Jeremy Cowart, a Nashville-based photographer, developed a movement amongst photographers called Help-Portrait as means for photographers to give their time and talent back to the community to create a positive change in peoples lives. The idea was simple. Find people in need, take their portrait and deliver their photos.  I found a small group of local people, led by Whitney N. Ward, that had already begun the process of finding a location and setting a date and decided to join their efforts.  Whitney contacted the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless and they generously allowed us to come to them last Thursday, the day they were serving their annual Christmas meal, and offer portraits to anyone that wanted to participate.

I have to admit that I was skeptical about this whole thing.  We weren’t offering food, shelter, counseling, training -so what would a homeless person come way with from a portrait session?   How could this help someone who carries everything they own with them every day?  What would we be giving them?  After my experience on Thursday, I’ll tell you.

Dignity.

As each person would walk in and take their place in front of the camera, you could see a physical change in the way the person looked, stood, sat, and responded to questions and direction when they stepped onto the seamless.  It’s as if, even for just a brief moment, they believed again that they were important.  Dignity.  That’s what what we were giving to these people.   The process of us coming to them, setting up, fussing over them, making a big deal about it, looking them in the eye, talking to them, gave them, I believe, a sense of worth, value, and dignity.  Our group took portraits of 131 people, and there were over 4000 photographers world wide that participated.

And even more important is that I came away with a deeper understanding of the plight of the people I photographed.

Look into the eyes of some of the people I photographed.  Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity.

Imagine your elementary school aged child being a classroom environment that actively promotes and encourages community and creativity.  And imagine your child loving and enjoying school so much that he actually doesn’t want summer break to start.  And imagine that the teacher in this classroom is so talented and committed to bringing out the absolute best in the kids in her charge she goes to extremes to make it happen every. single. day.  Me?  I don’t have to imagine it, because it happened to my child.  And Jo was his teacher.

Jo has a beautiful aura of creativity that shows in everything she does.  She’s honest, and real, and makes you feel totally at ease when you’re around her.  She’s funny, quick to smile, and even quicker to encourage.  Watch the slide show and you will see what I mean:  Jo + Greg

Because of all of the above and more, it was a true joy to have had the privilege of photographing her wedding.  Thank you, Jo, and may your life be blessed the way you have blessed others.