PHOTO PALS PROJECT
HANDBOOK
for Parijat Academy
written by Chantal Krcmar
13 February 2013
Why do photography with students at Parijat?
First off, it's incredibly fun-- for the students as well as the facilitators! It gives students
the opportunity to learn to use cameras and explore their surroundings through the
medium of photography. It is a chance for them to develop artistic, as well as some
technical, skills. The joy they get from using the cameras has been immense. And they
often take very interesting, creative and beautiful photos-- a matter of satisfaction and
pride for the students.
In addition to developing photography skills, the facilitators can also choose to use
learning about picture-taking and talking about the project to develop language skills.
Students can talk and write about their experiences and learn new vocabulary.
Questions?
Contact Chantal Krcmar at
chantalkrcmar@gmail.com
or Lilly Krcmar at
lillykrcmar@gmail.com
What's the purpose?
This project can give students at Parijat Academy and in another
school (preferably in a different country) an opportunity to learn about one another and to
communicate in ways that are not limited by language, and to give students at Parijat the
chance to use cameras and explore that medium, something that many of them have never
done before.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We found that even if this becomes a photography project-- and
not a Photo Pals Project in which they are exchanging photos with another group of
children-- the students love using the cameras, and still get a lot out of it
How much time is needed? one week to infinity...
The facilitators can, depending on the schedule, meet with the students once a week or
once a day or whatever works best.
How much money is required?
For now, there is no money required. We left cameras,
re-chargeable batteries, and memory cards at Parijat. If you have money or can raise
money to donate to this project, though, that would be great. We had a dozen cameras,
and some of them are of dubious quality, which is difficult when working with a large
class.
*** There are grant possibilities through Omprakash, as well as other organizations.
What materials are needed? simple digital cameras, memory cards, batteries, internet
access
Tip re: materials: If you are going to buy more equipment, purchase it in the
USA. Lilly, for example, bought simple, inexpensive digital cameras at Odd Lot.
It is difficult to find functioning equipment (including batteries) in Garchuk and
Guwahati.
Some Teaching Tips:
Students need quite a bit of guidance. For example, if you ask
them to take a photo of their favorite place at Parijat, they will likely all takes photos of
the same place. In that case, it might be better to compile a list of different places at
Parijat (i.e. the computer room, the basketball court, the storage room, the library, etc.)
with the students and then ask specific students to take photos of specific places.
To explain simple photo techniques (i.e. Do not face the sun when taking a photo; rather,
have the sun at your back.), you may want to draw pictures on the board or some such to
depict it, since some students struggle with English comprehension.
Message to Impart to Students in the USA before beginning Photo Pals Project:
Because infrastructure in Pamohi Village is weak, there are significant—but
surmountable!—hurdles to clear at Parijat to make this project work. Students in the USA
must be patient, as there are times students at Parijat may not be able to make deadlines
for the project. This is due to unexpected situations that regularly arise, such as electricity
outages, cameras breaking and not having a way to repair them, internet not working, etc.
Message for facilitators: Be patient. The technology can be slow and sometimes
frustrating. But it is worth your time and effort. (In truth, the effort required is little
compared to the end results!)
A re-cap: Why do the Photo Pals project?
Despite some of the practical challenges with this project, it is a lot of fun and it provides
a unique learning opportunity for students in the USA and at Parijat. The Photo Pals
project allows students in both countries to learn something about one another and
become aware of commonalities and differences. It is a project that can transcend
language differences and give students a method of communication. As the saying goes, a
picture is worth a thousand words!
