Connecting through Photography during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Life has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our city and put many people’s lives on hold. The cancellation of in person classes at the Digital Innovation Hubs is one example. As a result, we adapted to delivering some of our classes online.
Online gatherings will never replace the experience of in person events. Yet, they have proven to be rewarding in an unexpected way.
The live chat feature allows more interaction than is possible for in person classes. It is easier to ask questions and comment without interrupting the instruction. The resulting discussions often reveal a sense of community among those brought together to learn a new skill. This sense of connection through learning inspired the "Connecting with Creativity: your COVID-19 experience in photos" series.
The series taught basic photography techniques and digital photo editing skills. Classes included hands-on training, a practical photo assignment and an online photo exhibition. Topics covered include aperture, shutter, exposure, white balance, ISO sensitivity and composition. Participants also learned to edit photos using free software Polarr and RawTherapee.
Between classes, participants shared photos they took and edited representing life during COVID-19. You can view the full set of excellent photos in the Connecting with Creativity Flickr Group.
Here are a few of our favourites from the collection.
These shots featured in the photo exhibition hosted by professional photographer, Fabrice Strippoli. He shared examples of his own work then provided personal critique for each photo. Participants were lively in the chat as Fabrice shared advice and his own experience. It was an enjoyable evening and an inspiration to see such creativity in spite of a global pandemic.
Learn About Photography
There are more ways to learn about photography and photo editing if you missed the workshops.
Check out this recent blog post for a useful list of books and online resources from the Library.
See Lynda.com for many courses and tutorials on photography. These two are a great place to start. You will need to log in with your TPL card to access the courses.
- Photography 101 with Joseph Linaschke
- Photography Foundations: Mobile Photography with Ben Long
We appreciate everyone's curiosity and enthusiasm for lifelong learning. New online classes are in the works so please keep an eye on our upcoming Digital Innovation classes.
See you in an online class soon!
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