I just finished teaching a course at Delaware Valley University’s Center for Learning in Retirement called “Planning and Creating a Photographic Project”. My thinking in putting it together was that we often snap pictures without much thought or make them without a larger purpose in mind. Or sometimes we get in a rut and can’t get motivated to make any pictures at all! Guess what … our horizons need expanding!

The objective of the class was for students to produce a theme-based photographic project with a specific objective in mind. I would help them along the way in terms of producing better photographs that they would be proud of and perhaps want to display.

Lofty goals for sure, but why not!

Back in February at the beginning of the semester I could tell most of the students were either ambivalent or nervous about what they had signed up for. First, they had to plan a project based on personal research concerning their chosen subject or area of interest. Then they had to create a thematic body of work and produce a portfolio containing 10 printed photographs. Finally they had to prepare a written essay describing the theme; why they chose it, what it meant to them, and what they learned during the course of making the photos and arranging their portfolio. Of course, each photograph had to be accompanied by a short written description of what it was and how it fit within the project theme. Piece of cake?

Ok, so it was a little daunting and not everyone that signed up stuck it out. But that’s all right. Better not to stay if you don’t want to put in the effort or you’re afraid of trying. Believe me I understand that it is far easier to keep doing things willy-nilly without much thought, or that is it is more fun to think about the next gear purchase rather than using what you have to make meaningful pictures.

I wanted the class to go beyond these stumbling blocks to plan a meaningful project and take the steps necessary to complete it. One thing I kept pounding them with is that there are stories and projects all around us! For gosh sakes if you can’t find something to do in a place like Buck’s County then there is a real problem! But it really doesn’t really matter where you live. The problem is that most of us feel we have to travel to some exotic location before we can get juiced up about making “important” photographs. Nonsense!

You have to open your eyes and become more aware of your surroundings and the range of possibilities they offer. That means new thinking concerning what’s really important in your life … and for that matter … life in general. And when you do have a project or theme you are working on, please don’t have a blind spot when it comes to unexpected opportunities. Bottom line … there’s so much to see and capture if only we are open to it!

I wanted the students to write about what they hoped to … and did accomplish … and what the work meant to them. This would help crystalize things and writing about each picture would further help to tie the portfolio together.

After seeing what the students accomplished, I was more than satisfied with my strategy and I am now especially convinced that writing can be a great tool in your photographic arsenal!

But what really excited the students and me was the result of their hard work! They really grew and created some very nice work! In some cases they surprised themselves … and me! Those that were most successful truly did open their eyes to see things in new ways … such as abstract designs found in man made objects or nature … or the true importance and deep meaning of family relationships. In short, they learned that there really are extraordinary stories and projects to do all around us worth discovering and photographing!!

Seeing the results of their hard work was my reward. That and a renewed purpose to keep my own eyes open to all the wonderful possibilities that lie before me.