By Ilana Habib ’11, Photo Editor
Los Angeles, California. It’s not somewhere you’d expect to find CCDS students in the middle of a school week. Yet for the last several years, this has been the destination of several members of the photo department for a few days in early November.
The L.A. Photo Trip is an experience envied by many. Situated on a convenient three-day weekend, the trip allows photo students to take part in a four and a half day cultural adventure. Past activities have included photo shoots at Venice Beach, trips to Catalina Island, tours of the ChiatDay ad agency, the agency responsible for the marketing campaigns of several big name companies such as Apple Inc. and Pepsi, as well as a visit to the house of renowned celebrity photographer Tyler Shields. A veteran of the 2007 and 2008 trips, Dawn Johnsen ’10, commented that she really liked “going to do things in L.A. that normally tourists don’t”.
Usually the opportunity is open to students currently enrolled in a photo class or that will be continuing their photo studies later in the year. Jordi Alonso ‘10, who participated in both trips for both 2008 and 2009, said the assignments he completed while in California “helped [him] become more creative… since they forced [him] to think outside the box.” The trip is often popular with students in the AP Photo class who can use the different landscape as a way to add contrast to their portfolio.
This year the trip will take place from November 3-7. Adriana Ungerleider ’12, will be participating and is “really looking forward to getting the chance to explore and photograph in a new environment”. Upper School Photography teacher Carole Lichty-Smith started the trip seven years ago and “It just keeps getting better.” “Many award winning images” have been captured on the trip, Mrs. Lichty-Smith said, as have many “life long memories [that] will live in [her] heart.” Ultimately, the L.A. trip provides students with an invaluable opportunity to photograph a unique lifestyle compared to the one CCDS students experience everyday in Ohio. According to Johnsen, “We saw things from a different perspective.”
Photo by Ilana Habib ’11, Photo Editor