By Jon Canfield

Most of us are incredibly lucky. We spend our time doing something we love, whether it’s our profession or a passion. Clearly, we’re in the minority when it comes to this type of lifestyle, and it had me wondering how I could share my good fortune with others who aren’t so lucky. One way to do this is to donate time to shoot portraits for families that might not otherwise be able to afford them. Especially now with the economy so unsettled, portraits are something that many people may forgo.

Now I could spend full days doing free portrait work, so it was obvious that I needed to focus on some area that would be meaningful and somewhat controlled. So, I decided that this year I would provide portraits for military families separated by war or assignment.

I’m doing a free session and providing two 5 x 7 and four wallet-size images at no charge to any local military family in which one of the parents is serving overseas. It’s not a question of whether I support why they are there. Rather, it’s about showing appreciation for a difficult job and the sacrifices that these families are making for all of us.

If you’re interested in doing something similar, I suggest contacting the local paper to place an announcement. You’ll also want to limit the times that you offer the service, because most of us can’t afford to just quit doing the work that pays the bills. Placing a limit on the times also helps control your costs.

If you have a studio you’re all set. I decided to work with the local museum and arrange for time to shoot there. This also helps define my available hours. It’s going to be done on a first-come/first-served basis with no appointments.