Someone That Makes You Smile

Have you ever met someone that puts a smile on your face and brightens your day? A few months ago, I had the pleasure of encountering about 50 of these people all at once when I was asked to work on a project for the Nevins Center. Nevins is a non-profit organization in Charlotte, serving as a recreational and educational hub for developmentally challenged adults.

Adam, the Executive Director, wanted to hang a series of photos showcasing the people that benefit the most from Nevins. He asked me to help with the project that would personalize the campus buildings and create a welcoming atmosphere.

I showed up not really knowing what to expect. Honestly, my mind was rambling when I arrived; time-traveling to worry about past events and future uncertainties. It’s easy to get lost in the wilderness of personal burdens and forget that the world continues to spin outside of them. Snapping out of this is like waking up from a bad dream and realizing that I’m not actually running in quicksand.

I met with Adam in the main office area to listen to his vision, and he laid out all of the activities taking place. The buildings on the campus were outdated; a reminder of my elementary school buildings preserved in their original 1960s architecture. The facilities weren’t top notch; a result of the limited funding that the organization receives. But the biggest thing that struck me was that no one seemed to complain.

Adam and team are trying their best to overcome the biggest problem for Nevins: Funding. Nevins is an organization on a shoestring budget. And it makes sense. Think of the charitable organizations that you choose to support. Your list probably resembles something like this: Children’s Hospital, Kids with Cancer, and the Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis. Nevins does not cater to children and has no affiliation with a specific disease or affliction. This makes it tough to crack the list of most popular charities. Yet, the work that Adam and team are doing at Nevins seems incredibly important and essential.

Adam took us through the main rec-room that was filled with music, dancing, and crafts. There were more smiles in that room than any office building in America. The mood was contagious, and I felt my self-pity quickly evaporate into a smile.

Next, one of the staffers led us to a different building housing all of the classrooms. We dodged buckets catching rain water leaks en route to a classroom in session. The teacher told the students to ignore me and my camera in order to get some photos of an attentive, engaged class. They did a great job with this, but some couldn’t help but to sneak a quick glance at the camera accompanied with a bashful smile.

We turned back to the main building and I caught my friend here in a computer lab. He cracked a few jokes that made me laugh, and when I went to take his picture he said, “I hope I don’t break your camera”. He didn’t. I think he actually gave me my favorite photo of the day.

The last place we stopped was the cafeteria for lunchtime. The big, circular tables brought me back to High School lunches. A woman asked me to take her picture while she went around hugging just about everyone in the room. She wore a wide smile even when the camera was off, and she succeeded in making the shy guys blush.

In my brief history with photographing people, these were some of the most photogenic. When I get in front of the camera, I stiffen up. Consciously trying to look good or force a smile, but most of the time it just doesn’t work. The best photos that I get from people are candid, catching them in an honest moment with a genuine smile. Photographing the people at Nevins was one of the easiest projects I’ve ever done. Every moment was an honest moment, and every smile was a genuine smile.