Earlier this year I had the privilege of spending a couple days in Washington DC with Jeremy Cowart. Jeremy is a premier photographer whose photos are seen all over the world. We had lunch at a little Thai place near Georgetown and I asked him how things were going. He was about to accept a job traveling with Brittany Spears as the official photographer for her tour, so things were good. But he also wanted something more, he wanted to give back. He had an idea, and it was a good one.
Jeremy talked about the need for everybody to have a good photo of themselves. In the age of social networking, where our pictures are everywhere, a good photo is an advantage. But he also mentioned that not everybody has a camera, or somebody to take their picture, or even a way to get that picture onto a computer. He specifically mentioned single moms looking for jobs, and that of course got my attention.
His idea was to call all his photographer friends and have them set up their equipment on one specific day and take pictures of anybody who needed a good photo. And then give those people their photos for free. Now to be sure, Jeremy knows some very famous photographers, and he said he intended to call them and get them involved. But it wouldn’t just be pro-photographers. He wanted to involve anybody who was good with a camera.
I love hearing these ideas and I get to hear people’s ideas all the time. But usually, the ideas I hear don’t materialize. Half of my ideas don’t either. But I’m glad to hear Jeremy ran with his, and it’s happening. On December 12th, Jeremy, along with his friends, will be setting up their equipment all across the country to take pictures of anybody who needs a good photo. The movement is called Help Portrait. If you are a photographer, or if you work with an agency in which your clients could use a good photo, you can learn more here.
The two main ways Jeremy will be keeping in touch with people are through e-mail and twitter. You can sign up for e-mail updates at the website, and you can follow Help Portrait on Twitter here.
The motto, if you will, for help portrait is Don’t just take pictures, give them. I think this is one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time.
The cool thing about what Jeremy has done is he took his profession, his job, and gave part of it away. When you think about justice issues, you normally think of food and water, medical supplies and so forth. But Jeremy figured out a way to serve the marginalized with photography. And now that he’s doing it, it seems like it should have been obvious all along.
If you are good with a camera, do get involved. Here’s Jeremy explaining more about his idea:
Very, very cool idea! I think we take for granted in this digital age that everyone has a few good pics of themselves lying around, when in fact that is not always the case. Maybe they simply can’t afford a camera or maybe even they’re the ones usually behind the camera with their friends. What a great way to give of your time and your talent. I’m excited to see the different ways in which people go about executing this awesome idea.
This idea is fantastic. I’m going to look into helping out.
The next part of this comment has nothing to do with the post–I just didn’t know a really quick way to get permissions: I’m leading a youth retreat this coming weekend and just about five minutes ago decided I wanted to incorporate part of your “alien” chapter from Searching for God Knows What into a sermon I’m going to be preaching. Only I kinda want to rewrite it a little bit and have a “guest alien” to interview. Is this okay with you . . . and the copyright people?
Yes, yes. Love this! Thanks for posting it.
When I first started reading the idea, I wasn’t quite sure where it was going, but when I listened to him speak, I got it.
I am a single mom. I have thought now for months what a wonderful thing it would be to get a professional picture done with my son. A pic of “my” family. There really is something to that. It’s very expensive, so I have just thought about it and haven’t done it. I have more resources than the typical single mom, yet it is something that I will have to work hard to do. Those who have less than me, it wouldn’t even be in the realm of possibility.
Bless you Jeremy for allowing people to receive an incredible gift.
Also, my extended family hadn’t had their pic together in years. April of 2008 we decided to do it. My parents made the investment and had beautiful pics made of the entire family. My mom passed away 2 months after that. Those pictures are priceless.
Photographs are visual memories…it’s like journaling. It captures moments in time that we would forget without the picture to remind us. (Don, you should have taken a pic with you and your merit badge…then you could have at least shown that to God.) Pics are proof that something really did occur.
It’s always good to have a great idea, but bless him for having the courage to make it happen.
(Ps – I like the rotating pics on our blog…very “I’m a cool, mysterious writer” kind of vibe happening with them.
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I think this is a fantastic idea! Even better, since he’s making it happen.
I was very blessed to have won a photo package early in my son’s life. When my son was 7 weeks old, we got our picture taken together, and I also go several of him by himself. The pictures were amazing, and it was awesome to capture him at such a young, tender age…so new and so tiny, and everything was brand new in his eyes. The photos were not posed, and they were taken in natural light. When I first saw them, they took my breath away. They still do, when I see how tiny my son was then, compared to how huge he is now.
I like what Shelly said, “Pics are proof that something really did occur.” There is a huge blessing in a photographer giving away some of their gift in order that someone else may be blessed. There is no way I could have afforded a photo package on my own. To have been given such a selfless gift still amazes me. Thanks to the generosity of one photographer, some of my sons earliest moments are forever captured in photos.
What Jeremy is doing for everyone, particularly single moms, is a blessing beyond measure. It is so much more than just a photo.
what an awesome idea!! i’d be thrilled to use my photography for something above and beyond my own enjoyment.
This is so amazing!
To be honest, I never understood the power of a photograph until this moment.
This has truly inspired me to use my gift in a totally different way, and I am so excited!
Thank you Jeremy!
And thank you Don, for helping to spread this!
This. is. so. cool.
Hi Donald,
I work Part time as a Community Life Pastor for Highlands Church that is hosting you when we come to Denver. I also run a non profit music production company called Strings & Wood Presents focused on rebuilding the bridge between local singer/songwriters & visual artist and the church. Then on the side I work as a Wedding Photographer, I love using my photography for things like this. Thanks for posting this, see you on October 2nd in Denver.
December 12th the El Dia de la Virgin de Guadalupe which is like the biggest Mexican American holiday (Catholic and not Catholic) of the year. I know in Southern California and the rest of the Southwest a lot of people who need these pictures might not get them because of the celebrations that day. I don’t know what to do about this or if it even matters but I just thought I’d put it out there.