All of FamilyMeans' Youth Development programs work toward the goal of equipping youth to learn, thrive, connect and contribute throughout their lives. The new Landfall Photo Club project, implemented at the Landfall Teen Center, checks all of those developmental boxes. Teen participants were awarded instant ownership of a refurbished point-and-shoot camera. At weekly meetings, they have learned about, and practiced shooting images incorporating depth of field, shooting patterns, rule of thirds, rule of odds, sizing the subject to fill the frame, and capturing leading lines.
Exploring personal creativity is one action that can help youth thrive. But often teens claimed they weren't good at art. Our program staff counter that hesitation by emphasizing that everyone has the capacity to be creative, and there can be pleasure and satisfaction in the creative process itself. Released from this inhibiting mindset, the teens quickly began composing images that often surprised themselves about the quality of their work.
The Landfall Photo Club is being offered in partnership with "Recycle Your Camera.com For Kids". Teens are getting connected to the resources and expertise of this group, and are exploring their community from a different perspective. Teens' images will be displayed at the City of Landfall Community Center during the community's annual Holiday Dinner.
