What a Fun Photo Shoot!

Sometimes it's simply a case of being surrounded by creative people and trying to come up with a way to collaborate in order to use their various super powers to make the group, as a whole, stronger. It's fun when we connect with other creative minds.

And so that's how last week's mini-photo-shoot-fundraiser for The Room to Write came to be. TRtW is a smally but mighty, local non-profit. Together with two more mighty, local businesses: Ally Houghton Photography and Whitelam Books--the plan for a fun photo shoot was hatched.

Writers and artists need head shots (a nice, professional photograph of themselves) and yet writers and artists tend to be a bit humble and shy, which is often their biggest barrier to actually getting one done. Often a writer or artist wants to be seen through the art they create--to remain off-camera. The other two barriers keeping local writers and artists from getting a professional photo of themselves taken are not knowing where to find a photographer and the ability to afford an individual photo session. 

Hopefully this event helped to shake off some nerves and increase accessibility!

We arrived to Whitelam Books in Reading to a warm welcome from Liz, the owner. She is such a great collaborator and her store is amazing! So many treasures. Those participants who supported Whitelam Books with a purchase received a discount on their photo shoot, so it was a win-win. The whole experience was casual and fun, and we look forward to doing it again--perhaps in the fall.

In the end, we supported a local, independent bookstore with several books being purchased, several more local writers and artists now have a professional head shot to accompany their publications and portfolios, and the event raised $200 for The Room to Write's local programming.

Thank you to Ally Houghton Photography, Whitelam Books and to all the writers and artists who showed their support for TRtW by participating in this first-ever photo shoot event.