NorthWest Initiative Photo

Jamie Miller and Pin Hole Photography

2010-08-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

The last session of the summer program Jamie Miller presented and had a short history and technical lesson about pin hole photography and working with paper negatives. (If you would like to learn more about pin hole cameras or how to make one, visit: http://www.pinholeday.org/support/)

We used oatmeal cans, aluminum baking sheets, black trash bags (to help keep light out), photo paper (like what people used to use in dark rooms), tape, black spray paint, and etc. We set up a make-shift darkroom and all the kids had their first ever paper developing experience.

We all learned a lot, including that our pin hole cameras were best at less than three feet away from your subject and exposures were about 10 seconds, instead of the 30 seconds we'd read about. But, we all had fun.

Images scanned in from the paper negatives...

From Nakia

From LJ

From Judy

From Darius

From Paul

From Estrella

From the Volunteers

Kat Petersen and Photojournalism

2010-08-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Kat Petersen, a local photojournalist, spoke to the class this week about taking pictures of an event and writing solid captions for newspapers. The class went to the Back to School Explosion at Sharp Park. They spoke to event organizers and had the opportunity to spend the day like real photojournalists.
The students learned all good captions include: who, what, why, when, and where. Their captions and images are below...

From Judy - "If you could be a photojournalist at any event in the world. what would it be and why?" ...I would be in Paris at the soccer tournament.

"Paul giving Judy love at Sharp Park on Friday." - Judy

"Alton sitting down for pictures at Sharp Park Friday." - Judy

From Estrella

"Gregory the duck said to me that he loved swimming and so we went swimming after he told me that he loved swimming." - Estrella

From Nick

"Rick the duck lays down Friday at Sharp Park." - Nick

From Paul

"The geese are funny at the park on Friday." - Paul

From LJ

From Nakia

"Darrell Watts cooks hot dogs at Sharp Park on Friday at the Back to School Youth Explosion. Watts is head security at Church of god International Outreach Ministries. 'I take care of the bad people,' he said. 'I keep the peace and keep the church safe.'" - Nakia

From Brianna

"The goose was floating in the water and past the waterfall and and got a breeze of water." - Brianna

From Darius

Andy Goldsworthy and Pictures of Conjunctions

2010-08-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

Conjunctions link words together. The ephemeral artist Andy Goldsworthy links natural elements together to make art and photographs them. Class this week did all of the above: conjunctions, art and photography.

Goldsworthy is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist. He makes natural art that is both temporary and permanent. The materials he uses include brightly-colored flowers, icicles, leaves, mud, pine cones, snow, stone, twigs, and thorns.

"I think it's incredibly brave to be working with flowers and leaves and petals. But I have to: I can't edit the materials I work with. My remit is to work with nature as a whole." - Goldsworthy

Below are short stories and images from the students.

From Tatyana, Estrella and Judy

"Tatyana, Estrella and Babak with their glasses" - Judy

From Ty'shon and Angel

From Jalen and Patrick

From LJ

From Nick and Lauren

From Mikayla and Rachel

"The nest was made out of sticks, dead grass, weeds and grass." - Mikayla

"The sun shines and sparkles. The sky makes it look as blue as it can be." -Rachel

From Paul

"My pictures are cazy! My pictures are funny. My pictures are cool. Zach and Cody made a weird face. Zach and Cody went BOOM up the stairs. They got mad at me because of the alligator. They went to my room and stomped my foot. My dad got mad at me. And, then he went up in a big airplane and his ears popped. Me and my dad went ZOOM in the airplane. The End." - Paul

Jean Michel Basquiat and Deluxe Inn Graffiti

2010-08-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

The now abandoned Deluxe Inn in Lansing at the intersection of S. Washington Ave and E. Main Street and graffiti artist Jean Michel Basquiat were the subjects of our images this week. Basquiat (1960-1988) was an American artist and is often know as the first painter of African descent to become an international star. He started as a graffiti artist in New York City. He used text in his art work and became known as both a political and poetic artist. His statements were brief and incorporated strong graphics. This week the youth were asked to write six word stories about their favorite image to incorporate short, descriptive statements like Basquiat integrated into his work.

From Angel

"This artist was going through emotions." - Angel

From Nick

"A warrior of truth and meaning" - Nick

From Judy

"Big, strong man from Michigan State" - Judy

From Ty'shon

"Michael Jackson: the king of pop" - Ty'shon

From Paul

"It was that boy over there." - Paul

From Estrella

"Batman is a super awesome hero!" - Estrella

From Patrick

"Symbol of Batman on his suit" - Patrick

Chuck Mankey ...and images of nothing

2010-07-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

The students' learned about art for art's sake this week from local photographer Chuck Mankey. He presented on taking pictures of nothing and that sometimes an image can be beautiful without having to serve purposes taken from politics, religion, economics, etc.

The students accompanied the images of nothing with stories about... nothing.

I hope you enjoy them:

From Paul and LJ

"I fell one day on the porch. I cried all day. Friday I was over here on Monday and I fell all the way to my neighbor’s house. And, then I cried on Friday. And, then I fell harder Wednesday on by butt." -Paul

"There was a tree by a river. Each year it grows a new a branch. Each leaf will fall in the river. But, one was a golden one so it will never come off the tree.

But, another leaf on a branch that reached all the way to the sky – it looked like it was as tall as a skyscraper…

But, the gray leaf was hidden inside the tree, but one branch, when you pull it down, a door opens. But, there will be barbed wire. And, behind the wires is the gray leaf. The golden leaf’s tip points right to the branch that opens the door.

And, the tree is an oak." - LJ

From Nick and Patrick

"Me and Nick was flying, like Batman and Superman. We were having fun." - Patrick and Nick

From Lauren and Tatyana

"My favorite picture was the hand print on the car because it looks cool." - Tatyana

From Josiah

"Today Ashley, Nick and Patrick were taking a picture of the sky because it was nothing and they took a picture of the sky because everyone was supposed to take a picture of nothing and that is why." - Josiah

From Estrella and Kaylie

"This eye belongs to Mrs. Wonderful Mother Nature. She is the one who controls animals and nature. Her eyes are green because nature is in her blood. The bloom is the sweetness of her heart in every single bloom." - Estrella and Kaylie

From Angel and Mila

Nikki Haring and poetry

2010-07-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

The youth were inspired this week from local photographer Nikki Haring. You can view her Flickr photo stream at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikkihphotography/sets/72157623960479758/
Haring showed the students her landscape photography and discussed poetry with them. Some of the students images and poems are below.

From Sarah
Inspiration words: city, lights, skyscrapers, food
It’s a busy street
There’s beautiful lights
And there’s huge skyscrapers everywhere.
But, the food is so good
You wish you lived in the big Chicago city.

From Patrick
Inspiration word: Football
I feel fine until the ball is in the air
And my team is counting on me to pick the ball off and score
Then I feel all the pressure in the world
Then if I do, I am thinking that
I might get hit hard
Like I ran into a brick wall

From Mila
Inspiration words: football, touchdown, pressure crowd
Trying out for football is very
Exciting and honorable.
The only girl to overcome the pressure.
Crowd gives me confidence
Enthusiastic to make touchdown

From Micala
Inspiration word: Food
Food makes you grow
Like vegetables and fruits
I like pizza
The way pandas like bamboo shoots

From LJ

From Estrella
Inspiration words: poncho, dreams, family, singing
Dreams…
What are dreams?
Dreams feel realistic…
Dreams are sometimes scary or happy!
But dreams are like little flashing pictures in your mind while you’re sleeping

From Nick
Let me remember my birthday:
I want food, dude
We will swim
At the gym

Romare Bearden and collages of adjectives: part two

2010-07-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

The students made photo collages during week two of learning about African American artist Romare Bearden. Then, they took images of nature as inspiration for poetry we will write next week.

Here are a few collages...

From Ericka

From Ashley

From Micala

From Sarah

And a few inspirational images for poetry...

From Judy and Nakia

From Sarah, Birdie and Nick

From Micala and Kaila

From Patrick

From Ericka and Angel

From Paul

From Ashley

Romare Bearden and collages of adjectives: part one

2010-07-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

Students this week focused on adjectives and Romare Bearden who was fond of all things descriptive. Bearden was born in 1911 in North Carolina. He is most famous for his collage work and his love of African art, jazz and the blues.

Bearden said, “I think an artist has to be something like a whale, swimming with his mouth wide open, absorbing everything until he has what he really needs. When he finds that, he can start to make limitations. And then he really begins to grow.” This week we went around the neighborhood consuming as much inspiration as we could in photographs.

Pittsburgh Memory, 1964

From Ericka

From Deonna and Diamond

From Ashley and Angel

From Patrick, LJ and Anthony

From Paul

From Micala, Judy and Estrella

Marc Chagall, nouns, and love

2010-07-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

Marc Chagall inspired the students this week to take pictures of nouns - specifically people, places or things the students love. Chagall is known as an artist that remained happy throughout his career. He believed it was because of love. “Only love interests me, and I am only in contact with things that revolve around love,” he said.

Chagall often equated love with flying.

Marc Chagall, The Walk, 1917

Below, the students photographed all the nouns they love: sky, grass, trees, friends, and the world.

From Tonea and Ericka

From Paul

From Nick, LJ, and Keith

From Michael and Anthony

From Judy, Birdie, and Micala

From Ameer and Ashley

Philippe Halsman and photographs of verbs

2010-06-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Photo class students have started summer session!! The first week we learned about photographer Philippe Halsman. Halsman thought that "When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the real person appears." The youth photographed jumps, whispers, runs and all kinds of verbs. Congratulations to Micala who counted almost 50 verbs in the class's images!

Philippe Halsman, Dali Atomicus (1948)

From Eli and Anthony

From Paul

From Nick

From Micala

From Judy

From Estrella

Cameras in the Capital City

2010-06-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

The NWI photo programs (Summer Photo Class and Gardner Middle School Children with Incarcerated Parents Program) are having a show at the Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner Street in Old Town Lansing, beginning July 24-August 20. Opening reception is on Friday, July 30 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

With Love to Mom and Mothers

2010-05-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

The youth took pictures for the mother figures in their lives this week. They focused on taking tight, medium and wide photographs to create visual variety. They took pictures they thought their moms would like: lots of flowers and pretty colors. Some of the youth wrote short poems for their mothers.

From Anastacia: "I love you mommy. I love you so much. I love you in my heart. I love my mom very very very very very much."

From Mikayla:

From David:

From Judy: "Roses are red. Violets are blue. I love you mom and these pictures is 4 you. Mom, you look out for me like no one else does that's why I love you."

From Nakia:

From Darius: "My mom is the best and she is so cool. No one can bear her and we all are fools. Love you, mom."

From Eli:

From Paul: "Have a good day. Have a wonderful day. You are funny. I love you."

From Brianna:

From Harley:

Happy Mother's Day, Lansing!

Dreams

2010-04-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

We asked the students to share their dreams with us. They took a series of images that narrated their dreams. They created characters, rising and falling action, strong beginnings, and final resolutions. They structured their visual stories around colors, sounds, and actions.

A dream from Nakia, also acted out by Judy and Shelby:
Nakia turns into a yellow sponge and goes to live with Sponge Bob in a pineapple under the sea.

I am swimming in a pool. My legs get shorter. I am getting spongy and absorbing water.

People run away screaming when I turn into a sponge.

People are scared of me. They put me in a cage, but I meet Sponge Bob and he is glad he is not the only sponge.

The pineapple where we live.

Sponge Bob talks to me and tells me how to be a sponge - that we are unique and only use our powers to absorb water. I learn how to be a sponge and I live in my own pineapple and get a job at the Krusty Crab.

A dream from David and JaQuan, also acted out by Robert and Paul:

Dogs and rabbits are being attacked by tanks, while vampires strike and fly around.

Setting the scene: Everything is nice, in the woods, then they attack.

The main character is visiting his cousin, but he turns out to be a vampire. He bites him.

Vampires don't have reflections.

They fly, bite people and drive tanks.

Everything happens outside, including when the vampire gets killed.

A dream from Darius, also acted out by Brianna and Eli:

Darius plans the script for the dream...

I get chased by a serial killer after watching him murder an old lady.

The killer is chasing me.

I am running in the dark.

I hear footsteps, whispering, screaming.

I hide.

The killer almost gets me.

In the end. I kill the killer.

Mikayla in the City Pulse

2010-03-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Mikayla on TV

2010-03-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Mikayla's photo shoot was on the news. Check it out.

Congratulations to Mikayla!!

2010-03-24T12:16:00.001-07:00

Ten-year-old NorthWest Initiative Photo student Mikayla Spyker won at the Perspective 2 photo competition. On Sunday, March 7, Mikayla won first place in viewers’ choice and second place in the amateur competition. She competed against professional photographers and college students. Her hard work and dedication have paid off. Congratulations
to Mikayla. We are so proud of you!

Below are her two winning images...

Nature and Composition

2010-03-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

This month the youth took pictures around Gier Community Center while they volunteered at a Rummage Sale fund raiser. They were asked to focus on three elements of composition: Rule of Thirds, Simplicity and Framing. We also discussed nature and wrote about why trees are important.

From Mikayla, 10

From Brianna, 14

From Darius, 10

From Lauren, 10

From JaQuan, 13

From Judy, 16

From Tatyanna, 14

"Without trees everything would die. It would be boring and we wouldn't be able to breathe," - Tatyana, 14, and Lauren, 10

From Paul, 13

From David, 10

"Without trees, the world would look like a rock," - David, 10

Video on Working with Shadows and Light

(Taken by Priscila, 10, and Michelle, 6)

Shadows

"My hand looks like a baby hand when I put it out by the tree," - Michelle, 6

"If the world didn't have any trees, it would be plain, not nice and not pretty. I love the snow on the trees and how they're made - like a craft... and the swirls," - Priscila, 10

Film photos from January 2010

2010-03-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

From Mikayla

From David

What does your neighborhood look like?

2010-02-08T10:05:00.001-08:00

The youth shared cameras and answered three questions with their photographs: What does Lansing look like? What do you like about your neighborhood? And, what would you change about your neighborhood?

From David, 10

"If I could change something about Lansing it would be that we would have less crime," - David, 10

From Brianna

"Lansing is the capital. It's very busy and loud." - Brianna, 14

"I like my neighborhood because it is quiet, there are less people and I live far away from the road." - Brianna, 14

"I want to fix the roads." - Shelby, 13

"I like the people, houses and trees in my neighborhood." - Alysia, 6

"Lansing has lots of beautiful trees and scenery. We have a zoo with lots of trees and plants. We also have a water park with plenty of space to run around." Shelby, 13

From Darius and Nakia

"I wish Lansing had more trees, different kinds of toys at the park and more dogs." - Nakia
"I wish I lived closer to school. I would change the economy and have a bigger yard." - Darius, 10

"Lansing is smaller than India, it has a lot of coffee places and it has big malls." - Nakia, 13

From Lauren and Tatyana

"Lansing is quiet, there are some nice people and I like the flowers." - Lauren, 10
"I would like to change some people so they would be more respectful, more clean and pick trash up after themselves." - Lauren, 10
"I like how that Lansing is quiet, there are nice people and nice houses." - Tatyana, 14

From Mikayla and Paul

Three things I like about my neighborhood are: "funny, my room and my mom." - Paul, 13

"I wish there were more people, more events and more playgrounds in my neighborhood." - Mikayla, 10

From Nick and DeVante

"I like that Lansing has lots of parks, friends and fun. I would change nothing." - Nick, 10

"I like Lansing because it looks cool." - DeVante, 13

"Lansing is smaller than Mexico, there are a lot of stores and restaurants and it has libraries." Tyricia, 16
"I would change the snow, plants and pollution." - Tyricia, 16
"I like the gardens, parks and people." - Tyricia, 16

Film pictures from home

2010-02-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

From Mikayla

We asked the students: "What is your favorite thing about yourself"

2010-01-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

The students wrote about themselves, then they spent half an hour taking pictures and enjoying being outside.

From Paul

"What I like about myself is funny!"

- Strong

- Funny Faces

- Running

- Hop on one foot

- Like my friends

From Mikayla

"My smile - because it shows that I'm nice."

From DeVante

"I am good at basketball - shooting 3-pointers.

I am cool.

I like hanging out with my friends

I have a girlfriend that likes me."

From Destiny

"I like my hair and my feet"

(Destiny said she does her own hair and is interested in becoming a hair dresser. She also has a sock collection.)

From Dameika

"My smile. It shows how friendly and outgoing I am."

Last rolls of film for 2009

2010-01-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

From Judy, Paul, Joslin and Isiaha

From Paul

From David

Costumes and Composition: December 2009

2009-12-10T12:17:00.001-08:00

The Lansing Civic Players (LCP) generously donated several costumes and props to the photo class. The youth were able to work on visual variety: abstract, tight, medium and wide images while they were dressed up. Thank you LCP!

First Roll of Film: Self-Portraits October 2009

2009-11-23T08:24:00.000-08:00

From Judy

"I want to take pictures of family activities, going out, playing games, play tickle, Mackinaw Island, myself, and everything." - Judy

"My favorite thing about myself is my eyes. My family loves to participate and take pictures with me." - Judy

From Paul

"I want to take pictures of animals, food, family and friends." - Paul

"My favorite thing about photographs is... because I look funny." - Paul

"My favorite thing is being with Paul." - Isiaha

From Joslin

"Joslin is showing happiness. I love my purse. Show my purse." - Mikayla

From Isiaha

From Mikayla

"My favorite thing about family photographs is we all smile." - Mikayla

"I want to show more emotions and smiles - different faces like monkey face, happy faces." -Mikayla

First Day with Digital Cameras

2009-11-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

From Paul

From Joslin

From Isiaha
"I want to take a picture of my mom." - Isiaha

"I'm hugging Paul. I'm thinking I love him. He's looking at me." - Isiaha

From Mikayla

"I want to take pictures of food, art, people, and nature." - Mikayla