Looking at the World from Both Sides of the Camera

Karen Zhang gets to know her camera outside the Multimedia Team Headquarters at 153 East 53rd Street. 

The Creative Art Works Multimedia Team is in a unique position. These young people - along with their teaching artists - are charged with telling the authentic stories that emerge from our  Public Art Youth Employment Program and to observe and interpret what develops from the interplay of art-making, youth employment, and community engagement. But since the Multimedia team is a CAW employment program in its own right, these Youth Apprentices will be telling their own stories as well, through photography, video, reporting, and blogging. 

That process began the first full day on the job. After a crash course in the basics of taking a good picture, this band of roving reporters hit the pavement and started clicking. Later, they regrouped in the Multimedia Team Headquarters to compare notes and discuss their best shots. Below are excerpts from the reflection journals of two CAW Youth Apprentices, Susan Aghedo and Danny Ballard


Work product: 
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Work product: Susan Aghedo's notebook with two examples of portraits that obey the Rule of Thirds. Photo by Susan Aghedo.

Today was a reflection on the Rule of Thirds. The Rule of Thirds is a guideline that we follow for an awesome picture. In order to look for a good picture, we have to identify a foreground, background, composition, negative space, nose and headspace and see if it is a symmetrical perspective.
— Susan Aghedo

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The guys invite you to talk to them. No, really! Left to Right: Youth Apprentices Mikal Richards, Paul Crespo, Joshua Thomas and Aaron Castillo. Photo by Danny Ballard.

What I’ve learned in the Creative Art Works program today is how to evaluate a photo based on contrast, symmetry, balance between foreground and background, and composition… Today, we took pictures of people to better understand the Rule of Thirds, which is basically a good guide for composing a picture. Based on the picture I took, I can tell that my co-workers and friends are BIG anime fans and very intelligent gamers, not to mention we have some video makers and dancers. I can also tell that my friends are a bit goofy... I’m looking forward to work tomorrow.
— Danny Ballard

STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE: Want to know more about the Multimedia Team? There's no better way than to talk to them in person. The Multimedia Team Headquarters is located on the ground floor of the Atrium Shops and Cafés at 153 West 53rd Street (at Lexington). The best time to catch up with these Youth Apprentices is in the morning before they head out on their beats. They will be working Monday through Thursday until August 6th.

CELEBRATE WITH US: You are cordially invited to join the Multimedia Team for a presentation of photography, videos, and other works at a grand culminating event for all CAW summer programs. A reception with refreshments will follow. This event will take place on August 13th at 5:30 PM at the Oberia Dempsey Multi-Services Center, at 127 W 127th St in Harlem, just three and a half blocks West and two blocks North of the 125th Street Metro North Station.

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The Multimedia Team, Clockwise from top left: Brenda Castillo, Paul Crespo, Josh Thomas, Daniel Hooper, Aaron Castillo, CAW Teaching Artist Assistant Molly Yergens, Susan Aghedo, Sandra Aghedo, Mikal Richards, Edgar Gonzalez.

Some Youth Apprentices are veterans from previous summers, while others are first-timers, so the orientation started with an ice-breaker led by CAW Teaching Artist Gabriel Lawrence. This game had the added benefit of providing a mnemonic device for quickly learning everybody's name - including Eager Edgar, Powerful Paul, Amazing Aaron, Merry Mikal, Dizzy Danny, Jokin' Josh, Observant Oscar, Great Gabriel and Marvelous Molly.