Help Portrait~

I still remember the day I decided that I truly wanted to become a photographer. It was a day that really shaped who I wanted to be as a professional photographer, and business person. I've always loved taking pictures, and that love really grew into an obsession once my daughter was born, but it became much more than that, the day that K. walked into my life.

K. was our first teenaged foster child. She came into our home, shy and unsure of herself, with long bangs that covered her big, wide eyes. She never made eye contact, hung her head, and rarely spoke above a whisper. I knew there was a bubbly, creative teenager hiding underneath that layer of sadness and insecurity, so one day I told her to hop in the car with me. I took her to the coolest salon in town and got her hair cut, then got her make up professionally done and bought her some new clothes, brought her home and took some pictures of her. Let me tell you, the shy, insecure, little girl walked out of that salon a completely different person. She held her head a little higher, looked at me when she spoke and, gasp, even smiled and giggled. She got brighter and brighter and happier and happier as the day went on, and once we got home and did her pictures, I was looking at a completely different kid.

She's now been a part of our family for 4 years, and gave me an experience I'll never forget, and helped shape my path as a photographer. From then on, I KNEW I didn't just want to take peoples pictures, I wanted to make people FEEL beautiful, capture their tender moments shared with their children, give them confidence, make them feel sexy, beautiful, happy, uninhibited. I also wanted to use my talents for those who deserved it but maybe could not afford such luxuries as a personal photo shoot. So I have made a point to do this, and I have been looking for an organization who had the same ideals and desire. I found it in HELP PORTRAIT.

It's this world wide movement of photographers, volunteers and others getting together to give back to those less fortunate, and bring a little sunshine into their day by offering their services and talent. I have joined Help Portrait and would like to bring this movement to Lethbridge and area. So if you know a family or group of deserving people, please contact me, and if you are a photographer... budding, hobbyist, amateur or professional, JOIN HELP PORTRAIT and lets make this happen!!!

www.help-portrait.com

The FACEBOOK GROUP I've created for Lethbridge:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=159679017377037&ref=ts