A picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures tell stories, narratives of the location, what is going on, and the photographer behind the lens. This art form, unlike some, is accessible to all, even with just a smartphone; no need for a film or top-of-the-line digital camera. Photography is an eternal tradition that dates back even before cameras existed, where people painted portraits of each other to forever immortalize themselves through art.
Photography at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School is no different, where students enjoy the photography club to express themselves through this art form. The photography club is run by Mrs. Hamelin, an art teacher at DRRHS who has been teaching for six years.
Mrs. Hamelin has been interested in photography since she was a kid, where she used to take the family camera out to use in order to practice. Mrs. Hamelin started as an illustrator and used photography as a means to take reference photos. Moreover, she quickly found her love for photography. In art school for illustration, she was able to take picture-editing classes on the side that furthered her experience. As a child, her mother always commented that she had a “good eye” for photography, even without taking any classes, having learned photography completely on her own.
Two years ago, Mrs. Hamelin was offered an opportunity to share her passion for photography with the students of DRRHS through the form of photography club. Without surprise, she got the position and moved on to run photography club alongside the art club at DRRHS.
She decided to run the photography club, as it gave her a means to show the medium of photography to the students here at DRRHS and to give students the resources and opportunities to grow their own love and skill for photography.
Mrs. Hamelin, as one of the teachers in the art department, is able to give students opportunities to use amenities such as the computer lab, which allows students to edit their photos, along with the possibility of using the photo printer. This allows students to print out their photos in high resolution and large print. Mrs. Hamelin also wishes to give students more opportunities, such as going out with them after school to take photos or give weekly prompts to allow students to get past creative blocks and focus on a single project.
Currently at DRHHS the photography club is small; this is due to people being unaware of its existence. With more awareness, plenty more students could join without a doubt. With the opportunities given, such a niche club deserves much more attention. Ways to promote the club include things such as this article or being promoted on fliers.
Why should students join photography club when the topic seems so niche? The photography club is not just for people who are deeply in love with photography but also for those who are simply curious about it. Photography is a very simple art form at its core, yet it can be expanded when people push their skills to become more complicated. Photography is able to be accessed by all without very much trouble, as almost everyone now has a camera right in their pocket: a phone.
One doesn’t need a fancy top-of-the-line camera to get into photography or a specialized camera at all, for that matter. The only thing you need is your smartphone, which has the capability of taking amazing photos without the commitment of buying a camera, which many are unable to do due to the pricing of cameras.
So, why not give it a try? There is no need to commit to the club, and you can come as often or as little as you want, or not at all if you dislike it after the first meeting! Meetings are Monday after school in room 509 from 2pm to 3pm. We hope to see you there!
