29 April 2013

this is my favorite class






because instant photography plus middle schoolers? yes. yes, this is my kind of class. my favorite kind of class. 

twas a small but wildly enthusiastic group. they rolled right through the challenge of shooting through grey rainy weather and met peel apart film catastrophes head on. and the girl who just about drove me crazy the first day of class, the girl who would. not. stop. picking up cameras and pushing buttons shortly won me over. she was there every wednesday, ready to shoot, determined to master that land camera beast. her little hands could barely pull the film out of the compartment when we first started. every week, she struggled. but then-- then she got it. and she began to wield that thing like a pro. she became what I like to call UNSTOPPABLE.

we should also talk about how my daughter signed up, even though I told her she didn't have to, told her she could totally skip it and my feelings would not be hurt. but she decided to take the class anyway and so of course my mama heart wanted to burst into a few thousand pieces because oh my goodness her shots were beautiful. I had to refrain from saying so at least seven hundred times. maybe more.  

there will, of course, be more classes. which means more stories, more images. more kids with polaroid cameras in their hands. and for this, I am infinitely thankful.

14 comments:

  1. Yes, yes, a thousand times YES. More classes. More stories, more images. We want MORE. Love this. xoxo

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  2. This makes me teary happy.

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  3. ...and to the one who struggled but was determined all the same to get it: she will be a great photographer one day :)

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  4. so lovely
    it's always amazing to see children get it
    http://ahandfulofhope.blogspot.co.uk/

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  5. this is so good, andrea. you are wonderful for giving these kids this opportunity.

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  6. That must be very happy middle schoolers....

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  7. I know you have to respect their sense of privacy and all but WOW if there's any way you can post more photos of this class - and their shots - I would love to see it. Love! So great to see them go!

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  8. SO SO wonderful!
    Can we do a mini peel apart class in Paris? Maybe? Pretty please.
    You could make my #9 come true... http://www.xantheberkeley.com/39/
    x.

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  9. Wow, wow, wow! What an a mazing thing to be a part of...

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  10. It thrills me to see these kids using analog cameras!! Kudos to them. :)

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  11. Wish your class ran over here! I have one of the cameras above but never sure how to use it as i think it needs a new battery, would love to try it out! x

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