Rob Loud, Long Beach, NY, USA:

Many families (who attended the event) lost their homes in Hurricane Sandy. Most lost all of their old family photos. One woman told me she has been feeling down about herself lately since having her home very badly damaged. She made herself come to the event so she would have an excuse to do her hair and put on some makeup, and to feel a little better about herself. And it worked. It was such a positive experience for her, and she was blown away by her photos. She considered the day a turning point for her recent bad luck. It was not about giving people a free photo shoot, or even photos. It’s about making people feel good about themselves and connecting with them. It’s about them sharing their story.

longbeach