"I realised it was time to pack my bags and move on...."

If you ask me as a trainer which session was the most exciting for the children at the Sheopur photography workshop, and expect me to say ‘shooting’ that would be incorrect.
While shooting did generate high excitement because of the rides, new places and the freedom to use the camera, it was the review of their photos that the children most eagerly looked forward to.
Every shoot was followed by a review: what worked, what didn’t and why. And despite being tired after the outing in the scorching sun, children were the first to assemble in the hall awaiting results of their efforts.
Enlarged photos were shown to them and the photographer will share what made him or her click that image, what worked out and what didn’t. Then the rest of the children will share their comments. Unlike adults children need no coaxing to comment on each others photos. They were forthright. And as the images were projected on to a screen one after the other, children's comments just followed:

‘She has cut off the top of the fort. She could have turned the camera to the vertical position to include it.’

‘The house is small. He should have gone closer, it would then be a better photo’

‘The people are too stiff, they could have been more at ease’

‘I like the reflection of the tree in the water, I too would like to try it’

And when an image appeared on the screen which almost everybody felt was a perfect picture and clapped for it, Prithiviraj Meena, Std IV, GPS Bijarpur, Sheopur, stood up and drew our attention to a subtler aspect:

‘Bahoot achcha hai lekin thoda soonsan hai’ [A perfect picture but looks a bit deserted]

I realised it was time for me to pack my bags and move on to the next workshop at Bhatinda, Punjab.

Author: Rajendra Shaw, a freelance photographer is training children, men and women through Naandi's Freedom of Expression project.

Can I Have Some More?

'I want to take more photos.'

'I want to go to more places'.

'Can I spend more time here?'

'Show me more photos.'

In other words, can-I-have-some-more is what every child is asking for at the photo training workshop being run by Naandi Foundation at Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh.

Sheopur is a small remote town surrounded by miles and miles of forests with scattered tribal hamlets in them.

It is the height of summer and the markets here are overflowing with mangoes. You just can't ignore them. The smell of ripe mangoes is heady.

Sheopur however is better known for a run-down but charming fort on the banks of the Chambal river.

Rajendra Shaw is training children how to take pictures.
And he is also learning that they have an amazing point of view on everything

Presently it is abuzz with two events: an annual fair and our photo workshop. The fair lights up the night sky and has the usual attractions: the giant wheel, the merry-go round, the candy floss, the chaats and the iced mango pulp.

The photo workshop, however, is a bit unusual for Sheopur. School children from government schools from surrounding villages have invaded its population. Wearing sun hats, holding water bottles and with a compact camera sling on their wrists the children are shooting everything in sight and wanting more. They are everywhere: the fort, the fair, the streets, the markets and the nearby villages. They are clicking away: photos of their schools, their homes, their streets and any thing that interests them. Nothing escapes their lens: the heaps of mangoes, the cracks on the fort walls, the giant wheel against the faint blue sky, the cow squatting on the street, the colourful motifs on the walls of their village homes, the goats and the pots and pans. They just want more of everything.

Watch this space for more.