Programs

Find out more about our programs and view our students' photography and writing below.

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National Geographic Photo Camp

National Geographic Photo Camp is a series of photography workshops for youth from underserved communities in the United States and abroad. In partnership with local newspapers and community organizations, Photo Camp inspires young people to explore their communities through the camera’s lens, and to share their vision through public presentations and exhibitions. With over 50 domestic and international camps since 2003, Photo Camp has worked with young people in such locations as Uganda, Mexico, India, Miami, New Orleans, Baltimore, New York, San Francisco, Pine Ridge Native American Reservation in South Dakota, Hawaii, Houston, and Washington D.C....

Our Photo Camp program adopts a theme which helps define who are students are and what photographic stories they will tell during camp. In 2007, our students explored issues of refugees and immigration. In 2008 and 2009, our students documented youth perspectives on environmental issues in the students’ communities. In 2010, our students will be focusing on issues related to water.

Photo Camp is funded by the National Geographic Society’s Mission Programs and our partners, and cameras for the workshops have been generously donated by Olympus Imaging America.

Photography and writing from National Geographic Photo Camp students can viewed in this online gallery and at www.nationalgeographic.com/photocamp.

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Maryland and Washington D.C. Regional Programs

VisionWorkshops provides photography and writing programs for students in selected public schools throughout the region.

Crossing Borders
Since 2001, this program has worked with Annapolis and Baltimore middle and high school students for continuing Crossing Borders programs. With cameras, pens and journals in hand, we encourage these students to document their lives here in the United States and learn about each other. What these photographs and writings reveal is the story of a new generation of young Americans who are a rich blend of many distinct cultures.

This program is funded by the Carol M. Jacobsohn Foundation, Brook Group and other supporters.

Photography and writing from our Maryland and Washington D.C. Regional Programs students can viewed in this online gallery.

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Insights - the identity project

VisionWorkshops’ Juvenile Treatment Court program serves youth from the Drug Court of Anne Arundel County. Insights: The Identity Project, gives kids a chance to express themselves through words and black and white self-portraits.

Students explore issues of self esteem through photography and learn the craft of printing in the darkroom from experienced mentors in the field of photojournalism. They exhibit their work and are given the opportunity to create and display positive images of themselves to their families and communities. Often, these young people are at a turning point in their lives, and the VisionWorkshops experience can have a lasting impression on their sense of identity and self worth.

We ask the students to describe themselves to others, who may know them simply as kids who have gotten into trouble. We ask them to focus on their strengths and their values, to make a sketch of themselves with words and pictures.

VisionWorkshops’ Juvenile Treatment Court program is funded in part by the Carol M. Jacobsohn Foundation, and is held in darkroom and classroom space donated by Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis.

Photography and writing from Insight students can viewed in this online gallery.