Since 2016 I have volunteered my time as an event photographer for Habitat for Humanity, in the Greater Toronto Area. My work has covered corporate events, such as volunteer recognition ceremonies, special events, such as the Polar Bear Dip and the Annual Children’s Christmas Event, builds, and Dedication Ceremonies. This study looks at the Dedication Ceremonies.

The main focus of Habitat is to provide low-cost housing for families in need. Habitat has a process for determining who qualifies and those families that do, have specific responsibilities laid out. It is important to note that houses are not given to families for free.

The normal shot list for Dedication Ceremonies follows a similar pattern:

• Arrival and Socialization
  This is when the guests, volunteers, and new home owners arrive and socialize with each other
• Speaches
  This is when various people make speeches. This includes: Habitat Leadership and builders; local dignitaries; sponsors; the families receiving the new homes
• Family Portraits
  This is where the families, usually standing in front of their new home, have a picture taken
• Key Ceremony
  This is where the key to their new home is given to the family, usually by one of the sponsors
• Candids
  These are candid shots of people at the ceremony

The Actors:

The actors include:

• Volunteers offer their time in several ways, primarily for builds where they participate in building the home
• Sponsors provide funding, materials, and often time-off for employees to volunteer
• Habitat provides the management, financing, organization, technical expertise and project management
• Families are the receivers of the homes and they provide “sweat” equity
• Political Leadership (municipal, provincial, and federal) provides support in various ways, including grants. Habitat provides a means for providing low-cost housing, which most governments are interested in supporting.

Theory:

The premise is a good, safe, affordable house is foundational for raising a family.  It becomes a home, in contrast to poor housing, a slum, infested with various species of things. A good home avoids stress. Elevated stress levels can reduce tolerance, leading to elevated emotional responses, and worse yet, physical abuse, mental abuse, marriage breakups, etc. Studies in Adverse Childhood Experiences point to the association between childhood trauma and an increase in social and health problems as an adult.  

Habitat’s program offers a way for some families to break out of the poverty cycle.

Content:

At present the material is organized around the families receiving the new homes and the Key Ceremony, when the keys to the new home are handed over.

Family Shots

Portraits

Key Ceremony

Thoughts and Observations:

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