The holiday season is a joyful time filled with scrumptious eats, belting out your favorite Christmas carols, picking out that perfect present for your loved ones, and gathering together to reflect on old memories all while creating new ones !
But most importantly, the holiday season is a time for giving… and giving back. For some cannot feast over a table of treats, listen to Deck the Halls, share laughs with relatives, or gather in a home to reminisce about good times.
As professional photographers, we understand the power (and magic) behind a photograph. So why not share our gift – as a gift – to those in need of receiving? Help-Portrait was established with this exact intention.
The global moment of photographers, hairstylists, and makeup artists using their time, tools, and expertise to give back to those in need was established back in 2008 by celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart and has grown to 67 countries just this year. With 380,000+ portraits given so far and 75,000+ volunteers participating in 3,000+ events around the globe, Help-Portrait is not only empowering photographers but also making an impact on communities on a huge scale.
Help-Portrait is about giving the pictures, not taking them. These portraits aren’t for a portfolio, website, or sale. It’s about giving people who otherwise couldn’t afford photography, a chance to capture a moment, a memory… and a whole lot more.
Check out this video to learn more about the meaning behind Help-Portrait.
We are so excited and grateful to be joining our local community in St. Catharines this Sunday, December 8th, for their Help-Portrait event, which has been running for eight years in a row!
The event is co-chaired by our very own, Robert Nowell, as well as Megan Muir (a former student of Rob’s). With of course the generous help from local professional photographers, photography students, hairstylists, makeup artists, and other creatives.
Our local event in recent years has expanded to include donated clothes, which the subjects can wear for their portraits and then take home to keep afterward. As well as refreshment including designer holiday cookies from a local bakery and lunch on the Sprout Studio team. Plus a children’s corner where kids can create crafts while their families wait for their printed and framed portraits.
Help-Portrait typically takes place on the first Sunday in December. Check out event dates in your community and get involved. Even if you cannot attend, donations from clothing to frames to hot beverages are greatly appreciated at these events. Join the Facebook Page to find the closet Help-Portrait event to you!
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Behind the scenes at Help Portrait Niagara by Josh Bellingham (2008). View the full album on Facebook.
Be the portrait of hope this holiday season and change the lens you look through. You may just receive more than you give…
Comment below if you’ve ever volunteered at a Help-Portrait event. Let us know other events that give back to communities so we can keep them on our radar. You can also follow us on Instagram (@getsproutstudio) where we will be posting stories of the local event on Sunday the 8th if you want a look inside the event!
