Photography has been a hobby of mine for a number of years. Only in the past six months has it become my profession. Currently, I am shooting portrait and group shots for local high school sports teams. The mission of my company is to produce a physical memory that these students can pull out of their drawer 10 years from now and recall their memories of playing sports in school. My long-term goal for the company is to be able to give picture packages away for free (through sponsorship, advertising, whatever it takes) to every student. Right now, anything above a 50% order rate is financially "good." Financially? The reality is that half of the athletes aren't taking home those memories. After a shoot, I feel a rush knowing that I will soon be able to give these students a package of professional photographs that they can hold in their hands. But those 50% get left behind. But if every student could get free photos? The local businesses get to give back to the children in their community, I can still put food on the table, and (most importantly) 100% of the students get to take home a memory. Everybody wins.
As I add more school districts next school year, that business will be able to subsidize another dream of mine: to offer professional studio and portrait sessions to families who can't afford them. So far, I have gone as far as turning my dining room into a home studio. The next step is to provide affordable, professional sittings for those who might not be able to afford a higher-priced photographer. I get enough joy out of the session itself...I don't need to charge the client an arm and a leg. As a foster parent myself, I first want to target fostered and adopted children and their families, as well as single-parent and low-income families. Just because they can't afford the luxury of a professional studio session, why should they miss out on owning a family portrait, senior picture, or infant collage? I don't think they should, and I'm setting out to make sure they have those memories to cherish.
Attending Amy's workshop would allow me to improve my portrait skills and, as a result, offer more beautiful memories to those who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them.
Thanks Amy!
