The Documentary Photographer

Humbled.

Proud.

That is how I would describe myself after last night’s launch of Help Portrait Cork 2010 at the Clarion Hotel.

Humbled by the number of people who turned up to pledge their support for the big day in December. Cork is full of good people. Not least the management of the Clarion who gave us the room last night and have offered a huge space for December.

Proud of what we accomplished in 2009. We heard the incredible story of how the experience of Help Portrait last year turned a person’s life around. Hearing it made me catch my breath. There were tears in the room last night.

To think that we did this. To think that everyone who participated in last year’s Cork event contributed in some way to the transformation of a human life for the better is something truly remarkable.

We want to do it again this year. We want to do it bigger and better. Up to four times bigger and better, which is why we are starting with the event planning now. If you want to stand at our side, let me know. If you are elsewhere in Ireland and you want to learn from our experience last year to establish your own event, please get in touch.

As I write these words, I am overcome with positive emotion. The experience of Help Portrait has made me a better man. It has made my life better. So I’m going to thank the two people without whom I wouldn’t feel this way: Jeremy Cowart, whose idea it was; Paul O’Mahony, who drove this on in Cork. Giants, both.

Paul O'Mahony speaks to a handful of last night's early guests. A big thank you to everyone who made it in the end (in no particular order): Marcela Whelan (who will liaise with charities), Alice-Anne Oliver (volunteer host), Eoin Mulligan (photographer), Margaret Smith (who has promised wonderful Umnumnum biscuits in December), Margaret Hegarty (who will deliver the biscuits and be a volunteer host), Emma Hawkett (social well-being charity), Owen Killeen (photographer), Dragan Tomas (photographer), Sandra Brett (social well-being charity), Siobhan Hallissey (make-up artist), Donal Hanafin (our post-production guru and miracle worker), Beatrix Lafosse (PR), Emma Pyne (who will co-ordinate our make-up artists), Elaine O'Callaghan (make-up artist), Siobhan Oliver (singer - that's right, we're having music this year), Algis Raugas (photographer), Philip Daly (photographer) and Joan O'Shea (volunteer host). Thank you also to those who were there in spirit. (c) Roger Overall 2010

The view from my seat in the studio. (c) Roger Overall 2010

I’ve never given a live radio interview before. Consequently, much of my brain was engaged in a single task: preventing myself from saying “Fxxk” on air.

I’m not really able to tell you what I said using the rest of my head, but I’m told I didn’t sound like a vegetable. So that’s good.

There had been talk of an interview to promote the Bid For Haiti auction on a local radio station for a couple of days. I wasn’t sure which one, or where I had to be, or when. All I knew was that if it were to happen I’d find out about it fairly last minute.

At 11.55 today I was pulled over in my car, blocking someone’s driveway, speaking to Paul O’Mahony, my main co-organizer on the Bid For Haiti project. Through the wonderful Sabrina Dent we had been invited on to John Handelaar‘s one-hour lunchtime talk show on CorkFM. I needed to be at the studio in under 45 minutes. The directions were … let’s say “interesting”.

Long story short, CorkFM is a fledgling radio station (87.7 on FM) with a license to broadcast on 15 consecutive weekends. After that, they’ll go for a year-long license, followed by a full 10-year broadcasting permit. And best of luck to them.

At the minute they are broadcasting from temporary space by Kilbarry House on the outskirts of Cork with equipment begged and borrowed from a range of sources. It’s the kind of place that’s round the back of somewhere, down that lane, you know the one, on the left, and through the gate with the broken pillars.

I only got lost once.

So did Paul.

I’d just like to say a big thank you to Sabrina, John and Donal (the station owner) for giving us so generously of their airtime.

You’ll also be happy to know that I didn’t say “Fxxk” on air.

But Paul did say “Bugger”.

BID FOR HAITI

Charity Auction of Paintings, Photographs, Sculptures and Writing

Sunday 14th February 2010

Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street, Cork

Registration and viewing from 11am

Auction starts at 3pm

All proceeds to go to GOAL’s relief work in Haiti

Online Catalogue

From left to right: John, Donal and Paul having a pre-interview chat. (c) Roger Overall 2010

CorkFM owner Donal listens to the station's broadcast before we go on in a room across the hall from the studio. At this point, nobody has sworn on air. (c) Roger Overall 2010

John Handelaar chats across the console to Paul during a song. (c) Roger Overall 2010

This is not one of my pictures:

"North Sea" - A rare depiction of a modern ship at sea by Danish maritime artist Johannes Moeller

I do own it, however, and I love it.

It was part-payment for a job I did many, many years ago when I was a freelance PR consultant in the UK. It is both beautiful and significant, as there are very few paintings of modern ships at sea by significant artists. [UPDATE: My good friend Paul O'Mahony found this on the internet: North Sea.]

I am donating it, along with prints of my own work, to the “Bid for Haiti” auction that I am helping to organize.

Nationally- and internationally-renowned artists, photographers and sculptors will be giving original pieces to be sold at the event, which will be held on Sunday 14th February at the Gresham Metropole Hotel here in Cork. Viewing and registration will be from 11am, and the auction itself will get underway at 3pm.

This is going to be a phenomenal opportunity for bidders to acquire original works, none of which have a reserve price on them.

All the proceeds from the auction will go to GOAL‘s Haiti relief effort.

Please spread the word about the auction. Blog, twitter, facebook… anything you can do to help publicize the event would be fantastic.

And if you have a chance, please come along. There will be some wonderful things up for auction. What could be more rewarding than filling that blank space on your wall with art that helped alleviate some of the suffering in Haiti?

Here it is. The Cork Help Portrait event video.

Videographer Gerry MacBride is a hero. I’m blown away by this.

Thank you so much Gerry.

Sometimes I wish I were lazy. It would save me so much time.

Today, though, I am going to be lazy work smart.

Paul O’Mahony, who got Help Portrait started here in Cork, has done all the legwork and produced a list on his blog of those who helped us organize the event. You can find it here:  “Roll of Honour”. By the way, if anyone is missing [God, we hope not] do let us know and we’ll make sure you’re recognised.

Paul has also produced a short version of our story on Flickr .

Some of the people who made Help Portrait 2009 happen in Cork, along with a couple of the people who came to have their portrait taken. (c) Roger Overall 2009

As I type this I’m sitting by the fire with my 4-year-old daughter watching Toy Story 2, while my wife is making a terrific shepherd’s pie for dinner. I’m warm, I am safe, I am healthy, I have a loving family and I will eat well tonight.

Not everyone can say the same.

That’s what Help Portrait is all about. Brain child of American photographer Jeremy Cowart, Help Portrait has grown into an international movement. Yesterday, thousands of photographers around the world, supported by an army of phenomenal volunteers,  produced portrait photographs for those who have had or are having a rough time.

Here in Cork, writer Paul O’Mahony took up the challenge to organize professional photographer participation. Thanks to Paul (and the small army of volunteers he inspired), we greeted, made-up and photographed 44 people: 21 women, 10 men, 13 children – giving each a mounted print and a disc of image files. In the process, we must have triggered our cameras over 2,000 times.

In a day or so, I’m hoping to post the names of everyone who gave of their time and skills to help us run the event here in Cork. The effort they put in was just incredible, and they deserve all the recognition we can give them. For now, all I can say is a heartfelt “Thank you” to everyone who made Help Portrait 2009 here in Cork such a remarkable event.

Look out for a video of the day soon on the blog.

Meanwhile, here are some behind the scenes photographs.

Commercial photographer Gabrielle Morehead can't resist a munchkin in a Santa suit. Who can? (c) Roger Overall 2009

Munchkin and several thousand euros worth of camera gear. Phil Daly on the right looking very relaxed considering it's his camera. (c) Roger Overall 2009

Gabrielle Morehead not getting much respect. (c) Roger Overall 2009