I see it as 20 years of learning, adapting, and bringing in new ideas.
Kirsten Elstner
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In this episode, I speak with Kirsten Elstner, who is a National Geographic Explorer and founder of Photo Camp. National Geographic Photo Camp is project that aims to mentor and inspire young people around the world.
We talk about:
- Kirsten’s transition from journalism to the creation of Vision Workshops, an organization that eventually led to a collaboration with National Geographic
- The story behind National Geographic Photo Camp
- Advice for photographers who want to get better at telling stories through their photos
& much more!
Kirsten has a very inspiring story that involves a lot of courage and passion. I’m sure that you’ll be inspired by her passion and her moving experiences with students.
Here is a preview of our conversation with Kirsten Elstner.
Q: You have been hosting Photo Camps over the past 20 years. What was your first Photo Camp like?
Kirsten Elstner: That was in 2003. We were still shooting film. We would scurry over to the photo lab in the evenings and get all the film printed up and developed. Then we would stay up all night and write names on the backs of the prints that we could review the next day.
It was a weekly program the first year in 2003. We worked with high school students in the DC area who were actually interning at National Geographic’s Society. They’d come in every week and we’d send them home with an assignment for the week. They’d come back and we’d review the next day. It was much different than the format now.
Q: What was it like to transition from film to digital photography during that time?
Kirsten Elstner: Just like everyone else, we were kind of scrambling to figure out what that was going to be like. Now, it’s much easier, of course. The students are able to shoot more.
There was a learning curve, but there’s still one today. There’s new technology, new equipment, and new ways of looking at things.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Photo Camps initially?
Kirsten Elstner: When I was a young photographer trying to find my way in the world of journalism, I found myself traveling around the world. I was shooting mainly for the New York Times, but I was a freelancer.
I remember very specifically being in Bangladesh after a cyclone and photographing young people there. Don’t get me wrong, I have a huge admiration and respect for photographers that still do that. But for me, I found that it didn’t motivate me.
I was younger myself, but I was very interested in the power of young people. That was 20 years ago. Now, a lot of organizations are doing similar things, which I think is wonderful. Back then, it was kind of a unique concept to put the camera, journal, and pen in the hands of the people whose stories were being told. That’s how the idea was born.
Links
National Geographic Photo Camp
Instagram
Take Away
This episode is perfect for anyone who wants to make an impact in the photography world and help people tell their stories authentically through photography. Kirsten Elstner talks about her personal experience working with different people, how to succeed in the industry, and much more. This touching conversation is bound to inspire you to try something different in your life today.
