Photography student Rebecca Lara loves the feeling she gets when she’s out with her camera.
“When I’m out there taking those pictures … I feel free,” said Lara.
So she was thrilled to have some of her work on display in March at Ottawa’s Art House Cafe as part of the True To Life photography exhibition.
“I feel really happy to have my pictures all [displayed],” said Lara. “I worked extremely hard to get where I am now.”
The True to Life project is the work of photographers Kelly McDonald and Emillie Swain, who have taught photography to students with Down syndrome for a decade. They teach weekly at a studio space provided by Ottawa’s School of Photographic Arts (SPAO) or at McDonald’s smaller personal studio for individual sessions.
The classes provide a safe space for the students to explore their creative side. At present, the project has four students: Rebecca, Saskia, James, and Geneviève.
The students range in age from high schoolers to adults. Some students are non-verbal, while others are more talkative. But they all share a love of the craft.
“These guys are serious [about photography],” said McDonald.
The group usually does something annually to mark the occasion. One year they sold a photobook with proceeds split evenly amongst the students.
This year they staged the Art House Café exhibit on March 20, which drew visitors from across the city, who filtered in to meet the students and view their work, which was also available for purchase.
The class itself takes a slow, thoughtful and easy-going approach to practicing photography.
“[The students] show up, we chat about our week, and if it’s nice out, we’ll go for a walk,” said McDonald.
McDonald will typically give a small lesson on composition, or another aspect of photography, and then they get right to taking photos.
“We don’t really put too much emphasis on what they have to shoot,” said McDonald.
One week students brought their own items to photograph in the studio. Geneviève arrived, arms laden with a box full of pink fabric and sparkly unicorns, while Saskia brought her boxing shoes and a carved wooden figure.
Student’s took turns taking photos from various angles and rearranging the objects to their liking.
This individualized approach to teaching shows up in the students’ work. Walking through the exhibit gallery in March, it was easy to tell each student’s work apart.
Lara often focuses on botanicals, while James loves taking photos of trees.
“Photography is another way to get into their world … anybody’s world, and to really see what they love,” said McDonald.
Over the years, McDonald has watched the students grow.
“Their work is really mature … they take time and think about their work and what they’re about to shoot,” said McDonald.
McDonald said teaching the students all these years has also impacted her and her work as a photographer.
“It’s taught me to really be in the moment, not to worry so much about my work,” she said.
