Photo Philanthropy
By Lisa Wright
I am a freelance photographer. I shoot celebrity red carpet
events and portraiture. I would consider
my style fashion-inspired. I want my
work to look like it was ripped from the pages of a magazine, and a lot of
times with my celebrity work - it is!
For the past 3 years, I have volunteered with organizations
that help women feel beautiful and promote confidence and self-esteem. This year I partnered with the Las Vegas Prom
Closet's "Operation Glass Slipper" for a Prom Fashion Photo
shoot. The Las Vegas Prom Closet is a
wonderful organization that provides free prom dresses and accessories to local
young ladies attending prom.
The theme of the photo shoot was: I Like Me. I was inspired by Facebook, in which young people
post photos daily, and then wait with bated breath for their friends and family
to click the LIKE button. The more
"likes" one receives seems to validate the photo. I was curious to know from these young women,
"Rather than what others think, what do you LIKE about you?" Interested students were required to complete
an entry form by expanding the statement, "I LIKE me because…" I received over 250 entrants and narrowed it
down to 10 beautiful young ladies. A
local downtown business, The Stitch Factory, provided a wonderful work space
for me and my band of volunteer makeup artists and hairstylist, and we were
able to provide a memorable experience for students preparing for prom.
BACKGROUND USED IN IMAGES ABOVE - TC854 - ORDER YOURS TODAY
Hauling equipment for
a location shoot can be a daunting and tiring experience, therefore when
lighting on location I always use a "less is more" approach. All images for this photo shoot were shot
using a hand-held Nikon D300s, a single 22-inch Beauty Dish with diffusion sock,
and a 10x10 Platinum Cloth from Backdrop Outlet. I selected a grunge print backdrop as a
gritty contrast against the girls and their beautiful prom dresses. I was more than pleased with the Platinum
cloth. It isextremely durable, light-weight, wrinkle resistant, and easy
to transport. The single light set up
created some really beautiful images.
Each girl took a series of images, and I assisted each with
pose direction and ideas. Most images
were shot between f/8 and f/11 @ 1/125 to keep both subject and backdrop
sharp. The images were later creatively
enhanced using Adobe Photoshop, and each Prom Princess was presented with an
11x14 framed portrait.
BACKGROUND USED IN IMAGES ABOVE - TC854 - ORDER YOURS TODAY
The purpose of the Prom Fashion Photo Shoot was simply to do
something nice, and create a memorable experience for 10 very special young
ladies preparing for Prom. Thank you to
my Glam Squad Nina Baker, Dean Sproule, Teresa Williams, Jaime Mattson, Lisa
Strawther, and Deborah Harris.
I encourage all photographers, experienced or novice to get
out into your communities and volunteer, keep honing your skills, and shoot
what you love!
Lisa Wright is a freelance photographer who lives and
works in Las Vegas, NV. See more of her
work at
https://www.facebook.com/lisawrightphotography
