Hola, Soy Sebastián Valero!
En mis 4 años que llevo en el mundo audiovisual puedo decir que esta es una de las experiencias mas enriquecedoras que he tenido a pesar de que solo llevamos 2 días de taller. El hecho de que estoy acostumbrado a hacer mis trabajos con la típica DSLR, para mi es todo un reto hacer fotografías con una cámara hecha con una lata pero también es cierto que es muy agradable, y que estemos aprendiendo todos y compartiendo una técnica desconocida para muchos es una gran forma de romper la monotonía...
Espero seguir aprendiendo y disfrutar de los dias de taller restantes para mas adelante poder compartir esta gran experiencia con mas personas... :)
Thanks Rocco!

Nuestro primer día de taller en Bucaramanga

Hi everyone!

Soy Nathalia Parra, una chica egresada de la carrera de Artes Audiovisuales de la Unab en Bucaramanga. 

Realmente quise aceptar la tarea de ser la primera del taller en escribir una nota para este blog, no solo porque quedé encantadísima con el trabajo de construir nuestras propias cámaras, sino también por esa bella labor que entendí realiza Tony con sus estudiantes al enseñar con demasiado entusiasmo y  actitud el arte de una fotografía documental y recursiva.

Qué hermosa oportunidad estar compartiendo con estos chicos y con Tony; un aprendizaje más que se suma a mi vida y que espero muchos tengan la fortuna de experimentar. Por ahora, mañana seguimos con más!!!

Disfrutando de la Fotografia

Hola mi nombre es Jhoan Steven Taborda, tengo 16 años y hago parte del taller desearte paz del tecnocentro cultual somos pacifico Cali y aquí hay una evidencia de lo que fue el taller y delo que mas me gusto espero que les guste.

Visit to Photo Exhibit and Downtown Cali

Today was a great time as we visited a photography exhibition and my students got to take photos in downtown Cali. At the exhibition I got to show them examples of different photo taking techniques like composition, shooting angles, and looking for the light. It was very rewarding for me to see them then go out right away to a nearby plaza and use much of what they had just learned to take their own photos!

Below are a few Spanish interviews the students did about their favorite photographs from the exhibition as well as interviews of Juan David from El Colombo and Carlos from Technocentro Pacifico who talk about their roles in the Desearte Paz Program. A big shout out to my student Ingrid for the great job doing the interviews!

First Pinhole Photos

Our First Pinhole Photo in Cali!

Today my Cali students got their first opportunity to experience pinhole photography. They spent the first part of class finishing their pinhole cameras and making them light tight. Then one group go to go through the process while the other students observed so they could be ready for their turn tomorrow. These "cameras" were created from plastic containers and most of my students could not believe they would actually take photographs. Can't wait till tomorrow when they all get to do it.

The start of great new project with Los Centro Colombo Americanos in 4 Cities! Part 1 is Cali!

Today is my 1st post on this blog in 5 years as I have been working during this time to create the non-profit Photography Without Borders and have been chronicling the adventures of my students on our Facebook page. I am resurrecting this blog to document a personal project this summer where I am returning to Colombia to work with youth in 4 Colombian cities on an initiative called Desearte Paz (Wishing You Peace), a project of los Centro Colombo Americanos of Medellín, Cali, Bucaramanga, and Manizalez. The Colombos are located in many major Colombian cities and promote the exchange of culture between the US and Colombia. Last year I had an amazing experience bringing down 4 of my Philadelphia students to Medellin to work with El Colombo in Medellín and that amazing experience (again, check out our Facebook Page!) led to this year's larger project.

The first stop in this amazing tour is my mother's hometown of Cali where i am working with a group of youth in El Tecnocentro Cultural Somos Pacifico, located in the district of Aguablanca. Today was our first class and after meeting my students I put them to work painting the insides of their pinhole cameras that they will be using tomorrow. They also got to see an introductory video where my Shutterbugs Yaitza Figueroa and Jahaira Romero helped me get them started with some basic photographic concepts and whet their appetite for what we will be doing the next 2 weeks. We got off to a wonderful start today and the rest of our blog posts this week will be by the students themselves so stay tuned!

Grupo Aguacero, planting a Seed and watching it grow

If you look at my earliest entries in this blog you will see that I have been working with Grupo Aguacero for about 6 years now. Most of them started out as 15 or 16 year olds in high school and now most are graduating college already. It was always my intention to keep working with them until they reached the point where they were self sufficient and could go on their own. Well, it looks like that time has come, my kids are all grown up. The entire project in Cartagena, Soñando ser Fotógrafo, was planned and carried out by the members of the group. I hardly had to do anything. The students have now become the teachers. It gives me such a sense of pride to see the seeds I helped plant 6 years ago now blossoming.