In the age of LinkedIn, online job applications, social media, internet networking, and particularly in the entertainment industry, a high quality headshot can mean the difference between having a job or being unemployed. But for those who have recently come home from a period of incarceration, a lack of financial means and resources can make this service unattainable. Bromont Program decided to meet this need by hosting a day-long, free headshot clinic for their members, and I was more than happy to pick my camera up for this organization.
Bromont Program gives system impacted youth and adults a pathway into the creative side of the film industry, allowing them to benefit from the transformative power of telling their stories through screenwriting, the catharsis one gets from acting, while also using the films that they create to change the way the world views the formerly incarcerated.
There's a lot of stigma that comes with being formerly incarcerated, and there is typically a history of trauma and disadvantage that leads up to the incarceration. This clinic was a way for members to see themselves as working professionals, inside an industry that typically portrays them only as monsters. Many of their members are just starting their lives over, so this was a roadblock removed for them.
Here are just a few of the professional headshots we were able to provide for their members:
For more information on the Bromont Program, visit their website: