:30):
So I want to get thatcompetition going between them,
like I want them to do more andyou know, it.
I want them to see what theother editors are doing and want
to do something better.
If you could go back and talk toyour 18 year old self and give
yourself one piece of advice,what would it be?
Karen (22:49):
I think I would just say to myself, keep following your
passions.
and, and that's what I've done.
So I actually don't really haveany regrets at all in the
directions that I've taken.
Um, very thankfully.
I, yeah, I've done portraits andweddings and, and all of those
things, and I would put myselfright into them as I did them.
(23:09):
Um, but then finding new, newdirections, finding new
passions.
It, it's really important to beopen to, you know, where God's
taking you.
What, what, what is, what isnext, you know, on this journey
in not to get stuck, um, but tojust.
Matt (23:24):
Do you ever feel like you're kind of along for the
ride and just holding on fordear life?
Sometimes and it's like, I, Itrust where I'm going, but um,
yeah, I would like to know whereI'm gonna be next month, but
this is kind of fun and I'm justenjoying the process of
everything.
Karen (23:39):
Yeah.
Sometimes that rides like arollercoaster.
Sometimes it's just like, it's,it's, um, just going a hundred
miles per hour and, you know,you ha you're just holding on
for dear life.
But yes, Yep.
Matt (23:52):
Yep.
Yep.
So is there a question that youwished I would've asked you, and
if so, what's that question andhow would you have answered it?
Karen (24:01):
Um, I think, yeah, I, I think we touched on it a little
bit, but, um, we, you talkedabout wanting to influence other
people and, and help them tofind a way to make a difference
and to encourage them.
And that's something that's bigfor me.
Um, one of the things that Istruggle with is, Being able to
provide that, um, place forpeople to, to do something to
(24:25):
help.
So I'll, I'll explain that alittle bit more With Christmas
Wish, we have so many peoplewanting to be part of it and but
to ensure that we don't.
Um, as you said, you know, thequality stays and, and we're
able to manage it.
We have to just step by step,grow it and make sure that we've
got the people that can manageit.
Um, and I, I wish that we couldjust go, yeah, everyone get on
(24:51):
board, let's do it.
But it, it's actually just notpossible.
So I, I do hope that, you know,even if those people that say, I
really wanna be part of it, howcan I be part of it?
even if they can't be part of itright now, that they can then go
back into their world and go,okay, well what can I do here in
my world, in my space, in mysphere of influence?
What can I do that can reallymake a difference in someone's
(25:13):
world?
Cause I think that's, that's themost important thing.
Matt (25:16):
Agreed.
When people say, how can I help?
sometimes they say, right nowyou can't because we're not in a
position where we can come tonew cities and things like that.
But I will say, you know, in themeantime, you can follow our
social media.
You can like, Comment and shareon our things, uh, you know, I,
I have still not edited a singleimage that we've done.
(25:36):
I might be able to come close tosome of the quality that I want,
but it would take me like fivedays, 24 hours a day.
Some of the other editors, ittakes'em two and a half hours
and they knock these things out,and there's a lot of times when
the parents, the families, thekids would say, that's good.
It's good enough, but it's notgood enough for me sometimes.
And it's, it's just, I want it.
(25:58):
It doesn't have to be perfect,but I want it to be perfect.
And that's part of the funjourney too, is sometimes when I
get some of these images back, Iwill just break down and cry
because I'll think of some ofthe parents, some of the
conversations we've had, therewas, uh, one girl named Bailey
and she was just, she wasdressed as the Incredibles
person that I don't know thename of, but she was dressed as
(26:21):
the Incredibles.
Mom was just saying that, youknow, she just, and Bailey was
lighting up the room, her smile,her actions and, and she said, I
just wish she would beintroduced as Bailey.
Once instead of Bailey with thismedical condition or that
medical condition.
And it, that crushed me becauseit's, you know, I know that's
how we work sometimes in ourmind, but it just, it hurt to
(26:44):
hear the words out loud likethat when she was, when she was
explaining that.
So we're gonna wind up now, andplease tell us where we can find
you online and if you haveanything coming up in the next
few months or at the end of theyear, maybe.
Karen (26:59):
Yeah, absolutely.
So the heart project.com.au is,uh, where you can find all of
the information abouteverything.
At the top of that website is alink to our 2020 Christmas wish.
So there's a whole website allabout Christmas Wish, um, with a
video that, uh, goes for 12minutes.
Make sure you have your tissueswith any of the videos that you
(27:21):
watch, cuz Yeah, they, they do.
Um, Yeah, the tears do come.
But, this year we really wannaexpand Christmas wish.
We really wanna, get into moreplaces.
We've got team leaders that havebeen, rising up and been
trained.
So that is one thing.
Yes, we can't go everywhere.
we can't be everywhere, but wedo want to grow it.
(27:42):
So, sign up, put your name downon the contact form and um, and
we'll let people know what'shappening where.
Matt (27:49):
Karen, thank you so much for spending your morning with
us and my evening with us.
I appreciate your time and Iappreciate everything you do and
we will be in touch.
Thank you.
Karen (28:00):
Thank you.
Thanks so much,
Matt (28:03):
If you're hearing this message, you've made it to the
end of the episode.
And for that, I want to thankyou from the bottom of my heart.
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
And if you did.
Please leave a review on applepodcasts and Spotify.
I'm hoping to learn from eachepisode and I'm striving to do
better and bring more positivityto the world with everything I
do.
(28:24):
Any the links mentioned in thisepisode will be listed in the
show notes.
Please join the sharing ripplesFacebook group and join in the
discussion.
Also feel free to let me know ofany guests you'd like to
recommend for future episodes.
The show notes will also beposted there.
See you next time.
Every child has a different kind of flower that
altogether make this world abeautiful garden.
Karen Allsop is a highlyacclaimed photographer, an
artist with over 20 years ofexperience in both photography
and graphic design.
She is known for her ability toblend these two mediums, to
create breathtaking artwork thattransport the viewer to another
(00:26):
world.
In January, 2016, Karen foundedthe heart project, which allows
her to use compositing skills togive children with severe
disabilities, the wings to fly.
The heart project is bringinghope worldwide to children and
families through the power ofphotography.
Hi Karen.
Thanks for joining me today.
(00:47):
I appreciate you taking time andwe rearranged our schedule a
little bit because you are fromwhere.
Karen (00:54):
Uh, Melbourne, Australia, and yes, it's 9:00 AM here
today.
So on a Friday.
I said thank you so much forrearranging that schedule and
letting me have a couple ofcoffees before we get started.
Matt (01:04):
Uh, absolutely.
I've had more than a couple.
It's 5:00 PM on a Thursday, soI'm kind of time traveling, so
that's exciting.
So we're here to talk with youabout sharing ripples, which is
making, impact with thecommunity and doing good things.
Please tell me about the HeartProject and what made you start
the Heart Project.
Karen (01:25):
Okay.
So yeah, the HAR Project isreally a group of volunteers
that work together asphotographers and and Photoshop
artists to make a difference in.
Particularly children's livesand families that are going
through big challenges, bighealth challenges.
And the reason that we started,that was around seven years ago,
(01:46):
I was creating Photoshopartworks.
I had won some awards and I hadsome people following me and I
had a, a mom reach out to me andshe explained to me that her
daughter, ta.
Was five years old and she can'twalk.
She can't speak.
She can't hold herself up.
Her mom, Jackie asked if I couldcreate an image that would free
(02:10):
her from all of theselimitations, and that was really
the start of the heart project.
So I created that artwork withTalia flying with the
butterflies and with her doglooking up at her, and she's
free from that wheelchair.
Big joyous smile on her face,and that was, uh, an incredible
opportunity for me to use my.
(02:32):
To make a difference insomeone's life.
So that's really what startedit.
And from there there's beenmany, many projects, that we've
undertaken.
I'm sure we'll chat about someof those today.
So that's how it all began.
Matt (02:44):
So did you realize when you started this, and this is
not a so many Angels podcast,but I'm not gonna run away from
the fact that that's what I do,something similar, to what you
do, but did you realize when youstarted this, I'm guessing you
feel this way, that this was foryou as well and for the parents
as well?
Karen (03:03):
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely.
for me, it is so important to bedoing something that is giving
to other people.
You know, I could be creating,I, I have an amazing job, you
know, be being able to createartwork on a daily basis and be.
Completely creative, but thatwill be quite hollow without
being able to give that tosomeone else.
(03:23):
So these projects, uh, arereally the most important thing
that I could be doing.
Yeah.
Matt (03:29):
It, it really is amazing.
And, and just watching some ofthe videos that you post and,
and all the people that I knowyou have involved behind the
scenes, how do you stayorganized?
Because I'm looking for personaltips on this, on how you stay
organized because sometimes itcan get a little overwhelming
leading up to a larger event.
sometimes it's like a lot ofhurry up and wait, and then
(03:53):
everything at once.
And then so how do you stayorganized with things?
Karen (03:57):
Yeah, yeah.
I've, I've got a few independentthings that I do.
You know, I've got my Googlecalendar, I've got, everything
on my phone and all of mydevices and, I use Google a lot,
so I use spreadsheets andinteractive things that other
people can access.
But one of the big things I'velearned is I need help.
You know, when, when we startedChristmas Wish in particular, I
(04:19):
did that first year.
Everything.
I had a group of a team with me,helping on the day, but I did
all of the backgrounds, I didall of the editing, I did all of
the work and, you know, myfriends that were there said,
you're gonna need to get help.
And now we've got hundreds ofpeople that are part of it.
And.
one of the key persons that ispart of this, her name's Charm
(04:41):
Hura, I never say her last nameright.
But Hurai, I think I got thatright.
She's in New Zealand and everyyear she heads up the, the
backend, the admin, the, theworking with the editors.
And that frees me up to be ableto be on the ground with the
teams.
And, yeah, I couldn't do thatwith, without these people that
(05:02):
are alongside
Matt (05:03):
Yeah, charm.
Charm is amazing.
I've seen a little bit of whatshe does.
And, uh, how long does it takefrom the photo session to the
delivery of the printed imageand what, what are you giving as
the final product?
Karen (05:16):
Yeah.
Well, with, Christmas Wish,that's a really tight timeframe.
So we have teams going into thehospitals that take the photos
of children with Santa and.
These are then deliveredimmediately to the teams that
are editing it.
So they go online, they getsorted, and then the editors
start working on them.
(05:37):
There's a really fine tunedprocess behind it cuz we've
gotta get through about 150 to200 photos within the space of
around two to three weeks.
So those edits are happening.
24 7 with people all around theworld working on them.
Once they're finished, we thenneed to get them out to the
families.
We also need to share them withthe world and, um, share that,
(05:58):
that joyous, story with theworld.
And we also need to get themprinted.
So we have,, people that helpwith that.
We have companies, photo Kingand profile products this year
that printed them and deliveredthem to all of the families as
well.
Sometimes they might turn upafter Christmas though.
It just depends on AustraliaPost, but we do our best.
Matt (06:17):
Yeah.
We, we aim for, we tell peoplewithin 30 days, we try to get it
done within 10 to 14, butsometimes it just, especially on
the larger events, we don't doanything the scale you'd do yet
Any particular children orfamilies or just interactions or
experiences.
Are there a few that stand outin your memory that you just,
(06:38):
you just always go back to?
every kid we photograph, it'svery special to us, but there's
some interactions where it justhits you a little more for, for
whatever reason.
Karen (06:50):
Yeah, I mean there's, there's definitely quite a few
of those.
Uh, there's so many stories Icould tell I'd probably be here
forever, but one of them thatreally hit me probably the
hardest, uh, is I, I had a emailfrom someone that was asking me
if I could create a, an image ofher son with, all dressed as
superheroes.
So, She said, can you do it?
(07:12):
he loves all the differentsuperheroes, and can you create
something from the photos that Ihave now?
generally, I wouldn't do that.
I would normally take thephotos, but there was something
about this email and it didn'thave the context.
I, um, I wrote back to her andI, and I soon found out that her
son had died in the Barcelonaterror attacks, and she'd been
(07:32):
holding his hand, the, the, youknow, the, the band ripped
through and taken him from her.
And like that, that just hit meso hard.
And so I had to do something to,to bring.
Sense of healing and joy to, toJohn.
So I, um, I actually ended upgoing up there and visiting her.
(07:53):
We, we got all the photos.
I created this piece from all ofthe photos that she'd taken on
her phone to make him an amazingsuperhero, like a superhero
poster and Yeah.
And then took that up to herand, and we were able to gift it
to her and that.
That hit hard because I've gotkids.
Obviously that makes a, a bigdifference.
(08:15):
My kids are healthy, my kids arewell, I'm so thankful and
grateful, but just in thatmoment, you know, just to, to
have that child ripped away fromher was just, yeah.
So hard.
So, yeah, that, that, that was atough one.
But there's other, there'sothers that I, I guess there's,
there's the ones.
We help and we create images forand them, and then they pass
(08:38):
away.
And that's really, reallychallenging and hard.
But we know that those imagesare so important.
There's others that we're stillin contact with and we've, we've
struck up such strongfriendships, uh, and, and we
keep working through theirjourney, you know, their
challenging journey, that, butwe are there as a friend as
well.
Matt (08:55):
Yeah, it's amazing because I, I never actually had kids,
but I, so I, and I did notphotograph kids before this, so
I started a charity where Iphotographed kids, which might
not make sense to some people,but I feel like.
God kind of said to me, youknow, you never had kids, but
I'm gonna give you more kidsthan you know what to do with.
And in the back of my mind I'mthinking, wait, I don't have to
(09:16):
change a diaper and I don't haveto pay for college.
I said, yes, sign me up.
I'll do that in a in a second.
But yeah, the ones, um, when youlose a child that you
photographed, it is, it isdifficult and part of me.
Sometimes I think, wow, can Ikeep doing this?
But at that same time, I thinkthis is why I have to keep doing
(09:37):
this because we know what thepower of photography is.
And if you're listening what isone of the first things you do
when you lose somebody?
You go through pictures andyou're not usually going through
your phone.
You're going through printedpictures.
That's what we, we try to do is,with so many angels, we want
these kids to put these on theirwall in their bedroom.
(09:59):
So it's the last thing they seebefore they go to sleep, and the
first thing they see when theywake up and they can actually
inspire themselves.
And that's the amazing part.
And then if something doeshappen and we do lose the child,
then the parents have this greatexperience, this memory of them.
That just it, you cannot put aprice on it.
(10:20):
The first kid we'd lost Andrew,I heard from his, uh, cousin a
couple weeks later, and she toldme that they had the canvas
print out at his funeral and.
That never occurred to me and Istarted crying because it's
like, wow, the impact that wemade and the fact that, you
(10:41):
know, they could see him as IronMan.
You know, his, his nickname wasI Iron Andrew.
So it just, that is like, howcan I not do this anymore?
Now you use live characters inyours?
Sometimes like a, I'm not sureif he's called Santa Claus in,
in Australia, but, uh, SantaClaus or, or you use characters
(11:01):
with your photos.
How's that?
How's that work?
Karen (11:03):
yeah.
Well, Santa in particular, and,you know, he, he, so Santa
Claus?
Yes.
Uh, he's been working with us.
The real Santa Claus has beenworking with us since we
started.
He volunteered the first yearand has been with us ever since.
And we, we do try and fly aroundto as many places as possible
because he is one of thosepeople that just knows what to.
(11:27):
To the child.
He, he connects with each andevery child.
He really understands them and,you know, the loud ones, the
quiet ones, and he makes adifference in their life as
well.
So for, I, I truly believe thathis gifting, that why he was put
on this earth was, was to be sadto Claus.
And, um, and that's what, whathe feels as well, he's really,
(11:49):
um, just it.
Everything to him.
And, that's important to us it'snot just about the photography.
The photography's such animportant part, but it is about
that experience as well.
and the stories that they cantell and the memories that they
have.
you know, one other, one of thefamily that we helped, Callum,
he, I heard from someone that hedidn't have long to live and,
(12:12):
and they wanted us to createsomething.
And similar to what you do withso many angels with, a picture
of him as a superheroes, Batman,and the thing that we did for
him as well as we filmed.
So behind the scenes, uh, a lotof the time we create a video
that tells the story of what'sbeen done.
He shared, Callum shared, uh,about why he was a superhero,
(12:38):
why he, what, what it meant forhim to, to be a superhero, and
his voice is, Hard as it is tohear his voice just shares that
strength behind who he was.
And that was actually played athis funeral.
So we went to his funeral andthat was played and, you know,
some of the footage and thephotos were shared.
(12:59):
And, and you know, and to thisday, um, we are still friends
with this family and, and thesememories are, as you said, so
important.
The pictures important, butthose memories are important
too.
Matt (13:09):
Very much so.
And then there's, uh, like yousaid before, you get to watch,
you become friends with some ofthese families and you get to
watch them grow up.
We photographed,, This littleboy, he was less than one years
old when we photographed amaverick and he was dressed as a
pilot.
He couldn't even sit up becausehe wasn't old enough to sit up.
So we, she was the last sessionof the day.
(13:29):
So we wrapped mom in greenscreen fabric and she held him
up.
So that was, that was kind of afun one, but now I don't know if
he's just started kindergarten,but he's, he's like four or five
now, and it's like he's, he's atotally different person than
when we photographed him.
And it's just amazing to watchthese kids grow up and, and you
share, you know, I had no ideawhat these families go through
(13:52):
all the time.
You know, what they're, whattheir normal, normal is like,
and that's what we kind of tryto do is try to give them a
regular.
you know, even if it's just forfive or 10 minutes during the
photo session.
I want to give these families somuch more, but you know, part of
the reason I wanted to have youon is to share, I know with me
(14:13):
it gets addicting and when Ihave other people volunteer with
me, you know, halfway through,The events or the photo
sessions, they're like, when areyou doing this again?
Because this feels amazing tojust do something for somebody
that, that I don't want anythingin return.
You know, you don't needanything in return, and they
couldn't, they couldn't pay youenough to do.
(14:34):
What, what we're doing for them.
And it just, it just gets soaddicting so fast that it's, you
know, I want others to get thatfeeling as well and just try to,
you know, whether it's taking ashopping cart back for somebody
at the store or holding a dooropen, just something simple that
somebody else might.
Pay something forward like that.
So switching, switching out ofthat a little bit, tell us about
(14:57):
any hobbies that you have thatare not photo, if there are any
that are not photography relatedor editing related.
Karen (15:05):
Okay.
I think most of them areconnected to that and somewhat.
I used to be a musician.
I'm kind of not, not really, um,playing anything anymore.
Um, I look, I love camping.
I love camping with my family.
I don't think they love it asmuch as I do, but you know, I've
got a little pod that we, uh,drag with our little mini
countrymen, put the bikes on thetop and off we go and camp with
(15:26):
friends.
I love that.
so one of the things that I'mreally delving into now is
augmented reality and making myart augmented, making it come
out in 3D and taking photos andmaking them, yeah, it's, it's,
that's, that's kind of my thingat the moment, which I'm really
enjoying.
It's like that next level of, ofwhat can I do?
Matt (15:45):
Were there any reactions with any of the families that
changed your behavior in anyway?
Was there just something thathappened that it clicked
something inside you that madeyou approach things differently
or approach people differently?
Karen (16:01):
I think it's all of, all of the different families that
I've met.
Um, you know, as, as I saidbefore, my kids are healthy.
They haven't had these strugglesthat many of these families
have, and every singleconnection with families just
makes you realize more and more,how hard it is for them and, and
what they're going through on adaily basis.
The, the little girl Talia thatI mentioned, as our first one,
(16:23):
she is now about, 11, I think.
And, um, she, yeah, I just sawher at Christmas.
Wish her mom runs the AdelaideChristmas wish, you know,
through those challenges,through having Talia as
dependent on her 24 7, with afeeding tube and, and everything
(16:44):
else she's there.
Heading up a team and making ithappen.
And so, yeah, I just appreciateit.
It makes you appreciate your ownlife, but it also makes you
understand, what everyone goesthrough and it's, it's makes you
wanna do it even more.
So.
Matt (17:01):
exactly.
So if you could re be rememberedfor one thing, what would it be?
Karen (17:08):
Oh, big question Matt
Matt (17:10):
Thank you.
Karen (17:11):
big question.
Um,
Matt (17:13):
Just one.
Karen (17:14):
I, I, I think it, it's not about me being re remembered
for one thing, but that I, Ihope that my, what I've done and
what I've shared has helped tochange someone else's way of
life.
So mainly, you know, I thinkabout that as.
(17:35):
Influencing other photographersand other artists to make a
difference.
You know, if what I'm sharingcan in turn give them that
ability and that, boost to makea difference in whatever it is
that they do, then that, that'sthe biggest thing for me, I
think.
Matt (17:52):
exactly why I've started this podcast because I want your
story to be told the people.
Never heard about you,especially in the US that need
to hear about the amazing thingsthat you guys do.
I want to give and give and giveand give, and at the same time,
I just wanna share the storiesthat other people have because
I've.
Through the past, uh, five yearsof doing so many angels, I've
(18:15):
met so many amazing people and Iremember meeting you at
PhotoPlus in New York and I waslike, I don't even know if I
knew you're gonna be there.
I was like, wait, I know youfrom your videos.
So, uh, since this morningthere, let's do this question.
Do you have a morning routine?
And if so, what does it looklike Besides drinking mug loads
of mug, loads of coffee.
Karen (18:36):
The coffee is probably a big thing.
I, I probably should cut down.
I have a, a coffee machine thatdoes all the beans and
everything, and, uh, apart fromthat, yeah, I, morning's
important, you know, um,praying, waking up, facing the
day.
Establishing what am I doingtoday?
You know, I've got family, as Isaid, I've got kids.
(19:00):
Um, so when they're at school.
So let's talk routine whenthey're at school, cuz it
routine's completely out thewindow in holidays.
Um, yeah, my, my husband bringsme more coffee and in the
morning.
He's wonderful.
He takes them to school becausehe is, uh, he works there, so
that's fantastic.
And then, you know, yeah, yeah.
Very, very helpful.
And, and then I, you know, I.
(19:21):
Wanna start the day in my studioby figuring out, okay, let's get
through all the, all the emailsand the, all the admin stuff,
and then let's get into thecreative stuff.
What am I creating today?
What am I, gonna make?
And, and what am I gonna dothat's different?
And marketing for me too is abig thing.
I love coming up with new ideasand new ways of getting my work
out there.
(19:41):
And, um, just pushing, pushing.
Boundaries of, of what I've donebefore.
So yeah, it's um, it's alwaysexciting.
Matt (19:52):
So if you had to eat one meal, one meal only for the rest
of your life, what would it be?
It could be, uh, breakfast,lunch, or dinner or a snack.
But if you had to be restrictedto one type of food the rest of
your life, what would it be?
Karen (20:05):
I hate eating the same thing.
all the time so that, I don'teven know how I can answer that
question.
Look, I'd say curry, but everytime I go out, I will eat the
most different thing on themenu.
Um, so so I don't, I, I find itvery hard to eat one thing
forever.
Matt (20:24):
So have there been any, uh, let's take the photography
industry.
Are there any people that haveinfluenced you, uh, in business,
in your style and your, in whatyou do in any way?
Karen (20:38):
Oh, there's many.
Yeah, I there.
There.
There's so many key moments, Ithink as I've been developing
this.
You know, we, I, I was a weddingand portrait photographer for
many years, so I wasn't doingPhotoshop art.
And it was because I had kids,that we were finding that we
couldn't shoot the weddingsanymore.
It was really hard with themlittle, so that's when I started
looking at different types ofphotography.
(21:01):
I think early on, one of the.
People that influenced my workwas Adrian Sommeling and the
work that he was doing backthen.
Um, and then there's, there'speople now that I'm just
completely in awe of and alwaysinspired, and people like Ben
Shirk who just, he, he helpswith, uh, the Christmas wish
(21:22):
every year and always just pullsout something brilliant.
But yeah, there's, there's somany.
People.
Um, one of the people I do wannamention though, too is, um, my
friend Robin Campbell, who, um,I've known through the
Australian Institute ofProfessional Photography, which
is no longer, that finished up,uh, a couple of years ago,
unfortunately after 75 years.
(21:43):
But Robin.
Is someone that is very, verydriven, much like myself.
And, um, I think yeah, as havingsomeone alongside you that can
push you and can ask those toughquestions and that can really
challenge you every day,, issomething huge.
And we run the AustralianPhotographic Prize together,
which is something that we,started last year, massive
(22:05):
undertaking, but I don't think Icould do it with anyone.
Matt (22:09):
Yeah.
I tell people I'm the least busyright now than I'll be for the
rest of my life because I justsee things getting busier and
busier.
Two of our people to edit for.
Else.
They also photograph for us toMickey and Josh and I was
totalling up the number of editsthat each of them had done, and
at one point they were tied at31 to 31.
(22:30):
So I want to get thatcompetition going between them,
like I want them to do more andyou know, it.
I want them to see what theother editors are doing and want
to do something better.
If you could go back and talk toyour 18 year old self and give
yourself one piece of advice,what would it be?
Karen (22:49):
I think I would just say to myself, keep following your
passions.
and, and that's what I've done.
So I actually don't really haveany regrets at all in the
directions that I've taken.
Um, very thankfully.
I, yeah, I've done portraits andweddings and, and all of those
things, and I would put myselfright into them as I did them.
(23:09):
Um, but then finding new, newdirections, finding new
passions.
It, it's really important to beopen to, you know, where God's
taking you.
What, what, what is, what isnext, you know, on this journey
in not to get stuck, um, but tojust.
Matt (23:24):
Do you ever feel like you're kind of along for the
ride and just holding on fordear life?
Sometimes and it's like, I, Itrust where I'm going, but um,
yeah, I would like to know whereI'm gonna be next month, but
this is kind of fun and I'm justenjoying the process of
everything.
Karen (23:39):
Yeah.
Sometimes that rides like arollercoaster.
Sometimes it's just like, it's,it's, um, just going a hundred
miles per hour and, you know,you ha you're just holding on
for dear life.
But yes, Yep.
Matt (23:52):
Yep.
Yep.
So is there a question that youwished I would've asked you, and
if so, what's that question andhow would you have answered it?
Karen (24:01):
Um, I think, yeah, I, I think we touched on it a little
bit, but, um, we, you talkedabout wanting to influence other
people and, and help them tofind a way to make a difference
and to encourage them.
And that's something that's bigfor me.
Um, one of the things that Istruggle with is, Being able to
provide that, um, place forpeople to, to do something to
(24:25):
help.
So I'll, I'll explain that alittle bit more With Christmas
Wish, we have so many peoplewanting to be part of it and but
to ensure that we don't.
Um, as you said, you know, thequality stays and, and we're
able to manage it.
We have to just step by step,grow it and make sure that we've
got the people that can manageit.
Um, and I, I wish that we couldjust go, yeah, everyone get on
(24:51):
board, let's do it.
But it, it's actually just notpossible.
So I, I do hope that, you know,even if those people that say, I
really wanna be part of it, howcan I be part of it?
even if they can't be part of itright now, that they can then go
back into their world and go,okay, well what can I do here in
my world, in my space, in mysphere of influence?
What can I do that can reallymake a difference in someone's
(25:13):
world?
Cause I think that's, that's themost important thing.
Matt (25:16):
Agreed.
When people say, how can I help?
sometimes they say, right nowyou can't because we're not in a
position where we can come tonew cities and things like that.
But I will say, you know, in themeantime, you can follow our
social media.
You can like, Comment and shareon our things, uh, you know, I,
I have still not edited a singleimage that we've done.
(25:36):
I might be able to come close tosome of the quality that I want,
but it would take me like fivedays, 24 hours a day.
Some of the other editors, ittakes'em two and a half hours
and they knock these things out,and there's a lot of times when
the parents, the families, thekids would say, that's good.
It's good enough, but it's notgood enough for me sometimes.
And it's, it's just, I want it.
(25:58):
It doesn't have to be perfect,but I want it to be perfect.
And that's part of the funjourney too, is sometimes when I
get some of these images back, Iwill just break down and cry
because I'll think of some ofthe parents, some of the
conversations we've had, therewas, uh, one girl named Bailey
and she was just, she wasdressed as the Incredibles
person that I don't know thename of, but she was dressed as
(26:21):
the Incredibles.
Mom was just saying that, youknow, she just, and Bailey was
lighting up the room, her smile,her actions and, and she said, I
just wish she would beintroduced as Bailey.
Once instead of Bailey with thismedical condition or that
medical condition.
And it, that crushed me becauseit's, you know, I know that's
how we work sometimes in ourmind, but it just, it hurt to
(26:44):
hear the words out loud likethat when she was, when she was
explaining that.
So we're gonna wind up now, andplease tell us where we can find
you online and if you haveanything coming up in the next
few months or at the end of theyear, maybe.
Karen (26:59):
Yeah, absolutely.
So the heart project.com.au is,uh, where you can find all of
the information abouteverything.
At the top of that website is alink to our 2020 Christmas wish.
So there's a whole website allabout Christmas Wish, um, with a
video that, uh, goes for 12minutes.
Make sure you have your tissueswith any of the videos that you
(27:21):
watch, cuz Yeah, they, they do.
Um, Yeah, the tears do come.
But, this year we really wannaexpand Christmas wish.
We really wanna, get into moreplaces.
We've got team leaders that havebeen, rising up and been
trained.
So that is one thing.
Yes, we can't go everywhere.
we can't be everywhere, but wedo want to grow it.
(27:42):
So, sign up, put your name downon the contact form and um, and
we'll let people know what'shappening where.
Matt (27:49):
Karen, thank you so much for spending your morning with
us and my evening with us.
I appreciate your time and Iappreciate everything you do and
we will be in touch.
Thank you.
Karen (28:00):
Thank you.
Thanks so much,
Matt (28:03):
If you're hearing this message, you've made it to the
end of the episode.
And for that, I want to thankyou from the bottom of my heart.
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
And if you did.
Please leave a review on applepodcasts and Spotify.
I'm hoping to learn from eachepisode and I'm striving to do
better and bring more positivityto the world with everything I
do.
(28:24):
Any the links mentioned in thisepisode will be listed in the
show notes.
Please join the sharing ripplesFacebook group and join in the
discussion.
Also feel free to let me know ofany guests you'd like to
recommend for future episodes.
The show notes will also beposted there.
See you next time.
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