EASTON, Pa. — Angel Sanchez and his friends smiled proudly Wednesday as they pointed at a large photo hung on a chain link fence.
The four buddies are among 12 middle school students who participated in an after-school photography class at Easton Area Community Center.
The young students attended the unveiling of their project, a photo exhibit called “Inside Outside World” at West Ward Market, between 12th and Northampton Streets.
- The Inside Outside World project at Easton's West Ward Market features hundreds of photos taken by young photographers
- The photos will be on display through September
- Shoppers at the West Ward Market donated to those displaced by Monday's fire on Ferry Street
Joining them at the unveiling were Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr., and Lisa Campbell, director of Easton Area Community Center.
The photo exhibit will be on display every Wednesday until September.
During the three-week class, the Easton-area students were taught about the history of portrait photography to inspire their own portraits and self portraits while learning techniques of composition, staging, lighting and color.
“I learned a lot like how to use cameras the old way,” Angel, 11, said. “It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed participating in the class.”
The workshop was taught by Ghen Dennis, founder of Overtown Media + Arts in Easton.
Dennis, who handed photography books to the youngsters as a gift at the event, volunteered her time and shared some of the printing costs for the project.
She said her goal was to show the students what it was like to take photos pre-digital times.
“They experimented with black-and-white Polaroid film and some of them had the idea to include the Polaroids in their [finished] shot,” she said.
“For a lot of young people, photographs aren’t material things. They get traded digitally. Thinking about having a tactile object, I think surprised them.”Ghen Dennis, founder of Overtown Media + Arts in Easton
“For a lot of young people, photographs aren’t material things. They get traded digitally. Thinking about having a tactile object, I think surprised them.”
The project also was funded by the West Ward Community initiative.
'All in this together'
The unveiling of the students' banners brought some happiness days as the neighborhood, between Sixth and 15th streets, is rallying together after a fire Monday that destroyed a dozen homes on the 900 block of Ferry Street and displaced 61 residents.
On Wednesday afternoon, residents were seen dropping off bags of non-perishable food and gently used clothing. One unidentified donor gave $450 in gift cards.
“It was all increments of $50, so that will help six families,” said Tanya Ruiz, manager of the West Ward Community Initiative, who lives a block away from the fire site.
”It is so sad that this happened, but there’s a lot of people helping out. People are coming together and giving back.”Tanya Ruiz, manager of the West Ward Community Initiative in Easton
As she sorted through donations Wednesday, Ruiz said she watched as her neighborhood was engulfed in flames on Memorial Day.
”It is so sad that this happened, but there’s a lot of people helping out," she said. "People are coming together and giving back.”
The clothing collected Wednesday will be distributed at an event held in the next few weeks at Paxinosa Elememtary School.
Charitable organizations such as the American Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter, the Third Street Alliance, West Ward WISE and local church groups also are assisting those in need.
A 'berry' good day
Attendees at the exhibit listened to tunes by Scott Harrington, a local singer-guitarist, while celebrating "Strawberry Day" at the West Ward Market.
The market features dozens of locally sourced vendors selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, fresh eggs, baked breads, cookies and pastries, jams, honey and condiments.
It was founded in 2022 by the GEDP as part of a collaboration to expand access healthy food for residents throughout the Valley.
Shoppers can pay for goods with cash, credit or debit cards and EBT.
It is open 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays through September.
