In January 2011, ten Tibetan students participated in a one month photography workshop at Lha Charitable Trust. These students learned photography theory, Adobe Photoshop, online photo storage and applied these techniques in the real world.

Each day these budding artists participated in photo excursions that focused on a particular theme such as portraits, motion and macro photos. Furthermore, everyone was encouraged to take risks and think outside of the box. The teachers pushed the student’s limits. Talking to the public was sometimes a difficult task because many subjects were unwilling to be photographed.

Teachers Lillian Bertz and Ian Moore (from the U.S.A.) were eager to work with Tibetan youth and found the overall experience very rewarding. This was an excellent opportunity to immerse oneself in Tibetan culture. Many of the students had never used a camera before, so it was not difficult for Bertz and Moore to inspire their students to express themselves using this innovative art.

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Upon completing the course, many students now have a new found interest in journalism and documentary photography. Most importantly, these students hope to spread awareness about Tibet with their photos. Bertz believes: “Photography is a fun way to explore your community, yourself and your role in the world.” Moore on the other hand states that the camera can be used as a non violent weapon. Both Bertz and Moore are advocates of photography’s healing properties and believe that it can be very therapeutic for the soul. They hope to showcase these photos in the United States to spread the message of Tibet’s continual struggle for freedom.

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