Young Photographers Workshops
LightField organizes a free, multi-day photography workshop for teens from underserved areas of Hudson that centers on camera basics, alternative processes, visual literacy, and writing. Designed and led by artist and teacher Saskia Kahn, our curriculum is tailored to fit the theme of each year’s festival. Students’ work is shown at LightField, where their friends and family join us to celebrate opening night, and other programming throughout the festival.
2019
Teens from Hudson’s Perfect Ten Afterschool program directed a film that told the story of climate change in a forest near their city. They conceived, planned, shot, and recorded sound for the film all by themselves. The final 2:53-minute piece was exhibited at Hudson Hall as part of LightField’s 2019 Photo + Synthesis Festival of mixed media art.
2018
Teens from Perfect Ten Afterschool program got up close and personal with nature by exploring a farm and the riverfront. They created silhouettes and postcards, wrote artist statements, and gave feedback to one another. Final images were exhibited at NYC’s Half King Photo Series, a sister project of LightField.
2017
Saskia and Sabella Kahn taught photojournalism, portraiture, public speaking, and alternative print processes to 12 teens from Hudson’s fabulous Perfect Ten Afterschool program. As in 2016, the girls’ work was exhibited at Hudson Hall as part of LightField’s Festival, “Just the Facts.” On opening night, the girls were celebrated with a sunflower ceremony, short speeches, and applause.
2016
Local teens from the Hudson Youth Center and Perfect Ten participated in photography workshops led by Jaime Schlesinger and Widline Cadet from the International Center of Photography. The workshop focused on visual literacy, self-portraiture, and empowerment through storytelling. The teens’ images were featured in LightField Festival's exhibition as a way of highlighting voices from the community in the overall program.