“Unfortunately like many service industries, small businesses—especially ‘non-essential’ services like photography—we are the first to take a hit,” she said in an email April 15.
But Valentine is making the most of the situation and has found a way to continue photographing families in her neighborhood and elsewhere around the Houston area.
On April 7, she launched a GoFundMe campaign called the Texas Front Porch Project. Valentine is capturing portraits of families on their front porch from a safe distance and asking for donations to the Houston Food Bank in exchange for her services.
“My husband came up with the idea around the end of March, and I immediately shot it down,” she said. “Then I found a photographer in Massachusetts doing something very similar, and that’s when I knew this was a perfect way to use my photography in service for Houstonians in need.”
She had raised more than $800 for her $5,000 goal and taken more than 30 portraits as of April 15. Each session lasts about five minutes, and she encourages families to get creative with props and have fun—these are “not your typical family portrait[s],” she said.
“Don’t stress about how you look in your photos. This is all about coming together, creating memories and enjoying sharing what we’re all doing,” she said.
Valentine said she plans to continue the project until reaching her funding goal. To be added to her schedule, email [email protected] or reach out via Facebook at www.facebook.com/lunaluxtx.
