Taking photos of people

In this afternoon, we talked about taking photos of people and the correct posture of photographer.

"Photographers must be respectful and should be friendly. Beyond, for me, taking photos of people is a good  opportunity to interact, to exchange between photographed and photographer. Should be good for both. I enjoyed myself a lot when I am taking photos of people. For me, the camera is a wonderful sociability tool", I said.

In fact, their behavior of teens were like that in the first outdoor class. They were respectful. They were friendly. They showed the pictures in the camera's LCD to the photographed. They interacted with the photographed. They played. They enjoyed themselves. It was a special moment to see their postures in the first outdoor class.

I said again just reaffirming about the correct posture that photographers should have when they are taking photos of people. They should ask the photographed before taking his photo.

"May I take your photo? You also can ask with body language. Position the camera toward the person, if he doesn't oppose, shoot. In spontaneous portraits, show the picture to the photographed after you took it", I said.

The act of photographing should be a pleasure for both (photographer and photographed). To show the photographed his picture is a good behavior. In this way, digital camera is amazing, because the photographers can show the photo at the same time they shoot. 

"We are UKONWABA. What means TO BE HAPPY. Then, the act of photographing should be a PLAYFUL HAPPY MOMENT for photographer and photographed!", I said.

After that, we walked around Langa to take photos! 

These are the photos the teens took today!

Taken by Kwanele.

Mothers of the Church.

Kwanele shooting.

  

I and Mbulelo, drums' teacher of Project Playground.

Taken by Nomandla.

Taken by Luzuko.

Luzuko, self-portrait.

Our methodology

Our methodology is to explain the basic rules of photography after the teens have taken their photos. The goal is to encourage them believe in themselves. Showing that they know, intuitively, taking a good photo. Then, my role as a teacher is just correcting their small mistakes. This methodology was suggested by Jorge Quintão, my Brazilian friend, founder of "Collective Eyes" (www.olharcoletivo.org), the social project "Kids with Cameras" in Brazil.

I also developed a similar project in Brazil during my Master in 2008. In that time, I taught basic rules before the teenagers took their first photos. After, we talked about the basic rules in their photos. At this moment, thinking about it, really, the methodology suggested by Jorge Quintão is the best way to build self-confidence.

Furthermore, I tell you. I am impressed with the first photos that teens took by themselves. The most of them had a harmonious composition.

What is composition?

We talked about "what is composition?".

Composition are the picture elements. It is everything that appears in the photo, in the rectangle. These elements must mean something to you, must tell something to you and everybody.  These elements are information.

We talked about this famous photo below took by Walter Firmo, a well-known Brazilian photographer.

"What do you think this man does in his life? What is he?", I asked the teens.

Silence in the class.

"What is this instrument in his lap?", I asked.

The teens answered: "It is a saxophone". 

"Then, what do you think is he?", I asked.

The teens: "A musician".

"Exactly. This element of the photography, the saxophone, gives us information about this man, tell us something about this man. Who he is. What he does. This is an information! That man is a famous Brazilian musician. His name is Pixinguinha. He isn't alive... Which place do you think he is?", I asked.

Silence in the class.

"Look at the background", I said.

"Inside or outside?", I asked.

The teens: "Outside".

"Yes. You can say it because the tree, the daylight. This a typical scene of the suburban culture in Brazil. People taking a rest in their house's backyard. All elements in this photo, the man resting in the chair, his saxophone, the daylight, are information, tell us about him, tell us about suburban culture in Brazil. You just can say he is a musician, because you don't know about the Brazilian culture. But Brazilian people can realize where is the scene, what is this culture. I am showing you this photo, because the suburban culture in Brazil is very similar to the culture of township. People on the streets, in front of the gates, in their backyards, the community life. You can show your culture to the people, to everybody doesn't live here and would like do know about the township lifestyle, the african lifestyle", I said.

This photo has an excellent composition!

"All elements of the photo tell us something, give us information and are organized in harmony with each other. This is our job. The job of photographers! To take pictures with information and harmony!", I said.

Thanks donors!

The generous donations from my Brazilian friends allowed us to buy 5 digital cameras for Ukonwaba Photo Club.

The model of cameras: Canon Power Shot A3000 IS, 10.0 megapixels.

I want to say "thank you so much" to my dear friends for sharing this dream and making it a reality! 

Fábio Chevitarese, Mariana Priscila Maculan, Marcelo Sobreiro, Juciara Azevedo, Angela Brusamarello, Manuela de Andrade, Maria Araújo, Tania Maia, Hanná Grabriela, Yuki Matsumoto, Liane Viegas, Nayara Menezes, Nathalie Hurtado, Mariza Engel and Cláudia Cunha.

Thank you!

The first outdoor class!

In this week, we did the first outdoor class!

It was emotional to see the teens taking photos of the other kids, rediscovering their township by another angle, exchanging with the photographed and enjoying themselves with these playful sociable tools, such as cameras.

It was wonderful!

Photos taken by Khany.

Khany shooting.

Taken by Luzuko.

Luzuko

Taken by Nomandla.

Nomandla showing the photos for her photographed kids.

Taken by Yanga.

Yanga shooting.

Sunday in Langa

Thami, Mbulelo, Anathi and I walked around Langa Township, talking to people and taking photos on the streets. It was amazing. People loved to pose for our lenses.

We enjoyed the vibe!

Smiling lady and Thami, lucky guy.

Mbulelo and his warm family. Thank you!

Anathi with his creative draws and the camera.
He wants to learn photography to improve his art of drawing.

Glória, my portrait taken by Anathi.

The First Class - What is photography?

The topic of the first class was "What is photography?", "What photography is about?".

We talked about the origin of the word: PHOTO + GRAPHY.

PHOTO comes from Greek language and means LIGHT.

GRAPHY also comes from Greek language and means GRAPHIA, WRITING.

So, photography is writing with light!

Dotty, staff and Xhosa translator, made a colorful draw showing us the meaning:

We suggested the teens to close theirs eyes. Then, we asked them: "Could you see anything?". The answer was "Not". We asked "Why" and they answered: "Because is dark". After, we asked them to open their eyes and why they can see. The answer was: "Because there is light!". 

Then, we asked the teens to walk around the classroom and choose something or someone is interesting for them to take a photo. Each teen stopped in front of something. So, we say:


"Photography is about that, is about yours feelings, about what is important for you for some reason".

We explained: "Imagine this big world! You choose and cut something of this big world and put inside a small rectangle, a photo. You have endless choices. So, if you chose, I think that thing or person is important for you. What do you think?"

Anathi replied: "Photography is about me, what is inside of me. Through photography I can express myself".

We added: "So, photography can be a tool for you express yourself. For example, when the teacher at school ask you to write an essay. You may choose the subject. You write about your feelings, dreams, family. You write a story. You use a pencil. You write a story with letters. In photography, you also write a story. However, you use a camera, you use your eyes. You write a story with images. You write a story with light!".

Our intention is to support them to realize by themselves the world of image they are part of as well as the photography as a tool of self-expression.

Then, we talked about the principle of image's formation: "What is camera obscura?".

CAMERA comes from Latin language and means CHAMBER, ROOM.

OBSCURA also comes from Latin language and means DARK.

What is the principle of camera obscura? In 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci described it.

Punch a small hole a dark box and put a piece of paper on the other side. When the image of illuminated objects penetrates a dark box through a small hole, you'll have the inverted image of illuminated objects on the paper.

After speaking a bit about image's formation, we built our camera obscura: a  Matchbox Pinhole Camera!

Click here:

How to built a MatchBox Pinhole Camera?