Hyderabad: A three-day Free Photography Workshop for underprivileged kids from Government Schools kicked off here in the city at State Art Gallery on Saturday. It is a 3 day Workshop held on three Saturdays on July 13^th, 20^th and 27th. Remaining two classes will be held in next two Saturdays.

It was organised by Indian Photography Festival (IPF) – Hyderabad, a Not-For-Profit initiative of Light Craft Foundation. It was organised in association with Teach For India (TFI), a non-profit organisation that is a part of the Teach For All.

The 5th edition of the Indian Photography Festival, presented by National Geographic will be held in Hyderabad from 19th Sep – 20th Oct. More details about the festival can be found at www.indianphotofest.com. As a run to the festival this workshop organsied which is most useful to the society.  We will take up many such programs that will be grateful to the society informed Aquin Mathews, the Festival Director of the Indian Photo Festival.  According to Aquin, it was organsied as  part of its patronage of the arts, the Indian Photo festival is providing free photographic workshops to underprivileged students from govt. schools in collaboration with Teach For India at the State Gallery of Art, Madhapur. The whole purpose of this workshop is to give the students, a general idea about photography and create an exhibition of the images shot by the students during this workshop.

Ananya the alumni of Raghu Rai School of Photography, facilitated the Workshop. Some of the topics include: Basics of Photography, introduction to the technical and artistic aspects of photograph, the concepts of photography, the different modes of a camera, how to compose a photograph. So, the next time you click a photograph, you’ll create a memory to cherish

There were ten participants both boys and girls and all between 11 to 15 years. They were all from 6 to 10th graders. They were from Government Schools. These Schools include: Khushbow Vidya Niketan, Girls High School, Bowenpally and Malakpet; Grace Model School, New Madhu High School, and Madina Mission.

The participants include: P. Manohar, Ramesh, Venkat Sai, Ch. Pavan, Mirza Mohd Baig; Amulya, Venkatesh, Shayma Gafoor, Tehmeen Unnisa and Mohd Azhar.

Photography is a distant dream for these kids and beyond their reach. And they don’t have exposure to this art form. The core idea behind this workshop is to give the students, a general idea about photography and create an exhibition of the images shot by the students during this workshop informed their trainer Ananya

“We are not trying to make these kids photographers overnight, but show them a dream and prep them for the future” says Aquin Mathews, the Festival Director of the Indian Photo Festival.

Shashank, alumni of Teach for India shared that Teach For India is a non-profit organisation that is a part of the Teach For All network. The Fellowship recruit’s college graduates and working professionals to serve as full-time teachers in low-income schools for two years.

Shayma Gafoor, 13 year old 8th grader from Madina Mission. School, one of the participants of the workshop said photo must speak and tell a story. Showing Laptop and asked what story would she portray through her photograph, Laptop helps in doing things with ease and improves efficiency. I will click such a picture portraying that message said Shayma.

Another participant, P. Manohar, son of a painter father and daily wage laborer mother. said he is fond of photography. And would like to become a successful professional photographer when i grow up. I don’t have a camera now. But i take camera on rent for a fee of Rs 350/- a day, which is partly financed by friends, because my parents cant even afford to pay that kind of a money. I click my friends’ pictures in return to their money and i pursue my hobby with that rented out camera. The young boy of 13 years is looking for a financial assistance to buy a camera to pursue his hobby further. He is fond of clicking images of nature, animals. My photography should help and encourage people to plant trees, he shared.