Portraits of Strength: A Photo Event for LA Wildfire Survivors & First Responders
Just over a week ago, The Vanity Portrait Studio hosted a free portrait experience at the Los Angeles Convention Center for families who lost their homes in the LA wildfires. It was a powerful reminder of kindness, gratitude, and luck.
A Community Effort to Uplift and Restore
The idea started months ago when our team suggested doing a family photo event for wildfire survivors—to offer a small gift to those who had lost so much. I mentioned it to my friend Laura at LA Tourism, and days later, I was CC’d on an email from their CEO, Adam Burke, offering full support from LA Tourism, the City, the Convention Center, and others ready to help. Everyone came together with one goal: to uplift the community.
After building a website and planning our outreach, we spent weeks spreading the word. Linda and Kristina from our team reached out directly to over 500 people and organizations. Thanks to their efforts—and yours in sharing our emails and social media posts—we reached nearly 100 families who signed up.
Inside the Portrait Experience
We transformed the LA Convention Center into a full-scale portrait studio, complete with four sets (thanks to Bright Rentals!) and a warm, welcoming lounge. Our team captured hundreds of powerful moments, printing 1,450 portraits on-site for families to take home.
Many guests shared that they had lost all of their family photos in the fires. Some were not home when the fires swept through and never had a chance to save anything. These new portraits, professionally printed and gifted to each family, were more than images—they were symbols of resilience, new beginnings, and a sense of home.
Stories That Will Stay With Us
As photographers, we’re trained to listen through the lens—but this event was filled with conversations we’ll never forget. Two things really stood out:
Recovery is slow. All the families we met had found new places to live, but each one was dealing with insurance issues and the ongoing adjustments of starting over. They shared that while there had been strong support initially, much of that attention had since faded. Many felt forgotten. They were grateful this event happened when it did, thankful that someone still cared. It was a reminder to me that care isn’t a one-time response or a quick news story. Real impact comes from the steady work of organizations committed to the long haul.
Bad luck is real. Every story left us thinking, “This is just plain bad luck.” Some lost their homes instantly, some while trying to save them, and others still had standing homes that became unlivable because the wind carried toxic lead from nearby fires. The wind blew the wrong way. That alone is why their homes are gone. Over and over, that’s all I could think: bad luck.
One especially moving story came from a group of women from Pacific Palisades. When they arrived, they immediately asked for the restroom—and five minutes later, emerged in their swimsuits. Turns out, they’re part of an ocean swim group that used to meet regularly in the bay near their homes. Tragically, they all lost their homes in the fire, and the bay is now too toxic to swim in.
For their portrait session, they brought a flag reading “Pacific Palisades Don’t Quit.” Wearing their suits, they posed with strength and unity. Afterward, when they saw their printed portraits, they hugged and cried together. It was a powerful, emotional moment—one we won’t forget.
A Lasting Impact
Over the course of two days, there were many meaningful moments—stories shared, tears shed, hugs exchanged, and a great deal of love.
A huge thank you to our team for the tremendous effort they put into showing up for these families. Thank you to LA Tourism, the LA City Tourism Department, and the Los Angeles Convention Center for donating the space that made this event possible. And thank you to Bright Rentals for providing the furniture that helped create a warm, welcoming space for families to relax between sessions.
At The Vanity Portrait Studio, we believe in the power of printed portraits—to preserve memories, honor stories, and create connection. Our hope is that these portraits bring warmth and beauty into the new spaces our guests are building, and offer a moment of joy during what we know has been a challenging journey.
Thank you to every family who showed up with courage, and to every person who helped make this event possible.
Watch the recap and explore the gallery below to see a few of the portraits captured during the weekend.
