By Jena Olson
It’s the end of the school year and that also means the end of The AjA Project’s PhotoCity program at Crawford High School. Our students have not only created some fantastic pieces about their school and community, but they have also mastered new photography techniques and developed new skills they can use for future projects.
PhotoCity, a photography class that helps students reflect on their community and advocate for change in it, has opened up a new means of communication for the Crawford High School students involved this year.
“Photography lets me express things that I can’t say” said Alex, 17. “Now I know that photography is just another language, it’s not simple. It’s dedication.”
Students have also had the chance to develop new artistic skills and techniques.
“PhotoCity is a really good way to share and capture our ideas in photos,” said Jose, 16. “It teaches me skills and techniques to use when I take pictures.”
For our final class we took a field trip to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Among the works of art students saw were pieces from Los Angeles photographer Ed Ruscha and renowned Japanese photographers Hiroshi Hamaya and Kansuke Yamamoto.
This was the first big museum trip for Jose.
“The trip to the Getty actually made me curious about the history of some photos,” Jose said.
The Getty definitely inspired everyone to get more involved in photography and take more photos. Throughout this post you can see a few samples of the photos students took while at the Getty.
Photo Credit: Alex, 17
Photo Credit: Jose, 16
Photo Credit: Evelin, 15
Photo Credit: Fernanda, 16
Photo Credit: Jose, 16
Photo Credit: Jose, 16
Photo Credit: Evelin, 15
Photo Credit: Alex, 17
Our students have shared some remarkable insights with you through their photographs and narratives, which we’ve published here on Speak City Heights.
As instructors, we have also had the pleasure of listening to their in-class discussions and seeing their opinions and ideas develop and grow over the school year. The benefits of the PhotoCity Program can be measured in our students’ progress with their technical photographic ability, but more importantly, their appreciation for their community and their continued drive to improve the opportunities available to themselves and others within this community.