Help "I Am Sean" Stay On The Road
Donation protected
I Am Sean - And ... with great reluctance... this is me asking for a little help from my friends...
In Brief: First of all, this is not me straight up asking for charity. Far from it. If you need to donate to a friend's medical emergency, or any disaster relief fund, please do that instead. This for me is more of a "Crowd Funding" campaign, that will allow me to break out of Lancashire, travel the UK, and capture enough new images to produce a very special hardback book. This book will feature stunning images of familiar places seen from a new perspective, in the vibrant and magical style I've become known for across Lancashire. I would love to be able to bring my young family with me on the road as well, so that they can share in the adventure.
In return for anyone that is kind enough to offer a donation to help "Get I Am Sean On The Road" - no matter how big or small that donation may be, I will offer some excellent rewards. It's the least I can do for the support I'll be getting! So if you're still interested in finding out more about what I've done so far, and why I now need a bit of help, please do continue...
More About Me
I've been a freelance photographer & videographer for the past ten years now. It all started in 2008, after being made redundant from my recruitment manager position in London (as a result of the recession). We ended up having to move into my wife's parents home in Liverpool with our 3 month old baby boy. I swore to myself that I'd never put my family at risk again, so took control of my own career path by becoming self employed.
The life of a creative freelancer can be full of ups and downs. I've not always known where the next freelance "gig" will come from - sometimes I've gone months with no income at all. Some how though, the right job would always come along at the right time - and I'd be ok again for the next few months.
Five years ago I took up aerial drone photography - after being totally blown away whilst watching a friend of mine attach his DSLR to a drone and seeing the infinite possibilities that opened up as a result. I then went on to gain my PFCO from the Civil Aviation Authority, which allowed me to operate commercially as an aerial drone photographer.
In the past two years alone, I've managed to grow my following via my Facebook Page from just 200 followers, to over 20,000 - all thanks to the special aerial images I create of well known locations across Lancashire. I've also gained close to 5,000 followers now on my Instagram as well - so do check those links out to see the type of magical images of popular locations that I've been creating, and the response they have gained from the public.
Many of my images gain 1000 or more likes at a time, with hundreds of shares. My posts gain a total of over 100,000 views during a good week (see the proof down the bottom of this page), with extremely high engagement levels. As such, I'm now widely regarded as one of the top aerial drone photographers in the UK - without even having broken out of Lancashire yet!
Despite the online recognition & support - all of that sadly isn't paying my bills right now. I know that sponsored postings are the way to go, and in the near future I'll be working on that - but right now I'm at a crossroads, and really could do with a boost to help me reach the next stage of my career / life...
What I'm Hoping To Do, And Why I Need Your Help
I've lost count now of how many times I've been asked if I'll ever produce a book featuring my stunning aerial images from across Lancashire. That thought certainly has crossed my a lot, but then I thought well why not go all out and produce something to really be proud of - a special hardback book that will feature images captured across most of Great Britain! From well known landmarks, to relatively unknown picturesque villages, as well as some of the more impoverished areas of Britain - I'm aiming to show the true beauty of our country from a new perspective. All of this will be produced in the dramatic style I've become known for across Lancashire. Here's some more examples...
(Electrifying Blackpool)
(Ashton Memorial in Lancaster, and Glasson Dock)
(Blackpool illuminations and Lytham Windmill at night)
(Commissioned by Everton Football Club to supply an extra special aerial photo of Goodison Park for their 125th anniversary)
(Turf Moor From Above - commissioned by Burnley Football Club to provide a special aerial image to appear in the Press Room, as well as a special edition Monopoly board game)
How Will I Get Around?
My plan initially was to get a large caravan that would fit myself, my wife and our 5 young children (aged 10 & under) - so we can tour the country that way. With my wife being a teacher, we could home educate our children for a year or two whilst they also experience the adventure of a life time. The memories we will create together will be so special. Life is so precious, you never know what lies just around the corner. As such, we really do want to make the most of it together as a family whilst we're still all young (brownie points from my wife!), fit and able.
Why Can't I Just Pay For It All Myself Like Other People?
Firstly, I totally appreciate how many people there are out there in poverty right now. It breaks my heart to witness all of that, we've always done what we can to be as charitable as possible to those less fortunate than us. Much of the large items and belongings that we cannot take with us on our journey are being given away to families in need. Anyone who knows my wife will be able to vouch for just how hard she has worked these past few weeks to make sure as many people benefit as possible from all of the "stuff" we've built up that we realised we don't actually need anymore.
Not having been able to build up much in the way of significant savings, I just assumed that I'd be able to get the caravan on finance. Two months ago I checked out my credit score, and it was "Fair". The only negatives on my report were that I didn't have much credit (never needed it over the past six years), and that the small credit I did have was utilised too much. So - I paid down my only credit card, and then took out two more credit cards with larger limits - in the hope this would help me increase my credit score.
I had already handed in the two months notice on our rental property - assuming that would give me plenty of time to sort everything out. That notice period is up at the end of this month. Last week I went to our local main caravan dealer to attempt to purchase the perfect caravan for us. I had enough money for a good deposit, and assumed that the remaining amount would be covered on a finance agreement. To my shock, I was turned down for credit - with the broker telling me that my credit score had recently dropped into the "poor" category. The reason being was that I had too many credit searches performed recently (which would have been whilst I took out new credit cards to help me increase my available credit). So by doing what I was advised would be necessary to increase my credit score - actually had the reverse effect, at least for the short term. I couldn't believe it - and equally I realised I now wouldn't be able to upgrade my car to be safer for towing a bigger caravan, which was something else I planned to do on finance.
Time Is Running Out
With just over two weeks to go until our rental agreement ends, and having tried my best to obtain finance on a caravan plus an upgraded car to tow it... I've now discovered that I've regretfully placed my family at risk once again - almost ten years to the day since I swore I'd never let that happen again! So whilst sitting at my desk in despair - I wondered what have I got to show for all my efforts these past ten years, and believe me - I've been working extremely hard to make ends meet!
One thing I do have - is a very loyal following on Facebook & Instagram. It brings me such joy to read all the lovely comments I receive each time I put up a new image or video. I truly do want to continue sharing my work with you all, and really do not want to have to tell my children that their dream adventure will not be happening anymore.
Whilst no one wants to admit defeat, or ever ask for handouts... I'm left with little choice right now other than to hold out my cap and beg for a little help from my friends... so that's why I've started this Go Fund Me campaign...
How We Will Use The Money
I appreciate that I'm not asking for a small amount here, but every little donation will definitely help greatly towards us being able to get the right caravan for us. As we will be living in it full time, we don't want to risk it breaking down, which is why we are ideally trying to get a newer model, and this is where the majority of the funds will help cover.
If possible, I'll also use some of the money to help me upgrade our Ford Galaxy to an old (but reliable) 4x4 so we can tow the large caravan more safely. We'd be staying mostly at caravan sites, so any money left over would also help towards covering some of the costs which won't be cheap during peak periods.
What I Can Offer You All In Return
I feel like I can't just take donations from people without offering anything in return... so for each and every person that is able to donate something (no matter how small) that will help us to get on the road to begin our adventures - here's what you'll get in return:
1. I'll offer you 3 free downloads of any image you've ever seen me post on my Facebook page or website. You can then use that image for whatever you please - as a screensaver, social media profile, or even get it printed out so that you can display it on your wall. (These images will contain a discreet watermark that won't distract from the overall beauty of the image, but will prevent unauthorised copyright theft through reproduction and reposting of my images without my consent.)
2. Every single person that makes a donation on this page will then be invited to join my exclusive Facebook group. Within this group, assuming I get to go on my UK tour, I'll be sharing behind the scenes footage of my travels for you all to follow - both videos and photos. I've been very kindly supplied with an Insta360 Camera by Drones Direct - and will be capturing lots of 360 photos + videos so that you can feel like you're there with me too!
In addition, I will also be offering more exclusive aerial images that you'll be able to download for free - again to use as you please. Oh - and if you've ever wanted to learn how to improve your own photography skills - I'll also be sharing some free tips on how I create my stunning images - including how to compose them correctly, as well as how I edit them afterwards to turn them into works of art.
This group alone will be well worth you joining, I can assure you - and you can donate as little as £1 to get access to it!
3. For each person that donates £40 or more (or if you are one of the first 10 donors) - I'll provide you with a hand signed copy of my up-coming hardback book featuring my best aerial images from all over the UK. It will be an amazing piece to have on a coffee table, and I expect that to be ready at some point next year.
4. Everyone who makes a donation will get a special mention on my website where I'll be thanking all of the amazing people who've been able to help me get on the road to begin this next adventure. Of course, you can always choose to remain anonymous on here - and if you do wish to do that, I equally won't share your details on my website. I'd totally respect your wishes. You'll still be able to access my Facebook group and images as I'll share a link via the "updates" section of this page.
Finally - If you own a business or know of anyone that does - I'm actively looking for sponsorship...
If you own or manage a company that may be interested in sponsoring my trip, in return for good exposure on my social media channels (or simply a promotional video being made for you) - please do get in touch. Here's an example of the exposure and engagement just one of my posts receives on Facebook alone...
Also - If you (or anyone you know of) have a holiday home or holiday park anywhere in the country (or Europe) that can accommodate us... and would be willing to let us stay there for a week or two at your convenience - I will produce in return for you a stunning promotional video. This will feature both aerial and ground / interior footage, including a 360 Virtual walkthrough - that you'll then be able to use to advertise that property or holiday park on social media or your website. Whilst we will still need a caravan, the option of staying in a holiday home intermittently would also greatly help us out.
One last thing... it's a bit of a long shot, I know ... but if you know of anyone who owns a car or caravan dealership, and may be willing to loan us one for a year in return for a lot of exposure on my social media channels - then I'd equally love to hear about that.
You can reach out to me in regards to the above or any other ideas you may have that could help us via hello@i-am-sean.com.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read all of this, it means more to me than you'll ever know.
Edit: anyone wishing to use PayPal for donations can do so here: www.paypal.me/iamsean (please just be sure you untick the box for paying for goods or services - so I don't get charged extra fees. Thanks).
With much love,
Sean, Debbie, Aston, Taylor, Oakley, Brody & Snow xxxxxxx
Update 10th August 2018: Thanks to the kind help of the initial donors, friends / family, savings, as well as a very kind corporate sponsor (Bespoke Healthcare) - I have now been able to purchase our caravan and as of the 3rd August 2018, we are now officially touring in it! We still have a long way to go to hit our funding target however, which will now mainly be used towards helping keeping us on the road for as long as possible. As I'm sure you can all appreciate - travelling the country won't be cheap as there are site fees, fuel and other living costs that will all need to be covered along the way. I'll be doing my best to cover as much of that as possible - but any extra help from kind donations / sponsors will still be hugely appreciated!
(My five gorgeous children, captured on St Anne's Beach during the recent heatwave)
In Brief: First of all, this is not me straight up asking for charity. Far from it. If you need to donate to a friend's medical emergency, or any disaster relief fund, please do that instead. This for me is more of a "Crowd Funding" campaign, that will allow me to break out of Lancashire, travel the UK, and capture enough new images to produce a very special hardback book. This book will feature stunning images of familiar places seen from a new perspective, in the vibrant and magical style I've become known for across Lancashire. I would love to be able to bring my young family with me on the road as well, so that they can share in the adventure.
In return for anyone that is kind enough to offer a donation to help "Get I Am Sean On The Road" - no matter how big or small that donation may be, I will offer some excellent rewards. It's the least I can do for the support I'll be getting! So if you're still interested in finding out more about what I've done so far, and why I now need a bit of help, please do continue...
More About Me
I've been a freelance photographer & videographer for the past ten years now. It all started in 2008, after being made redundant from my recruitment manager position in London (as a result of the recession). We ended up having to move into my wife's parents home in Liverpool with our 3 month old baby boy. I swore to myself that I'd never put my family at risk again, so took control of my own career path by becoming self employed.
The life of a creative freelancer can be full of ups and downs. I've not always known where the next freelance "gig" will come from - sometimes I've gone months with no income at all. Some how though, the right job would always come along at the right time - and I'd be ok again for the next few months.
Five years ago I took up aerial drone photography - after being totally blown away whilst watching a friend of mine attach his DSLR to a drone and seeing the infinite possibilities that opened up as a result. I then went on to gain my PFCO from the Civil Aviation Authority, which allowed me to operate commercially as an aerial drone photographer.
In the past two years alone, I've managed to grow my following via my Facebook Page from just 200 followers, to over 20,000 - all thanks to the special aerial images I create of well known locations across Lancashire. I've also gained close to 5,000 followers now on my Instagram as well - so do check those links out to see the type of magical images of popular locations that I've been creating, and the response they have gained from the public.
Many of my images gain 1000 or more likes at a time, with hundreds of shares. My posts gain a total of over 100,000 views during a good week (see the proof down the bottom of this page), with extremely high engagement levels. As such, I'm now widely regarded as one of the top aerial drone photographers in the UK - without even having broken out of Lancashire yet!
Despite the online recognition & support - all of that sadly isn't paying my bills right now. I know that sponsored postings are the way to go, and in the near future I'll be working on that - but right now I'm at a crossroads, and really could do with a boost to help me reach the next stage of my career / life...
What I'm Hoping To Do, And Why I Need Your Help
I've lost count now of how many times I've been asked if I'll ever produce a book featuring my stunning aerial images from across Lancashire. That thought certainly has crossed my a lot, but then I thought well why not go all out and produce something to really be proud of - a special hardback book that will feature images captured across most of Great Britain! From well known landmarks, to relatively unknown picturesque villages, as well as some of the more impoverished areas of Britain - I'm aiming to show the true beauty of our country from a new perspective. All of this will be produced in the dramatic style I've become known for across Lancashire. Here's some more examples...
(Electrifying Blackpool)(Ashton Memorial in Lancaster, and Glasson Dock)(Blackpool illuminations and Lytham Windmill at night) (Commissioned by Everton Football Club to supply an extra special aerial photo of Goodison Park for their 125th anniversary)(Turf Moor From Above - commissioned by Burnley Football Club to provide a special aerial image to appear in the Press Room, as well as a special edition Monopoly board game)How Will I Get Around?
My plan initially was to get a large caravan that would fit myself, my wife and our 5 young children (aged 10 & under) - so we can tour the country that way. With my wife being a teacher, we could home educate our children for a year or two whilst they also experience the adventure of a life time. The memories we will create together will be so special. Life is so precious, you never know what lies just around the corner. As such, we really do want to make the most of it together as a family whilst we're still all young (brownie points from my wife!), fit and able.
Why Can't I Just Pay For It All Myself Like Other People?
Firstly, I totally appreciate how many people there are out there in poverty right now. It breaks my heart to witness all of that, we've always done what we can to be as charitable as possible to those less fortunate than us. Much of the large items and belongings that we cannot take with us on our journey are being given away to families in need. Anyone who knows my wife will be able to vouch for just how hard she has worked these past few weeks to make sure as many people benefit as possible from all of the "stuff" we've built up that we realised we don't actually need anymore.
Not having been able to build up much in the way of significant savings, I just assumed that I'd be able to get the caravan on finance. Two months ago I checked out my credit score, and it was "Fair". The only negatives on my report were that I didn't have much credit (never needed it over the past six years), and that the small credit I did have was utilised too much. So - I paid down my only credit card, and then took out two more credit cards with larger limits - in the hope this would help me increase my credit score.
I had already handed in the two months notice on our rental property - assuming that would give me plenty of time to sort everything out. That notice period is up at the end of this month. Last week I went to our local main caravan dealer to attempt to purchase the perfect caravan for us. I had enough money for a good deposit, and assumed that the remaining amount would be covered on a finance agreement. To my shock, I was turned down for credit - with the broker telling me that my credit score had recently dropped into the "poor" category. The reason being was that I had too many credit searches performed recently (which would have been whilst I took out new credit cards to help me increase my available credit). So by doing what I was advised would be necessary to increase my credit score - actually had the reverse effect, at least for the short term. I couldn't believe it - and equally I realised I now wouldn't be able to upgrade my car to be safer for towing a bigger caravan, which was something else I planned to do on finance.
Time Is Running Out
With just over two weeks to go until our rental agreement ends, and having tried my best to obtain finance on a caravan plus an upgraded car to tow it... I've now discovered that I've regretfully placed my family at risk once again - almost ten years to the day since I swore I'd never let that happen again! So whilst sitting at my desk in despair - I wondered what have I got to show for all my efforts these past ten years, and believe me - I've been working extremely hard to make ends meet!
One thing I do have - is a very loyal following on Facebook & Instagram. It brings me such joy to read all the lovely comments I receive each time I put up a new image or video. I truly do want to continue sharing my work with you all, and really do not want to have to tell my children that their dream adventure will not be happening anymore.
Whilst no one wants to admit defeat, or ever ask for handouts... I'm left with little choice right now other than to hold out my cap and beg for a little help from my friends... so that's why I've started this Go Fund Me campaign...
How We Will Use The Money
I appreciate that I'm not asking for a small amount here, but every little donation will definitely help greatly towards us being able to get the right caravan for us. As we will be living in it full time, we don't want to risk it breaking down, which is why we are ideally trying to get a newer model, and this is where the majority of the funds will help cover.
If possible, I'll also use some of the money to help me upgrade our Ford Galaxy to an old (but reliable) 4x4 so we can tow the large caravan more safely. We'd be staying mostly at caravan sites, so any money left over would also help towards covering some of the costs which won't be cheap during peak periods.
What I Can Offer You All In Return
I feel like I can't just take donations from people without offering anything in return... so for each and every person that is able to donate something (no matter how small) that will help us to get on the road to begin our adventures - here's what you'll get in return:
1. I'll offer you 3 free downloads of any image you've ever seen me post on my Facebook page or website. You can then use that image for whatever you please - as a screensaver, social media profile, or even get it printed out so that you can display it on your wall. (These images will contain a discreet watermark that won't distract from the overall beauty of the image, but will prevent unauthorised copyright theft through reproduction and reposting of my images without my consent.)
2. Every single person that makes a donation on this page will then be invited to join my exclusive Facebook group. Within this group, assuming I get to go on my UK tour, I'll be sharing behind the scenes footage of my travels for you all to follow - both videos and photos. I've been very kindly supplied with an Insta360 Camera by Drones Direct - and will be capturing lots of 360 photos + videos so that you can feel like you're there with me too!
In addition, I will also be offering more exclusive aerial images that you'll be able to download for free - again to use as you please. Oh - and if you've ever wanted to learn how to improve your own photography skills - I'll also be sharing some free tips on how I create my stunning images - including how to compose them correctly, as well as how I edit them afterwards to turn them into works of art.
This group alone will be well worth you joining, I can assure you - and you can donate as little as £1 to get access to it!
3. For each person that donates £40 or more (or if you are one of the first 10 donors) - I'll provide you with a hand signed copy of my up-coming hardback book featuring my best aerial images from all over the UK. It will be an amazing piece to have on a coffee table, and I expect that to be ready at some point next year.
4. Everyone who makes a donation will get a special mention on my website where I'll be thanking all of the amazing people who've been able to help me get on the road to begin this next adventure. Of course, you can always choose to remain anonymous on here - and if you do wish to do that, I equally won't share your details on my website. I'd totally respect your wishes. You'll still be able to access my Facebook group and images as I'll share a link via the "updates" section of this page.
Finally - If you own a business or know of anyone that does - I'm actively looking for sponsorship...
If you own or manage a company that may be interested in sponsoring my trip, in return for good exposure on my social media channels (or simply a promotional video being made for you) - please do get in touch. Here's an example of the exposure and engagement just one of my posts receives on Facebook alone...
Also - If you (or anyone you know of) have a holiday home or holiday park anywhere in the country (or Europe) that can accommodate us... and would be willing to let us stay there for a week or two at your convenience - I will produce in return for you a stunning promotional video. This will feature both aerial and ground / interior footage, including a 360 Virtual walkthrough - that you'll then be able to use to advertise that property or holiday park on social media or your website. Whilst we will still need a caravan, the option of staying in a holiday home intermittently would also greatly help us out.
One last thing... it's a bit of a long shot, I know ... but if you know of anyone who owns a car or caravan dealership, and may be willing to loan us one for a year in return for a lot of exposure on my social media channels - then I'd equally love to hear about that.
You can reach out to me in regards to the above or any other ideas you may have that could help us via hello@i-am-sean.com.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read all of this, it means more to me than you'll ever know.
Edit: anyone wishing to use PayPal for donations can do so here: www.paypal.me/iamsean (please just be sure you untick the box for paying for goods or services - so I don't get charged extra fees. Thanks).
With much love,
Sean, Debbie, Aston, Taylor, Oakley, Brody & Snow xxxxxxx
Update 10th August 2018: Thanks to the kind help of the initial donors, friends / family, savings, as well as a very kind corporate sponsor (Bespoke Healthcare) - I have now been able to purchase our caravan and as of the 3rd August 2018, we are now officially touring in it! We still have a long way to go to hit our funding target however, which will now mainly be used towards helping keeping us on the road for as long as possible. As I'm sure you can all appreciate - travelling the country won't be cheap as there are site fees, fuel and other living costs that will all need to be covered along the way. I'll be doing my best to cover as much of that as possible - but any extra help from kind donations / sponsors will still be hugely appreciated!
(My five gorgeous children, captured on St Anne's Beach during the recent heatwave)Organizer
Sean O'Donoghue
Organizer
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