Programs

 

Rehabilitation Through Photography works with organizations across the greater New York metropolitan area to develop creative photography programs based on individual and group needs. RTP is happy to and responds to requests from a variety of agencies, schools, and institutions to initiate and nurture new or existing photography programs. With this in mind, we are always open to new ideas and encourage joint ventures and coalition building activities with other organizations. In addition to developing programs, we loan cameras, photographic equipment and provide paper and photographers, free of charge.

RTP is aware of and sensitive to the limitations of the ever changing populations that we serve. We research and take the time to match photographers and ideas with each group to ensure the most productive and positive experience for everyone involved.

As Ansel Adams  once said, “There are always two people in every picture:  the photographer and the viewer.”

So the goal is not to change your student photographer, but for the subjects and models to change the photographer in a positive way and give a voice and personal vision to each of them.

SUCCESS STORIES!

Block Institute.This Brooklyn-based school and service provider helps developmentally disabled children and adults achieve their highest potential. Using equipment donated by RTP, it launched a photo group in 2008 to teach basic photography skills to 20 adults mentored by two staff members. The program has been remarkably successful; encouraging students’ artistic abilities, heightening their enthusiasm for photography, increasing their self-confidence, giving them new skills, sharpening cognitive abilities and coordination, and enabling them to reach out and connect to their community.

With additional digital cameras from RTP, Block Institute has created three more programs for adults, doubling the number of students to 42 in four classes, plus a new program for children. Regular outside exhibits showcase the photography students’ work.

 

Henry Street Settlement. The Henry Street Settlement Abrons Art Center offers social services, arts, and health care programs to enrich lives and enhance human progress for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers. The Arts Center has been the center of artistic excellence on Manhattan’s Lower East Side since 1893. Founder, Lillian Wald, believed everyone should have access to the arts and created opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to benefit from live performances, exhibitions, training and workshops in a wide range of artistic disciplines.

A second-level 15-week photography workshop at the Henry Street Settlement Abrons Center was taught by Photographer Louisa Marie Summer. A group of twelve resident students were introduced to advanced steps of creative image capturing and became familiar with the workflow process from shooting the images, editing, and processing, to the final output as a presentation or print.

Through demonstrations, hands-on class experience plus critiques of their work, students deepened their knowledge about portraiture, photojournalism, and conceptual photography. Each student honed their individual perspective and used the tools of photography towards exploring and immersing into the worlds around them while enhancing their creative self-expression. By shooting individual assignments the group had opportunity to explore local areas as well as the extended lower East Side.

An insightful field trip to the Metropolitan Museum provided the workshop with an enriched focus.

Creedmoor Psychiatric Center.  Creedmoor Psychiatric Center a part of provides a continuum of inpatient, outpatient and related psychiatric services and programs with inpatient hospitalization at the main campus and five outpatient sites in the borough of Queens. Inpatient treatment at Creedmoor is reserved for individuals with illnesses that have become so severe that they are unable to function in the community.  In addition to on-ward treatment, Creedmoor operates off-ward locations that offer a variety of rehabilitative recreation and quality of life programs. These sites provide space for art and music therapy, education, psychosocial club, community living skills, fitness center, gym, sheltered workshop, game and recreation rooms, and an auditorium for special events.

As part of their Recovery Treatment, RTP has partnered with Creedmoor to offer Photography workshops for court ordered patients and newly released inmates of the prison system. Educating participants on photographic techniques allows them to access their creative side in order to promote self-expression.  “They love the days when we go outside and they are given their assignment.  The images are often a direct reflection of their inner dialogue.”  Photo therapy works because personal snapshots permanently record important daily moments and the associated emotions unconsciously embedded within these. The photographs can serve as natural bridges for accessing, exploring, and communicating about feelings and memories (including deeply-buried or long-forgotten ones), along with any psychotherapeutic issues these bring to light.

Program Partners

Current

Birch Susser School for Exceptional Children

Block Institute

Cartwheel Initiative

Creedmoor Psychiatric Center

Educational Alliance Art School

Henry Street Settlement

Fresh Art, NYC

Friendship Group

Gallop/NYC

James J. Peter VA Hospital

Millenium High School

Vocational Independence Program

 

Recent

Association for the Advancement of the Blind and Retarded

Arts & Media Preparatory Academy

Children’s Village

Encore 49 Residence

Jewish Home & Hospital

Land Gallery

Menorah Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing

Pathways To Housing

STARR,Inc.

St. Matthew’s & St. Timothy’s Neighborhood Center

United Cerebral Palsy/NYC

Vanguard High School

Visions Seeing With Photography