Welcome to #ArbusMetSquad: A Teen Photographer Takeover

During Teen Studio—Photography, teens spent time making photographs of The Roof Garden Commission: Cornelia Parker, Transitional Object (PsychoBarn). Photo by Ariel Greene

«The Met has officially wrapped up our final Teen Program of summer 2016, Teen Studio—Photography! During the two-week class, a select group of talented teens honed their camera skills at The Met under the guidance of teaching artist and photographer Sean Fader. Through guest visits, classroom critiques, time in the galleries and on the roof, visits to Central Park, and independent projects, the teens were able to expand their knowledge of photography and develop their artistic eye.»

In the exhibition diane arbus: in the beginning, the class explored the work of the legendary photographer and applied what they learned to making their own photographs. As the class progressed, they identified themes that emerged in their work, such as portraiture, color, illusion, and pairings, and opted to further explore these topics in their photographs and writing. Throughout the process, the teens met with Met experts, including curators, photography and imaging specialists, legal counsel, practicing artists, and social media experts.

We're delighted to share their writing and photography on the Teen Blog in the coming weeks. Interestingly enough, a common thread in their writing is that there's no "right" or "wrong" way to make a photograph, but that every decision on the part of the photographer alters the viewer's experience. As we share their work, please comment and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ArbusMetSquad, which the class came up with as a group to experiment with building a social media presence!