Volunteer portrait photographer Dave Raley and Scott Ahern were photographing Dec. 5 at Bremerton United Methodist Church.

The event was called the Help-Portrait program, and more than a dozen Kitsap photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists and other volunteers donated their time and talent to make special family portraits for the holidays.

Kitsap Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, newlife church and Help-Portrait sponsor the event locally.

Help-Portrait was founded by celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart to be an event where photographers and artists come together across the world to use their skills to give back to their local community. Photographers around the world grabbed their cameras and found people in need of a great portrait, especially the disadvantaged, the elderly, the homeless, people down on their luck and struggling families. Cowart wanted to make them feel special.

“I believe in people,” Cowart said. “I think that people really do want to give back, and photographers especially tend to be very passionate people. When you combine Christmas and serving people, I really believed it would be a no-brainer.”