2024 Workshop – 2024 saw Fotograf reach new areas in Southwest Uganda!

In the shadow of the imposing Mt Mgahinga, the latest workshop took place at the Amazing Grace Primary school in Kisoro. Working with a group of 15 eager to learn students and two teachers, Julian (project lead and volunteer) and volunteer Morris spent two weeks introducing them to the world of photography! 

This workshop marked an exciting development in the growth of Fotograf. In the last few years of running workshops in Uganda several people have expressed an interest in helping to run a workshop. Until this moment, it hasn’t felt the right time, however, as we achieved charity status and with all the relevant guidance, policies including safeguarding and government checks in place we were able to welcome Morris to join the Fotograf team and support us in delivering such an important workshop. Morris works as a graphic artist and website developer, so his knowledge and skillset complemented those of the wider Fotograf team brilliantly. Funding his own flights and expenses, Morris joined Julian on the workshop to Southwest Uganda and is continuing to support Fotograf in the development of the website and our social media content.

Months of planning and relationship building with Amazing Grace Primary school enabled us to deliver a really successful first project in this district. Close to the borders with DRC and Rwanda the students of Amazing Grace were incredibly enthusiastic to learn new skills to tell their own stories, documenting cultural practices, traditions, and artifacts that define their community’s identity. The school itself was a wonderful hub of creativity and learning with outside walls brightly painted with inspirational words, slogans and learning materials. This was clearly an educational environment which inspired, encouraged and embraced the students.

Accompanied with 15 cameras, memory cards, batteries and 15 Fotograf workbooks, we were given a small room to run the workshops young people. Featuring a mixture of day students and boarding children, of varying ages and year groups, the workshops began! After a couple of days of learning the basics of camera controls, framing and good storytelling they put their new creative skills into practice, first around the school and then out into the community, all under the guidance of Julian, Morris and the schoolteachers, Alan and Emmi. The workshops continued covering a wide range of techniques, so the young people could understand with more clarity the creative process. One session covered the creation of light art. Using a tripod, timed exposure, torches and a darkened room, the students were free to explore and create their art. What followed were a collection of marvellous imagery. Once printed the students named their art and explained some of the shapes. It was a fascinating exercise and allowed not only for some interesting art pieces, but also enabled a greater understanding of how light plays such an important role in photography.

After two weeks, lots of learning, superb creative imagination and some great examples of good photography practice, the young people reviewed their imagery, selecting their favourite pieces and deciding on  captions for their imagery ready for display in the final exhibition. We displayed their creative works at the school to parents, guardians and governors, members of the wider community, as well as local press with news about the project featuring on both local Facebook news sites and the local radio. The atmosphere was electric as laughter and music filled the air, creating an uplifting ambiance that resonated with the heartfelt speeches delivered by students, each sharing personal stories and reflections that highlighted their growth and achievements, ultimately fostering a sense of community and celebration among all present. The images captured the essence of rural Uganda beautifully, showcasing vibrant landscapes, lively community interactions, and rich cultural traditions that reflect the heart and soul of its people. Each photograph tells a unique story, blending character and creativity with a palpable sense of passion, inviting viewers to appreciate the depth and diversity of life in this enchanting region.

Update on another long-time student!
Surrender is a student we have been working with for many years. She attended one of the original Give a Child a Camera workshops back in 2017 and has constantly and consistently shown promise. Julian worked with Surrender and a small group in  2019 and her inspiring portraiture captivated the audience. Since this time she has continued distance learning and on our recent trip we met with her to give her some more equipment and ideas for ideas for developing her portfolio of imagery when she had time away from her studies. We will keep you updated on this promising young photographer!