Photo Philanthropy By Lisa Wright

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.

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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. 

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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