Refocus Project

Six years ago my husband surprised me with one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, a Nikon D70. It was my first experience with a DSLR and more photographic power than I was ready for. Over the next five years, I used it mostly as a point and shoot to document my growing family and one little brown dog.

Last year I decided it was time to learn how to use the camera to it’s full potential. My big breakthrough was an oh-so-satisfying photo shoot at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I had read an article on aquarium photography, followed the tips and was shocked by the quality of the photos that resulted. I took a chance and shot using only manual settings and manual focus. I was hooked.

I spent the next few months playing and learning. I ran into a few frustrations with the D70 as I was trying to use it to it’s potential. One was the tiny LCD screen. I had no idea what I had shot until I uploaded it which made for a lot of wasted time. The bigger frustration was I couldn’t find anyone who was still using the D70 to ask questions of and brain storm with. So later in the fall I treated myself to an upgrade: Hello Nikon D90.

As I was contemplating what do with the D70 I learned about the Refocus Project, a non profit organization based in London. According an article on JPG Magazine’s JPG Blog, “The Refocus Project teaches Iraqi, Palestinian and Syrian disadvantaged youth how to document their lives with photography.” Essentially:

Refocus puts the camera into the hands of the learners, giving them the power to depict the realities of their lives, both as individuals and as groups. We aim to improve awareness of the plight of others, create dialog in their communities and globally, empower the participant by building confidence, self esteem and hope.

After learning about this great effort, my decision was made. Yesterday I packaged up the camera with all its accessories and sent it across the pond for a new adventure in a new culture. I look forward to following Project Refocus’ efforts. If you are interested in learning more about this fantastic program or want to donate any camera supplies that are gathering dust, please visit their website or their JPEG gallery.

Below are a few of my favorite images taken with the D70. Counter clockwise:

1. Jack {Easter 2005}
2. Trip to the Grand Canyon {Spring 2008}
3. Kate {Winter 2006}