Help-Portrait 2009

Those of you who have spent any time around me the last few weeks know how stoked I am about Jeremy Cowart's project called Help-Portrait. This past Saturday I was blessed with an opportunity to contribute to this movement. My church hosts an event each December called "The Gift". It is for single moms. The church calls all stylists, manicurists, pedicurists, massage therapists and mechanics among it's members to volunteer to help these women out. We pamper them, feed them, play with their kids, offer counseling and all the men and teens wash their cars and change their oil. This year I was inspired by the Help-Portrait movement and my sweet friend and fellow "tog" Gay to contribute what I could. (Trust me you don't want me anywhere near your hair.) So after some planning we concocted a plan to make it happen.

Shortly after the women arrived on campus they started to filter into my section and .... they rocked my world! They shared their stories and we cried together, laughed together and every once in a while one of them would grab me and throw their arms around me and thank me profusely. I was just taking a simple headshot for their resume perhaps or maybe for a social networking sight, I don't know. But most of them shared with me that they have never had a portrait done. Couldn't afford it or like most mom's we are the ones behind the lens. I realized that that simple interaction that meant so much to them had changed me, blessed me and humbled me.

I've been asked by my friend Jenn Cady to join another group on 12/12 at the Shalom Zone in Gallatin and I cannot wait to get there. A lot of you who frequent this blog are also photographers and I'm challenging you to get involved. I promise you won't regret it.