pay it forward

I got to thinking while I was in the shower the other day. Does anyone else do most of their thinking in the shower? Anyway as I was lathering, rinsing, and repeating I got to thinking about photography (big surprise!). Usually my thoughts on photography have to do with myself, and the pending success of this new business venture. What do I love about photography? How does it make me feel? What do I need to accomplish today? But on this day, with loofah in hand, I realized that one of the best things about being a photographer is having the ability to bring joy to other people. It’s a meaningful thing to be able to provide someone with beautiful photographs of a particular moment in their lives. Whether it’s capturing a little girl squeezing her big brother or the tiny hands and feet of a newborn baby, I think that’s what excites me most about photography.

As a graphic designer I have spent a few years working for advertising agencies (stay with me, this is going somewhere). In Chicago I spent a lot of my time designing circular ads for big name retailers, like the ones that come in the Sunday paper. A co-worker once told a story that, as she was walking to the bus stop one morning she saw some garbage blowing toward her along the curb. As it came closer she realized that it was one of the circular ads that she had spent months working so hard to perfect. She had been spending her days producing garbage and now it was staring her in the face. Now, of course, I’m not saying that people who work in advertising have meaningless jobs. But, it’s never feels good to think about the work you do as meaningless or pointless and that is how I sometimes felt working in that particular situation.

So, as I had my moment of realization in the shower, it was nice to think that my interest in photography might impact others in a positive way. I feel like I can contribute to the happiness of others while contributing to my own, which is so important in my book.

But the best part is that there are tons of ways to use photography to make other people happy (and in turn, make yourself happy). You could make a gift for someone using a photo you took. Or take pictures at a party and then mail them to the host later. Also, a lot of animal shelters need volunteers to photograph the animals for their website.

How have you used your photography skills to benefit someone else? Or do you have any other ideas on how we can use photography to "pay it forward"?

Comments

[Angella]

Whenever I am at a wedding of someone close to me, I have taken candids of the GUESTS. Of aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, families. Then I put them in an album as a gift to the married couple. They get a billion photos taken of themselves, but not often of everyone else (who are also dressed up, and are important to the couple)

[Shama-Lama Mama]

I like to just pull out the camera when my kids are playing with my friends' kids, and if I get a really great shot of one of their kids, I like to get an enlargement and put it in a nice frame and give it as a gift. People usually only have enlargements from places like Penney's and Picture People (not that there is anything wrong with that) but its nice to have a great candid framed.

Here is one I did recently:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shama-lama_mama/2226328545/

When I get a great shot of her other son, I am going to print them both up. I think she will love it. Maybe I will just give it when she is having a bad day...

[DanaB]

We have a babysitting gig made up of five of the most adorable wee beasties in the world; I love taking pictures of them throughout the days.

Several times a week, I email the mamas a shot of their babies, sometimes a group shot, sometimes individual, sometimes sleepy faces, other times lunch-covered faces...sharing the day with them.

~~

[Lynsey]

When my grandfather was returning from the war in 1945 the ship he was on went through the Straits of Gibraltar. He woke up early in the morning hours in order to be on deck so he could see the Rock of Gibraltar. Last Easter, my family and I spent the day exploring Gibraltar, not knowing that my grandfather had ever been there. I took a ton of photos and loaded them to my website. My mom told my grandfather about it and he was curious to see the pictures.
Long story short, the next time I saw him, he spent about an hour telling me how much he enjoyed seeing the pictures, knowing I had been where he was so many years ago. So, I had a certificate printed for him (a military certificate honoring those who have been through the Straits aboard ship) and had one other pictures printed and framed. I can't wait to hear what he thinks.

[lora]

A great way to give back is offering a free children's photo session time frame for a local shelter or starting house. This is a great thing to do around Christmas as well. It costs very little to order christmas cards at a one hour photo stop, and people are proud to be able to send photos of their kids to grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, etc...

I am amazed (and saddened) at how many of these parents only have the photographs that were taken of their children in the hospital on their birthday. I love to be able to insure that they have more.

I've also been providing free service to a family who would not otherwise afford it. They just had twin boys on Feb, 20th, and the pleasure's been all mine! =)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28987938@N00/2318664826/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28987938@N00/2318667466/

[Kathleen]

My stepsister asked me to photograph her wedding. As a complete amateur, it was a bit nerve-wracking - the pressure to please the whole family was intense! Plus, I was breaking in my new camera...but she gave me carte blanche as far as what kinds of shots she wanted. I found that the ones I most enjoyed taking were the ones she absolutely loves! She and her new hubby used one of my shots as a Christmas card, and I recently found out that he used one of the pictures as the background of his credit card (who knew??). Here's one of my favorite nontraditional shots that we all enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630286@N05/2283888008/

[Jenna]

I recently joined the non-profit org. called NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP. www.nilmdts.org.

It's a network of photographers who donate their services to families suffering infant bereavement. It's an amazing thing.

[Raven]

Every year for Christmas, I make scrapbook pages of my niece and nephews. I started it by buying each their own book, making their first page (or two) and then each year I ask for the books back the month before Christmas; I add new pages of the pictures I have taken that year. There are always at least one or two pictures that their parents haven't seen and the look on their faces when they open them, is priceless.

I also have given friends gifts of pictures of their children at choir concerts and other special events. I've shot the weddings of family to help them save money (agree, totally nerve-wracking) and another friend who can't afford her daughter's graduation pictures has asked that I take them for her.

I like reading the ideas on this page; I'd love to volunteer to do more.

[camerashymomma]

this is wonderful. i recently went to visit a friend of mine, both of our three year old boys played in the dirt with trucks and diggers while i photographed her belly. she is carrying the second child, the most often overlooked while mothering a toddler and combating fatigue and worry. i gave her this gift of photography to help her remember this time in her life when there simply was not enough time.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2315837276/

[natala]

http://atheart.wordpress.com/2008/02/17/lizzie/
http://atheart.wordpress.com/tag/lizzie/

I was at a family reunion and a cousin who had a premature baby was telling me that she had no photos of her daughter from early on, because she was so scared of her fragile state, and she couldn't bring her anywhere. She told me that she didn't want pictures of her because she was so tiny and she felt so bad about it. I decided then that I wanted to take pictures for friends and friends of friends who have had preemies, ones that showed just how beautiful they are. It always amazes me the reaction of a mother who sees a photo of her baby, especially in such a fragile part of their new life. Someone told me once that she was terrified of her daughters survival, she hardly had taken time to notice how beautiful she was.
Isn't amazing that we can do such wonderful things in this world through a camera?

[nicky thomas]

i've done a wedding for a friend and i am doing two more this year.

I was recently approached by a band who had seen my photos on flickr and who i knew online through a band forum. They wanted to use some of my 'artwork' (!) for their album. i was chuffed to bits and it was released last week.
here is hte photo they used for the album cover, it was one i altered for them as they didnt want a little girl on the path, but an old man.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickythomasphotography/2318943698/

great fun.

[Stephanie]

Actually, the whole reason I decided to go "pro" was to be able to reach all the people that I wanted to impact through photography.So much was done to help us during our days when we really needed support that I really want to give back (that sounds so cliche...but it's true). I started with joining ACPCG...which is similar to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Now I am in the very very beginning stages of working with Flashes of Hope (they create free portraits for children with cancer) to hopefully start a chapter in my town.
I donate my standard photo packages for local charities to use in their fundraising efforts too. Just recently I held a contest for all my clients and friends to write me a letter in order to nominate a deserving family who deserved free portraits to win one of my packages for free. The e-mails I received both humbled me and made me sob....there are so many amazing people out there with amazing stories.
Finally, once a year I put aside a weekend for families that have children with Down's Syndrome to come and get their portraits for free.With the therapy and medical bills these families have to pay for, sometimes there is not much left for professional portraits.

[corey (giggletwig)]

What a fantastic post! I'm so inspired by everyone's comments.

I was just thinking about this yesterday (inspired by another Shutter Sister's comment that mentioned her photography business working with seniors and hospice patients). And I was wondering if there was anything I could do with my love of photography -- on a volunteer basis, since I'm no where near professional -- to help others in some way. Based on the senior/hospice post the other day, I was thinking maybe I could visit the local nursing home once a month and offer to take photos...and maybe ask local salons or the cosmetology school if they had any interest in donating some time to offer hair/make-up services the same day.

Up to this point, I've only used my photography as gifts (notecards, framed photos, etc.), or done photo shoots of friends and their kids, if asked. But everyone's comments are really inspiring me to find a way to make a bigger impact.

Another thought for those of you who are professionals and might be interested in doing something similar -- there's a local photographer in my area who does free children's portraits for military families who have one parent stationed overseas. After the photo session, she sends some prints directly to the parent stationed overseas, at no charge.

[cuzamora]

I received mine yesterday-a belated holiday gift of a photo calendar. A photo calendar of my home away from home, and photos of my beloved friends on their birthdates. I love it!

Reading this post makes me kick myself in the pants because I could have contributed photos to a friends charity raffle, something a group of us put together and raised money for her widowed husband and 2 little boys. I wish I had read this a few months back.

I think that anyone who takes photos can pay it forward by simply taking a photo of a mother and child (I have a handful with my son as I take all the photos in the house), donating a favorite or 2 to a charity or raffle, donating a percentage of profits to a favorite charity.

[jen lemen]

i really love this idea and have been thinking about it myself. many of the families at my kids schools don't take snapshots of their kids as a cultural norm. most pictures are formal in nature and taken only at the one year mark or at graduation from high school. but lately, i've been showing them the shots from my rebel, as i wander around school, and they are genuinely thrilled. now if i can only get that fancy printer to work so i can give them the shots in hand.

[Lawyer Mama]

Really, at this point I've just taken pictures for friends of them and their kids when we're out and about. Then I do prints of the special ones for them as gifts. Everyone LOVES to have play dates with my boys!

These comments have really inspired me to look for other ways to make a difference.

[Elspeth]

Sometimes when I find stray animals I take photos of them and upload to my website in efforts to find a home for the animal ... or just to relate their story so that other people finding animals might feel encouraged to do the same. Sometimes the results are a happy ending:http://flickr.com/photos/59905750@N00/189722819/in/set-72157594428022848/

And sometimes not too happy:
http://flickr.com/photos/59905750@N00/327079438/in/set-72157594428022848/

But always worth just trying. You never know ...

[claire]

i'm am about as beginner as it gets to the huge world of photography, but with my nikon d80 in hand i am such a happy girl lately. i feel like a sponge just trying to soak in everything i can learn about shooting, editing, and producing great pictures. since i'm so much in the beginning phases of things the best way i've been able to learn is to work on projects for other people for free. i shot a ton of pictures at my nephew's first birthday party and though it took hours to go through and edit them all, i learned so much about how to do so in the process. and needless to say, my sister-in-law was thrilled to have the finished product. it's amazing how paying it forward still ends up benefiting us as well.

[Tracey Clark]

our photographs are gifts paige, it's very true. capturing the fleeting moments of the lives of our kids, friends, families, clients, whoever is so important on so many levels. it does feel good to be able to make a difference and provide these gifts for people. what an inspiring post and such insightful comments to go with it.

[Maya]

I do a lot of brainstorming in the shower too! And I am in total agreement with you...this is why I love photography and hope to help my mom get her business moving again!

Thanks for the reminder of inspiration!

[kikalee]

"She had been spending her days producing garbage and now it was staring her in the face." So inspirational. I read that to my husband, who is in advertising and just starting to have the same concerns. That paragraph really hit him, and it takes *a lot* to have something hit him! You made a difference just with your words. This is my first time here, and find reading your post as my first so fitting. I'm also a graphic designer who is starting a photography business (once I get over the nerves!).

[2kids3martinis]

Funny...I think in the shower too. Just posted about it a few days ago. Wonder why such deep thoughts come to us in the shower?

Sweet little footsie. I always loved kissing those little toes, my favorite baby body part!