Through Their Own Eyes-6
2024
Finally, in 2024, after a break of too many years we were able to do our sixth Through Their Own Eyes project. With the support of Hermanus Waldorf School, we were able to expand it into a more comprehensive learning process. Thanks to many generous donations of “old” cameras to the project, the children could work with digital cameras, giving them exciting new possibilities.
Together with teachers Carmen and Kudzi, we explored various types of photography, including documentary, portrait, and street photography. In each lesson, we reviewed their most recent photos and provided them with additional tools and tips to help improve their photography skills.
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The renowned photographer and co-founder of MAGNUM, Henri Cartier-Bresson, once said: “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” Looking at the work of these ten children, whether in the magazine or online, you can’t help but admire what they have accomplished. Most of them had never held a camera before. They had no prior knowledge of photography. Yes, you’ll find some photos that are out of focus or slightly tilted—but there are also true gems. And we witnessed firsthand the incredible progress these children made.
For each stage of learning, we gave them a specific assignment. Initially, they needed to familiarize themselves with their cameras. The best way to start? Stay close to home—right at school.
The second lesson focused on portrait photography. After learning the basic principles, we conducted a role-playing exercise to teach the children how to interact with their "models." For their assignment, they had to find models within their own families. They were asked to photograph their household members and choose a specific person they would like to portrait in a photograph. At the end of the session, we took portraits of the children, which you can find at the back of the magazine and below. Click on their portraits to see more of the photos they made during this course.
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The third lesson, on street photography, took us into the streets of Zwelihle—a truly memorable experience. Initially, the children were shy, but over time, they playfully overcame their hesitations. They had to think about their shots: how to frame them, where to take them, and when to capture the moment. They worked on composing their photographs thoughtfully.
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We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Bertus van Zyl, the administrative head of Hermanus Waldorf School, for allowing us to carry out this project at the school.
A special thank you goes to Carmen, the children's teacher—this project would not have been possible without her enthusiastic support.
We are also deeply grateful to teacher Kudzi, who guided us through Zwelihle during the street photography session.
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It was a joy to work with these children and witness their growth. To conclude with the words of Henri Cartier-Bresson: “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, the heart, and the head.”
