Memories – Drawing With Light

WHO
Facilitator: Frank Barr Photography Tutor
Number of participants: 10 adult learners

Characteristics of participants: There were seven males and three females. Participants were between the ages of 24 and 43. Some were continuing education students and some were adult learners returning to education. All were able bodied and were photography students with no formal training in drawing and with none possessing any recognisable talents in that area.

In addition to the formal participants audiences of other adult learners were drafted in as audiences and required to interpret the drawings as they saw them performed.

WHY
The participants learnt a number of technical photographic skills. Many of them improved their drawing abilities. Technologically the activity required students to adopt a systems approach to the activity with much trial and error and process development occurring during the activity. All of the students ended up with a small portfolio of images produced through light drawing and in a small way improved their inter-personal skills by engaging in an activity that would not work without cooperation and collective decision making. Students also learnt several approaches and methods of drawing with light.

I personally learnt to appreciate how group activities when conducted well are very useful teaching and learning tools and how discussion and experimentation by a group can quite quickly lead to technical solutions. I could also see the artistry of this form of drawing.

HOW
Process: The activity was necessarily a group activity. One or latterly a number of people engaged in drawing in air or drawing around posed human subjects using torches or other forms of lights such as sets of Christmas tree lights, mobile phones etc. Other participants recorded the drawings photographically using time exposures of about 30 secs. Colour was achieved by photographers, on the instructions of the drawing participants, placing colour gels in front of the camera lenses.

The exercise assisted students in their photographic studies. It required them to engage in constructive discussion, group work, research and technical experimentation. It required them to focus on how to depict complicated subjects or themes in simple understandable graphic form and to develop theatre presentation skills as the activity was performed in front of a number of live audiences.

VALUE FOR LEARNERS
Participant’s responses
All participants got great satisfaction and enjoyment from the activity. All learnt a great deal in a number of areas; photographic skills, how to approach problems, how to minimise complex ideas into simple drawings. Students commented on the effectiveness of group approaches to problems and the fun and associated with performance and group activities.

Discussion during the activity was focused on the problems in hand and likely solutions.

VALUE FOR FACILITATORS
Facilitator’s reflection
There was no downside to the activity it was totally positive. It required students to focus on collective problem solving and artistic representation and improve their photographic skills. It required them to examine and reflect on the theme of ‘memories’ and to think creatively on what they are and how to show them and how some are common, collective memories and some are personal. The performance activity assisted in student’s personal development in that it required them to project themselves and their ideas - an area crucial to their future careers.