We at Future Imagemakers are passionate about image-making and self-expression. We believe in the power of photography as a means to reflect on our surroundings and lives, build self-confidence, and address social justice issues. We strive to expand boundaries, open up possibilities, and learn from each other.
Charlene is a sophomore at Staten Island Technical High School. "Throughout my childhood I have always enjoyed creating art on my own time. Although I am most comfortable with traditional art, I’ve been outwardly exploring other art mediums as of recent. With digital photography being so accessible and important in our current generation, I am excited to be learning and exploring the use of photography as a means of both personal expression and documentation."
Christopher is a self-taught freelance photographer residing in Passaic, NJ, where he attends Passaic Arts and Charter School. He enjoys shooting portraiture, lifestyle, and landscape photography. He has a deep passion for vibrant tones that showcase the beauty of everyday people. Capturing portraits with dramatic flair defines Christopher's style. He is dedicated to capturing the colorful world around us and highlighting vibrant characters around the world.
CJ is a junior at Brooklyn Friends School. "I am a film nerd now trying digital photography. I love doing portraiture, and am in the process of navigating the world around me and continuously reflecting on my identity and self-expression. Photography is a creative outlet that allows me to highlight different struggles that don't fit societal expectations. I want to continue photographing complex subjects that make people rethink different narratives told. Photography, for me, is fundamentally storytelling."
Born and raised in the bustling streets of Queens, NY, David’s passion for photography sprung from the intense diversity, eclectic mix of cultures and the vibrant personality of the ordinary individual. He is a student at the Academy for Careers in TV & Film in Manhattan. His use of candid photography documents and displays the often-forgotten lives that humbly contribute to running entire nations altogether. David’s work asks you to look again at your surroundings and find the electrifying feeling of simply living.
Geninah attends Ridgefield Park Jr. Sr. Highschool in New Jersey. "I used to despise the very sight of a camera, mainly because I was usually in front of it. When I was given the chance to go behind a camera my thoughts about photography completely changed. I realized through photography I can capture moments that bring a smile; and who doesn't love making people smile?"
Glo is a 16 year old student at the Henry Viscardi School. "I became interested in photography when I received my first professional camera for my 16th birthday. Photography is one of my favorite art mediums but is not my only passion in life. I am also interested in Broadway/musical theatre, reading, multifaceted activism and creating all types of art. Through my work I hope to showcase my life and the community that I am surrounded with."
Julia is a junior at Francis Lewis High School. "My interest in photography started a few years ago, and my main focus has always been being able to capture unique moments and memorable landscapes. Focusing on smaller details instead of the bigger picture. The most important part: being behind a camera gave me a level of confidence I never expected."
Karah is 17, and a junior at the Notre Dame School of Manhattan. "What had started off as teasing my siblings, knowing they all hated having their photo taken, photography has grown to become a passion of mine. I can tell you all about photography and what it means to me, but to put everything into simple terms, photography is just something that makes me happy. Something that I will continue to pursue and one day hope to make a difference."
Lauren is a student at NYC iSchool. "My journey with visual art and mental health mirror each other. I find myself making art and finding freedom through creation. I draw and paint over the walls in my room; I photograph people in their own bubbles. Being able to submit at times to reality, and also have dreamlike escapes into creating, is a balance I am still striving to maintain."
Nadine is a student at LaGuardia. High School. "I love film and a lot of my art has been inspired by the movies I watch along with capturing the raw moments in life. I love to do street photography and making visual art focusing on the people around me. I am lucky enough to have had access to materials and the guidance, especially going to LaGuardia, that allowed me to grow as an artist. Also my favourite food is oatmeal, there’s just so many things you can do with it."
Naia is a junior at the High School of Art and Design. "I currently major in illustration with certification in Adobe Photoshop (as of 2019) and have previously majored in graphic design. Through all of the mediums at which I create art, I have always loved to do portraiture. I had found a skill, during my experience at future image-makers, for photographing them. I encountered this passion for photography and editing, along with showing a personality, a narrative, or an overall feeling through portraits. Using photography and illustration, interchangeably has enabled me to create works of art that speak to how I express myself and others as an artist."
Sumita is a student at the United Nations International School in New York City. "I was given a disposable camera at the age of three and this began my journey into the world of images and photography. Looking back at these old pictures, one can see I was interested in capturing my surroundings by photographing settings and landscapes, rather than people and their expressions. I continue to capture the world in that way. I tend to take close-up pictures of objects and places drawing the eye’s attention towards something that would otherwise blend into the background and be taken for granted in a bigger picture. I am interested in using photography to communicate the social issues we face in our world."
Sydney is a student at Uncommon Charter High School. "I’ve always loved taking pictures and learning how to use a professional camera in the summer of 2019 has helped me gain a better understanding of my style. Portraiture, landscapes, and monochrome are my favorite and most common genre of my photography. I love that I can choose how I represent myself, others, and topics that may need attention with through this art."
Zachary is a sophomore at School of the Future. "As a kid I was always interested in landscapes and moments which I wish I could capture. My passion for photography took off when I traveled to Yosemite and Joshua Tree and the Grand Canyon. I'm thrilled to learn more about how I can use photography to express myself and others and portray a story with photography."
TEACHERS
Cydney Blitzer discovered her passion for photography in her sophomore year of high school in the NYU program known as Future Imagemakers. It was this experience that inspired her to apply to NYU in the fall of 2017. She is currently a junior, soon to be senior, undergraduate currently enrolled in the Tisch Department of Photography. Her photographic work deals with themes related to documentation and identity, specifically her identity as a Chinese-American adoptee. Becoming one of the teachers for the very program that kickstarted her interest in photography, brings her story full circle.
Angelica Negron's journey with photography began when she enrolled in her high school's darkroom photography class as a freshman in 2012. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography & Imaging from New York University's Tisch School of the arts in May 2020 with a double minor in Art and Public Policy as well as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. She aspires to combine her passions for traveling, children, and social justice with her photographic practice.
Shina Tser-shiuan Peng is a photographer based in New York City and Kobe, Japan. Her international upbringing background heavily influences the work she creates as she explores social expectations of national and cultural identity. Her work intends to capture the inbetweens, the blurred lines that people experience in hopes to tell stories that people can resonate to. She is in the class of 2021 in the Department of Photography & Imaging.
Lorie Novak is an artist and Professor of Photography & Imaging at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. She is the Founding Director of Future Imagemakers, which began as Community Collaborations program in 1996, becoming part of Tisch Future Artists as Future Imagemakers in 2012. She was introduced to photography in High School and wanted to be able to offer that opportunity to NYC high school students. See her photographs, installations, and web projects at www.lorienovak.com.
View the final project of our fabulous 2020 Future Imagemakers: futureimagemakers.photoandimaging.net/2020-future-imagemakers
Future Imagemakers is a free program for high school students in the greater NYC area that takes place in the Department of Photography & Imaging at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, every spring. Visit us @futureimagemakers and www.futureimagemakers.photoandimaging.net, or contact us at future.imagemakers@nyu.edu