My Pinhole Project.

It's so hard to record a plan in progress. I have yet to wrap my head completely around what I'm doing. There is much to be said, so much to learn, and too much to look forward to.

I'm not working at the moment. Well, to be more precise, I am not longer at the job I was for 6 years. It took about a day to get over the shock of walking out the back door for the last time, but when the shock wore off, I was so happy that I didn't really feel like me anymore. It was a whole new me. A happy me.

I said good bye to security, to a steady income, and to stability. Everything outside of that is the unknown.

About 4 or 5 years ago I started volunteering for San Anto Cultural Arts (www.sananto.org). I remember exactly how it happened, how I was first introduced to the center, all the people I met, and how it instantly felt like family. I started out mentoring through photography for El Placazo, San Anto's newpaper put together by the students (and others).

Between a busy schedule and finding myself, I wasn't able to go all the time, and I took a long break from the center, all the while missing it, and wishing I could go back. I credit San Anto in helping me understand how to use photography to give back to my community. When I think about the organization, it's history, how it works for the community, and how it has opened up endless doors for me, I get very emotional. San Anto is in the middle of the Westside, one of the oldest areas of the city. The West Side is considered inner city, it's brown and proud, and it's where my parents grew up. San Anto Cultural Arts is the reason why I am constructing this project, they are my inspiration.

I needed to figure out a way to combine my love for photography, my need to reach out to my community, my English degree, and a happy exciting life into one. I needed a plan, I had so much to figure out. I started researching photography schools, programs, and institutes. I had seen Born into Brothels. I decided photo documentary or photo journalism is what I wanted to pursue. I wanted to make photography and everything about it accessible to those with a lack of resources (DIY). I knew I wanted to create workshops, programs, and to teach it. But how? when? where? money?

And then, I found this book on teaching pinhole photography.

And then, I found this program on Literacy Through Photography .

And then, I found this book on Kids and Cameras.

...and that was just the beginning. I have complied numerous resources, and with those resources, I put together a workshop. I have done 3 so far.

The image above is a juice box pinhole camera. It's handmade out of things you have around your home, plus some other very basic materials.

During the workshop I talk about very basic photographic technique. I am not a teacher, but I have read enough about photography to get basic fundamental points across. I have the group make the camera. We go outdoors and take photos. I have their film developed. I take them discs with the images, and show them some very basic image manipulation in photoshop. Once they have one image they are happy with,I have them write about it.

That is the basic outline for the workshop. I have changed some things here and there to accomodae group size, but the goal is always the same.

Building these cameras is a practice makes perfect affair. Some may get very clear images, and some may not. But the point isn't to achieve a photograph in terms of "perfection." Ansel Adams, que? What is that anyway? The point is to show the basic function of a camera, and to help the group understand light and film. It's to empower them, and they're creativity.

And it's because this is how I give back.

A week after I walked out the back door of my old job for the last time, I gave my first workshop.

Wish me luck on my journey.

Viva San Anto Cultural Arts.