If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you know by now that we regularly use the blog as a platform to shine a light on issues affecting the poor, the homeless and the hungry - we provide a forum for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Helping the poor and less fortunate members of our society can take many forms. Sometimes helping involves finding shelter for the homeless, other times helping involves getting food to feed the hungry, and sometimes helping involves finding both food and shelter for their pets.
There are times, however, when helping the less fortunate involves thinking outside the proverbial box to do something entirely different – like taking their portrait.
Help-Portrait is the brainchild of celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart. The concept behind Help-Portrait is deliciously simple. On December 12, 2009, photographers from all over the world will grab their cameras, they will find people in need, and they will take their portraits and will deliver the portrait to them.
The idea is to give those who have little, or nothing, an opportunity to have their photograph taken. Single moms and single dads will finally have pictures of their children, homeless couples will have their portrait taken, senior citizens living alone will have an opportunity to chronicle their golden years, people in hospices will have one last portrait photograph taken and many families will have something they may never have had before – a portrait together.
Help-Portrait seeks to photograph those people who the world often does not see.
Most of us in Western society take photography, including portrait photography, for granted. Because we have grown up with photography all around us, we assume that every person has a shoebox full of photographs chronicling the major events of their lives, from their first baby step, to graduations, to marriage, to funerals. Unfortunately, however, that is not always the case. Even in this age of inexpensive digital photography, there are still people who have never actually sat d own to pose for a portrait photograph. It is for these people that the Help-Portrait project was created.
The video clips below explain the Help-Portrait project in more detail. The clips also show the tremendous impact that something as simple as a professionally done portrait can have on the lives of those who have very little else.
Photography has been a very big part of my life - now it is time for it to become a big part of someone else's life. I have already made plans to get involved in this year’s Help-Portrait. I strongly encourage all of you (Help-Portrait is a worldwide project) to visit their website and help this worthwhile cause.
Do it, it will make you feel good.
I promise.
2 comments:
WOW, this is a wonderful idea. I never saw photography in this light. What a wonderful gift to give to those who do not have ready access to photography or for those who are alone and lonely. Thank you Debbie for letting us know about this group and what they do.
Debbie ,
Thank you very much for this very nice article, yes this is a nice project
That gives people in need happiness, joy, smiles and memories ! photography is so important !
It is essential to take some pics because this allows to remember our life and see the people we love, the friends we have, oiur childrens and also ourselves !
so deb thank you and i really think that it is a very nice project for people in need ! They are not alone !
Please if you have the opportunity to support this project please do it
have a nice day
thanks deb
jerry
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