Just returned from four weeks in Puerto Rico where I was leading a Post-Session that focused on Puerto Rican culture, history, and politics. We had a great time. I took ten students, and we visited various sites and treated all sorts of great subjects. While in Puerto Rico I had the great fortune of delivering a talk/workshop for Prensa Comunitaria, a not-for-profit group dedicated to developing institutional capacity for digital storytelling, journalism, photojournalism, etc. They do a great deal with populations in need. My workshop was based on my Guide to Photographing Social Protest and Civic Activism, which Prensa is using as training handbook. You can download an early draft of the document in Spanish (translated by Prensa Comunitaria) here.
Many kudos to Carla Minet the Executive Director of Prensa Comunitaria. She was super gracious, wonderfully welcoming, and great at facilitating the workshop. The workshop was well-attended, and there were great questions that inspired me to make some additions to the guide, and perhaps develop another one. I wish I had a bit more time in Puerto Rico to work more hands-on with Carla and Prensa Comunitaria. Next time I run the Puerto Rico Post-Session I look forward to having my students work on a common project with Prensa Comunitaria. I am currently planning the next Post-Session for next Summer (2010).
While I did not have as much free time as I would have liked for photography, I managed to take a few shots here and there. Nothing fancy, but all of it fun. I am also considering leading a photo trip to Puerto Rico. The plan is to combine a four to five day cultural exploration trip to the island — touching on various types of photography, and including discussion of island history, social, cultural, and political life. These trips tend to be better with somebody who knows the place, and who has knowledge of the locations, the history, places to shoot, etc. The trip would be during the Summer. Watch this space for more information.
