Theresa McGee

There are hidden stories in every school, neighborhood, and city. By teaching students to look closely, photography changes how they see the world. It makes ordinary locations like hallways, playgrounds, local parks, and city streets into places where they can be creative.

Seeing the World Differently
Photography gives students the tools to:

• Look at things in a new way, focusing on shapes, patterns, textures, and light.
• Learn to think in pictures and use imagery to express ideas, feelings, and meaning.
• Make art on purpose by turning what they see into digital works that speak to them.

And the best part? No expensive camera equipment is required. Many students already have phones they can use. Students who donʼt have access to technology can use school-provided iPads or point-and-shoot cameras. With the right combination of prompts, tools, and methods, any environment can become a creative starting point.

Choose Your Path
There isn’t just one way to use photography in the classroom because each classroom, community, and educational environment is different. You can choose the approach that works best for your classroom, whether you stay in school, explore the neighborhood, or organize a field trip.

Photo Adventure 1: Find Art in Your School
Turn your school into a place to take pictures. Encourage students to think of everyday places like lockers, staircases, hallways, and playgrounds as places that contain photographic potential.

Prompts:

• Look more closely at things like tile, fabric, wood grain, and lockers.
• Take pictures of stairs, hallways, or window frames.
• Create abstractions by using reflections in doors or on other shiny surfaces.

Photo Adventure 2: Explore the Neighborhood
You can get inspired just by walking outside of school. Take students on a walking tour of parks, stores, murals, or sculptures that are close by. Show them how art, design, and the environment all come together in everyday locations.

With the right combination of prompts, tools, and methods, any environment can become a creative starting point.

Prompts:

• Take a picture of an object that combines beauty with practicality.
• Capture your reflection in a window, a puddle, or another shiny surface.
• Use framing techniques through a fence, tree branches, or an archway.

Photo Adventure 3: Explore Other Places
Take a field trip to the city center or local cultural landmarks. City centers are full of cultural contributions, from architecture to public art. You don’t need a tour company—you can create your own self-guided tour! Apply photo techniques and provide the opportunity to share historical insights about the artists, architects, and key cultural contributions. Discuss how design shapes both physical spaces and human interactions.

Prompts:

• Take pictures of a public sculpture from unusual angles and perspectives.
• Challenge your students to photograph something most people just walk by without noticing.
• Integrate forced perspective techniques for ultimate engagement.

Back in the Art Room
Don’t let the learning end with a one-day photo adventure. Since students create their own images, take advantage of this opportunity to help them develop an understanding of copyright and ethical reuse. Use the student images to create original works of digital art. This can be done using programs like Adobe Photoshop or Procreate or one of the many free programs such as Photopea and Canva.

1. Digital Art. Teach about masking, layering, and scale to manipulate images and create digital collages.
2. Animation. Go beyond collage and have students create motion graphics.
3. Visual Storytelling. Create a photo-essay in Google Slides, Canva, or advocate for your program by sharing student photos with the school community through a digital gallery.

Photography Concepts
Here are some concepts to discuss with students prior to taking photos:

• Rule of Thirds
• Creative framing
• Forced perspective
• Shadows and reflections
• Macro shots for textures
• Leading lines
• Photo sequences for storytelling

Theresa McGee is an art and digital media teacher at Hinsdale Middle School in Hinsdale, Illinois. theresafmcgee@gmail.com

Hidden Stories: Adventures in Photography