The Centre for Creative Photography visits Highgate Primary School
One of the wonderful things I get to do representing the CCP is to visit schools and talk to the students about photography. Last Friday, I was privileged to be invited to Lucy Jachacy’s combined year 4, 5 and 6 class to talk with the students and answer questions they had prepared about this ubiquitous medium.
It was great meeting the group of about 10 girls who are also working on a Lego Challenge and wish to produce an accompanying, informative booklet about how to make photographs. I found the questions to be engaging as they went beyond how to operate a camera and their queries were somewhat more philosophical such as the difference between “Taking” and “Making” a photograph for example; I thought this was a great call actually.
After about an hour of this argy-bargy, I went over with everyone to their work area and showed the group some of the finer details of how to make a photograph which actually illustrated what they wished to show their audience. Their planning was excellent to see and after convincing everyone to work with AV Mode (i.e. aperture priority) as their work was not moving, we had a lot of fun trying different compositions and looking at different ways to focus your camera while on a tripod. There was a Canon, a Nikon and a rather large IPad, so things were moving at a brisk pace and everyone had a chance to make images.
Teaching photography is something I have always loved which is why the CCP exists. Last Friday’s experience reminded me just how important and fun it is to visit the next generation of shooters. The class was well prepared, excited and certainly engaged in their projects. I wish them all well and hope to revisit them for their presentation and publication.
Gavin Blake
