Participants in a presentation

During my time as Artist-in-Residence at Grand Canyon National Park, I had several opportunities to chat with other photographers and those that are interested in photography. Some of my best experiences came from the presentations I gave at the Verkamps’ Visitor Center and at the Grand Canyon School. I gave two separate presentations to park visitors at Verkamps that also included time spent working one-on-one sharing photography tips and ideas.

Working with the students at the Grand Canyon School was an extra special treat. It was incredibly rewarding to be surrounded by their enthusiasm and to watch them work because they see the world in a very different way than adults. Their creative process has not yet been influenced by the rules or defined styles of the art and as a result they will often create images that most adults would never consider or visualize.

Tristin working on his photos

The students were given a photographic “assignment” that had to be completed within a limited time frame. Thanks to the contributions of several other photographers and the readers of this site, each student had a camera to use and was able to participate without having to share cameras. Final images were presented to me for review and constructive feedback was provided. Their photography, to say the least, was impressive. One student did standout amongst his peers and that was Tristin. Tristin’s photos were excellent, but most importantly his passion for photography was obvious and it left me with a great feeling to know that there are still young people that are excited by art.

I’d like to thank everyone that made these opportunities available to me including the Grand Canyon National Park staff including Judy Bryan, Chief of Interpretation, who was my primary point-of-contact at the park. Amy McBroom, Art Instructor at the Grand Canyon School. Amy’s enthusiasm is intoxicating and I’m sure is huge reason why the student at the school are so fired-up over art. FYI, Amy was the 2008 teacher of the year in Arizona and she is a founding member of a committee that created Arts for our Park, a juried art show for students in the Grand Canyon Unified School District. Amy is very humble and a dedicated teacher who would never brag about herself, so I’ll do it for her.

Presenting a Slingshot 200AW to Tristin

I would also like to thank Lowepro who has supported me and my photographic endeavours through sponsorship. When I informed the team at Lowepro  that I was to be the Artist-in-Residence, they graciously donated several Slingshot 200AW camera bags for me to award to one lucky participant in each of my presentations.  The criteria for deciding who would get the bag included the questions they asked and who traveled the farthest to reach the Grand Canyon. I also presented a Slingshot 200AW to one deserving student, and that student was Tristin.

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Thanks again to Judy, Amy and Lowepro!

Related posts:

1. Grand Canyon Presentation Dates
2. Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW Giveaway
3. Artist-in-Residence ~ Grand Canyon National Park

The SlingShot 200 AW is a great bag and is one that I use when traveling and need quick and easy access to my camera. Here is more info from from Lowepro.com:

Perfect for photojournalists, the SlingShot 200 AW uses a unique sling design to go from “carry mode” to “ready mode” in just seconds. Carried comfortably on the back, it easily rotates to the front so you can get to your camera quickly. The SlingShot 200 AW holds an SLR with mid-range zoom lens attached 3-4 extra lenses, cables and accessories and has a full access lid to make loading it a snap. This feature-rich bag also includes a built-in memory card pouch, micro fiber LCD cloth and two generous organizer pockets.

So who wants a great camera bag for free? All you have to do is show up at one of my presentations at the Grand Canyon in March. I’ll be giving the bags away to who ever asks the most interesting question. In the unlikey event that there are no interesting questions, I will present the bag to the participant that traveled the farthest to attend.

I hope we have a chance to chat in March. In the meantime, get out there and shoot!

Related posts:

1. Grand Canyon Presentation Dates
2. Grand Canyon Presentations ~ A recap and thanks
3. I’m back from the Grand Canyon