The Help-Portrait team in San Diego, 2010

The Help-Portrait team in San Diego, 2010

For many of us, having our photo taken isn’t a big deal. Our Facebook pages are full of photos of ourselves and friends, and our instagram feeds are brimming with loved ones. Yet, for so many people across the world, having a portrait made is a unique and special event.

This realization is what spurred celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart to start an organization called Help-Portrait. The idea behind Help-Portrait is pretty straightforward: 1. Find someone in need  2. Take their portrait  3. Print their portrait  4. Deliver their portrait.

The project had some pretty humble beginnings, starting with Cowart and a team of 15 local photographers conducting a “dry-run” event in Nashville with the help of the Nashville Rescue Mission, a local homeless shelter. In one day, more than 80 homeless men, women, and children had their portraits taken, some of whom had never been photographed before. The impact of the day solidified the reason for not just taking pictures, but giving them.

What started as a local event in Nashville a few years ago has spread to become a worldwide event. On the second Saturday of December, over 1,700 Help-Portrait events were held in over 60 countries across the world.

The following is a story from one of the volunteers during a session in Los Angeles:

I rode down the elevator with three women, one of which had just received her photo and was returning to her room. Upon some encouragement she showed the photo to the two other women to which they exclaimed “DAAAAMN GIRL. You look like a rock star.” and other words of affirmation that just seemed to seep deep into her soul. The look on her face was more beautiful than that of a young girl who just won a beauty pageant. Many of these women do not frequently encourage or build up one another yet that was what was happening among them on Saturday.

One woman’s son took the time to come down and take portraits with her for the day. He has been pursuing a new modeling career and so one of the photographers was generous enough to take a few head shots for him as well.

The site coordinator said that she had not seen the women in this facility so filled with joy all year. What an amazing blessing. The first time she walked into one of the rooms to see the progress, she had to leave to keep from crying.

We can testify to the fact that anytime a group of people commits to making the world a better place, something beautiful comes of it. This is no exception. So, in this new year, take some time to figure out what your skills are. Whatever they are, whether it’s writing, speaking, listening, or even if it’s taking pictures, we hope that you use it to restore dignity and empower others.

-Brady

(Photo credit: Help-Portrait)