Getting kids reconnected with nature through photography is the goal of Guelph-based non-profit, Focus on Nature, and the theme of Emerging Nature a photo exhibit running throughout the month of March at the Old Quebec Street Mall.
“It is about the experience of seeing,” said photographer and student mentor Trina Koster. “Where do you place that rectangle over the world?”
Koster is a co-founder of Focus on Nature and a teacher for a series of photo workshops and camps designed to teach kids the fundamentals of nature photography.
“We hope it opens their eyes to nature around them - nature that is often within walking distance of their school,” she said.
The Emerging Nature photo exhibit features 60 photographs by students from Guelph and Wellington County ranging in age from eight to 16.
Environmental consulting company and program sponsor eMerge Guelph donated its boardroom to serve as a gallery for the exhibit.
“They needed a place for the exhibit and this was a perfect opportunity to showcase our support and dedication for this kind of work,” said Sarah Steenhoek, acting director of the Pathways program at eMerge.
“There is a concern that kids today are spending a lot of time indoors looking at their tablets and television screens. This is a way to use technology, in the form of digital cameras, to get them outside and enjoying nature. They often see things adults don’t see.”
Evan Ferrari is the executive director of eMerge and a board member of Focus on Nature.
“We’ve had random people coming by all week to see the exhibit and they are amazed when they realize kids took these pictures,” he said. “This uses technology in a positive way and gets them outside.”
He said connecting the next generation with nature helps protect them both.
“We protect what we love,” Ferrari said. “We want to help children learn to love nature and the natural world.”
Focus on Nature executive director, Simon Bell, said Emerging Nature is the second exhibit of kids’ photos the organization has staged.
“We did something similar in 2014 and the photos were exhibited at the Guelph General Hospital,” Bell said. “These photos were taken over 18 months and there were about 1,400 kids from elementary schools in Guelph and Wellington County involved. We had some kids from high school as well from da Vinci and CELP the Community Environmental Leadership Program.”
Some of the students got involved through workshops at their schools and others took part at camps during March Break and summer holidays at the University of Guelph Arboretum.
“All the photos were taken with digital cameras,” said Bell. “There were no phones or tablets.”
The selection process for the exhibit began with more than 10,000 photos that they then narrowed down to 400 before a panel of volunteer judges selected the final 60.
“We tried to be representative of all the schools involved,” said Bell. “We ended up with some amazing photographs.”
The exhibit officially opened March 1 and runs to March 31 and a reception was held Thursday for the young photographers and their families.
Kayla Yemen, a Grade 8 student at Sacred Heart Catholic School, took part in one of the March Break Camps last year and was excited to see her photograph of trees and water on display.
“I didn’t take pictures before this but now I love it,” she said. “I got a camera for Christmas.”
Jacob O’Sullivan a Grade 5 student at June Avenue Public School brought his parents Paul and Jodi O’Sullivan and his little sister Madelaine to the exhibit to see his photo of ice.
“He has always been interested in nature,” his mother said. “He wants to be a photographer when he grows up.”
The kids get to bring their professionally mounted photographs home at the end of the exhibit.
Focus on Nature president Bob Farming said working with the program is very rewarding.
“It is so much fun seeing the kids’ reaction when they see their photographs exhibited like this,” said Farming.
He said the program is fun for the kids but it also complements the school curriculum.
“We go into the schools and spend one day with the kids teaching them about the seven elements of design,” he said. “All photographs are taken within a 15 minute walk from the school. They take 60 pictures and select the best seven. They are allowed to edit them on the computer. We run a slide show of their seven best pictures and they pick their favourite picture from those seven and then talk about it in relation to the seven elements of design.”
Focus on Nature is a registered charity and welcomes volunteers and donations of photographic equipment such as digital cameras and laptops.
To learn more about the program and the exhibit you can call 226 971-0701 or go to Focus on Nature website www.focusonnature.ca or email [email protected]
