VISIONS Photo Contest
2018 Winners
VISIONS Photo Contest
2018 Winners
1st Place: Rachel Shaw
1st Place:
Rachel Shaw
Hometown: Chesterfield, NJ
Programs: Alaska 2018, Peru 2019
What’s your favorite type of photography?
My favorite type of photography is not only nature and landscape, but photos of people. I feel the pictures of the people you are surrounded with helps you remember what your time on the trip was like. I prefer to use the camera angles to my advantage as I feel photos can look amazing slanted, upside down, and in other views.
Photography is one of the ways we can visibly document things we see first person. I feel taking photos can allow for a stronger memory of the time spent. I want to look back on my photos one day and think of all the good and bad times I have had.
How did your summer with VISIONS change the path you were on?
I decided because I was so interested in community service to join the Interact Club at my school and to take AFJROTC as one of my classes. I felt inspired by helping people and being able to come home and show my friends and family what I had done. My photos expressed those things in such an astonishing way!
2nd Place: Jasmine Berger
2nd Place:
Jasmine Berger
Hometown: Roslyn Heights, NY
Programs: Cambodia 2017, Montana Blackfeet 2018
What’s your favorite type of photography?
My favorite type of photography is travel. The first thing I pack when I go on a trip is my camera! I’m always 30 feet away from whoever I’m traveling with because I’ve stopped to take a picture of something. Specifically, I love taking pictures that capture the country’s culture – the people, clothes, food, nightlife – anything to give an accurate representation of the place…
Usually the best way to understand a new place is through the people. People are so dynamic and expressive! I always thought landscape shots were boring because they are so static. However, when I was on the Blackfeet reservation I learned a lot about the land and really started to appreciate nature
Do you think photography is important? And do you plan to incorporate photography into other elements of your life?
I think photography is the best way to capture the essence of the subject of the photo. Emotions, nature and actions all can be shot with the right camera and the right photographer! It’s also a great visual tool to remember things. I came back from VISIONS with over 2,000 pictures! It was a bit excessive and I deleted half of the pictures, but it’s still so nice to have such a large collection of photos to document my months abroad.
Photography is more of a hobby for me. I only take out my big camera when I travel, otherwise I use my iPhone camera (which isn’t bad!)
3rd Place: Ethan Martin
3rd Place:
Ethan Martin
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: Cambodia 2018
Recommended Posts
You’ve Been Adopted!
Animal welfare is an important aspect of VISIONS volunteer opportunities for high schoolers. On the Montana Blackfeet Indian Reservation, teens help foster these wonderful puppies and sometimes adopt them, bringing them to their new forever home!
Spotlight: Greg Rolland, VISIONS Leader Alum
Greg’s passion for the outdoors and cross-cultural service culminated in becoming a leader on our first Alaska summer program in 1995. He looks back on the early days, projects they completed and people he met.
Recommended Posts
Animal Welfare, Environmental Integrity & What We Eat on VISIONS Programs
VISIONS is taking a careful look at the food we serve during our community service programs for high school students, and we aim to reduce our dependence on factory farm-based animal products by 75%.
You’ve Been Adopted!
Animal welfare is an important aspect of VISIONS volunteer opportunities for high schoolers. On the Montana Blackfeet Indian Reservation, teens help foster these wonderful puppies and sometimes adopt them, bringing them to their new forever home!
