Top glamour photographer Russell Tanoue is making a difference where it counts ­ looking beyond physical appearance to capture his subjects´ beauty within.

It is his talent for seeing a perso´s true spirit that led Tanoue to create Russell Tanoue´s Project Shine in 2001, a program that offers free makeovers and photo sessions to people fighting cancer and other diseases, victims of domestic violence and at­risk teens and teenagers rehabilitated from drug abuse.

The program also produces events to raise funds for other charities, recipients with medical financial challenges, complete makeover for women and men who are victims of domestic violence who were physically damaged to name a few.

Its goal is to also have a "Shine Day" each month where qualified individuals will take part in a day of self esteem boast and pampering to make one shine and forget about their illness and or challenges.

Tanoue helps these individuals remember that no matter what their body is battling, their spirit is still very much alive.

The inspiration behind Russell Tanoue´s Project Shine came to Tanoue while on a photo shoot.

He was working with a model whose physical beauty was stunning on the outside, but who Tanoue sensed was dealing with something else on the inside.

The model revealed to Tanoue that she had lupus and didn´t feel beautiful because of her disease. But when she saw the photos Tanoue took during their session ­ photos that revealed her true inner beauty ­ she was thrilled.

"My whole journey with this project and working with my recipients is giving them that moment to shine and really capture how they see themselves."

The first two participants of Russell Tanoue´s Project Shine were Lessa Loftin, who has lupus, and Deborah Ardolf, a middle-aged speech pathologist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, an incurable autoimmune disease.

"Everyone should use their talents in a positive way to touch people´s lives," says Tanoue.

Russell Tanoue´s current mission is to create incentive programs with Project Shine for these at­risk teens and award them with various prizes from financial support for greater education, the arts and or simply to improve a skill. Helping them reach their goals and boost self esteem.

No matter what the project may be, one thing is for sure Tanoue will alwaysbe someone who uses his talents and the beauty industry as a vehicle to make other people´s lives shine more brightly.

By Katie Young