When disaster hits, especially so close to home, friends and neighbors (and businesses!) can be left with an overwhelming need to help, somehow.

The recent fires in Los Angeles have left many families devastated, with an unimaginable level of loss. Amy from Millard Creative Studio and I decided to do something to help!

As creatives, we believe in the power of tangible memories to give families something to hold on to and remember. This is why we decided to offer a special event capturing personality portraits of children.

These sessions were about more than taking pretty pictures; they were about turning a child’s joy into action. 100% of the proceeds from these sessions went towards relief efforts. Throughout the blog, I share the meaning behind these photos, the impact they made, and how you can still help those affected by the fires.

The Purpose Behind The Personality Portraits Sessions

As a San Diego photographer and mother, I am constantly whipping out my phone to take pictures of the latest silly thing my child is up to. It’s what we do as parents, right? These personality portraits were an excellent way for parents to celebrate their child’s unique personality while giving back to those in need.

In times of disaster, we often reflect and express gratitude for what we have in life. One of the things I’m most grateful for is photography!

Being a photographer has allowed me to express my creativity WHILE giving families the priceless gift of connection and lasting memories. It was only natural, then, for Amy and I to give back to our community through photography.

The Experience During Personality Portraits

Personality portraits are designed to allow your children to be themselves on camera while capturing their unique expressions and energy. Under Amy’s skilled prompting, their natural personalities came through quickly!

That’s what personality photos are about: capturing photos of people as they are. It’s always a high-energy and fun experience working with kids, and this weekend was no exception. Amy and I had a blast working with the families and couldn’t be prouder of the results.

Where the Donations Went

A huge thank you to all the families participating in our personality portrait weekend. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to help LA fire victims like we did.

100% of the proceeds from these sessions were donated to Baby2Baby, a non-profit dedicated to providing essential supplies to children and families who have lost everything. Through their work, items such as diapers, food, water, clothing, blankets, formula, and hygiene products are given to needy families.

It reminds us all that a small action—like having your kiddo take fun photos—can have a huge impact on those around you. To all the families that supported this initiative, thank you for being part of something bigger.

How You Can Still Help

While these personality portraits are over, there is still a massive need for support!

If you want help, consider donating to Baby2Baby directly or other charities working with victims of the LA fires. These donations will help bring a bit of normalcy back to those whose normal has shifted forever.

Although we’re grateful for the ongoing relief efforts benefiting our area, it’s up to us to continue supporting our community. Together, we can rally around our neighbors and friends to help them begin again.

Looking for more ways to help? Check out Visit California’s article on ways to help.

Many thanks again to our incredible families for supporting the cause and to Amy at Millard Creative Studio for collaborating with me!