A Lasting Impression

Photos by Piper Watson (Staff) VisionWorkshops Pine Ridge

Pine Ridge came with a preface. One that was relayed to me with great emotional depth as a place that was overwrought with “permanent grief” and the repercussions that come with that. What I found; however, were nine kids with a glimmer of hope in their eyes, and an unmatched excitement by having a camera placed in their hands. The physical and emotional challenges that they faced and conquered, I hope, showed them an alternative way of looking at life, from the one that bears down on them all other days. With a fresh pair of eyes, we returned them to the reservation after three days of exploring the Black Hills. Thanks to our generous partner, Collette Foundation, their liason Cathy Donahue, our hosts; The SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club, and a wonderfully positive staff; Susan Poulton, Whitney Shefte, James Rhodes, and Chaz Thompson, we were able to make this one of the best visits yet to Pine Ridge, and hopefully one of the most influential.

Our final slideshow presentation took place during opening night of The Oglala Nation Pow Wow, projected outside and beneath stars that glittered in the blackest of skies. The Pow Wow was a great way for us to gain insight into the Lakota traditions and heritage, seeing performances firsthand and by talking with other locals.

A warm thank-you to the people of Pine Ridge for allowing us to enter their lives and continue to be a part of them.

Slow Down

Day three of our photography workshop with the kids from Pine Ridge, afforded us the opportunity to slow the pace and enjoy our surroundings. Rockin’ R Ranch were our hosts for morning trail riding and the students were tasked to photograph ‘action’ for our lesson.

Photos by Piper Watson (Staff) VisionWorkshops Pine Ridge

While many of the students were seasoned riders, and were a little disgruntled not to be galloping right out of the corral, two of our teaching assistants were first-timers and appreciated the leisurely amble through the Black Hills.


Later in the evening, putting together photo albums, the students wrote about their experiences with us. One student quoted another for saying, “slow down if you want to live!” Apparently she was scurrying up the rock climbing route rather swiftly, but it struck me as ironic that those words of fear from this particular teenage girl, in a different context, were actually great words of wisdom. Slow down, take stock in your surroundings, and enjoy the moment if you want to truly live.


Again, we were reminded that a change in perspective from hopeless to hopeful could be the exact solution that is needed. Furthermore, slowing down to see the beauty in any situation, which at the moment happened to be filled with wild flowers and the sound of swishing horse tails, could very well be the difference between living a life full of meaning and not.

A Change of Perspective

Photos by Piper Watson (Staff) VisionWorkshops

Often times, when faced with a difficult situation, human nature is to fight, flight, or freeze. However, a shift in how we see things can turn an unsurmountable challenge into a positive, life-changing experience. The same applies to photography. Our view of the world through the viewfinder of a camera can change drastically depending on our vantage point. In this case, both mental and photographic perspective were challenged when our students embarked on an adventure with Sylvan Rocks Climbing School, in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Angel looks for the next foot hold on the route.

Sylvan Lake also provided the perfect backdrop for our lesson on capturing overall scenes and landscapes. The students were able to experiment with a variety of lenses and focal lengths while exploring the hiking trails and utilizing the natural light for portraits as the sun set.

Volunteer Whitney Shefte uses the outdoor classroom to her advantage while explaining the 'scene-setter' lesson.

The day came to a exciting close when a herd of American Bison were sited, and an impromptu photo session began. Teaching assistant and former Pine Ridge Photo Camp student Chaz “Wasu” Thompson made a special connection with one of the herd. Chaz’s family celebrates their traditional heritage, and he shared with us that this special connection was a skill that has been passed down to him by his grandmother.

Chaz reaches through a barbed-wire fence to greet an American Bison.

The Journey Begins

Apollonia photographs during her first assignment.

These students represent an aspect of American culture that is often overlooked or shied away from. This year, we decided to adapt our programming to better fit the needs and the challenges they face. Our thought was that an “adventure photography workshop” approach would be an exciting way to engage and encourage the students to document their experiences through photography. When we left Pine Ridge Reservation on Sunday with a van full of nine bright and bubbly 10-14 year olds, little did we know just how special this camp would be.

Photos by Piper Watson (Staff) VisionWorkshops Pine Ridge

Our journey began with an afternoon spent exploring Wind Cave National Park – the first National Park devoted to a cave. The students had a plethora of opportunities to photograph their first assignment by capturing details both above and below the ground.

Gabriella shoots 'box work' formations in Wind Cave.

Our exploration of Wind Cave descends deeper into the ground.

(By Piper Watson, VisionWorkshops)

First Impressions

Being new to the photography camps outside of our regional programming, coming here to Pine Ridge has, thus far, been a wonderful first-time experience. South Dakota greeted us with quite a storm, that we watched from across the rolling green plains, callused with these so-called Badlands. Moody maybe, but definitely not “bad.” One thing that we miss at our home-base in Maryland and DC are the wide open spaces where you can actually see the weather forming from afar instead of having to rely on radar.

Photos by Piper Watson (Staff) VisionWorkshops Pine Ridge

Coming onto the Indian Reservation of Pine Ridge, the landscape seemed to change and speak volumes of metaphors about the people who lived here. In our journey to recruit students and acquire parent permissions, it was not unusual to do so in passing on the highway, or to be given directions straight out of a movie pre-1958.
We were even lucky enough to have two of our students come from an active perma-culture farm that was serving as a model for other business start-ups on the reservation.

Although we had interrupted the volunteer workers’ lunch, they were still happy to meet us and show us around.

In the past, the Pine Ridge students that have come and worked with us have been a little bit older and more of a challenge to reach, in terms of where they are in their adolescence and place in life. However, this group is slightly younger and seems to be really excited to be a part of this experience- although it might just be the rock climbing day that we promised them! We shall see tomorrow!

(By Piper Watson, VisionWorkshops)