FreshLens Basic Course

Our mission is to provide educational arts programming to students from under resourced areas in Chicago while giving students an opportunity to develop skills and gain confidence through the vehicle of photography.

Students in the basic course will be loaned a camera for the duration of the course. Students will learn camera fundamentals, composition, showing and stopping motion and creating depth of field. Students will learn to edit their photos in Adobe Lightroom and print their work weekly. Students will have the opportunity to go on a field trip within the city or the Greater Chicagoland area. Students successfully completing the program will earn a camera and lens to keep. Students will exhibit their work and will earn half of the profits with the sale of their work.   

Each student is required to fill out an application, attend an information meeting and an interview. Students with financial need will be given preference, but other students are encouraged to apply.

After you submit your application, we will contact you by email to let you know whether you have been accepted into the class. If you are not selected for this session, we may encourage you to apply again for a future session. Please check your email regularly for updates from FreshLens Chicago.

If you have any questions about the application process, please email Vanessa Luna at vanessa@freshlenschicago.org.
We look forward to your participation in an upcoming FreshLens Chicago session!

Winter 2027 Session | Tentative Start Date: January 23 (8-week program)
Classes meet Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and
Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with two longer days.
Dates are subject to change.

Tentative Deadline to Submit for Winter Session: Wednesday, January 6

APPLICATION FORM — OPEN

If you have submitted an application AFTER September 19, your application will be saved for Winter Session 2027.

Application Requirements (please read carefully):

  • High School Seniors post graduation are not eligible to apply

  • Applicants must be enrolled in High School

  • Applicants must reside within a 606 ZIP code

A group of young people gathered indoors, with one person in focus smiling while looking at something in front of them, holding a paper, and others are engaged around.
Person with curly hair wearing a gray sweatshirt and khaki pants examining a camera while standing next to a table with multiple cameras and camera accessories in plastic bags. There are shelves and a framed photo on the wall in the background.
Two individuals working on a photography or art project, with photographs or artwork laid out on a table, one person measuring with a yellow tool and the other observing.
A woman with dark hair and a light-colored hoodie is reaching up to adjust or hang a mirror or glass panel on the wall.
Person with long brown hair wearing a gray hoodie and multiple bracelets, bending over and touching a framed photo on a table, in a room with white walls and framed pictures.
A woman with dark hair, wearing a black t-shirt, showing an object to a young person with curly hair in a room with posters and bulletin boards on the wall.
Three young people are gathered around a camera in an art gallery or classroom, examining a digital camera closely. Behind them, framed artwork is displayed on the wall, and there is an overall focus on photography or art.
Person sitting at a computer desk in a classroom or office environment, working on a desktop computer with a white screen, surrounded by other computer stations and monitors.
Two people standing indoors looking at cameras or camera equipment, with a person holding a camera on the left and another person holding a camera on the right, possibly at an event or photography workshop.
Four people standing around a table with a handmade snowman craft at an indoor event. The snowman is decorated with colorful details, and the people are wearing casual clothing and face masks.
Two young women standing outdoors on a paved surface, holding cameras and smiling. One has curly dark hair, wearing a gray t-shirt and denim shorts. The other has braided hair with glasses, wearing a red and black plaid shirt and dark jeans. A hedge
Two women are outside, one standing on the other's shoulders, both smiling happily. The woman on top is wearing a black and gray baseball cap and a gray shirt. The woman below has glasses and is wearing a plaid shirt and a black T-shirt. There is a g
A group of people wait on the sidewalk outside a building with a large archway entrance and a garage door. A woman in the foreground points towards the building while others stand and look around, some holding cameras. The building number is 4001 and
Two women standing back to back on a city sidewalk, each holding a camera up to their face, aiming photographs. One is wearing a navy fleece jacket and jeans, and the other is in a gray hoodie and black pants, with both women focused on taking pictur
Three boys standing in front of a tall, colorful structure made of plastic sticks in a classroom or activity room, with one boy crossing his arms and smiling, another with glasses and a T-shirt, and the third with a hoodie. There is a whiteboard and
A group of four young people standing behind a table with a large colorful geometric sculpture. The background includes photographs and artwork on the wall.
A young woman with long, curly dreadlocks and a white blouse sitting at a table in an art gallery or classroom, smiling slightly at the camera. There are black and white photographs on the wall behind her.
A woman is giving a presentation in front of a classroom with a large screen displaying a slide titled '2nd Factor: Depth of Field (DOF) Distance to the Subject'. The audience members are seated at tables, and there is a whiteboard with handwritten n
People at an indoor event standing near a table with black containers and name tags, including a girl with a ponytail and earrings and a boy in a red hoodie, shelves with photographs in the background.
Classroom filled with students sitting at desks, some writing or reading, and a large screen at the front displaying a quote from Marianne Williamson. The room has white walls decorated with photographs or artwork, a ceiling fan, and exposed metallic
Four young adults standing outdoors in a cityscape with tall buildings behind them. They are dressed warmly for winter, and three are holding cameras.
Three women stand in front of a black wall with white circular text and a star, holding cameras and smiling at the camera. The woman on the left has glasses and a pink sweatshirt, the woman in the middle has braids and a white jacket, the woman on th
A classroom with students sitting at tables, some writing and listening, with a projector screen displaying 'Shooting Exercise' and other text about field shooting exercises. The classroom has white walls with photographs and a large black-and-white
A woman taking a photo with a camera on a city street, in front of a historic building with statues and ornate details.
A woman taking a photo with a camera while riding public transportation. She is wearing a shirt with the text "FlashLens Chicago" and has a bag across her shoulder. Other passengers, some wearing masks, are visible in the background.