So for those of you that didn't know...I LOVE KIDS! I love my kids and I love 'just about' all other kids!! I often hear things like, "no one ever makes her laugh like that"...what can I say, I'm blessed. I remember I was always the one to try and make everyone laugh, apparently since I was a baby. My dad and my brother will tell you a few interesting stories, but I won't let them! Even sweetie Savannah that came in last week was pretty freaked out as she walked through the door of the studio. I thought to myself, "oh no", but we played, she loosened up and we cracked up together! By the end of our session Miss Savannah didn't want to leave and decided to sit on me! I put my camera on "auto" mode and asked her mommy to take a picture! It makes me feel like a million bucks when kids warm up that much!! I feel like a superstar! Here we are after our session!
So, once we moved into the space on North Thornton Avenue we met and I instantly fell in love with Leah (director of the Misty Forest school). She is this amazing chick with great energy and always has the cutest shoes! We got to talking and as my luck would have it -- she had been searching for someone to teach photography to the kids of Misty Forest! If she hadn't have asked me, I was about to PAY HER TO BE ABLE TO DO IT!
I have to be honest and say that my first lesson, well, I was scared to death! I was scared the kids would think I was a giant dork and that I had no clue what I was talking about! But alas, my creativity didn't run away from me and I came up with a killer plan! The kids are designing and making their own pinhole cameras! I still remember my experience with my first pinhole camera and it was amazing to me! Now when I told the gifted kids at Misty Forest that we'd be making our own cameras they got excited. Then I realized that they thought we were going to make our own DIGITAL SINGLE LENS CAMERAS. I laughed and I told them as great as it is they thought that much of me -- that I was taking them OLD SCHOOL!!! The kids faces became stained with confusion...but they started to understand soon!
As with all teachers I knew that if I was to make my pinhole camera vision a reality it would take a lot more time on my part then originally planned. Thanks to the greatest hubby around he made some phone calls and got over 25 one-gallon paint cans donated to us for the kids to use for their cameras. Here I am explaining to the kids how we'll design and construct our cameras out of paint cans!! I thought I was losing them for a few minutes (<----- see the little one laying down) but once Miss Leah got out all the fabric and crayons to start their personalization of the cans they were totally into it!
So these pinhole cameras will be used to start taking real (old-fashioned) pictures with next week. I still have a hill to climb as I'm still trying to figure out where I'll get the film for the kids! Now I know I can buy it for them, but some donations would be great!
I'm super excited as each kid will start taking photos this week. I can't wait to see their expressions when they see how the photos turned out. The suspense will probably kill them as they'll have to wait for the pictures to be developed, just like I used to when I started out. Everything in our lives and society is so "instant" now, I think so much was better back when we used to have to "wait" for the good things. But maybe this will teach them a great lesson in creative patience!!
Thanks for reading! I'll be sure to keep you posted on their projects and the art show that will show off their work!!
Much Love and Many Blessings!
Rachel and the Team at Thirteenth Moon
