I recently had the pleasure of teaching a group of teens in The Explorers Program, whose goal is to teach skills to live life and create impact. Right now, they are learning photography through guest photographers from various genres, and I was to focus on urban photography.
It’s always a bit intimidating getting up in front of a group of people, let alone a group of teens! Fortunately, photography has a way of connecting people no matter the age, race, language or skill. Going outside also makes it easier than staring at each other around a table. So off I went!
Day 1
After giving examples of how their four Life Skills are not just words but practical applications in the artistic and business portions of photography, we hit the streets to take advantage of the rare (as in record-breaking) sun and 70F degree February day.
We chased light and its effects on the city, explored alleys and took lots of photos of each other in action.
Day 2
I, first, set each of them up, individually, to get “in the zone” and SEE photos before taking them, after which, we headed out into the typical February weather and wind to role played “photographers on assignment”.
I don’t think they expected I would approach each of them to have them “sell” me their best photo.
If I had to guess, probably the most impressionable moments were when we went into the middle of the street for photos. My goal was to catch them off-guard a bit while still expecting quality and well-composed photos. I was impressed by their results. Mission accomplished!
Shout Out
I hope these young men and women found at least one thing that will not only improve their photography skill but help them with challenges they may face in life. I look forward to hearing stories about them in the future. Thanks to Julius Givens, The Explorer Program’s founder, for giving me this opportunity to work with his teens and for capturing the moments.
If you’d like to learn more about this organization, go to The Explorer Program. To see photos of the excursions, check out their Instagram Page. I’ll be posting some on mine as well, Tour Through A Lens Instagram
How To Book Your Teen or Teen Group
If you’re interested in having your teen or group of teens work with me through photography, either visit the Tour Through A Lens website to book a tour or email me, Teresa, with your special request.
