Young Photographers

I think I mentioned The New Orleans Kid Camera Project in passing on this site a while back, but a recent email prompted me to take another look at what's been going on with it since then, and the answer seems to be: quite a bit. Through weekly workshops, the project has the following mission:

"The New Orleans Kid Camera Project was created to address the psychological and emotional impacts of Hurricane Katrina on children returning home to New Orleans. Through the use of photography, creative writing and mixed media, children from flooded neighborhoods explore their environment and exress themselves, their stories and feelings with their friends. This project provides a venue for growth and recovery. By teaching the children tangible skills and exposing them to new means of expression, we hope to empower them to impact their lives and environment."

They've now posted galleries of photos taken in the 6th, 7th, 9th, and 12th wards, as well as in St. Bernard Parish. Lots of great stuff. Plus, I gather that some of the kids' work will be in a show at the New Orleans Museum of Art. And apparently they're planning a video podcast.

The photo above is from the project's 6th Ward gallery (we lived in the 6th Ward, near Bayou St. John) and was taken by Vadal, age 11. Check out the rest of his gallery here.

The site includes a news section/blog with updates from all the participating groups of young photographers -- that's what I'm bookmarking.