Written by: Jaimee Itagaki, Photo Art Therapy Instructor
After much ado about things photographic, after learning about classical and contemporary historical trends therein, armed with brand new digital cameras, the photographers from the Art Photo Class set out as a group to capture the elusive butterfly of light at Kenneth Hahn Park during “Golden Hour”. We arrive greeted by late afternoon sunlight and a shimmering emerald green pond. Duck and geese families swimming gracefully in a row, diamond sparked water inspire the photographer’s poetic heart, diaphanous leaves on winding tree branches refracting light, and a tiny ladybug filling the frame, struggling to vertically tightrope on a blade of grass. We seek the light. Capturing a magical moment, that one perfect click of the shutter and the alchemy of perfect mathematical pixels of IO becoming an image.
Nature. These will be our class’ 1st photo captures. Freezing moments in time, seizing beauty and light as we, as photographers, decree what lives in the rectangular frame of the camera’s LCD viewer. This is my world as I see it.
Quotes from fellow Photographers
Leslie: I was in a dark mood, an emotional roller coaster, battling between being in my own head and being present. Once at the park and seeing a white swan in the pond resting, grooming, gliding on the water and being so peaceful, I knew that could be me, that will be me, if I just wait for my time to come. I can be a transformed ugly duckling. Because of the beauty I transitioned from the darkness to light. It was beautiful. I am learning to dance in the rain.
Neftalie: I was nervous. My hand was shaking because I was very excited, but when I saw my reflection in the pond, with the camera, I felt inspired, motivated and relieved. I could be somebody. I began thinking outside the box, outside of program, outside of group. Just being in nature and doing something I’ve never done before. It was amazing.
Xavier: I want to shoot everything. Highlight moments in nature and be the narrator of the scene. Shoot street scenes, family, direct people, be the model. I learned photography by taking selfies. I learned photography DIY since I was young, so this my next step in learning more. I want to learn about lighting and would like to get a mentor as well.
