If you want to do something really moving...


Saturday December 4th is Help-Portrait Day.

The premise is quite simple:

1. Find someone in need

2. Take their portrait

3. Print their portrait

4. Give them their portrait

And do it all for free.

As I write this the memories from last year come rushing back, it was moving, emotional, and one of the most gratifying things I have done in the last 12 months.

One story from last year... a man brought his son in for a portrait and after we handed him the print he stared at it for awhile smiling, he then shook our hands and thanked us (repeatedly), explaining that this was going to be a Christmas gift for his wife... the only gift he was able to give her.

You can read our entire post from last year here.

If you are interested in getting involved by helping out at an event in your area (or starting one) you can get the details here.

Let me leave you with a short 2 minute video our our humble Help-Portrait day.

Subscribers will need to return to the blog or head directly over to our YouTube channel to watch it.


10 comments:

Gabby Malcuit said...

I get choked up just reading that story. How wonderful.

half blind said...

Wonderful idea. Amazing shot of the gentleman with the duck. I don't know how you got the duck to smile!

GFM Painting said...

Thank you for the info. It sounds pretty user friendly. I guess I’ll pick one up for fun. thank u

Portrait Artists From Photo

Lorraine said...

Aww, there's none around the UK. I saw this and thought I'd love to do it! But there's only a few in london here...

Scott said...

Then you start one Lorraine!,,,

;)

Ashley Hataway said...

Wow....so touching. I was reading the story aloud to my husband and had to stop several times because of my voice breaking and tears flowing. I love this idea. I am just beginning in my photography, so I am nowhere near a professional level...but I would really love to do this. Any ideas on how I might be able to convince a store to donate frames?? Especially since I do not own a business. I also would not be able to print them out myself. I would have to do it through someone else. Is there any kind of advice or any suggestions for that? Thanks so much, Scott!! You're such an inspiration.

Scott said...

Ashley,

You have two ways to approach it:

1. Find some folks already holding an event and join in with them (as it is a bunch of work), or…

2. You will need to find some helpers/assistants to help you and team up with a local printer and buying some frames at the dollar store. If you can’t find a printer who will donate the prints you can consider telling some friends what you are up to and they might “adopt a family” and pay for one print and a frame (or maybe they will adopt two or three families as it will be an inexpensive proposition at a dollar a frame and a dollar a print).

Good luck, let me know how you make it or if I can answer any more questions.

Scott

Scott said...

CreativeLIVE is putting on a 1 hour class that will help folks run a successful Help-Portrait event.

Here is the link:

http://www.creativelive.com/courses/help-portrait-2010

Ashley Hataway said...

Thank you, Scott.

Jeremy said...

...a guitar and a duck ;-) What a cool concept (Help Portraits)... I think this may need to happen in the greater-Detroit region...