North Bend photo studio offers free portraits to families in need
December 23, 2009
By Tara Ballenger
On Dec. 13, dozens of families streamed into the Encompass building in North Bend.
Braving the weather on a snowy Sunday, they came in dressed to the nines and eager to take their seat on chairs in the makeshift photo studio in the building’s biggest classroom.
LiLiana and Gilberto Escobar of Snoqualmie pose with their children Ulyses, 4, and Valleria, 2, at Encompass in North Bend. Local photographer Carlton Ward provided free family portraits on Dec. 13 as part of Help-Portrait, a national movement to give needy families access to professional photography services. Photo by Tara Ballenger
They’ve come to get their portraits taken.
North Bend photographer Carlton Ward teamed up with Encompass to offer free family portraits to parents who would not be able to afford them otherwise as part of a national movement called Help-Portrait.
Ward will provide each family who posed with a free 8×10 print, and parents will be able to buy more photos from Ward at cost.
“I just think it’s a crime for anyone to not be able to get a family portrait taken,” Ward said.
He’s one of thousands of professional photographers who feel the same way and offered their services to less fortunate families in their communities on the same weekend.
“Many of these families are worried about putting food on the table or a roof over their heads, this is such an extra for them,” said Nela Cumming, director of program development at Encompass. Cumming partnered with Ward to get the word out to local families about the opportunity.
“It’s a shame that money has to come between something like getting a family portrait taken,” Ward said, adding that he remembers finding portraits of relatives who have long since passed away and treasuring the photos of them.
Even though he specializes in nature photography, participating in Help-Portrait, which he found out about on a photography Web site, was a natural fit, he said.
“I love community and the idea that everyone helps each other,” Ward said. “Everyone has been so thankful, and I was blown away by the scale of it.”
For the parents, getting a professional portrait of their families is a way to freeze a moment in time.
“We take lots of family pictures, but we’ve never had a professional one before,” said Gilberto Escobar of Snoqulamie, who came with his wife, LiLiana and their two children.
The family wore dresses, slacks and big smiles for their photo.
LiLiana said that the photo will be framed and hung in their home.
Four-year-old Ulyses and his two-year-old sister Valleria are growing up fast, she said, and she wants to be able to document just how they looked this Christmas.
“Before long they are going to big,” she said, “and we want to have this memory.”
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4 Responses to “North Bend photo studio offers free portraits to families in need”
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Thank you Tara for doing such a wonderful job and capturing the story behind this amazing event. It was great talking with you and getting to know you a little and I hope we cross paths again.
The Help Portrait site is : http://help-portrait.com/
http://carltonwardphoto.com/
Happy Holidays – Blessings,
Carlton
What a great concept and much thanks to photographer Carlton Ward for his talents and eternal generosity!
Inspiring story and a wonderful gift of talent. So happy to hear this is a national program. Hope they do it again next year. I saw the photos of the families on Carlton’s website….beautiful. That says it all!
Carlton, very inspirational! I too have donated time and labor to needy high school students and their families, for the Christmas season. It sure does feel good to do something positive doesn’t it?
Hats off to you, I’m proud to call you a friend.
~ Happy Holidays Lea from PictureSocial