Pay-It-Forward: "Model" Citizen Helping Children

This is Kat Marsh, local deejay, model, multi-media journalist and general doer of good deeds. I've wanted to shoot her for some time. When I heard through Facebook she was collecting video-game systems for children's hospice, we set a date for this photoshoot.

The Pay-It-Forward Photo Project, Drummer Girl

This is Chidori Matsumoto, a fabulous drummer who plays with JoAnna Lynne and another band called "The Office." When she heard a fellow musician's family had been devastated by a fire, she and her bandmates quickly set up a charity show to help gather clothes and supplies, and to raise money.

The Pay-It-Forward Photo Project

Dee Crisco, a Norfolk teacher and former 1983 Bayside High School classmate of mine, will donate school supplies to needy children in exchange for this pay-it-forward portrait.

The Pay-It-Forward Photo Project

In exchange for this portrait, Bryce, an aspiring young actor, will donate a day working at an animal shelter.

UPDATE (8/9/10): Bryce enjoyed his volunteer day at the Virginia Beach animal shelter so much he's committed to weekly work there. That's what this project is all about.

The Pay-It-Forward Photo Project

I charge very little for portraits for people I know. I'm just not comfortable quoting a healthy rate to co-workers, friends and family. So instead of struggling with what to charge, I am going to start offering a new zero-price structure. Yep, nothing.

What'd I'd rather do is shoot these portraits for free, and then have the subject sign a contract to "pay it forward." It will read simply: "In exchange for this photo session, I promise to do something nice for someone else."

That's it.

I know this is a sensitive subject to photographers, but this is the choice I've made. It's not like I will be shooting without compensation. The compensation will be going to someone else, perhaps a church, a community center, a person in need. It's valuable to me -- and hopefully to society -- to foster a community that cares for itself.

I'll ask my subjects to email me the details of the good deed and I'll post it on this blog and on my web site, http://www.hotshoedigital.com/. And occassionally, I might reward someone who has already done a good deed with a portrait. I'll let you know how this works.

It might not change the world, but it might make a difference to someone, somewhere.

Welcome to My Photo Diary

In this space I'll be sharing thoughts on my photoshoots, what goes into them, and a little bit about the process of mixing this endeavor with my real-world job.

I've been a photographer since high school. I thought I might always be. My dream was to get a job as a photojournalist at The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot newspaper, and at first I did. When I started working there in 1989, I shot pictures for my stories. But soon I was told I had to stop, because there was a full staff of talented photographers in the building. The Pilot was stocked with some of the best photographic talent that has ever worked in print. Still is. So, I concentrated on storytelling, and they on the images.

Even so, I never put the camera down. Now, more than 20 years later, I still work in journalism, but for a Norfolk television station. I still shoot sometimes for work, either for our web page or for our newspaper partner The Daily Press. But mostly I shoot for fun. And that's what you will find here, on my web site www.hotshoedigital.com.

I enjoy shooting models, music and mayhem. The latter category includes things like bike races, roller derby, and my kids.