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| India Boys, by Wendy Ewald. |
With the new printer, a bunch of ink and paper, two digital cameras, and a lot of creativity and patience, I am going to teach documentary photography to teenage girls through 10,000 Girls, an NGO in Senegal. Since I will be in a remote area, without reliable electricity or anywhere to develop film, I spent a lot of time researching the best way to bring photography to these girls -- the Canon SELPHY CP790 printer seems to get the best reviews, and is recommended by NGOs who do photography work in developing countries. With the tiny, space-age printer, I will be able to print photographs directly from the camera, using a battery. This way, the girls can have immediate, physical photographs, and I can archive the digital file. I can't wait to test it out, and see what the girls come up with.
I love documentary photography, especially teaching it. This will be the first time when I can put my training in Literacy Through Photography to the real test. I haven't specifically used the lessons that I learned with Wendy Ewald, one of my photographer heroes, five years ago at the Duke Center for Documentary Studies, so now is my chance! Even re-reading the description of Literacy Through Photography makes my heart beat faster: At its core, Literacy Through Photography encourages children to explore their world as they photograph scenes from their own lives, and then to use their images as catalysts for verbal and written expression.
What makes Ewald's approach unique is that she gives children the cameras, and allows them to explore their world through photographs they take. Agency, creativity, and reflection -- it is an inspiring process, and I can't wait to see what girls in Segou, Senegal will capture. Now I just have to figure out how to carry all of this new gear to southeastern Senegal!
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