One nine year old boy stood in the school parking lot, alone, quiet, looking down and holding a basketball. Lamar is his name, and he had not been in our camera program. I asked him if he wanted to go out and shoot with the camera. He said “Yes,” shyly, and went to tell his mother where he was going.

That first day with a camera, at the city marina, and his first time on a boat dock (one mile from his home), he became charged with total thrill and excitement. “I am so glad I came, I love this camera,” he said with a huge sparkle in his eye. He zoomed the lens over and over for varied compositions, learned in but a minute to review the images, and created some exhibit-worthy photographs. He was in!

In the year to follow, Lamar did photography on every field event day, as well as at all exhibit receptions and on holidays. The night of Fourth of July, he used the camera on a tripod to photograph the fireworks over the river, shooting every last burst of color in the sky. He turned to his mentor and said, “Boy, I’m getting tired, this is hard work.”

His mother and I became friends, during my visits to Lamar’s home in the housing project. I would show her his images on a laptop. We talked about gospel singers from the 1960’s. She was thrilled with his pictures, and now she drives him to every event, from out in the country.

Lamar had to move to the country on John’s Island and enroll in another school. He hated leaving his school and friends in the city, but in time, he grew to like his new school. When his teacher saw some of his photos, she nick named him “Photo Shoot.” His grades improved considerably, to the point that the teacher nominated him for the Gifted and Talented Program. It just might be that Lamar’s joining Charleston Kids-with-Cameras boosted him to new success.
-Ron Rocz

You can view some of Lamar’s photos by clicking on this link.