Front Porch Portraits wasn’t my original or even secondary idea – a loyal portrait client of mine tagged me on Facebook in an article written in mid-March of a photographer in the north offering these very same portraits in lieu of the traditional portraits that would be going on outdoors. Spring is my all-time favorite season to photograph portraits, and it was already breaking my heart anticipating missing out on what’s usually the start of my busy outdoor portrait season. I read the article and immediately knew that I wanted to do these Front Porch Portraits so my assistant and I (socially distant) wasted no time in announcing them. I reached out to my close friend, Candace Melloy, the Director of Family Service Society, for permission to set up a GoFundMe page for 100% of the monies to be donated to them. On the GoFundMe page, I offered to come to any home in McCracken County to photograph their family on their front porch, back porch, or even right in their yard. No big to-do, just a few minutes of their day to capture that family in the thick of it. I assured them that I’d be behind the camera at a safe, social distancing recommendation of 6 to 10 feet. In exchange for a good faith donation of whatever amount they felt called to give, I would provide a digital photo gallery delivered to their email with printing rights to those images. Additionally, I collected non-perishable food items to be donated to Paducah Cooperative Ministry. Residents of McCracken County loved the idea and were excited to be a part of this movement. In the 30 day time period that I’ve been photographing Front Porch Portraits, 23 families have donated a total of $940 and over 50 food items! When I decided to schedule Front Porch Portraits, I honestly didn’t know how life-giving they would be to ME! It was way more fun than I ever imagined it would be, and even though these are no longer going on, I am glad for the short time that I was able to do this, however unconventional it may have been. Shooting brings me so much joy, and I believe that portraits in and of themselves bring my clients joy! Thank you all who have donated and invited me to hang out 6 feet away in your yards.
-Rachael Houser, Rachael Houser Photography
