Kids with Cameras

Whenever I'm restless, I like to go through my old bookmarks. Tonight, I gladly came across one of my forgotten links: Kids with Cameras.

Kids with Cameras is a photography project that started in Calcutta's red-light district. The project was started by a photographer named, Zana Briski. With the help of other photographers, she teaches photography and gives cameras to unfortunate kids in order to capture their imaginations, "empower them, building confidence, self-esteem and hope." The project was also made into a 2005-Academy-Award-winning documentary film called, Born Into Brothels.


The first time I stumbled upon it, the workshop was only happening in Calcutta. I found out now they have set up workshops in Haiti, Jerusalem, and Cairo. Other similar workshops also flourished all around the world. Although, they have yet to start one in Indonesia. Someone should start it! You can now also purchase large sized prints from the website, while before they're only selling the book and the dvd. According to the site, "All net proceeds from sales of the children's photos go to support their education and well-being."


Each one of the kids' profiles are on the website. So, anyone could learn about them while looking through their photographs. I really think these photographs served their purposes and more. Not only that they captured their daily life, they also transformed them into beautiful images, with energy and sincerity we don't normally see in commercial photography. After all, these photographs are purely from the kids' imagination, something that modern technology and adult minds combined can never surpass.