NORFOLK, VA (July 8, 2008) – The long-standing "Truth With A Camera" workshop that Edom Foundation director Dr. Vme Edom Smith back in January said was cancelled for 2008 has been revived by two photojournalists who work for The Virginian-Pilot.
Stephen M. Katz and Christopher Tyree have given "Truth With A Camera" a new life in a new format. The re-formatted workshop will give students shooting experience in developing countries. The rebirth comes with Vme Edom Smith's blessing; she is moving to California to live with her daughter.
"We have completely remodeled the program while maintaining the original intent of the course," Katz says. "It's pretty exciting stuff."
The new workshops are planned for the City of Santiago in the Dominican Republic for October 2008, and Camarines Sur in the Philippines in 2009. Dates are yet to be determined for workshops in Ecuador and Kenya.
The Dominican Republic workshop is set for October 11 thorugh 19 in Santiago and the students' work will be used to help promote the efforts of non-profit and non-governmental organizations who are working there, as well as being a "completed body of portfolio-quality work," the organizers said.
Students will work in teams of five for five shooting days on individual projects, with evening lectures after a group dinner. Instructors will shoot alongside students, and photo editors will work with students on the results of their daily shoots. Some of the non-profit and NGO groups being documented include those providing medical care and infrastructure modernization.
Katz and Tyree are picking up the mission statement for the "Truth With A Camera" workshop that has served the seminar since the time it was founded 14 years ago to continue the work of Clifton C. and Vi Edom. The mission statement for the workshop is to "educate photojournalists, not only in current technologies, but in understanding cultural differences and similarities and to contribute to truth, ethics, and social justice."
For more information see www.truthwithacamera.org.
