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Help Portrait 12/04/2010

	Help Portrait f/11, 1/250, 46mm, ISO200, Alien Bee strobes Carlton Ward

Help Portrait is a movement of photographers who are using their time, equipment and expertise to give back to those who are less fortunate.

This all started out with photographer Jeremy Cowart having the idea that it would be cool to go out and shoot homeless & low-income families and give them a free 8x10 as a gift.
It quickly caught on and became a worldwide event. On December 12th 2009, thousands of photographers from around the world gave back to their local communities. It was covered by CNN & ABC, International news programs as well as local papers & news.
I teamed up with Encompass who provided me with the space and assisted me with advertising & the shoot itself. Encompass works with many low-income families and these families are struggling to keep food on the table so getting a portrait done is not financially feasible. Meanwhile, their kids are growing up quickly and they wont ever have a proper portrait to look back on in later years.
One man wanted to help and donated $$ so that I wouldn't have to buy the prints myself even though several print companies joined in the event and offered free & discounted 8x10 prints.
The H-P site also has videos of studios & other shoots that were filmed so check these out as well. Some studios had a full staff of photographers, hair & makeup artists and on site printers so that the people got their portraits as they exited the studio. I may try to find a makeup artist myself this year and I am excited to have more planning time this yeart. Last year, I had less than 2 weeks to prepare and do the shoot. I shot 47 families in 1 day - 47 very happy families...
If you would like to join in this incredible event, go to the website -http://community.help-portrait.com/ and create your own place or join an existing one. I joined the Seattle group even though I could have created my own since I am 30 miles east of Seattle. I may assist some people in Seattle this year as well as doing my own shoot in North Bend again.
This is such a worth while endeavor and the smiles on the families faces will stay in your heart for many years to come.
Here is the link to some of the video's...
http://community.help-portrait.com/main/search/search?q=video
Jeremy's video - http://community.help-portrait.com/group/albion?

Love & Blessings,
Carlton

Newspaper article:

North Bend photo studio offers free portraits to families in need
North Bend photo studio offers free portraits to families in need

December 23, 2009

By Tara Ballenger

On Dec. 13, dozens of families streamed into the Encompass building in North Bend.

Braving the weather on a snowy Sunday, they came in dressed to the nines and eager to take their seat on chairs in the makeshift photo studio in the building’s biggest classroom.
LiLiana and Gilberto Escobar of Snoqualmie pose with their children Ulyses, 4, and Valleria, 2, at Encompass in North Bend. Local photographer Carlton Ward provided free family portraits on Dec. 13 as part of Help-Portrait, a national movement to give needy families access to professional photography services. Photo by Tara Ballenger

LiLiana and Gilberto Escobar of Snoqualmie pose with their children Ulyses, 4, and Valleria, 2, at Encompass in North Bend. Local photographer Carlton Ward provided free family portraits on Dec. 13 as part of Help-Portrait, a national movement to give needy families access to professional photography services. Photo by Tara Ballenger

They’ve come to get their portraits taken.

North Bend photographer Carlton Ward teamed up with Encompass to offer free family portraits to parents who would not be able to afford them otherwise as part of a national movement called Help-Portrait.

Ward will provide each family who posed with a free 8×10 print, and parents will be able to buy more photos from Ward at cost.

“I just think it’s a crime for anyone to not be able to get a family portrait taken,” Ward said.

He’s one of thousands of professional photographers who feel the same way and offered their services to less fortunate families in their communities on the same weekend.

“Many of these families are worried about putting food on the table or a roof over their heads, this is such an extra for them,” said Nela Cumming, director of program development at Encompass. Cumming partnered with Ward to get the word out to local families about the opportunity.

“It’s a shame that money has to come between something like getting a family portrait taken,” Ward said, adding that he remembers finding portraits of relatives who have long since passed away and treasuring the photos of them.

Even though he specializes in nature photography, participating in Help-Portrait, which he found out about on a photography Web site, was a natural fit, he said.

“I love community and the idea that everyone helps each other,” Ward said. “Everyone has been so thankful, and I was blown away by the scale of it.”

For the parents, getting a professional portrait of their families is a way to freeze a moment in time.

“We take lots of family pictures, but we’ve never had a professional one before,” said Gilberto Escobar of Snoqulamie, who came with his wife, LiLiana and their two children.

The family wore dresses, slacks and big smiles for their photo.

LiLiana said that the photo will be framed and hung in their home.

Four-year-old Ulyses and his two-year-old sister Valleria are growing up fast, she said, and she wants to be able to document just how they looked this Christmas.

“Before long they are going to big,” she said, “and we want to have this memory.”

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September 24, 2010

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September 24, 2010

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September 24, 2010

I hope I'm not too late to get in on program. This is a wonderful idea!

And for those who can't participate you can go to www.creativelive.com on Saturday and watch through live video feeds this project in action.

Me heart is smiling.

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November 27, 2010

I see you are from Seattle. Have you been able to participate in any programs going on at Creativelive.com?

Holy cow, last week I did the live 3 day masters course with Tamara Lackey and it blew my socks off! I walked around the house carrying the laptop with me so I didn't miss a single word. The most content rich learning experience I've ever had. Free when you enroll to watch while they tape. Ahwe-some!

I'm hoping to login this weekend as Jeremy Cowert offers his class (FREE while taping this weekend 12/2 - 4) on Experimental Portraiture.

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November 27, 2010

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November 27, 2010

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November 30, 2010

Blessings,
Carlton

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December 01, 2010

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December 06, 2010