Help Haiti

I know a lot of you have already donated to the Haiti earthquake relief efforts via Twitter but just in case you have more to give, I urge you to attend my friend Eleanor's fundraiser this Sunday night at the Soho Grand Hotel. A $20 donation gets you complimentary cocktails from 6:00-8:00pm with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Red Cross. There's a large Haitian population in New York and many people still have family back in Haiti so anything you can do would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

100cameras Lower East Side

100cameras is continuing their quest to give a voice, or in this case a camera, to the voiceless and this time they have chosen children in their own backyard. Students from the Lower East Side community group New Life documented their life in New York for three months this past spring. On Thursday, their photos will be on display and for sale with all the proceeds going back to New Life. I had the opportunity to meet a few of them at the 100cameras Africa event and it was clear that they are clearly benefiting from having participating in this project. I especially love Andrew's cityscapes and think he might have a future in photography! I hope you will continue to help support this wonderful organization.

100cameras Lowe East Side

Thursday, September 24, 2009

6:00 - 8:30pm

Whole Food Market

East Houston and Bowery

2nd Floor Gallery

100cameras

Sometimes the thoughtfulness and creativity of the people in New York amazes me! My friend Kelly introduced me to her friend Susanna Kohly and her charity, 100cameras, recently and I was blown away. Susanna traveled to Africa and realized that she needed to do something to give back which led to the development of this unique idea.

"For the mission, cameras were taken to orphanages in Uganda and Sudan and given to children. After learning how to use a camera, their one task was to simply document their lives. They used their personal camera to document where they sleep, what they ate, who they live with, details, homes, wherever they are so inclined to point a camera. For that one week, the camera was theirs. At the end of the week, the cameras were collected and images saved. The children’s photographs will be displayed and sold. 100% of proceeds from the sales will go back to the orphanages where the pictures were taken."

What amazes me is that many of the compositions of the photos look better than a lot of professional photos! The photos that Susanna took on the trip will cover the administrative costs of the project and will be out toward the travel to other countries to continue the 100cameras mission. The children's photos are actually very reasonably priced at $25 for a 5x7 and $35 for an 8x10 and what could be better than buying an original artwork than benefits such a worthy cause!

If you happen to live in New York, I hope you will stop by the first 100cameras exhibition that kicks off this Wednesday, May 6th from 6:00-9:00pm at the Samsung Experience Showroom in the Time Warner Center at 10 Columbus Circle. You will be able to see these beautiful photos in person and meet Susanna Kohly, a true angel! See you there!