Category: Charity

    

This past Saturday I got to participate in the world-wide Help-Portrait event! Although I knew that Help-Portrait would be worthwhile event to participate in and donate my time, I didn't realize just how special it would be. While it's easy to say we should help the needy, the help usually comes in the form of the basics, food, shelter, etc. Of course food and shelter are MOST IMPORTANT, but there is very little done to replace the other/smaller things that people lose or in some cases would otherwise never have. I saw families that lost EVERYTHING due to the tragedies in their lives. I saw mothers that never had any pictures of their children. 

photo by TV News Reporter/Host/Anchor – Iris Pérez

 

I was thinking about hosting my own Help-Portrait event at my studio, but then I got an email from Miriam Olsen asking if I wanted to participate in their event taking place in Lansing Michigan. I figured since this was my 1st official Help-Portrait event that it would be best to go to one that was already established.

 

Miriam did an EXCELLENT job coordinating all the volunteers and the event went off perfectly. We photographed 196 guests! There were 20 photographers, 62 volunteers, 63 families and over 50 CDs provided in addition to the prints there were done on the spot.

 

It was very rewarding photographing families that were in many cases having their photos professionally captured for the 1st time. Seeing their faces light up when they saw their images and knowing that these photos would be cherished for years to come.

I definitely plan to host my own event next year and I encourage you to host one, participate in one or simply photograph someone in need! I want to also thank Jeremy Cowart for not only coming up with this great idea but also growing it into a world-wide event.

photo by TV News Reporter/Host/Anchor – Iris Pérez