Help Portrait

I just saw a piece on CBC News about Help Portrait, an international movement by photographers to give back to their communities by donating a day in December to take professional-quality portraits of people and families who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford professional pictures.

Makeup artists and hairdressers are recruited for the cause. Some of these shoots have taken place at community centers, emergency shelters, recovery programs, soup kitchens, and so on. A community event in Toronto focused on family portraits of single parents with their children.

What they're really giving people is self-esteem. An opportunity to see how beautiful they are when photographed by people who believe they're beautiful.

What's really nice is seeing people continually finding creative ways to give to their communities. Every little bit, every little thing, helps.

ronnie