A photo show exhibiting the work of Richmond inner kids curated by photographer Lloyd Young of the Peter Paul Development Center. The work is offers a glimpse into the day of a child growing up in the projects. The show is on Thursday, June 10th at 5pm at 1719 N. 22nd St. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
RVA: What is the project?
Lloyd Young: Peter Paul’s Literacy through Photography program strives to improve the writing and analytical skills of the students while providing them the necessary tools to take effective photographs. The program’s main focus is on the students’ views of their environments and to capture how their communities are, make them feel and have the potential to be.
Through a series of writing exercises the students will devise a plan of action and choose something to express before going out into their communities and taking photographs. After the photographs are developed and printed the students will then analyze their own work as well as critique each other as to how successful their plans worked. The program will close with an exhibition, “Look at Me,” that will be open to the students’ families as well as the community.
This program is based on the work of Wendy Ewald, an educator as well as photographer who has worked with children all over the world. Her approach started in her photography class in Kentucky. She engaged her students in a discussion about their dreams; Could they put them into words? How would they describe them? How could they stage a scene that they could photograph? Giving the students encouragement to trust and carry out their ideas proved very effective. This approach turned into a method that took Wendy from the southern states of the U.S. to Saudi Arabia and all around the world. She has earned many awards and grants including a Fulbright Scholarship and MacArthur Fellowship.
A photo show exhibiting the work of Richmond inner kids curated by photographer Lloyd Young of the Peter Paul Development Center. The work is offers a glimpse into the day of a child growing up in the projects. The show is on Thursday, June 10th at 5pm at 1719 N. 22nd St. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
RVA: What is the project?
Lloyd Young: Peter Paul’s Literacy through Photography program strives to improve the writing and analytical skills of the students while providing them the necessary tools to take effective photographs. The program’s main focus is on the students’ views of their environments and to capture how their communities are, make them feel and have the potential to be.
Through a series of writing exercises the students will devise a plan of action and choose something to express before going out into their communities and taking photographs. After the photographs are developed and printed the students will then analyze their own work as well as critique each other as to how successful their plans worked. The program will close with an exhibition, “Look at Me,” that will be open to the students’ families as well as the community.
This program is based on the work of Wendy Ewald, an educator as well as photographer who has worked with children all over the world. Her approach started in her photography class in Kentucky. She engaged her students in a discussion about their dreams; Could they put them into words? How would they describe them? How could they stage a scene that they could photograph? Giving the students encouragement to trust and carry out their ideas proved very effective. This approach turned into a method that took Wendy from the southern states of the U.S. to Saudi Arabia and all around the world. She has earned many awards and grants including a Fulbright Scholarship and MacArthur Fellowship.
RVA: What is Peter Paul?
Lloyd Young: The Peter Paul Development Center is a non-profit outreach and community service ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, serving Church Hill and neighboring communities in the East End of Richmond.
RVA: How did this project happen?
Lloyd Young: A culmination of things, my wanting to give the students at Peter Paul Development Center a format to express their feelings, opinions, expectations, etc. as well as my infatuation with photography and Wendy Ewald’s “Literacy Though Photography” program. Like most kids, these students have so much to say and not many ways to say it. All of the students are so creative and funny that I thought a project where they have almost total control of what they’re saying would be very enlightening to the whole community. That was the inspiration but it would have not gotten far without the donors who funded the program. A bunch of folks from Xerox (Chris Armfield, Kym Donnelly, Billy Puetz, Gina Bua, Michael Cowgill, Joanna Ringgold, Frank Bjoring and Cathie Lederle) donated the full amount proposed and “Look at Me” would not be happening without their generosity. I am very grateful to them.
RVA: How was the response from the staff when you pitched this idea?
Lloyd Young: Everyone at Peter Paul was totally excited when I proposed the project. Rosemary Jones, our Volunteer Coordinator put the word out and got me in touch with the Xerox team within the first week and we’ve been working ever since. The teachers, staff and families, as well as myself, have been completely impressed with the students’ work. It’s been an awesome experience to learn how students view themselves, their surroundings, and their futures.
RVA: What do you think the kids learned from it?
Lloyd Young: I think the most significant skill they have learned is how to think more critically. To be aware of how much presentation and point of view play into expressing an idea is pretty hard to get and I can see the wheels turning when they set up a shot and direct their models. We talked a lot about the use of symbols and framing and they have totally exceeded my expectations with their execution of these tools. The students used disposable black and white cameras so the technical lessons were limited but I must say they made the most out of what they had.
RVA: What did you learn?
Lloyd Young: So much! Most importantly I’ve learned the stories and views of the students. Also, that communication has many forms, some students are more successful expressing themselves through photographs while others are more comfortable writing or speaking. Through the critiquing process those preferences have really come out and seeing the confidence gained through being heard is an experience that I am totally committed to continuing make happen.
For more information http://peterpauldevcenter.org/
