Asociación CREAR Campamento de Fotografía, April, 2021

Photo by Anisha

Light painting by Alex

Students experiment with using basic design principles in photographing. Image by Lucy

Working in collaboration with Asociación CREAR’s ongoing series of programs for youth in Playa Sámara, New Voices assisted with creating a short series of photo classes to engage students in thinking about photography as a creative tool beyond documenting and recording daily events. Students took on the challenge of creating photos by seeing the world as a series of shapes and forms instead of everyday objects. In this way, they were able to think more about using the frame of the camera as a type of canvas in which objects are intentionally arranged instead of as a space for capturing or recording a subject.

Students also learned some fun technical variations to alter the way the camera records objects in various settings. These experiments included capturing subjects in motion, using artificial light sources to create images in total darkness and even exploring the world under the surface of the ocean through the lens of the camera.

Each student received their own photo journal with prints from their photo exercises at the conclusion of the program.

New Voices youth photo programming continues in July in collaboration with Asociación CREAR as students take on the challenge of documenting some of Playa Sámara’s favorite sports including surfing, fútbol playa and snorkeling.