In Focus, the student photography club at John Brown University's Visual Arts Department, will be taking free professional quality senior portraits for local high school students on April 26.
The club will offer students the choice of several outdoor settings as well as the university's indoor professional studio, according to Erika Fornei, one of four directors for the club. Each student will come away with a CD of their pictures and a photo package that will include one 13x9 photo, one 8x10 photo, three 4x5 photos and seven wallet sized photos.
The event is affiliated with Help Portrait. Help Portrait is an international organization that encourages photographers around the world to "give photos" rather than "take them" by providing free portraits to people who could otherwise not afford them.
Last year In Focus members worked at a Help Portrait project in Bentonville but this will be the first time for the club to do a project in Siloam Springs. In Focus was looking for a way to use photography as a mission and club members were excited to find a way to help in their hometown, Fornei said.
Professional senior photos can be expensive, Fornei said. In Focus will be taking pictures so late in the year that if students were going to be getting photos from local photographers they would have already done so.
"It's aimed at students who can't afford it but we won't turn anyone away," she said.
Fornei said the club has been working with Siloam Springs High School and anticipates that as many as 100 to 150 seniors could sign up to have their portraits taken. Around 10 to 15 In Focus members will be volunteering for the event, including at least six photographers, she said. Other volunteers will edit and print the photos.
In Focus members will be using their own photography equipment as well as the schools. They will also be using the school's new set of photo printers to process the prints.
The deadline to sign up for photos is April 21. Parents and high school seniors can get more information or schedule their photo shoot by emailing [email protected].
General News on 04/16/2014