September 17-November 18
National Geographic Outdoor Courtyard
FREE and Open to the Public

National Geographic Photo Camp (NGPC) gives National Geographic’s network of professional photographers the chance to pass on the their skills, knowledge, and passion to the next generation of aspiring photojournalists around the world. Our mission is to provide cross-cultural learning experiences through photo workshops; to mentor aspiring young photojournalists; and to offer opportunities to youth from undeserved communities, including at-risk and refugee teens.

This year’s exhibit includes photographs from the following areas:

Finding Home
In June 2012, NGPC photographers partnered with the Refugee Youth Project to work with a group of young refugees from Myanmar (Burma) who had settled in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. Through photographs and journal entries, they shared their own stories, giving a glimpse of life as a young refugee in an American town. Many of the participants reflected on life in their home country and expressed their hopes as they adjust to life in the United States.

“I am new to speaking English. People laugh at me because I can’t speak English. I thought I would be happy in the United States. I dreamed of buying a house and a car. I want to make money and take care of my mom. I’m too young to know if these things will come true. But I hope so.”
– Min Min Aye

“In my country we didn’t have as many things to make life easier, like electricity or computers. So it’s better here, but I miss my grandmother. She is too old to travel here, so I hope I can go back and see her someday. When I was sick, she would sit with me, and when I would go out and play, she would watch over me and protect me. I was very close to her and I miss her.”
– Vaza Paw

Celebrate and Change
Eighteen Haitian students explored self-expression through photography as participants in a February 2012 Photo Camp. During the weeklong workshop, held in partnership with Mercy Corps, youth affected by Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake worked under the theme “Celebrate and Change.” In images and words the students describe the things they celebrate about Haiti—and aspects they hope will change.

“Celebrate: We have to celebrate creativity, art, and human potential.”
– Insky Pierre-Louis

“Celebrate: I would like to celebrate the artisanal products of my country. In art we see beauty.”
– Vanessa Louissaint

“Change: Misery, poverty—these are some factors that handicap our society. We have to fight them for a better life.”
– Vannessa Sainvil

“Change: We must come together to change our environment. I would like my country to prosper, not to suffer. We need health, food, and education so that our country can restore its identity.”
– Michale Monplaisir

NGPC‘s 2010 program in Chad was held in partnership with the Academy for Educational Development and sponsored by the Peace Through Development program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Our team ran three seven-day workshops. The workshop was held in the capital, N’Djamena, with participants drawn from four different regions of Chad. The goal was to encourage students to learn about one another and to tell their own stories.

“We are here to present to you various images of the traditional cultures of Chad in order to open our country up to the world. These images reflect what rural and city populations are experiencing today. We are the sons of nomadic herders. Our tradition has influenced us. We live in the Sahara, sons of the sun.”
– Mahamat Dady Allahi

“We came from different regions with different cultures, languages, beliefs, and spent one week together without having any problem. I am happy to see that. We shared and learned a lot from each other. I thought it could not be like that but we made it. It is those things you won’t ever forget.”
– Amine Souleyman Tidjani

View the online gallery HERE