Congratulations to Bashmah Al-Mesad (Kuwait), Tomas Fuentes-Afflick (California), Erica Haasen Knox (Illinois), Nasser Marzook (Qatar), Molly Struble (Arizona) and Hala Kamil Zahr (Lebanon) with the assistance of National Geographic Photo Camp mentors.

I was trying to dig into what I jokingly call my “calling the elephant in the room an elephant” theme, being “Women” in a country which does not represent women on photo or film easily. I did a fashion show for the one morning I had with the girls at the hotel. They brought out their makeup, one Brazilian girl (featured in this photograph) named Kharime, ran upstairs to get her fancy high heels – with immediate and resounding approval from the Qatari girls. She started to model her shoes off, and then I asked “Can we do that with an Abaya?” and one of the Qatari girls, Anood, immediately volunteered hers and gave it to Kharime to wear. Kharime then struggled on how to walk around with 5 inch heels and a lot of fabric around her, and the girls – both Brazilian and Qatari – were giving her advice and wrapping the sheila (the headscarf) around her head properly, and the whole thing turned into a big team effort to make Kharime look as Qatari as possible, and essentially, represent them on this photoshoot. The Qatari girls kept expressing over and over again, “Kharime! You look so Qatari! You could be Qatari!” Everyone loved the shoot, thought it was fun, and it was the most teamwork I’d seen from my team, and essentially in the end it was largely a work of culture – bridging two ideals of beauty into one.

National Geographic staffer and Doha mentor/instructor, Sadie Quarrier, writes of the above image:

This image is mysterious and powerful, graphically strong and nicely composed.  Light perfectly highlights just a hint of the woman’s face, hand and ankles. The hint of a pool, the light and shadows playing across the frame, and the interesting architecture behind her all make for a simple yet arresting image.

More images from the female students on Photo Camp Doha:

At the end of January, twenty-two high school students from the Qatar Foundation International-supported Arabic language and culture programs in Sao Paulo and Curitiba, Brazil, run by BibliASPA, were paired with students from the Qatar Leadership Academy and Qatar Academy on an educational exploration of Doha, Qatar.

National Geographic Photo Camp partnered with QFI to teach digital storytelling during this 10-day exchange trip.  Photo Camp and QFI staff mentored the students to document their experience in photos, videos, and journal entries and we will be sharing those findings here over the next week.

Click to play through images.

We were excited to have Photo Camp – Doha, Lead Instructor and National Geographic photographer Tyrone Turner on board as this was his first Photo Camp experience.  Below he shares his favorite images and critiques.

A strong moment, not only of the sunset and Doha in the background, but having an interesting figure in the foreground to create a relationship between the elements.

National Geographic Photo Camp Doha / Photo by Raul Montecinos Figueiredo

When I saw that shot by Raul Montecinos of the three shadows on the broken-down wall and the Qatari girl walking through, I was really happy with the shot. When Raul said that he was making a composition of the three shadows and then saw the girl walking into the frame and waited to make the picture, well, I was just floored. It takes a lot of experience to develop a sense of anticipation in photography, that you can see what is going on in the frame and you can choose the moments to press the shutter. Raul was making images at this point, and not just taking pictures.

It is a beautiful frame, using the window of the boat and catching a sense of the sea.

Wonderful framing of the city with the ornate doorway of the mosque.

A beautiful moment catching the pigeon mid-flight- with the lines of the building adding to the composition.

Wonderful seeing here- using the reflectiveness of the walkway to see the minaret of the mosque and the figure of a person in traditional garb.

National Geographic Photo Camp Doha / Photo by Turki Al Jaser

I love the clean composition and the moment where he caught the swinging climber in just the right moment.

National Geographic Photo Camp Doha / Photo by Qais Al Kharusi

I like the simple composition, and the blue background, how we focus right on the subject- and it was right in our theme of people and nature.

National Geographic Photo Camp Chad student image mentored by Amy Toensing and Matt Moyer

Now adults can have the same Photo Camp experience!!

VisionWorkshops is proud to endorse On Assignment Workshops!  This year, On Assignment was founded by National Geographic photographers, and NGPC instructors Matt Moyer and Amy Toensing, to share their passion for photography, travel and self-exploration.

“Our cameras have taken us around the globe and allowed us access to cultures and worlds we could have never imagined.  Our work to document these different places has challenged us to open ourselves to the world around us, and grow as artists and human beings.  In this spirit, we will begin teaching photography workshops that challenge students in the same way.  We will go beyond f/stops and shutters speeds, to focus on story telling, artistic voice, and connecting with subjects.”

Please visit their website at www.oaworkshops.com

www.amytoensing.com

www.mattmoyer.com

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Maria Alexandra Recinos

“Soccer is very important for our culture. Soccer is passion, love, & dedication but overall, soccer is in our hearts.”
- Llisley Flores

Twenty five Annapolis High School students showed their talent during VisionWorkshops recent project, “Crossing Borders: how do you say SOCCER?”  The students, all part of the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) department, were originally from Mexico, El Salvador, Senegal, and Russia, and now call Annapolis home.

As a class, they documented Annapolis’ Hispanic soccer leagues, shooting the games every Sunday this fall, and writing about the connections they had with soccer in their lives.

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Cande Castenada

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Carlos Flores

“In our country, soccer is not a competition, it’s a way to be with friends. I think that it doesn’t have to be a sport where people fight, it’s a sport where people have fun and passion when they play it. If countries could be like that, then soccer would help us to have union and make a better world.”
- Sarai Funes

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Sawdatou Drame

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Dmitry Alozeimer

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Mirna Quijada

“We all get excited at the moment of the fame. In the field, we show all what we are and what we have. Soccer is a passion that we have inside of us.”
- Cande Castenada

Crossing Borders Annapolis / Photo by Haydee Marrequin

Their amazing work is on display at the Pip Moyer Recreation Center on Hilltop Lane in Annapolis.  Student Cande Castaneda has a giant photograph displayed on the front of the building.

The program was sponsored by the Carol M. Jacobsohn Foundation.  The exhibition and large-scale art was produced in partnership with ArtWalk  http://www.artatlargeartwalk.com/

Read more from the Historic Annapolis Patch HERE!

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Christian Figueroa

Photo Camp Philly exceeded my expectations as a first timer.  As an NG staffer, you hear about Photo Camps, see various blog posts, and occasionally meet someone who has volunteered for one of the camps.  From all of this information, gleaned by reading and hearing about the Photo Camps, I knew it would be an unforgettable experience.  And it was!  It was everything I expected;  kids came, kids learned, kids left.  However, it was so much more than that.

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Meghan Tezik

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Keira King

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Dotty Brown

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Gemanuel Parks

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Maura Tezik

I  met  and learned about people from  different places and from  different backgrounds.  I was able to sit with a teenager and show them, hands on, how light changes as you move.  I was able to show them how capturing these moments can elicit a smile out of a stranger, or perhaps teach the world about the photographer’s space, their environment.   So many times, we enter into a situation and hope to reach just one person in a small yet significant way.  Whether it be inspiration or instilling self- confidence in a person, or even just making them smile,  maybe we are teaching them something they will use for the rest of their life.  Maybe we are teaching them something they will use for only one day.  Whichever it is, the expectation and the hope is that someone in that class will take something positive away from their experience.

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Dotty Brown

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Mariah Peal

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Kyarea Smith

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Stacy Gold (Staff)

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Christian Figueroa

What I didn’t expect was to receive something from them.  Even for the brief amount of time spent with these kids, you can see their potential.  You learn their interests.  You feel their passion.   Their passion for learning, grasping, growing.  The fascination with the frame, recording events and making a difference.  And the pride in showing their peers and especially their families their work.  They showed me that if you work hard and listen and learn, you progress.  Even in a matter of  hours.  Seeing their passion and hunger struck a chord with me — they gave me that spark, that passion, that inspiration we all need every so often.

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Iyana Jackson

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Christyona Grier

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Gemanael Parks

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Christyona Grier

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo by Mariah Peal

So thank you to Photo Camp and the Philly group for an amazing experience and a fantastic group of kids I will never forget.

- Stacy Gold / National Geographic Archives

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Tracy Riley

The first day of a Photo Camp is always jam-packed with getting to know the cameras, each other, and the surroundings.  For staff and students alike it can be a little overwhelming, but day two is always greeted with fresh eyes, bigger smiles, faces more familiar, and the drive to get out and shoot!  We did just that with our students from the Boys and Girls Club, taking them to the Clark Park Saturday Farmer’s Market in West Philadelphia.

There was certainly no shortage of interesting subjects to photograph.  Brightly colored fall harvests, parents and children enjoying the beautiful day, folks selling their goods at the market, even a tiny circus!  We hit the ground running and shot ’till we dropped documenting Saturday afternoon life in a West Philly neighborhood.

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Tracy Riley

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Kyrea Smith

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Tracey Riley

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Christyona Grier

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Jamyra Harper

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Kiera King

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Christian Figueroa

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Cesar Perez

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Cesar Perez

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Kyarea Smith

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Cesar Perez

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Keira King

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Kyarea Smith

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Kyarea Smith

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Cesar Perez

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Tracey Riley

National Geographic Photo Camp Philadelphia 2011 / Photo By Tracey Riley