Photo Camp

There have been times in my Peace Corps service where I have questioned just about every last skill I thought I once possessed--i.e. my teaching, spanish, and organizational abilities just to name a few.  Camera camp this past week was NOT one of those times.  Thanks to a PC friend who introduced my buddy and me to the San Diego based Outside the Lens foundation.  The foundation donated 20 digital cameras and a list of lesson plans to my friend.  After the three of us selected two projects: Pieces of me and HOPE we, who all have a pretty limited background in photography mind you, were ready to teach 15 Boquillero high school students how to take the perfect shot.  

Day one started like any normal day.  A few students showed up at 1:00pm, the actual starting time, but the majority nonchalantly strolled through the door around 1:30 and the last group of girls rolled in at 2:15.  Once all 15 students gathered in the cramped room, they all managed to dejar la pena at the door and actively participate and enthusiastically used their new technical language, burs ayh you (birds eye view) was heard around the beach for the next three days.  

The first project we worked on, Pieces of me, had the students selecting their favorite body part and taking photos of it.  Along with pictures, the students also wrote poems about the importance of that body part.  Day two had the students thinking creatively, often a problem in the classroom, and designing photos to depict their definition of esperanza.  My favorite part of the week had to be looking at all of the different definitions of hope the students came up with.  More photos and final projects to come soon.

Hope Project: Wishing for a cleaner La Boquilla

Pieces of me project: 7th grader selects her legs as the focal point for her project