Pictage Lens & Learn
Clients, you all know that Pictage is my lab of choice for posting your wedding images. It is the first place you see all of the images from your wedding. These are also the fine people who print and deliver the images you decide to order in print form. They allow me the freedom to concentrate on things like shooting your weddings, designing your albums, answering your emails, working on your slideshows and all of the other millions of things I have to do (but love to do) as a photographer and business owner.
Photographers, some of you may have had some ups and downs with Pictage over the years, I have as well. But I can’t tell you how incredibly thrilled I have been ever since they were taken over by new management about a year and a half ago. Since then Jim, Simon, Kevin, Danny, Nitin & Jen have completely turned the company around and in the process have also become personal friends of mine. I couldn’t be more pleased with the work they are doing and the fact that they are now operating the company in a way that has a heart has won me over as a client for life. The 2009 and 2010 PartnerCon conventions (traditionally held in the Los Angeles area) were moved to the city of New Orleans because of a simple premise….”New Orleans needs our money and support”. Agreed!
So I was more than thrilled when the lovely Elizabeth from the community team at Pictage contacted me to see if I’d be interested in being an instructor for Pictage Lens & Learn at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica. I jumped at the chance. So back in July, along with a number of other Southern California wedding and portrait photographers, I spent the day hanging with a really great group of kids from the Boys & Girls Club.
All images courtesy of Jeff & Erin Youngren. Thanks guys for the beautiful memories!
Jim gave us all a little pep talk.
I was a little bit nervous because I’ve never taught anything to children and was worried that I wouldn’t even know how to teach. I can teach business stuff to photographers no problem but this was a whole different story. You can kind of see how nervous & pale I am here. 
Ty Hart (from Pictage) was my partner in crime for the day.
Before long we were introduced to the kids and split up into smaller groups for a little bit of classroom teaching. I was in a room along with Jeff & Betsy McCue, a fantastic married team from San Diego. Jeff was an absolute champion at teaching the kids, he knew just how to talk to them. Seriously, it is a whole art form, I swear. I seemed to be perceived by some of the younger ones as something to lean on, a comfy sofa, or someone who might be willing to hold their hand or take them to the bathroom. I didn’t mind at all. The point of the whole thing was to make these kids feel special and important and give them a fun project/ outing for the day. You never know what their home situation is like so if they just need a little affection, so be it.
We went over some very basic photography principles. Some of the kids were really intrigued by the examples, one little girl whispered to me that she was bored. I always appreciate honesty.
Next it was off to the Santa Monica Pier for a little photo scavenger hunt.
Ty and I spent plenty of time doing head counts of our group of 10 kids. We had a really special group, including 3 sets of siblings. I can remember each of their faces clearly and their personalities really began to surface as the day went on.
We had to take pictures of things like “something that is 2 colors” or “something that conveys happiness or sadness with no people in it”. The list really gave the kids the opportunity to think about what they were shooting and how to express themselves through photography.
I have to admit, leaving at the end of the day was really tough. The kids in my group were incredibly affectionate, hugged me and gripped my hands tightly as we tried to say goodbye. Thank goodness Pictage hosted us for margaritas & dinner afterwards or I might have cried all the way home. I truly hope it was a positive and memorable experience for these kids but I think I can speak for most of the photographer volunteers when I say that it was definitively more rewarding for us. I hope that they will ask us back again soon.
What a wonderful way to spend a day. Justine, you never cease to amaze me.
A talented eye and a generous heart.
Justine,
It was such a privilege to have you there. You know those kids pull my heartstrings pretty hard and I’m always nervous myself about what’s going to happen during these special days. Will it work? Will the kids connect, enjoy and laugh? Will they know we think they’re special.
During the closing session when I was speaking to all of them and all of you in that HOT room upstairs I have one special memory. Seeing you sitting on the floor with the kids and with a whole little pile of little girls on you. They felt special. There is nothing you could possibly have done that would have been more powerful…
I’m your fan for life.
JC
wow, how cool is that!? very…very cool.
Justine, this is so fantastic. I can totally see you on the floor with a pile of little girls around you! What a great visual.
I know you gave these kids all of your heart, they felt the love and care!
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Justine, for sharing such genuine experiences you had with the kids from the Santa Monica B&G Club.
It brought back fond memories for me of the first Lens and Learn we did with the B&G club of Las Vegas. No better feeling than sharing a day with the future leaders of our communities. XOXO