How I See It — My Place
South Lake Tahoe
Donovon Anderson, Maggie Lee, Garner Day, Teresa DeLallo, and Amanda DeLallo with our visitor, Henry the well-dressed dog.
Teresa DeLallo and Amanda DeLallo work to capture autumn colors in high contrast light.
Maggie Lee and Garner Day outside the South Lake Tahoe Branch Library.
Teresa DeLallo, Donovon Anderson, and Garner Day capture the unique details of the South Lake Tahoe community.
Photos displayed for the final exhibit at the South Library Tahoe Branch Library.
Garner Day (center), Donovon Anderson (right) and friend enjoy the refreshments on the opening night of the How I See It: My Place exhibit.
Behind the Scenes
In the Fall of 2008, South Lake Tahoe teens spent ten weeks exploring their community. They documented the neighborhoods surrounding the library, armed with digital cameras and enthusiasm. They returned with their vision, captured in a frame.
South Lake Tahoe is a geographically isolated community located on the south shore of Lake Tahoe. Our economy is based on seasonal tourists, with our busiest periods during the height of summer and snowy months of winter. The activities of local teens also reflect our seasons. Fall signals the absence of carefree summer days, and the reintroduction of school’s structured regimen. The library chose to offer the How I See It: My Place program as a creative outlet for local teens seeking to do something different with their Thursday afternoons.
Once a week, from September 11 through November 13, South Lake Tahoe teens met at the library. They spent four weeks taking pictures of the surrounding area. The first week we walked from the library to the beach. The second week we climbed over and under the play structure at the recreation center. The third week we delved a bit further into the neighborhood, “discovering” a tree covered in berries. The fourth week was used to capture the evolving fall color, and truly examine the grounds surrounding the library. We emerged with over 500 pictures.
Amanda DeLallo, Maggie Lee, and Garner Day, in search of photos outside the library.
The teens involved in this project used their cameras to discover a new view of the world. From the tallest tree to the tiniest grain of sand, the patterns of a fence or the interrupted pattern of parked snow plows, teens emerged with photos that displayed the beauty of the everyday object. Their pictures asked questions of their surroundings. They forced the viewer to delve deeper into the meaning of objects and context.
At the end of each session we tried to review all pictures taken that day. In doing so, we saw how the same object would look very different from an alternate angle or distance. This trained the teens to vary their photography technique and experiment with different perspectives. Teens also learned how to speak constructively of others’ work, and showed great appreciation for the efforts of their peers. While creating a display of their photographs, the teens were able to gather similar images and ideas, building on the ideas that emerged during photography sessions.
Amanda DeLallo examining her subject for the perfect angle.
The response from the teens and community has been incredibly positive. We have both teens and community members asking when we will do the project again. With the equipment provided by the California Council Humanities grant, and the warm support of our Friends of the Library group, I hope that such projects will not be far off. This project introduced new teens to the library, encouraged cooperation between a group of youth who did not otherwise have the opportunity to interact, and demonstrated to the community that teens can find, capture, and create beauty within their own community. By establishing programs that serve our teens, we demonstrate that the community is invested in its future leaders. On behalf of myself and the teens involved in this project, I would like to thank the California Council for the Humanities, the El Dorado County Library, and the South Lake Tahoe Branch Friends of the Library for your support of this project. We could not have done it without you.
— Katharine Miller, Project Director
