What if you handed a bunch of third-graders throwaway cameras and told them to break every rule they've heard about how to shoot a picture? Climb a tree, lay on the ground, get close, closer, in your face, show me mysterious, sadness, peaceful. Make it rich and messy, blurry or not, a sky or a bug - just show me your window on the world.
As this video shows, the results are nothing short of AWESOME!

This was my second time to do this project. It was shot in early 2008 in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee, at Hillsboro School. I lectured the kids a few times about light, composition, subject matter, and especially, how to be free with a camera. The final enlargements were scanned by me from 4x6 prints that the kids and I reviewed and cropped where necesary. prints were done at home. Some PhotoShopping was done but only in a way that retained the integrity of the original print.

In November, 2008, I will begin this project in West Linn, Oregon, with 4th and 5th graders at Cedaroak Elementary. Email me with comments or questions at: 3islandgirlz@gmail.com