Many people believe portraits are an extravagance, and that the needs of the poor are so great that a portrait isn’t worth giving; why not give them something practical? These same people though might call it a tragedy when someone loses all their family photos in a fire or flood. It is a tragedy to be bereft of memories, to never have an image that captures the transience of childhood and when finally as all families must at some point be pulled asunder lack those precious memories caught together.

As a new father I am amazed at how quickly a child changes. Every month my wife asks for new photos to capture our growing boy: his changing physique, plumping jowls, and many firsts. It would sicken me if in twenty years I did not remember his small hands wrapped around my index finger, his toothless smiling face or cherub-like countenance. Images create a deluge of memories—a thousand words that if not forgotten risk going unsaid. Seeing the artwork in an old favorite childhood story creates a rush of powerful emotions and recollections. The same is true while flipping through a photo album. They are not forgotten or completely invisible but are made visible again only through the silver halide and golden smiles of collected portraits and pictures.

Before Help-Portrait I couldn’t imagine how many families have never had a portrait together: something as simple as a picture! Yet over and over I heard mothers and fathers say, “This is the first portrait we’ve ever had all together.” I was told, out of 613 students who attend Oakhaven only 18 purchased school pictures this last year. May be the kids rejoiced at this; I absolutely hated school pictures: the braces, the wiry hair and acne, but that is exactly what their parents want to remember; because those are the children they love and adore freckles and all. When the flood is everyday, I guess we no longer consider it a tragedy. But it is a tragedy, and it is the tragedy that Help-Portrait’s founder Jeremy Cowart, 20 Memphians and thousands world wide sought to relieve this holiday season.

Locally, the event happened over two days and at two locations: Porter-Leath Head Start on the 11^th of December and Oakhaven Elementary on the 12^th. Professionals, hobbyists and plain enthusiastic people took time off work and away from family during a busy time of year to bring smiles to 247 people’s faces. Granted, some of these smiles didn’t come in front of the camera. One woman ashamed of her missing tooth refused to offer any glimpse of joy until she received the portrait of her with her two children; at which point missing tooth or not she beamed with irrepressible excitement.

Both days, I broke a sweat trying to elicit smiles from small children; I buffooned—checking my dignity at the door—to help create precious memories. Both days I left fatigued but filled with pleasure; their smiles and the radiant pride of parents were genuinely infectious. I might say they were the most memorable days this year except that my first child was born just ten weeks before, and though it would be criminal and unrealistic for me to say it for a few moments afterward I sure thought it!

The photographers get nothing: not even a mention in this article. The pictures they took will not appear publicly or privately in portfolios. No business cards were passed out to families; no sponsorships were sold. Plain and simple the photogs were there to give both a picture and an experience: the value of a smile captured once for a photo and repeated time and time again each time it is seen. For two days in December these photographers and everyone who helped were genuine heroes, as genuine as National Guardsman packing sandbags to protect homes and memories. The photographers get nothing except the memory of so many smiling faces.

If you live in Memphis and you are interested in participating, join the discussion on ning.

Additional links:

1. Help-Portrait
2. Help-Portrait on Twitter
3. Help-Portrait on Facebook
4. Jeremy Cowart

The people over at Help-Portrait have given us another promotional video to consider as well as a look at the trial run in Nashville: