By Dawn Johnsen, ’10, Contributor
EXPOSURE is a collaborative photography project between CCDS and the University of Cincinnati, formed to create a model photography curriculum teaching social justice. EXPOSURE gives a voice to children who have been orphaned or abandoned physically or psychologically through photography locally, nationally, and internationally.
In June 2008, EXPOSURE traveled to San Miguel, Mexico, to work with children at an orphanage. The EXPOSURE students tried to capture the personal stories of the orphans. The students worked with boys at the orphanage and became fast friends even with the language barrier; photography is a universal language. Every day, the EXPOSURE students went to the orphanage to play with and photograph the kids. Not only did we photograph the children, but we also allowed them to use our cameras to photograph us and the other children. They were taught how to use the cameras correctly and safely. The best part of the time we spent with them was when we allowed them to take Polaroid pictures of each other, and we took Polaroids of them, and they got to keep them. This was a big deal because it was very unlikely that they had pictures of themselves, let alone each other.
EXPOSURE went to Costa Rica this past summer (photographs by Ilana Habib, ’11, from Costa Rica above and below). We stayed in Fortuna, a small town in the middle of Costa Rica. EXPOSURE worked with the orphans and the local orphanage. This orphanage takes in children abandoned by parents who are addicted to drugs. Because of this, some of the orphans had serious medical issues. When we arrived, the children flocked to us. They couldn’t have been happier to see us. The first day, we played with the children extensively to try to develop a comfortable relationship. For the next few days, we played with and photographed the children and let them photograph us under a very watchful eye.
Close to midweek of the trip, we were asked to design and paint a mural on the wall of the children’s outdoor play area. This was unexpected. However, thankfully, Joslyn Winkler, a UC intern, was able to sketch and design the wall in one night. Then, for the rest of the time, we cleaned and painted the wall, played with the children, and photographed them. The space looked amazing once it was finished. It was sad to say goodbye, but we left the children with parting gifts of pictures of themselves and their friends.
The Children’s Home of Cincinnati is a venue in which EXPOSURE project goals are implemented on a local level. Working with the Cincinnati Children’s Home is a very important part of what EXPOSURE does. Roughly twice a month, we go to the Children’s Home to teach a lesson about photography. This year, we are working with the oldest group at the Children’s Home, which consists primarily of boys ages 16-18. We work on different projects to help strengthen the children’s knowledge of photography and to create works of art they can then keep. Along with teaching them photography, we learn about them, and they learn about us. Much is shared during one-on-one time as the children begin to open up and friendships are formed.
Photos of children in Costa Rica by Ilana Habib, ’11.