Brenda Berry with kids from Ometepe
Brenda Berry led the January Special Needs delegation to continue the workshops in photography for deaf children.
We originated this project with the goal of providing these kids with the opportunity to express themselves creatively to the hearing and non-hearing communities. While earlier workshops focused on basics in photography, this one was designed to help the children develop more advanced skills.
After a couple of years into the project, we have been thinking about how the participants might use the skills they have learned. With that in mind, Brenda and the photographers who accompanied her provided specific training about how to take portraits, using the softer morning and late afternoon shaded light in local environments along with some props, like a parasol. Our thinking is that some of the children may eventually be able to gain some employment and income: taking photos for various celebrations on Ometepe, such as weddings, quinceañeras, and birthdays. A couple of weeks after Brenda and her group returned home, Kim reported that one of the participants in the workshop (Samuel) had in fact been hired to photograph a birthday and deliver an album of photos for the family.
A few of the portraits taken during the delegation appear below.