Photography Volunteer Project Abroad in South Africa, Port Elizabeth

We need a minimum of 10 participants on this trip so please encourage your photography friends and course mates to get involved too.

Photography in South Africa
As in most countries, photography is only accessible by those that have money so you will find in bustling cities, like Cape Town and Johannesburg, that professional photographers are in good supply and are making a good living from it. However, for the majority of South Africans, in particular, those living in the disadvantaged and township areas, photography opportunities don’t exist at all. This is why our photography project provides a great platform for children and young adults to be trained in this discipline, teaching them the right skills to one day seek their own profession careers in photography.

Your Photography Volunteer Placement in South Africa
During your photography project you will assist a team of professionals, who have developed a curriculum to take photography into the disadvantaged areas to train and teach children and young adults the skills required. Starting off with the basics of handling a camera, understanding exposure and composition, the curriculum aims to give young South Africans the raw materials to feel confident in using equipment that they are unfamiliar with. Photography can sometimes be a technically complicated subject to get your head around, so your purpose is to make it fun and simple to understand, giving the children a passion to continue learning and taking this creative skill further.

Your Photography Role in South Africa
Depending on what phase of the project you enter, your role will be either teaching young people the absolute basics of photography through to more advanced and technical support for those that have progressed further in their training. You will be there to encourage creativity, remembering the important message when teaching kids photography for the first time is not to ‘kill’ some of the playfulness that can make a child’s images so special. Experiment and have fun, setting briefs to allow these young photographers to explore their own stories and ways of capturing historic moments in and around the communities where they live. Teach them how to shoot from different perspectives – up high, down low, getting in close to their subject – stepping back for a wider angle shot, moving around the subject to shoot from different sides and experimenting with different settings (teaching them about different exposure modes). Your timing may also involve public exhibitions, putting on events and showing off your photography students work, helping communicate that these young people have the skills to be given photographic work in their own local community, thus providing jobs to those that otherwise would not be given the chance.

Taking Your Own Photography Further
(Great For College and Degree Level Photography Students)
Your trip would not be complete without exploring and developing your own photography portfolio further. By working through us, we can provide you with unique access to communities, people and life stories that a typical tourist would not have. If you are working towards a photography degree exhibition then find an interesting subject you want to explore and we’ll make the efforts to help you meet the right people. After the awful years of Apartheid in South Africa you will soon see the effects this has had on many South African lives, which might become the backdrop for an interesting project. South Africa is also rich in wildlife and stunning landscapes so you time would not be complete by visiting local game reserves and travelling this awesome country.

Criminal Records Check
We require you to complete a criminal records check in order to take part in this experience. We can accept those that have been done in the last two years if you have the certificate. In the UK it can be done through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), in the USA further details can be found on Travel.State.Gov, otherwise please search for your local service provider. We may also request a reference from a reliable source. You must supply these to us before departure and also take a copy with you to present to the in-country team.

Why do we require a criminal background check?
1) Ensuring a safe environment is conducive to learning, productivity and overall positive experiences for everyone involved.

2) We implement thorough screening processes and we are committed to safety and integrity, fostering trust among participants and the local community.

3) Conducting background checks serves as a preventive measure, deterring individuals with questionable backgrounds from attempting to participate in our programme.

4) Safeguards vulnerable people from potential harm within the programme.

Gap Year, Career Breaks or Student Photography Trips in South Africa
Our photography trip to South Africa to teach kids photography is the perfect trip to fit into a gap year, student summer holiday or career break. We need people that are wanting to do something a little different (whether an amateur photographer or professional) whilst having the perfect platform to explore their own photographic interest in a great and exciting country. This trip will see you give something back, empower lives whilst giving you unforgettable memories, close friendships and an experience of a lifetime.

Start Dates
This is a group experience that we customise for your trip. Please get in touch to discuss your group size and preferred dates of travel.

Visa
British Nationals only require a visa to enter South Africa if they intend on staying over 90 days. We recommend you research this yourself depending on what Nationality you are.

Example Lessons
Your lessons will be spread across a number of the township schools in Port Elizabeth and each will be 1-1.5 hours each and you will have 5 pupils aged 10-15 years old in each lesson. As a general rule your teaching days will be Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with the weekends off. On Mondays you will be preparing your weeks lessons and finishing up some work from the last weeks lessons. This may involve scanning negatives, going through students photos and making notes ready to share with them.See example lessons below.

Lesson 1 – Basic camera operations for the basic digital cameras, workshop on how light works using torches, tracing paper etc. They pick an item and shoot A, B, C etc outside, they then shoot A, B, C etc outside using found objects/natural situations.
Bring image examples of this printed out to show them (we can work on this together one day)

Lesson 2 – Working with people, how to get them to pose, where to pose them, think about the light (based on previous lesson). Focus on working with people as a subject in formal portrait situations but also natural (more documentary). Working in pairs (including using us where needed), bring printed image examples out to show them (we can work on this together one day) Also old school photos of us could be quite fun! (if we can leave them with at least 1 digital camera we set them up to shoot class mates school portraits for the school/parents)

Homework – take film camera (after brief how to reminder) and photograph A, B, C etc. to cover what they have learnt, so light types, people posed, documentary, and then whatever they want to show us. We will then collect the films for them and develop them and make a contact sheet.

Lesson 3 – Sports/events. We will get them taking photographs of sports activities happening at school, explaining about shutter speeds etc angles for certain sports, i.e right behind the goal of a football game or under the net of a basketball court, in the middle of a rugby scrum etc.

Bring printed image examples out to show them (we can work on this together one day).  If we can leave them with at least 1 digital camera we set them up to shoot sports days and school events for the school/parents.

Lesson 4 – The big reveal. We show them the films, then their printed contact sheets and we edit down to maybe 3-4 photos each person. Discuss why they are chosen, what they are saying, what the whole story is as a set etc. Create discussions between themselves

At least one lesson will be kept open for you to teach a lesson of your choice so have a think about what you might like to do.

Holiday Camps
Although the majority of your placement will coincide with the school term, there may be times when there is a week or two of school holidays. However, there is no less need for your placement during the holidays and you will still be able to get involved in your activity (and others if you would like to!) for around 3-4 hours a day. Typically there will be arts and crafts, music and drama sessions, as well as the opportunity to organise fun and educational activities at the local orphanage.

The beauty about the holiday camps is that you will be able to go to different locations, giving other children the opportunity to join in the activities. The holiday camps really are something that the children have come to depend on and really enjoy.

Equipment Donation for South Africa
We are dedicated to sustainable development. This is why part of the fee you pay goes towards buying decent equipment for beneficiary organisations in South Africa. You will often use this equipment during your project and it is always left with the community when you leave. In some cases, an equipment donation may not be appropriate so a financial contribution is made instead. We are constantly trying to create photography book libraries for the children so if you have any books you would be happy to donate or if you see any in charity shops and would like to help out they would be really gratefully received.

Social Life in South Africa
We believe it is important to give our volunteers the chance to unwind and have fun while they are away. Our in-country team therefore organises a variety of social activities to bring volunteers together, to share their experiences and, above all, have a good time. The social life in South Africa really is second to none and you will return home with some truly unforgettable memories and friends for life. With so many sporty people living together, social sports teams are pretty much unavoidable and there are plenty of local teams to play for. For the less competitive, why not head to the beach for some casual volleyball and football matches in the African sunshine?

And, if animals are your thing, volunteering in South Africa is an ideal choice. With trips to Kragga Kama Game Park, the Lion Park, the Addo Elephant Park and the Oceanarium, you will certainly experience your fair share of big game and African wildlife. You’ll also get the chance to experience a Boma (an authentic South African meal under the stars). What more could you want from a social life abroad?

Travel and Adventure in South Africa
Port Elizabeth is a hot-spot for travellers worldwide and with its abundance and variety of exciting activities there is no wonder why. You will be able to experience all the delights of the local area, including the game reserves, its renowned scuba schools and friendly nightlife, as well as its 40km of golden beaches which include Nelson Mandela Bay. We also provide access to a whole assortment of extreme sports and adventurous activities for you to try out – if you can muster up the courage!

These include: mountain biking, camping, shark diving, bungee jumping, 4×4 safaris, golf, fishing, scuba diving, parachuting, horse riding, dune boarding, boogie boards, deep sea cruises, tennis, squash, kayaking, badminton, water skiing, coastal hiking, power kiting and more!

Time will also be available for you to travel around Southern Africa, and beyond. Head west to Cape Town and the legendary Table Mountain, or veer north to Namibia, and the deadly skeleton coast. Our in-country staff will be able to advise on safe ways to travel and will be only too happy to suggest some of the best sights to see in Southern Africa.

Accommodation
Your accommodation is basic but comfortable and you will stay in a dormitory style room. The accommodation has a very sociable atmosphere and you will find it a great place to relax and unwind in the evenings. The accommodation is also centrally located to your volunteer project with shops and other useful amenities either a short walk or taxi ride away. With so many volunteers living together, you will soon find our communal house your new home, away from home.

Accommodation
Volunteer lodge with shared rooms (4-10 people per room); Basic but comfortable; Shared toilet and shower facilities; Communal areas for socialising and relaxation inclucing pool, TV and games room and bar; Single and double rooms may also be available – contact us.

Food
3 meals a day; Basic but nutritious.

Airport Pick-Up
Included on arrival and departure date. Ask us for details if you are arriving early.

Training
Full project induction and local orientation given on arrival.

Support
Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.

Donation
Part of your fee maybe used to buy decent equipment for the project and community you work with. We also encourage you to bring any extra equipment that you are happy to give away but this will need to fall within your personal weight allowance with the airline you travel with.

Flights, travel insurance, visas, vaccinations, spending money, in country travel, laundry service, extra activities not on the itinerary.

Preferred Duration
For a minimum of 4 weeks but the longer you can give to the project the more you and the local community will benefit.

Typical Hours
Monday-Friday; 4-6 hours a day; Occasional work at weekends but usually free for personal time and travel. Please be aware that some public holidays may cause disruption to times / days during your volunteer project.

Pre-requisites
Ideally we need people that have experience in photography and the basics of using a camera and understanding exposure and composition. Students on a college or degree level course as well as professionals would be perfect. We would also like you to try and get at least 5 digital cameras and some old laptops to help us run the project so get asking your college, university and friends for old equipment that can be donated.

Ideal For
Photographers (amateur and professional), photographic students, photography teachers, creatives, travel photographers, social documentary photographers, career breaks and gap year travellers.