Art Meets the Environment

Just got done teaching a week long photo workshop to nature camp kids.

It is very hard to work with people that are not motivated by new experiences and do not facilitate a friendly environment. But with all that rubbish aside the week was wonderfully enjoyable.

Working with kids is great. (Remember, working with kids is not having kids. Working with kids means that at the end of the day their is a return policy).

Children's ability to grasp on to complicated concepts is astonishing, especially when they are out performing their much older instructors and counselors.

Kids can experiment without inhibition. They do not have a sense of propriety as to how something is supposed to look or function. They are in the perfect state of mind in which they can be influenced either to see things in everyday light or to see things in a way that no one else usually sees.

At first it was hard(ish) to convince them to photograph objects and subjects from different and unconventional angles. However, within an hour they were able to take photos of flowers by sitting under them, or to take pictures of trees while climbing them.

Their projects came out splendidly (and yes, lots of mess was involved). We created wonderful book style photo journals and also put together 3D picture dioramas.

Here are some of the results:

TV: Everyone's Trusted Brain Wash

After thinking about it for a long time I have come to a conclusion. Without a shadow of a doubt, media literacy educators MUST watch TV (even if it is sparingly) in order to connect to the kids they are teaching. Anyone under the impression that they can teach media literacy without having watched Flavor of Love, Tila Tequila or Skunk Fu, is in for a rude awakening.

Its nothing to be proud of but general audiences are watching absolute garbage on TV. I know I do. Its not because some of these shows are mentally stimulating; quite the opposite. However, if you are a kid with two working parents, coming home from school, (or an adult avoiding work on a thesis project), more likely than not you will be flipping on that TV to watch your share of bad, mind numbing, reality bending TV. And as we all know TV influences your everyday thinking activities more than you know, especially because you are not aware of it.

As media literacy educators, we have to be familiar with what's on the good old tube. How else can we talk about it and teach about it in a more informed manner? If, as a media educator we are unaware of shows like Mind of Mencia or the Hills, then we cannot connect with the kids we are "educating". We become unaware of their influences and thought processes because we are disconnected from their everyday lives and relationships with their good friend TV.

Just as a parent should know what type of kids their child is involved with in order to attempt to prevent bad behavior (ie: substance use, etc), so too as media educators, must we be aware of what our kids are watching, who they are listening to and what is influencing them.

So, spare a few unused brain cells and watch some brain damaging TV. You never know when you are going to need some of the useless and mind numbing information that TV has to offer.

4 hours a day, keep brain cells away!

Kitchen Clarity

As the morning progressed (much to my chagrin), this jewel presented itself, at 11am, amidst frantic re-photographing of artwork.

Calm and tranquil, it will never present itself in such a manner, ever again. To demystify its existence, this picture will forever expose its vulnerable self.


(Give me a break, its been a long night. Just look at the picture!)

In the Works

Noticing small, everyday things opens my eyes to the rest of the world.

Lately, I found that I focus on objects that I blindly interact with every day without the slightest appreciation for their existence and construction. Subtle angels, curves and details, paired with natural light emanating from/through other everyday objects transforms subtle things into items of beauty.

Here's my example: