Today we communicate with technology but we connect less in person. I want to flip that around and use technology to create in person connections. When talking with people I have had them say wait a second let me show you a photo of this and go searching through their cell phone for a photo of what they want to show me.
Photos help a person tell their story visually as well as verbally. I want to create Show & Tell for adults. People can share their photos on their cell phone, tablet, laptop or prints made on their inkjet printer or at a photo lab.
If you are sharing photos on a device it can be a good idea to put your favorite photos that you want to share in a favorites folder on your device. At Easy Photo Class we want to help people connect through photography. Here are three ways photos could be used to connect people in person.
PHOTO CONVERSATIONS™
Most events have a meet and greet time where people ask the same questions. What is your name, what do you do, how long have you lived here. Using this time for Photo Conversations changes that to a more personal conversation about the person’s life and what is going on in it.
Showing a photo of their pet, some activity they have done lately, a neat photo they took or any photo can expand the conversation and make it more fun. A photo could be of their grandmothers rolling pin and the story behind it.
I attended a meetup in a restaurant/bar that had an outdoor area. At the entrance people who were there for the meetup got a name sticker. I could walk up to anyone with a name badge and start a conversation because I knew they were with the group.
I didn’t walk up to people without the badges because I didn’t know them and they weren’t with the group. For a happy hour at a bar people who wanted to participate in Photo Conversations could wear a name tag or even just put a heart sticker on their clothing or cell phone indicating they were open to talk with people and share their photos.
Meeting people and making friends is hard to do. To walk up and talk to someone is not easy. You can ask someone to dance but then you must have dance skills. Photo conversations make it much easier to meet people and get to know them.
PHOTO SHARING PARTY™
A Photo Sharing party has more emphasis on photography but helping people connect is still just as important. It creates connection with a common interest. It can be open or have structure. It is like speed friending with a twist. You can start with a structured sharing time that goes into an open photo sharing time. Here is a suggestion of how to structure a photo sharing party.
- First half hour open sharing
- Second half hour break into groups of 6 and introduce yourself and what you like to photograph in 60 seconds or less
- Then share photos one on one with another person in the group.
- Four minutes gives each person 2 minutes to share their photos.
- Playing chimes or announcing Change every 4 minutes should allow people to meet the other 5 people in their group in a half an hour.
- For the next half hour repeat this procedure.
- In one hours time a person will have met 10 new people. This time is an ice breaker that allows them to talk with these people in the following hour which is open photo sharing. Four minutes is a short time which leaves people wanting more.
- The last hour is open Photo Sharing where people can share one on one or in groups.
PHOTO STORY TELLING™
Visual art has always been used to tell stories. They help make it come alive. Photographs help people show and share their life. Of our 5 senses, Hearing, Taste, Touch, Smell and Sight over 90% of our sensory input of the world around us is sight. Even bad photos can have great stories. Digital cameras and cell phones make it easy to capture photographs to help us tell our story.
EVENTS AND LOCATIONS
Photo Conversations and Photo Sharing Parties can be done at bars for happy hour, churches gatherings, or added to any meeting. It is a great team building exercise and way to make new friends.
TEN PHOTO SHARING GUIDELINES
I have come up with 10 Photo Sharing guidelines for photo sharing that can be posted at an event to help make it great. See what you think.
1. Be Nice: Treat other people like you would like to be treated.
2. Listen: Developing the ability to listen is a great social skill and truly appreciated by most people you will meet.
3. No Agendas: People with agendas usually dominate every conversation with their topic. Try just talking about your life.
4. Avoid Politics Religion and Sex: Some topics are emotional and divisive. We want to connect not divide. Please save your politics, religion and sex discussions for after or outside our events.
5. Patience: If someone is a bit offensive, dominates discussion, pushes their ideas try to be patient with them. They will hopefully get more relaxed as time goes by.
6. It’s OK to Say No: If someone invites you to coffee as a friend or a date you can say yes or no. “I’m really busy” and “Thanks, I’m not interested but thanks for asking” are 2 good ways to say no.
7. Promoting Friendships: We want to promote friendships. They may lead to dating but let’s start with friendships.
8. You Don’t Have to Be a Photographer: Every photo is a good photo here. We are about connection as much as photography. If you don’t have a camera you can do a drawing or a sketch.
9. Limit Tech Talk: Some people love to talk tech, some don’t.
We have a Tech Heads corner if that is your thing.
10. Smile: It doesn’t have to be a big smile. It can be a lip smile. Smiling makes you feel better. Smiling also makes you more approachable.
PHOTO SHARING DOWNLOAD LINK
We have created a zip file with audio files that you can play to time photo sharing interactions for different amounts from 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes, 4 minutes and 5 minutes. You can play these from your cell phone to help people during speed sharing to break the ice. We also include the 10 guidelines and this information.
CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGES
We have created weekly photo challenges that people can take if they like. Going out to take photos can be a great way to meet people as well. Wearing one of our wristbands or hat can let people know that you are part of our group and they can talk with you. At Easy Photo Class we want to help people connect taking and sharing their photos.
JANUARY
Week 1 – Shape: LINE
Week 2 – Color: BLUE
Week 3 – Subject: VEGETABLE
Week 4 – Idea: QUIET
FEBRUARY
Week 1 – Shape: SQUARE
Week 2 – Color: GREEN
Week 3 – Subject: DOOR
Week 4 – Idea: SOFT
MARCH
Week 1 – Shape: CIRCLE
Week 2 – Color: RED
Week 3 – Subject: WATCH OR CLOCK
Week 4 – Idea: COLD
APRIL
Week 1 – Shape: RECTANGLE
Week 2 – Color: YELLOW
Week 3 – Subject: CUP
Week 4 – Idea: TIME
MAY
Week 1 – Shape: CURVE
Week 2 – Color: BLACK
Week 3 – Subject: CHAIR
Week 4 – Idea: LOVE
JUNE
Week 1 – Shape: TRIANGLE
Week 2 – Color: WHITE
Week 3 – Subject: WHEEL
Week 4 – Idea: SMALL
JULY
Week 1 – Shape: OVAL
Week 2 – Color: GOLD
Week 3 – Subject: FRUIT
Week 4 – Idea: FUN
AUGUST
Week 1 – Shape: NATURE SHAPES
Week 2 – Color: SILVER
Week 3 – Subject: CAN
Week 4 – Idea: QUIET
SEPTEMBER
Week 1 – Shape: REPEATING SHAPES
Week 2 – Color: ORANGE
Week 3 – Subject: FLOWER
Week 4 – Idea: HAPPY
OCTOBER
Week 1 – Shape: CONNECTING LINES
Week 2 – Color: GREY
Week 3 – Subject: TREE
Week 4 – Idea: DELICIOUS
NOVEMBER
Week 1 – Shape: REPEATING LINES
Week 2 – Color: PURPLE
Week 3 – Subject: ROCK
Week 4 – Idea: SMART
DECEMBER
Week 1 – Shape: HOLIDAY SHAPES
Week 2 – Color: GLASS
Week 3 – Subject: LEAF
Week 4 – Idea: COOL
You can contact me at jerry@easyphotoclass.com for more information. Take care.
Jerry