The Faces of Westminster Photography Project aims to tell the story of Westminster Neighborhood Services (WNS), a non-profit that provides basic human necessities and educational opportunities to support and empower at-risk children and families on the near east-side of Indianapolis.
As part of Park Tudor School’s commitment to Community Engaged Learning, Intermediate Photography students conduct a service-learning project to assist WNS while honing skills in portrait photography. Students photograph WNS clients, volunteers, and staff to create an ongoing collection of photographs to help document and visualize the community members. Students learn how to photograph both candid and studio-style portraits utilizing various lighting techniques, and how to develop a collection of photographs that illustrate the character or essence of an organization to the broader community in an effort to raise awareness. WNS continues to showcase the students' work in various ways including but not limited to: marketing materials, images for strategic and master plan brochure, organization website and a rotating gallery in their multipurpose space to showcase powerful portraits of the community.
Park Tudor received a grant from the Service Learning Action Fund, in 2017 which provided the initial support and resources for the launch of this project and a culminating exhibition. The work continues with each semester of new Intermediate Photography students.
Student Testimonials:
Faces of Westminster was not only an opportunity to photograph portraits but to meet new people. Our project consists of selected photographs of the people we got to meet. Although we were strangers, both the staff and clients instantly welcomed us into their community. Joining the Westminster community was a warming experience, which showed me the power that photography can have on people.
As I walked around photographing the different volunteers and individuals in the food drive I met a man who told me a little bit about his story and why he comes to Westminster. He went on to say, “I’m from Jersey, and one of my favorite parts about this community is the food pantry. They really do save people.” Meeting new people and hearing about the journey they have taken makes my job as a photographer much more meaningful and worthwhile.
Throughout my time at Westminster, I experienced first hand how our community comes together. It was heart-warming to see how many people Westminster helps, and the impact they have on their lives. One man I spoke with said, “Westminster is great for elderly people and people with disabilities.” I think it’s great that Westminster is able to help a wide range of people. The Faces of Westminster project is a great way to express all of the wonderful things they do for the community.
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Faces of Westminster was a wonderful opportunity for me to interact with people from all walks of life, hear their stories, and watch their faces brighten as I took their picture. Not only was I able to improve as a photographer and learn how to approach people, those who were photographed now have portraits of themselves that they can be proud of. This project was a great way of highlighting the good work that Westminster services does.