Be Brave
Once in a while, you run into a brand and make an instant connection. It’s like one of those 6-degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon things, but there’s no Bacon here. More on that later.
As a blogger, although I’m usually in front of the camera, once in a while I have to grab the camera by the lens and capture my vision. I was so intrigued by FOTO. Not only do their gorgeous camera straps come in the most beautiful pastel colors, genuine leather, various styles, and personalized, their story is something to talk about.
Inspired by a terminally ill infant and his brave parents during a photoshoot, FOTO was created by Katie Norris to help make a difference. Ten percent of each purchase goes to Fotolanthropy, a nonprofit using photography and film to share the powerful stories of people who have defied great odds.
Insert my connection. Fotolanthropy produced a film called Travis: A Soldier’s Story. The film is the incredible story of a veteran and quadruple amputee, Travis Mills. Katie was told by a friend that while in the hospital recovering from the Las Vegas Route 91 mass shooting, several survivors watched Travis’ film for inspiration and strength. Travis even reached out to help encourage them during that difficult time. When people say it’s a small world, it just keeps getting smaller.
FOTO has more than just camera straps. You can get leather totes, passport holders, journals, or luggage tags. I LOVE that you can personalize any item with your name or your brand. Hello, professional! I fell in love with the ‘Be Brave’ graphic that is already available. There are so many insecurities that come with blogging with photos, I need the daily reminder to be brave, and having it on my camera strap is complete perfection.
FOTO has so many straps to choose from -- perfect for men and women. I went with the Seaside canvas fabric with the leather trim. I love the leather straps, but being in Los Angeles, it’s usually in the mid-70s-80s, so I didn’t want to be sweating with it around my neck. The straps fit right into my camera and it was extremely sturdy. I can’t wait to do every photoshoot with it.
