The first real lesson of the Viewfinder Project poses an interesting question to our photography students....What is ugly? The student quickly agreed that it can be pretty easy to find the ugly things in our neighborhood and the world in general. The challenge of the day was to try and see the ugly in a different way. The ugly can always be redeemed and can serve a purpose. The kids then went out to walk the streets and find the messy, run down, neglected, rusty, unloved things, and then turn it into art -through the viewfinder of a camera. The devotion for the day spoke of what is ugly in all of us: sin. The students were able to see how selfishness is really the root of all sin against God and others. We each become trapped by our own self interest until we are literally 'slaves to sin;' love cannot get in or out. But true love, the love of God, brings freedom from self and sin. Beauty defeats the ugly when we open ourselves up to God's love and love others before ourselves.
"I decided to take this picture because there is trash everywhere and the place is abandoned; and it looks ugly. I like this picture because it looks like the bottle is close up and the door is far away."
Katie (age 11)
"I decide to take this picture because it looked like the trash was made into art. Also we needed to take pictures of ugly and littering is ugly. I like this picture because...it looks awesome!"
Emma (age 11)
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