Pupils from a Our Lady’s Catholic College in Lancaster have been experimenting with photography to help improve their mental health.
The results are on exhibition on public display at More Music in Morecambe from this Friday, 4th March, until 4th May 2022.
Brain Hacks was a project specially commissioned for a cultural and creative education programme run by Lancaster District Cultural Education Partnership (Culture Co-op); Lancaster University, Curious Minds and Lancashire Youth Challenge.
The project was led by professional photographer and former Our Lady’s pupil Ginny Koppenhol and involved 10 pupils from Years 9-11 and 6th form taking photographs on their smart phones of things which made them smile.
The students learned photography skills and creative techniques to produce 170 images for the exhibitions which they also helped to plan.
Brain Hacks aimed to try out the scientific theory that by finding ways to focus on the positives in life, people can improve their mental wellbeing.
“Whenever the young people noticed moments in their daily life that prompted some appreciation or made them smile, they then created images to represent that moment,” said Ginny.
“The hope is that it would encourage them to spend a little longer in that moment than usual, helping to strengthen that feeling. The longer term effect is that we can recognise these moments more easily and we will start to notice more of them and also, during tough times, we can more easily draw on these positive memories and see the bigger picture.”
The students were asked to take photos every day for five weeks and among the creative ideas tried out were shooting pictures through toilet rolls, photographing boiled eggs in dramatic lighting and making themselves tiny while playing with perspective.
“Each week, the group produced a whole range of beautiful and creative images, everything from pets to people, from sunsets to shadows. Every image represented a moment of appreciation,”Ginny said.
At the start of each session, the young people shared their favourite photo with each other and explained why they had taken it.
At the end of the course, the pupils said the project had been a positive experience and made them more open to the idea that they can positively influence their mood.
A visitor to the exhibition while it was on display at our Lady’s last month commented that the photographic display was a wonderful way of expressing our journey to a better outlook on life.
• Entry to the Brain Hacks exhibition launch at More Music on Friday 4th March 2022 from 5.30 – 7.30pm is free – but visitors are encouraged to book in advance using EventBrite