People often joke about women and their shoes. Some it seems love them enough to pay money to be photographed wearing them. But before any of you roll your eyes, I should mention that the money is for an extremely good cause. San Francisco based photographer, Amy Martin Friedman, started her project “A day in my shoes” six years ago and, in that time, has raised both awareness and money to support women who have suffered spousal/partner abuse – money totally $400,000 to date.
Each year Martin Friedman partners with a different city and charges participants a fee to photograph them wearing their favourite pair of shoes, with the money raised going to a local charity or organisation which supports those who have suffered spousal/partner abuse. Participating women pay a $675 fee to be photographed. Due to the high cost of participation, other people or organisations often sponsor those women who want to take part in the project but are unable to afford the fee. Prints are then displayed in a gallery show and Martin Friedman compiles a book of the photographs, with the participation fees and proceeds from the book benefit a women’s shelter in the host city.