Photography is a powerful medium for inspiring people to take action. Majestic landscape photos by early photographers such as Ansel Adams helped convince Congress to conserve wild areas and establish new National Parks. Dorothea Lange gave face to the distress of displaced farmers - compelling the passing of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. The iconic photo “Earthrise” by Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, capturing our beautiful blue-marble earth, helped spur the environmental movement in 1970.

The simple acquisition of information or knowledge does not move us to act. Art does! We take action when our heart tells us to; when we feel deeply connected to ourselves, others, and our world. A photo can evoke emotion to spur conviction, and conviction can impel action. In this workshop, we will explore how to take photographs that invite emotion, reflection, and action in three strands:

Photography as an art form that impels emotion
Technical aspects of capturing a compelling image
Developing a portfolio of images, or a project, that inspire(s) action
Participants can use a DSLR camera or phone camera for this class.

Meet your Instructor

Dave Oakes

Dave is passionate about the outdoors and has devoted his personal and professional life to environmental and sustainability education and stewardship. He has been a public school teacher and administrator, a director of several non-profit organizations, a college professor, and most recently co-founder and co-director of the Center for Ecological Living and Learning (CELL) – a sustainability education nonprofit he founded with his wife, Sue. Dave has discovered how photography can reignite childlike wonder, inspire people to fall in love with nature, and invite them to celebrate what is right in the world.