Some high school seniors experiencing homelessness will have at least one afternoon this spring where the weight of undue burdens can hopefully slip away for a while. Studio 57 Photography is hosting the fourth annual “Shoot for Success” event April 27, where 40 homeless high school seniors will get professional senior portraits.
The goal is to give these students the full senior portrait experience. That means having volunteers who can do professional makeup, grooming, wardrobe and hair styling. The students then get to go through a custom portrait session and get a print package of their photos. The event also includes lunch and snacks.
Studio 57 Photography is partnering with Outreach Inc., an Indianapolis-based organization that helps homeless teens and young adults achieve stability in their lives. The students who get senior photos are part of Outreach.
Andrea Smith, the lead photographer at Studio 57 Photography, said this event is important because circumstances outside their control could determine that this is as far as some of these students will go in their academic careers, so they should be “celebrated and commemorated.” Getting to this point is significant in general, but it’s even more so for these seniors who have faced extraordinary obstacles on their way.
“They absolutely love it because most of the girls have never had professional makeup,” she said. “Most of them just have not had anybody take that kind of time for them. The day is all about them.”
Smith doesn’t get to do much of the photographing at the event but said she received almost instant validation after the first “Shoot for Success” that let her and others know it was something they needed to continue doing. Smith said one of the senior girls they photographed that year emailed her a week later to tell her how appreciative she was. Smith said that was one of the “catalysts” to keep going.
“I didn’t feel like it was an exuberant amount of time spent,” Smith said. “But for her, it was a pivotal moment.”
Students also receive gift bags, which in the past have included laptops, headphones and even scholarship money. Smith said they are still in need of donations — restaurant gift cards, movie gift cards, etc. — to fill those gift bags.
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
DONATIONS NEEDED
Because the “Shoot for Success” senior portrait event includes giving gift bags to homeless high school seniors, Studio 57 Photography needs donations to fill those bags.
• Needed: Restaurant gift cards, movie gift cards and anything else teens might enjoy
• To donate: Call Studio 57 Photography, 317-542-1660
