Simply Love Opening Reception

Simply Love is a black and white photographic exhibition featuring local families and showcasing the importance of displaying photography that captures love, joy & togetherness.

Photography has always been known to have a profound positive impact on self-confidence and mental health, and in this era of digital photography, the feeling of belonging that is experienced by viewing printed family photos is more important than ever. As there is a continual rise in depression, anxiety, and mental health conditions, especially amongst our youth, the Simply Love project began to raise awareness of how the simple act of printing and displaying family photographs in the home can have a tremendous impact on our youth, mental health, and therefore our community as a whole.

Portraits of Hampton Roads children, youth, and adults are accompanied by personal stories about love, kindness, and how that love and kindness have positively impacted them, their lives, or their role in the community.

The goal of this exhibition is to spread love and understanding within our community while showcasing the importance of printing & displaying family photographs to pass on personal stories of love, joy & togetherness.

The exhibit will be on display from December 11, 2025 – January 17, 2026, with an opening reception on December 11th from 6-8pm featuring a live performance from the Soundscapes Performance Ensemble. Free & open to the public. RSVP appreciated. Light refreshments served.

About the Artist

Heather Hughes Ostermaier is a very different type of portrait photographer who specializes in capturing storytelling moments of love, life, and milestone moments so future generations can experience them.

Celebrating her 25th year as a professional photographer, Heather combines her experience as a newspaper photojournalist with her wedding and portrait skills to capture authentic emotions and moments outdoors and in her Newport News studio.

Working closely with every client, she plans out each session and decorates family homes much as photographers did in the Victorian Era, making heirloom-quality artwork accessible to the average person.

In addition to families, Heather is committed to giving back to her local community through her involvement with local schools, family-centered charities, animal shelters, and offers internships and mentorships to local high school and college students.

“For me, photography has always been about freezing moments in time that you never want to forget. I have always enjoyed spending extra time to get to know the people I photograph and love every opportunity I get to develop a deeper relationship and capture their life story for them. Plus, having a relationship before the session helps everyone feel more at ease and allows me to capture more authentic smiles and moments that I know everyone will treasure for generations.”

Simply Love is Heather’s first solo photographic exhibit and a portion of the proceeds from these sessions were donated to Alternatives, Inc., a youth development nonprofit who supports youth all over Hampton Roads.

Find out more about Heather at her website: https://heatherhughesphotography.com/

Host or Publisher Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center