SARATOGA SPRINGS — Emma Dodge Hanson is known for her striking portraits — black-and-white photographs of brides framed by billowing veils, children giggling on a bed of grass and celebrities in relaxed and intimate moments. Her images are cherished by families who hang them in their homes; and they appear in newspapers and magazines such as Oprah, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly and The New York Times.

Her photos of female singer/songwriters, including Sheryl Crow, Jewel and Ani DiFranco, were compiled in “Solo.” Billboard Magazine praised Hanson’s images as “fresh” and “natural.”

Yet the photographer’s latest book project is a grand departure from her usual style. The coffee-table tome still has that documentary feel, but it’s in color. And she did it, not for well-heeled local clientele, but for the pure devotion to a cause — adoption.

“Faces of Layla: A Journey Through Ethiopian Adoption” chronicles the lives of the countless children awaiting families in Africa. The benefits of the book are two-fold. It tugs at the heart strings, inspiring adoption. And proceeds from sales of the book go toward the GRACE Fund (Generosity Reduces Adoption Costs Everywhere), which helps subsidize adoption costs.

Genuine enthusiasm

As Hanson flips through the photos in her book in her Saratoga Springs studio, her enthusiasm is obvious.

“Look at these faces,” she said as she points to their broad smiles. “How can you resist?”

Raised in New Canaan, Conn., a white, affluent community, Hanson was keenly aware of the wealth gap. Her family hosted Fresh Air Fund children each summer. And her mother, also a photographer, co-founded the emergency relief fund, AmeriCares.

Hanson found her way to upstate New York by attending Skidmore College, where she was introduced to photography by professor Richard Linke.

She married Marc Woodworth, a poetry and writing professor at Skidmore, who shared her passion for philanthropic endeavors and adoption. Their children, Calla, 5, and Ryder, 1, are adopted from Ethiopia. She dedicated the book, which has a forward by Melissa Fay Greene and text by Jennifer Armstrong, to Calla.

Q: Why did you want to do this book?

A: This entire thing is done as a fundraiser. We think the last thing that should stop people from adopting is money. The GRACE Fund, to date, has placed 72 kids. My theory is the kids who are waiting the longest, because they have four siblings or they are handicapped or they are older, those are the kids that need the help.

Q: You usually shoot in black and white. Why did you want to shoot them in color?

A: These kids lend themselves to color. And black and white is difficult on a dark face.

Q: But you prefer black and white?

A: Yes. It’s timeless. It’s archival. Actually, color is a lot of work for me. I can be overwhelmed by color.

Q: You are steeped in many projects including teaching photography at Skidmore?

A: Yes, I have five interns. I tell them I will make sure they will have a perfect portfolio by the end of the semester. I first teach them the basic rules of light, composition. And then, this is the fun part, I tell them to break the rules. I love it. I love the eye they bring.

Q: And you do a lot of weddings. Do you enjoy weddings?

A: I love weddings. I get paid for being a fly on the wall for four hours. I love it when a bride says to me that they forgot I was there. But when I shoot kids, I always say if I don’t come back dirty, I’m not doing my job. I spend an hour with them and I try to figure out what is the one thing that is most fun for them.

Q: You seem to really love the family portraits?

A: My mother and grandmother died in a plane crash. After they died, I realized I didn’t have any pictures with them. So I’m completely honored to do this. The most important thing is to have these pictures with family. The essence of photography, the heart of photography is documentary, it’s archival. That’s why, when I go to a wedding, I look for the youngest person and the oldest person there. I have some families that I photograph every year. This is really important to me.