Participants are tasked with creating a photo montage using images taken during the team building programme (or training week). This workshop helps participants reflect on their own personal growth and learning, and provides an invaluable insight into their personal journey and team achievement.
Each participant is able to express their own learning through their photo story, which is a unique piece of artwork that captures all that they have achieved and learnt during the day.
Being able to demonstrate their progress in this way allows participants to reflect on their personal growth and learning, with particular emphasis on trust in themselves, their own judgement and others.
Equipment Required: 2 x Digital Cameras, Memories Cards, Computers/Laptops and a Printer
Total Time: 90 mins
- 5 mins to setup and brief
- 50 mins to create montage and print
- 25 minutes for presentations
- 10 minutes for review/de-brief
Advanced Preparation
Before you start this workshop, ensure you have signed permission for participants to be photographed. You can find a disclaimer online by searching for a photography disclaimer form.
Also prepare your cameras and make sure they are charged and have a formatted memory card.
Introduce the Exercise (Start of the Day)
Explain to the group that they will be provided with a couple of cameras to photograph the team building day.
At the end of the day each person will produce their own photo montage/story with the images taken and present this to the rest of the group.
Before you start your programme, use questions to help participants identify relevant photo subjects that are meaningful and will reaffirm the learning outcomes of your event.
Next, provide a couple of cameras for sharing and explain how to use them. Allow participants to use these throughout the day during the activities.
Photo Montage Workshop
Hopefully at this point, your group will have taken a fair few images which can be used in the photo montage. Reiterate the purpose of the exercise is for participants to use the photo’s they have taken and produce a montage that will help them reflect on the day and help identify any significant key learning outcomes.
Once all the images have been uploaded, make them available to everyone on a couple of data sticks (USB’s).
Participants must select just 6 images to use. They should select photos they find most significant and meaningful – those photos they’d want to share with others and captures their learning journey and any memorable moments.
Allow enough time (around 50 minutes) for them to create their montages using computers and print them. At the end of the time allocated, they will need to be ready to give a short presentation to the rest of their group explaining why they chose the photos and what they learnt during the day.
Post Workshop
It is recommended that you also provide a post workshop follow-up so participants can further reflect on what they have learnt and how this can be successfully transferred into the workplace/school and their everyday lives.
Learning Outcomes
- Improves self-belief and confidence
- Encourages reflection on their personal growth and learning
- Helps develop presentation skills
- Teaches importance of trust
- Develops creative thinking skills
Variations
This can be provided for one day or can be continued over a a week period before a final workshop on the last day to reflect on learning.
Photography Activity
When working with young people, you can also use this as a photography workshop. Here are 5 photography key lessons to use when initially briefing your group at the start of the day:
- Teach them to get a little bit closer. Although a wide shot captures a lot of action, sometimes a close-up on the subject can provide a great image and captures the moment better.
- Change levels. Pictures look better when the photographer takes their time to think about composition. Advise them to use different point of views and don’t be afraid to get down on their knees and crouch down.
- Discuss lighting. Understand how light affect the image and get to know the cameras flash range. The best times for photography are during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset as the light is a little less brighter. Try to use cameras with a neutral density filter during bright days (some cameras have these built in).
- Capture the truth. Try to take photographs that are live and capture the moment. Many photographers force an image and the final image lack authenticity (smile for the camera syndrome). Keep it real and capture whatever is happening in the moment.
- Be creative. Get young photographers to think about the composition and the background – does it tell a story? “Reality is good, interesting is better.” – Stanley Kubrick
