With the proliferation of smartphones, when was the last time you used a dedicated camera to take photos? Even professional photographers often find themselves reluctant to carry around a bulky camera in their daily lives! In mid-December, our Basic Photography Workshop welcomed those who had just acquired a new toy (a camera), those who had neglected their cameras for a while, or those who had discovered a new interest after retirement. They rekindled their relationship with their cameras, opened the doors of their homes in these relentless and somewhat depressing days, and took a step to reconnect with people and the world.
Among the participants, there was an octogenarian gentleman who, in the eyes of the instructor, had the most solid foundation in photography and was the most humble in the eyes of all the students. Who would have thought that this gentleman, who had been in the UK for only about a year, would come to join this workshop? It was his first visit to Central London, his first time travelling far alone, and his inaugural adventure in his new home. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that he embarked on an adventure because when he arrived, it was the middle of winter, and his body couldn't adapt immediately. He ended up in the hospital, and the aftermath left him breathless with every slightly longer walk. It may have only been a ten-minute walk, but every step was not easy on the streets of England with the cold wind and drizzle!
Occasionally during the instructor's explanations, the gentleman seemed to doze off, possibly due to fatigue. After the last session, he told me that he wasn't tired; it was a condition where he sometimes fell asleep involuntarily. When I escorted him out of the church, he still seemed somewhat unfamiliar with the route. In the end, a fellow churchgoer personally took him to the station. It made me wonder: despite the many worries and uncertainties that the gentleman may have experienced every time he took a bus or walked to the station, he still chose to go out. His passion for photography must have driven this.
Due to my job, I have come into contact with various elderly Hong Kong immigrants. I know that many of them have not been able to integrate into British life since their arrival. A small number of them have even lost the motivation to do anything. Interests that used to be enjoyable have become uninteresting, affecting their mental health. Some have decided to return to Hong Kong. I am grateful to the gentleman for bravely stepping out of his home driven by his passion for photography.
Although the workshop has ended, one thing is certain: throughout these three weekends, we didn't just learn about composition, editing, or taking passport photos at home. More importantly, we were able to rebuild relationships between people and between people and objects through photography.
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