Passion for Photography 7: Shutter Mission
Inspired by yesterday’s feature of a collaboration for the environment in the Philippines, we now visit Shutter Mission on the worldwide web. It is an on-line depot for all opportunities for photographers who wish to share time and talent for a worthy cause.
SHUTTER MISSION
Portrait charities have brought comfort, peace, and joy to countless lives around the world, and yet, there are many deserving families and individuals who aren’t aware these unique services exist. SHUTTER MISSION’s goal is simple — to spread the word about these amazing organizations and the photographers who serve them. In doing so, Shutter Mission hopes to inspire others to give back in their communities.
Their mission:
“To highlight portrait charities and support photographers who give their time, talent, and heart.”
There are many portrait charities featured on Shutter Mission, I just wanted you to have a glimpse of what’s out there and the good that’s being done by volunteer photographers…
HELP PORTRAIT
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. On or around December 10, 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.
Info and Image from Help-Portrait
HELP-PORTRAIT Volunteer photographers (& volunteer stylists)
have been putting a smile on folks’ faces
from their local neighbourhood ….
Help-Portrait, Scotland
via Help-Portrait blog
to the end of the earth …
Family in the deep tundra
Click here to watch ‘Behind the Scenes at Sasha Leahovcenco’s Help-Portrait in Chukotka, Russia
Watch this video below to learn more about Help-Portrait
Click here to watch Help-Portrait, Berkley, CA
Learn more about HELP-PORTRAIT, maybe you can participate in the Next Worldwide Event: 06 DECEMBER 2014
If you can do these 4 simple steps: 1) Find Someone In Need, 2) Take Their Portrait, 3) Print Their Portrait, 4) and Deliver Them…then you can volunteer
Click here to learn how you can volunteer with Help-Portrait
DOG MEETS WORLD (Worldwide)
The Dog Meets World Project is an ambitious effort to put photos in the hands of all kids and families in need, often for the first time. When traveling take along “Foto” the unifying pup prop and a portable printer and give out tangible joy as a photo diplomat. Each photo shared plants a seed of peace.
How did “dog meets world” begin? Here’s founder Carolyn Lane’s story…
“Hello, my name is Carolyn. I am a photo-addict. Just ask my kids. I have been a shutterbug forever.
While traveling, I started packing a little stuffed likeness of my dog Foto. Hanging from my backpack and pulled out to set near famous landmarks. Kids and even adults were fascinated and amused by “little Foto”. For fun I posed kids holding the toy dog.
But so often, a giggling child would make a somber look when facing the camera. Why? They know I am taking a picture, but believe it’s a significant moment and want to appear serious. Western children implicitly smile for a camera, having had their pictures taken almost constantly since birth. Yet an incredible number of the world’s children do not have a single picture of themselves! I wanted to change this. I can do something as simple as give away a photo and get others to do it too. “ Read more
Taken by a phodographer in Nigeria
Image via Dog Meets World
Taken by a phodographer in Peru
Image via Dog Meets World
Watch the video below to learn more about DOG MEETS WORLD: The Photo Diplomacy Project
Click here to learn how you can volunteer phodographer with Dog Meets World
F.I.L.M.-Family Images for Lasting Memories (Worldwide)
Photographers gifting professional family portraits to those who may have a limited time left with their loved ones due to a life-threatening illness.
How did FILM begin? Here’s FILM founder Leah Hoskins with the whole story…
Adam DiBattiste passed away in the fall of 2010 only four months after be diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, a terminal cancer that is considered to be extremely rare. Adam and I had gone to school together and upon receiving the news of his passing, I reached out to his family. I knew I wanted to help his family in some way so I asked them for as many photos as possible in order to compose a slideshow for his funeral. When the slideshow played at his funeral, I took a few moments to observe the reactions of those around me. I noticed smiles, tears, and laughter as those attending remembered Adam. His daughter, who is only ten years old, sat in the front pew and sobbed uncontrollably. My heart sank.
During the composition of the slideshow, I couldn’t help but notice that the family had not had professional photographs done in many years. After the funeral, I took some of the last pictures taken of the family and made some editing touches and with a heavy heart, I returned them to the family – my gift to them. This experienced helped me realize that there was more to be done. As Professional Photographers, we use our God-given talents to capture a beautiful bride pledging her love or the smiles of our glorious children caught in laughter. We are called upon to celebrate family milestones and unions through the gift of photography. However, after spending time with Adam’s family I felt there was another way for photographers to use our talents. A way in which we could donate our gift to those in need.
A few days later The F.I.L.M. (Family Images for Lasting Memories) Project was developed with the mission to provide families like Adam’s, with professional family portraits donated by professional photographers on a nationwide scale.
Image via the FILM project gallery
Image via the FILM project gallery
Image via the FILM project gallery
Watch this short documentary giving you a glimpse into the lives of families battling cancer and the photographers who have come together nationwide to offer these families beautiful family portraits. The F.I.L.M. Project http://www/thefilmproject.net
Click here to learn how you can volunteer with the Film Project
Here are a couple more portrait charities featured on SHUTTER MISSION that stood out to me:
The All Family Project (USA)
The All Family Pro
ject (TAFP) is a nonprofit whose focus is on family, and their organization is dedicated to educating the general public on gay and lesbian families. They use positive imagery to counter the negative narrative that is often aimed at these families. TAFP seeks to show the humanity of same-sex couples, demonstrating that their relationships are not so different from heterosexual relationships and that their existence does not threaten the rights of others.
Click here to learn more about the mission of The All Family Project; Read here for volunteer information
“Inequality and intolerance are perpetuated not only by ignorance and hatred, but also by those who know better, saying and doing nothing about it.”
– Charles Anderson, Founding Director and President, The All Family Project
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (Worldwide)
NILMDTS trains, educates, and mobilizes professional quality photographers to provide beautiful heirloom portraits to families facing the untimely death of an infant. We believe these images serve as an important step in the family’s healing process by honoring the child’s legacy.
Click here to read about the mission and history of nilmdts; Read here for volunteer information
“There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.” – nilmdts
Visit SHUTTER MISSION today and find the portrait charity with which you’d like to volunteer your time and talent.
So do… as these volunteer photographers have done. Volunteer your time and talent and light up this world!
DAILY DOSE OF ART 
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