Shine Camera Club Children's Photography Showcase

The Shine Camera Club is delighted to announce its return to Wimbledon this summer with another extraordinary display of photography by budding young talents. Founded by filmmaker and photographer Cindy Sasha, the Shine Camera Club encourages children from low socio-economic backgrounds between the ages of 8-10 years to pursue photography. This year the exhibition will be curated by acclaimed photographer Fiona Freund.

“It is an incredible opportunity to continue Shine Camera Club for second year and this would have not been possible without the generous support from the photography community and individuals who believed in my project.” – Cindy Sasha

Having grown up in a working-class environment, Sasha had never considered photography could be a viable career to pursue. Now she dedicates time to making photography accessible to children who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to explore the art form.

Using analogue/film cameras, the children are taught the basic skills of photography at the Shine Merton Saturday School, where they are encouraged to stop, look at and snap the world they live in through their own eyes on black and white film. This year’s workshop also incorporated a visit to Rapid Eye East London where the children were introduced to the development and processing aspects of analogue photography.

“Photography can be a powerful tool; it can change the way people see and make others feel seen. I am super excited to be working with Shine, to see how the young and curious can show us a whole new way of seeing through their eyes and lenses. They are all so bright and excited to learn it has been a real privilege to join them on their creative journey.” – Fiona Freund, Curator

This year’s curator, photographer Fiona Freund, has travelled the world and collaborated with esteemed publications such as Vogue, The Guardian and The Observer, amongst others. Becoming a mother exposed Freund to the difficulty of maintaining a successful career alongside the caring responsibilities of motherhood, shifting the focus of her practice to representing these lived experiences, highlighting the inequality of the workplace.

Through Cindy’s trusting relationship with Kristina Burton, Project and Development Manager at Mitcham Town Community Trust, Shine Camera Club provides a safe learning space for children to feel inspired through creativity and to build their confidence to pursue photography in later life.

Kristina Burton comments, “We are delighted that Cindy Sasha is continuing Shine Camera Club at Shine Merton Saturday School delivering a series of highly imaginative photography workshops. Providing disadvantaged primary students with an opportunity to have a camera and take images under professional instruction is a true rarity. It is also a prime example of how children can thrive and shine.”

A spokesperson for Elys Wimbledon adds, “As the landmark store, Elys is the heart of the community, and this was such an amazing and worthwhile initiative for us to champion whilst adding an extra dimension to the visitor experience. We’re very excited to pioneer such great new talent and encourage as many people as possible to join us in doing so.”