Different Backgrounds - photography workshop

By Vinet - 14/02/2012

I recently put together a photography workshop working with teenagers at a local homeless hostel which focuses on providing opportunities to develop independence. I encouraged the residents to get behind the camera and use it to freely express a part of their lives and personalities in whichever way they desired. I set a few guidelines for formats and subjects: -

Take a group shot 
Take 6-10 shots of yourself 
Possessions (take a photo of something that means a lot to you)
 Take 2 photos of your surroundings
 Choose 3 emotions

The first theme ‘group shot’ we did together. The group decided where they wanted to go and how to pose and I took the picture. Some of them didn’t want to be in the picture so turned their backs, away from the camera going against the tradition of facing the person taking the picture.

I then left and asked them to complete the rest of the tasks and email the results on to me. Only one resident returned a set of photographs. I found these extremely powerful and thought provoking.

Different Backgrounds - Photography Workshop

Due to the lack of response from the rest of group I decided to create different backgrounds for the group shot we had taken; to return it to them and ask those that took part which photo they could most relate to. 9 residents felt able to respond.

One resident said that he felt like he was currently banging his head against a brick wall and didn’t know where to turn. Another put himself in the windy road picture saying that while he was behind other people he knew in his achievements and had a long way to go, he knew what he wanted to do. Another one felt trapped and choose the wall picture either side.

The one set of photos that were returned to me was from a 19 year old girl with low self esteem who didn’t feel comfortable in front of the camera, but has aspirations to become a photographer. I was told that her favourite part of her is her hair and the colour pink is her favourite colour -which is evident in one of the photographs. I was also told that after she took the picture of her room it inspired her to clear it up and start afresh.