Help Portrait Prescott is a new local chapter of a national organization that offers to individuals and families who could not otherwise afford it a posed, professional portrait in a studio environment. Each individual is given an 8 x 10 framed portrait; families receive an 11 x 14 frame. All are given digital shots and coupons to make additional low-cost prints.
Scott Bideau, the organizer of Help Portrait Prescott, holds a portrait from a similar event a few years ago of a family who arranged for the portrait to send to their daughter serving in Iraq. The father in the photograph was a community leader who died two years later from lung issues he suffered after volunteering to assist his brother at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks. (Nanci Hutson/Courier)
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Help-Portrait, a global movement of photographers, hairstylists, and makeup artists using their time, tools, and expertise to give back to those in need. I was fortunate enough to get involved with this event in 2009, the first year that it expanded from the inaugural Nashville location to cities throughout the world. Since then, I have founded two local chapters and learned a lot about how to put on a successful Help-Portrait event. In this post, I’ve shared some of my experience from coordinating these events in the hopes of inspiring others to do the same.
I try to update my headshot every 5 years so that people easily recognize me when meeting in person for the first time. After walking away unsatisfied from three different headshot booths at recent industry conferences, I decided to back the cars out of the garage, set up a portrait studio, and take one myself. This turned into a fun little selfie project despite the strange look my kids gave me when I asked if I could borrow their giant teddy bear for pictures (more on that later).
I’ll never forget my first time photographing action sports. I was attending the 30th Annual Steamboat Springs Hot Air Balloon Rodeo with my family. I had just purchased my first SLR camera about a year ago, so I brought it along. What I learned is that great images are created through a combination of proper camera equipment, technical skillset, and the ability to find unique perspectives to capture.
I saw my first Warren Miller ski film in 1998. Some friends and I were watching it over college winter break, and before the movie was over, I had convinced several of them to leave that night for a ski trip to Colorado. I would soon fall in love with life in a ski town and eventually do as Warren recommended in the movie: move there.
“Came for the winters, stayed for the summers.” A common saying amongst Steamboat Springs residents. Many credit the “Yampa Valley Curse” from a Ute Indian leader who swore nobody could leave once they moved in. Ironically, our family is now leaving because of the winters. Living in a ski town was a dream of mine since first visiting Colorado. I envisioned epic snow storms that lasted for days, secret powder stashes that never got tracked out, and a laid-back lifestyle that felt like a perpetual ski vacation.
I had the great privilege of facilitating a Skype interview with National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson at this week’s Yampa Valley Photographers meeting. Jim offered some great advice on everything from ethics to gear to photography business management – all from his “Small World” studio in rural Kansas.
This image of the San Francisco skyline underneath the Bay Bridge is fairly straightforward from a technical perspective. But getting to this location is not so easy, especially with recent construction and government property restrictions on Yerba Buena Island, a rolling carry-on suitcase in tow, my extreme allergy to poison oak, and of course a steep cliff dropping into the bay. This is one of those “getting there is half the fun” stories.
Can your truck, SUV, or other vehicle tow a popup camper? The answer depends on how heavy the camper is, how much of that weight is distributed to vehicle hitch, how many passengers you carry in the vehicle, and several other items we cover in this post about towing capacity.
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