SMC’s Winter semesters may seem invisible to those who skip them, but during our most recent abbreviated semester, a special event made its second-ever appearance.
Julie Dole / Pirate Staff Writer
SMC’s Winter semesters may seem invisible to those who skip them, but during our most recent abbreviated semester, a special event made its second-ever appearance.
The school’s Photography Department spearheaded an event to provide free studio portraits to families and other victims of the 2018 Woolsey fire, a wildfire that incinerated almost 97,000 acres. Those in the fire’s path who weren’t killed or injured were often left homeless; many lost everything as the fire ravaged through Los Angeles and Ventura counties’ coastal communities and parklands.
SMC’s most recent shoot was a reboot of a similar outreach that one of the College’s Photography professors produced in 1993, after that year’s Old Topanga Fire scorched 18,000 acres of land, in and around the Santa Monica Mountains.
As the College’s newsroom reported in January, SMC Photography Instructor Blue Fier said that: “[in 1993] I remember seeing families, friends, and people of all ages being interviewed by TV newscasters, [and] what touched me was that nearly all of those whose homes had been burnt said they were glad they grabbed their family photo albums… or, that they regretted not having taken them.”
In 1993, Professor Fier shot complimentary fire victim portraits as a personal project. For his 2019 reboot, Fier realized the shoot would make an ideal project for SMC students. Recruiting Photography Professor Craig Mohr, the two also brought in SMC’s Cosmetology and Fashion students to collaborate.
Each session produced a curated set of 10 digital images, plus a matted, 8×10 inch archival black-and-white print, for families to take home.
Said Mohr, “This is an opportunity for those who lost treasured photographs in the fire to start anew.”
SMC Foundation President Lizzie Moore estimated that at least 27 families participated, and noted that “over fifty SMC faculty and students” had volunteered for the event.
So on Saturday, January 5, affected families arrived throughout the day for the event. They greeted neighbors and socialized over sandwiches and snacks; browsed through donated wardrobes and swag bags, and had their portraits taken.
“I love fashion and giving back to the community,” fashion student Tracy Ortado said, as she selected armfuls of clothes from the school’s Career Closet for the event. “I love incorporating the two, to be more inclusive,” she added.
SMC fashion alum Nikkia Sipes also volunteered as a stylist, and helped families select clothes from the offerings, saying, “I’m really grateful to be a part of this, I’ve been wanting to help the fire victims. [And with] fashion – who knew?”
Petra, a survivor from Agoura Hills, arrived with her father (Pete) and their Irish setter (Maile) in tow for their shoot. Said Pete, “It’s very accommodating [here.] I’m a fish out of water, so… Everyone’s been very kind, very nice… [and] Maile got a new collar!
Petra and her father, Pete, share a hug for the camera during Santa Monica College’s complimentary portrait event for Woolsey fire survivors, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA, January 5, 2019, (Julie Dole/ Pirate)
Petra explained that her dad lived alone while she was at college. Her voice breaking, she continued: “My dad said, ‘I need to evacuate’… and I had some stuff there, I had a little apartment… [He] said, ‘honey, I didn’t think it was going to burn’… I wished you were there, I would have packed all your stuff up like you were going to college.’ ”
She added, “My dad was the leader on our street, so he evacuated last… we saw what happened to Paradise”…
“But our dog apparently was a real morale booster, because she’d go up to all the little kids, you know?”
The day before the shoot, Petra visited the site of their former home for the first time since the fire. “I had finally gotten the courage,” she said, “and I found some things. “There were [notes] from the local kids, saying ‘we hope you get your home back soon,’ it was really cute.”
Then she continued: “We live in a park – and a hundred people lost their homes in our park… Half the park didn’t get touched. My dad didn’t get so lucky.”
Later, while being made up for the shoot, Petra added, “I think it’s pretty incredible, I really appreciate it,” she said, [and] sitting in this makeup chair feels pretty glamorous.”
The Santa Monica College Foundation continues to raise funds for the 150-plus SMC students, employees, and families whose homes were damaged or lost in the Woolsey Fire.
Donations for this fund are still being accepted; for information, see: santamonicacollegefoundation.org/malibufirerelief
