Some photographs chronicle visual history. A few others capture a glimpse of life's happenings. But an exhibition of pictures by students of Olcott Memorial High School here on Sunday talks about stories behind the pictures.
Nearly 100 photographs, all taken by students of Class IX of the school, have in them the aspirations of children. Classified into different themes such as nature and place, the pictures were captured in and around Theosophical Society. A solitary crab crossing a road adjacent to the beach, a tiny worm slithering on a man's foot and dry twigs surviving the windy afternoon were pinned one after another, each with impressive lighting and exposure. Sunshine, flowers, market and the sea also featured in the work of 16 students, who were selected from 50-odd students for their willingness to learn. A group of teachers and volunteers got together to train the children for the project, funded by the Youth Parliament Foundation and UNESCO. Their lessons began with the basics. For the next 3 months, the students learnt all about flash, shutter control, exposure and aperture. They were sent on assignments around Oorurkuppam and Theosophical Society. “It was fun, as we were seeing such sophisticated cameras for the first time. We weren't told about any theme. They wanted us to shoot whatever we found interesting,” says B. Suresh, one of the student participants.
“It is an attempt to change perceptions about young people. Their creations testify the latent talent in them and their attitude towards society,” says Shoba Narayana, programme coordinator.
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