Cape photographer steps in to cover canceled portrait event

The winter storm that blanketed Cape Girardeau and the area with snow and ice Friday and Saturday led to the cancellation of many events.

A charitable event that was called off Saturday was the fourth annual Help-Portrait photo session, which would have assembled local photographers to provide free professional photos for people who might not otherwise afford them.

But Wes Langston, owner of Wes Langston Photography in Cape Girardeau and a freelance photographer with the Southeast Missourian, is stepping in to fill the void with his "Miracle Portrait" photo session Saturday.

"I call it 'Miracle Portrait' because it's a miracle that it's happening," Langston said.

The Miracle Portrait photo session will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West Side Camera, 837 N. Kingshighway. Family and single 8-by-10-inch portrait photos will be taken free of charge. A hairdresser and makeup artist are planned to be on the premises to help people look their best.

"All anyone needs to do is show up with a smile," Langston said.

One of the photographers who had been booked to volunteer their services at the Help-Portrait photo session, Langston said he felt compelled to organize Miracle Portrait for everybody who had their hopes of a portrait photo dashed with the bad weather.

"I want to do something for the people who missed out," he said.

The Help-Portrait photo session that was canceled will not be rescheduled, according to organizer Stephanie Goddard.

"Photographers and hairdressers would again have to reschedule their time in order to volunteer their services on a weekend," said Goddard, owner of Goddard Photography in Jackson. "To recoordinate all of that would require significant effort."

The next Help-Portrait event will take place in 2014. Goddard said waiting until next year will allow organizers to devote more resources to the event.

"We'll be able to apply this year's donations to next year," she said. "We'll also be able to raise more funds throughout the upcoming year so that the next Help-Portrait event will surpass what we've done before."

For more information about the Miracle Portrait photo session Saturday, call Wes Langston at 225-5514. For information about donating to the 2014 Help-Portrait event or about becoming a corporate or individual volunteer, call Goddard at 225-5413 or visit facebook.com/groups/helpportraitcape.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address: 837 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO