August 1, 2022

Programming

One of the best things about life opening up has been our ability to serve more young people and the expansion of programming.  We are on a pace in 2022 to serve more students than ever before and this summer has been our most robust program offering four classes.  At our Northside location we are offering our Basic Class and our Event A.  We have teamed with community partners:  The Hyde Park Neighborhood Club to offer a middle school program as well as a high school program in Englewood with A Knock at Midnight.  AKAM is working with the city with the “One Summer Chicago” program where students summer job is to attend class. This exciting 5-week program meets 20 hours per week.  Chicago Photography Classes has generously opened their doors to our Englewood students for a weekly lab.

Event Corp

After students successfully completed our first Event A and B series in the spring, those students have joined our Event Core which is being coordinated by Denise Orlin.  We are thrilled with the work students are doing and they are being paid to shoot both private and corporate events.  We are seeing students increase in confidence, business skills and the ability to work in a professional setting.  Please consider us for your next event or celebration. 

Upcoming Student Showcases

Our basic class will be exhibiting their work at Chicago Photography Classes facility (4001 N. Ravenswood Ave) during the Ravenswood Art Walk on Saturday, September 10 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Please join us in supporting our talented young people.  I am confident that you will be impressed with the quality of their work as well as their poise and ability to speak about it.

Professional Collaborations

Through the generosity of Chicago’s community of professional photographers we have been able to offer our student valuable enrichment activities.  Many professional photographers have offered our students the opportunity to be paid assistants. Each session in our Basic Class 5 panelists join us on our Career Pathway Panel focusing on the wide variety of jobs in photography as well as what makes successful people successful.  We were also honored to welcome Tonika Johnson to speak to our Englewood students about her path as a professional photographer as well as her brilliant “Folded Map Project” (https://www.foldedmapproject.com/context) which has gotten national attention.