Help-Portraits for the Physically Challenged

Jawahar was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response of the children involved in the Help-Portrait initiative. Photograph/Anbu Jawahar

This story was originally published in January 2011.

“It was a lot more than just shooting portraits. Interacting with the students made the experience worth it.” – Anbu Jawahar

When Bengaluru-based Anbu Jawahar read about Bangalore Help-Portrait, he knew had to be a part of this unique event. Part of the International Help-Portraits event, the Bengaluru version involved over 50 photographers coming together to shoot portraits of the students of Samarthanam School for the disabled, visually impaired and underprivileged. Anbu Jawahar, who has been actively involved with various NGOs for over a decade, felt that the initiative was not only unique, it gave him great satisfaction as a photographer. He describes the rush of emotions that went on in his head as he photographed the students. “The best thing about it was that the students had a great time. We played various games with them, and some of the students were so enthusiastic that they took our cameras and started shooting!” he says. At the end of the event, each photographer who participated in the event printed the portraits and gifted them to the students. Jawahar says that it is experiences like these that make photography truly worth it. He says, “It was a lot more than just shooting portraits. Interacting with the students made the experience worth it.”

-Written by Ketan Kundargi