Corey Watson Blog Help Portrait 2013

This year I participated in the nation wide Help Portrait event. Here is an exerpt from the Help Portrait website to explain the event's overall mission:"Founded by Celebrity Photographer Jeremy Cowart, Help-Portrait is a community of photographers coming together across the world to use their photography skills to give back to their local community.In December, photographers around the world will be grabbing their cameras, finding people in need and taking their picture. When the prints are ready, the photographs get delivered.Yep. It really is that easy.This is about GIVING the pictures, not taking them. These portraits are not for your portfolio, website, or for sale. Money isn't involved here. This holiday season, you have the chance to give a family something they may have never had before-a portrait together.Our mission? Our mission at Help-Portrait is simply to equip and mobilize you, the photography community. We want to make sure you have all the information that you need to successful participate in Help-Portrait on 07 December 2013. We want to help you find other people in your area that are wanting to be part of Help-Portrait or have already begun to plan the event. We want you to have the opportunity to give.Who needs pictures? Anyone who wouldn't normally have access to or be able to afford professional photography. We suggest the following groups of people for starters...the homelessorphanssingle moms (and their kids)single dads (and their kids)sick childrensick parentsthe elderlyarmy vetsunderprivileged familiesyour neighbor?"- Help Portrait Website I volunteered as a photo editor and my friend Tyler Oxendine was the photographer. The event was a huge success and we were busy the entire day. I arrived early that morning and Tyler had already setup our "studio" (classroom). This was a simple setup with one octabox camera left and a second octa behind us for fill.Here are a few sample photos of the what the setup looked like in camera. John posing with his Fuji x100Yours trulyOverall the Help Portrait Knoxville team photographed 122 individuals and families! Personally, it felt great to give back to the community. It's easy to take photography for granted when you are the photographer. However, some of the people we photographed during this event were given their only opportunity to receive professional photos of themselves and their families. I look forward to participating next December. Also, If you know anyone who could benefit or wants to participate with this event please direct them to the Help Portrait website.Tyler OxendineMe, hard at work, editing