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Labrador In Focus photography exhibit turns a lens on the Big Land

Join CBC and Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries for an exhibit featuring local young photographers.

Join CBC and N.L. Public Libraries for an exhibit featuring local youth photographers

Heidi Atter · CBC News ·
A young Inuk is shown wearing a traditional parka.
Photographer Mary Saunders took part in a Labrador program to teach young people photography skills. This is a portrait of her sister, Madison Saunders. (Mary Saunders)

Photographs from youths in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation are set to be on display this weekend. 

CBC's Library Partnership Project, CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, Melville Public Library and Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries are holding a community Labrador In Focus photography exhibit on Saturday. 

The Labrador In Focus exhibit will be held at the Lawrence O'Brien Arts Centre from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. AT. Food and drinks will be provided at the free event. 

A group of sled dogs race off.
'The dogs take off at the 2023 Labrador Winter Games dog sled race. The team that ran out in front at the start isn't the one that won the race,' writes Mary Saunders. (Mary Saunders)

The Labrador In Focus program is meant to give Labrador youth the tools they need to capture their unique world. The photograph subject is completely up to the young photographers. 

The photographers, aged 13 to 23, chose to depict everything from life celebrations to being out on the land.

A young girl looks off into the distance while wearing a skidoo helmet.
'Here is my little sister Sara, who's always getting distracted as we paused in the middle of a Ski-Doo ride back to our cosy cabin, which is only accessible by Ski-Doo,' writes photographer Jaime Brown. (Jaime Brown)

Mary Saunders, 15, said she loved the program.

"I love this experience and I feel like people should join and try to experience something new."

Mary said she learned how to set her white balance and edit images. Her favourite photograph is one of her sister. It was one of the first pictures she took and sparked a love of portrait photography, she said. 

A poster shows a group of sled dogs running.
The photography exhibit will be held this weekend at the Lawrence O'Brien Arts Centre. (Photography by Mary Saunders)

Other photographers took pictures of things that are important to them. Elliot Pike, 20, created his own long exposure photographs showing movements of the northern lights with flashlights and lightsabers. 

"I always wanted to learn about photography," Pike said. "I think I'm really proud to see the exhibit on Saturday."

The Labrador In Focus program is funded by the CBC Library Partnerships Program. The program is to explore partnership opportunities with public libraries to further community engagement. 

Have thoughts about community programming like the Labrador In Focus photography program? Reach out to the program creator here. 

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heidi Atter

Mobile Journalist

Heidi Atter is a journalist working in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. She has worked as a reporter, videojournalist, mobile journalist, web writer, associate producer, show director, current affairs host and radio technician. Heidi has worked in Regina, Edmonton, Wainwright, and in Adazi, Latvia. Story ideas? Email heidi.atter@cbc.ca.

    With files from Mallory Harrigan

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