Mary Walker is my site mate and my spiritual guide. The two of us are currently participating in Ahecha Paraguay.
I’m lazy, so I’ll let the CoCoMu website explain Ahecha Paraguay.
From-(http://cocumu.blogspot.com/2008/03/ahecha-paraguay-youth-photography_12.html)
What is Ahecha Paraguay?
In Guaraní (the native language of the Guaraní people of Paraguay) Ahecha Paraguay means ¨I see Paraguay¨. Ahecha Paraguay is a project of the CoCuMu Committee of Peace Corps Paraguay, designed to give Paraguayan youth in rural areas the opportunity to learn digital photography skills while developing their self-esteem and gain new world perspectives through the lense of a camera. New skills and personal development are facilitated through hands-on workshops taught by volunteers working in communities all over Paraguay. For more information, please email us at cocumu@gmail.com.
Taking Photos Next to the Rio Ypane
Ahecha has been one of the most exciting experiences I've had in Paraguay. Usually groups of teenage girls frighten me. The six Paraguayan girls participating in the photography classes have been overly enthusiastic and patient. I don't fear them. Mary and I have been leading classes and field trips, trying to teach the girls the various aspects of photography, maybe a little self expression and creativity too.
Mary and I are both Master's of Photography in Paraguay.
Each week we push the girls to find interesting subjects, think about light/depth/emotion/perspective/other photography stuff and not just take pictures of each other in model poses. We continue to see hundreds of pictures of flowers, cats wearing socks, and pictures of other pictures. There is progress though. There continues to be very interesting photos of Tacuati and some girls are even starting to like black and white photos.
What the hell is the point of Sepia?
In a month from now we’ll have an exhibition of the photos in the town center and there may even be a national exhibition in Asuncion.
I'll start posting photos the girls have taken in a few weeks.
Here are the ladies:
Evelyn
Lucy
Vanessa
LIz Mariela
Valeria
Almita
1 comment:
Hi Liam
This is a cool project. You should try to link with some kids from Keller or perhaps Br. Rice.
The girls are very pretty and some of them look like they would be characters. I'm sure they will learn a lot from you and Mary.
Dad
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