[Unstagram] A Photography Genius Who Resembles a Cat

Between the Seriousness and Futility of Teaching

Is it right to tell a child who takes remarkably accurate photos, "You have a talent for photography, so keep taking pictures"? I was caught in a dilemma. Yeongsu (a pseudonym), a high school girl, was one of the Korean students participating in the International Youth Photography Workshop held in Da Nang, Vietnam, and I was the instructor who taught and played with photography.

On the Danang beach after the rain stopped, teenagers wearing raincoats are walking around taking photos, and a rainbow appeared in the sky.

Having stable and flawless photos is not the ultimate goal to achieve, but it can be an essential stepping stone to the next level. Photography, beyond its role in display or documentation, is unfolding as a much freer and more dynamic world in the realm of expression and art. However, the child's visual expression ability to see the world directly and capture it neatly was remarkable enough to be called genius.

One of the photos taken by Youngsoo. It contained many stories visually.

Would unnecessary praise stiffen their free imagination? Would it cause emotional disturbance? Would they approach objects too consciously? I pondered for several days. Didn’t someone say, "The future illiterate will not be those who cannot read words but those who cannot understand images"? On the last day, after finishing shooting at the beach, I gathered courage and called the child.

Neighborhood kids met in Hoi An. They are hiding a bouquet of flowers behind their backs to give to a friend.

"You may not realize it, but you have an exceptional perspective. Perspective means how you look at something and the attitude that reveals itself. You must be busy studying and preparing for college, but keep taking photos. It would be great if you continue holding a camera, capturing, expressing, and showing whatever you want. That will be an advantage comparable to being fluent in a foreign language." I think I said these things, sometimes hesitating and gathering my words. In between, shy and brief answers of "Yes" came back. Before I could finish, I heard a friend shouting from behind, "Yeongsu! Let's take pictures." Yeongsu replied, "Okay~" and ran toward the beach without leaving any more words.

An exhibition was held featuring photos taken by teenagers. For someone, it will become an unforgettable memory for a lifetime.

Since it was also troubling that the child took it too seriously, it was rather comfortable to see them run off as if nothing had happened. Telling them to keep using the camera as an 'institutional device' to take photos felt like trying to teach the older generation’s notions. After all, the very reason for the existence of photography as a medium and even the way it is consumed have completely changed.

Turning my head to avoid the suddenly blowing sandstorm, I saw Yeongsu by the seaside taking ‘selfies’ with friends on their phones. Tilting their head to one side, squinting their eyes, and placing two fists on both cheeks, they were imitating a cat. Cats are also the trend in photography.

A cat photo by a teenage photographer displayed in the exhibition hall. Cats are one of the most popular subjects.