Teaching Photography & Advocacy to D.C. Youth

Critical Exposure is wrapping up intensive summer workshop series at the Higher Achievement Program and at Martha’s Table in Washington, DC.

At the Higher Achievement Program (HAP), held at a school in DC’s Brightwood neighborhood, middle school youth have been learning about photography and advocacy four days a week. The students’ most recent assignment—to capture the essence of their education in photos and writing—resulted in interesting images that utilize the principles of photography taught in class (including line, angle, composition, and framing) and impromptu poems and stories about school.

One student, 11-year-old Bethlehem, shot the first two images below to depict her education. “In this photography class I have been taught things that I didn’t know, and it helped me a lot,” writes Bethlehem. “I learned about angles. I used to take my pictures straight, but now this class has taught me how to take pictures from different angles. I learned about composition. Since then I took photos thinking about composition and drawing attention to the subject. I learned a lot from this class and made my photos more interesting.” Bethlehem composed the following poem to accompany her photographs:

Education, Education, Education Education is reading Education is learning Education is writing Education is listening Education is everything Education is sometimes boring Education is tiring Education is discovering Education is speaking Education is everything That’s what education is to me

Bethlehem’s classmate, Erica, shot the third photograph below, of tutors available to students in the HAP program. “Some students work together,” she wrote in a caption for the image. In education, “Extra help never hurts.”