By Cynthia Romero
Susan Schiffman, a mother and avid photographer, decided to turn her passion into an art project for children attending The Neighborhood School in the East Village. What developed was more than just photography.
“The school has always been very supportive of the arts, so we made signs and, little by little, those who were interested came out and joined,” Schiffman said.
The club, which began in April, included 10 students — drawn from the third, fourth and fifth grades — who gathered once a week for an afternoon of snapping shots. The only rule is that there are no rules in the club, as the children are given as much freedom as they need.
“Most times, they just go out on their own and start working, and that’s what I wanted this to be, something they are doing for fun and to really express what it is they see all around them,” said Schiffman.
Although the club had only been in existence for a mere eight weeks, Schiffman proudly reports that the proof is in the prints. A collection of roughly 100 photographic prints and photograms (done with a darkroom process where objects instead of negatives are placed on an enlarger to expose them) were on exhibit June 22 at The Neighborhood School, at 121 E. Third St.
The collection of photographs included candid self-portraits, shots of neighborhood pets, shadows, storefronts and even a collection of dolls. At the exhibit, Schiffman beamed as she passed by each photo, admitting the club has given her an opportunity to see through the eyes of a child.
“Just look at them, I mean they were all so open and confident about their personal vision. There really wasn’t much else I had to do with them,” she said. “It’s really interesting, because even though they all could have taken a photograph of the same dog, the result wasn’t the same.”
No film here. Schiffman decided to take the “low-tech” approach instead by asking the students to use their families’ least complicated digital camera. For the kids, the perk of digital was being able to see an immediate visual. For Schiffman, the perks were simplicity and cost.
“Digital is just easier and cheaper. So they can take as many photos as they want to, more than they’d probably be able to if we were shooting film,” she said.
While the club’s approach to photography may be relaxed, Schiffman’s decision to keep the program going for the future is firm.
“I already have so many people asking me what will happen to the club next year,” she said. “I’ll definitely keep it running. I already have some other projects I’d like to incorporate into the club — maybe a little photojournalism — so I’m excited to see where it’ll go from here.”
