Thank you to Mr. Stewart Villilo for inspiring our students to pursue their artistic passions. On view in the exhibit is Junior, Alison Sanchez’ photograph of Mr. Villilo. Her interview, along with insights from fellow club member, Elizabeth Cruz, and Mr. Villilo, is below.
What inspired your photo? How do you feel about having your work displayed in Grand Central Station?
Before submitting my work I looked into the artist who was preparing the exhibition. Brandon Stanton is a photographer who places a lot of importance on people who are around us everyday, not necessarily celebrities or extremely known people but just people who we interact and communicate with on a day to day basis. I feel like there’s so many important people in my life that are never truly celebrated in the way I feel they should be, one of those people to me was Mr. Stewart. He is someone who I felt really impacted the way I interacted with a lot of people around me and just helped me truly get into photography. Seeing the message that the exhibition was trying to deliver, I felt extremely inspired and inclined to have Mr.Stewart as my honoree because without him I wouldn’t have been able to take photos or really be brave enough to put myself out there.
Going into the Grand Central Station I felt extremely nervous, while i had been aware of the fact that my work was being displayed it was a very nerve wracking experience to actually see it myself in person. I had seen people interact with my work, and while it made me feel good, it also made me feel embarrassed. I enjoyed seeing my work be appreciated, but putting myself out there also took a lot of courage. While at the Grand Central station, I took some photos in front of my work. During this process I had a lot of people who had stopped by to just congratulate me on having my work displayed. Even as I walked around I had some people come up to me and ask to see where my work was displayed. I enjoyed being able to interact and talk to people about my work.
How do you feel about the Humans of New York exhibit? What is the purpose of such an exhibit?
I thought the exhibit was extremely important. I felt that just the fact that it allowed so many different people from so many different backgrounds to be honored and recognized for everything they’ve done was something extremely valuable and special. It was nice to see something that was open to everyone and gave everybody an equal opportunity to be showcased and to share their stories about the people they hold close to them. This exhibit shows the impact one can have on someone no matter who they might be. It recognizes the value of relationships all around and why they are so important. There’s someone important in everyone’s lives, and sometimes just being able to share that with others is something very powerful and meaningful. (Alison)
I feel like the humans of New York exhibit is very interesting and creative. I love that the exhibit is in grand central because not only is the exhibit representing culture but so is the setting it’s in. Grand central shows New York culture and having the exhibit there puts light on the purpose of the exhibit which is humans of New York. In my opinion it’s perfect to show an example of humans of New York in their natural habitat of an infamous train station of New York. (Elizabeth)
I liked the humans of New York exhibit because it shows the different perspectives that people see every day in New York, especially if they live in different boroughs or neighborhoods. (Chris)
Describe the purpose and benefits of photography club.
The purpose of the photography club is to provide students the opportunity to learn about how photography works while also allowing students the chance and freedom to practice photography if it’s something that interests them. It can be hard to access cameras since they’re extremely expensive and can be somewhat confusing for a lot of people. The photography club allows students to access these cameras and actually work with them while simultaneously learning about the fundamentals behind photography. (Alison)
The purpose and benefits of photography club are to express yourself and learn something new. In the photography the benefits are learning about cameras and editing photos and lighting etc. The purpose of photography is to capture and create images and moments that you can pour your heart into and see how it turns out. (Elizabeth)
The benefits of photography club would be learning about the equipment and having the experience to learn from my mentor Stewart. (Chris)
What does a photography club session entail?
The Photography club does a lot of things, but it really starts with just the basics of working with a camera and being able to understand the fundamentals of how to work with a camera. While it can start off slow, it’s definitely worth it for the future. Anyone can take a good photo, but it takes time to truly understand how certain cameras might work because each one operates differently, and it’s important to be mindful of that. Photography starts off with small lessons at the beginning of the meetings and then slowly breaks off into activities where each student is asked to work with the cameras and see if there’s something they might not understand. Learning how to work with a camera is a process. Sometimes you might forget something and that’s okay. There’s no shame in not knowing something. Photography is a club that really connects everyone in it. (Alison)
A photography club session entails of cameras and chargers and lighting. A session includes everyone brainstorming on what image they want to capture and how they will get there and what they will have to manually do to get the picture to that level they envision. (Elizabeth)
A photography club session shows the different forms of photography and shows us how to use something called the rule of thirds. (Chris)
What motivated you to join photography club? How have your expectations of the club been met?
First it was something that I joined to be with my friends, and it wasn’t something that I really planned on taking up because I wasn’t experienced with photography or cameras. I wasn’t confident enough to actually attempt taking pictures. However because photography is such a hands on club, I had to engage in certain activities that required me to take pictures and just interact with cameras. It was something that I ended up enjoying a lot, and it became something I wanted to do more often. I hadn’t expected to become too involved in the club because it wasn’t something that I had been previously experienced with, but that wasn’t something that mattered because Mr. Stewart was extremely open about having people who knew absolutely nothing about photography. (Alison)
My friends motivated me to join the photography club. My friends have been in the photography club for a while and have told me how much they loved and appreciated it which inspired me to join as-well. My expectations of the club have been met because I have learned many new things about cameras and have found more of an appreciation for photography. (Elizabeth)
What motivated me to join the photography club was the experience I would gain that could potentially be used in different fields that I may be interested in. So far my expectations for the club have been exceedingly met by having the opportunity to learn so much more that I didn’t know about. (Chris)
Explain the importance of Mr. Stewart’s influence on your work and your enjoyment of the club.
Mr. Stewart is someone I go to for advice on a lot of things. I do have experience with taking photos and working with cameras, but I do find myself sometimes just stuck on certain things. I might find myself stuck on how to work a certain camera or how to adjust something and Mr. Stewart is someone who I can always go to for help for future reference. Apart from technical assistance Mr. Stewart also just provides a lot of feedback on editing and how I can improve my work. Oftentimes I’ll either go to him or send him the photos I took of certain events and he will always provide feedback if he feels there’s something I can look out for in the future.
Mr. Stewart also makes photography entertaining and enjoyable despite the amount of lessons one might have to sit through. He allows time for everyone to use a camera and just work with it and places a great importance on practicing with the people around you and just interacting with others and allowing yourself to let loose and have fun. He wants others to take up photography and explore it for themselves and wants it to be something that people have fun doing. He doesn’t want it to feel like a chore or like it’s something they can’t do. (Alison)
Mr. Stewart’s influence of excitement and optimism have influenced my enjoyment and work in the club. Mr. Stewart fills the club with endless joy and passion for photography which also effects my mood and helps me stay motivated for photography and helps my work get better and better. (Elizabeth)
Mr. Stewart’s influence of excitement and optimism have influenced my enjoyment and work in the club. Mr. Stewart fills the club with endless joy and passion for photography which also affects my mood and helps me stay motivated for photography and helps my work get better and better. (Chris)
Explain what inspires your photography. What are some of your favorite subjects, settings, modes of photographing, camera angles, etc.?
I’m very into taking portraits of people. I enjoy photographing events or just taking photos of people in hangouts and smaller gatherings. I enjoy seeing people interact with others and just capturing small details and interactions. To me photography is about capturing people and allowing their true selves to shine. (Alison)
Things that inspire my photography are nostalgic things. I enjoy taking pictures of things that’s I feel like I’ve experienced before. I like moments in nature that remind me of distant memories and capturing that feeling. I also enjoy taking candid pictures of people that remind me of past actions or moments. (Elizabeth)
What inspires my photography are things in New York people usually don’t get to see and just showing the daily life of what I see and others might not. Whether that includes the buildings, the people, the nightlife, or just the overall experiences they might not have in all five boroughs. (Chris)
What do you hope to gain from future photography club sessions?
I hope to gain more experience on working with certain cameras such as the Cannons. I tend to work with Sonys more often and it’s something that i’ve become accustomed to, but I would like to widen my experience with a multitude of different cameras. (Alison)
I hope to gain better editorial skills in future photography club sessions. I hope to gain this skill because I really think it will take my pictures to the next level and help me explain even more what I want to through my pictures. (Elizabeth)
I hope to gain more knowledge and experience with Stuart helping me or me helping him in certain aspects, especially since I’m going to be here for two more years. I can’t wait to see more that I can accomplish with the other students. (Chris)
As the teacher of the WHSAD Photography Club, I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for this incredible school, its inspiring students, and especially the talented and creative young artists I’ve had the privilege to work with in the club.
It has been a true pleasure to guide and learn alongside these students. What sets our photography students apart is their fearless creativity, their willingness to think outside the box and immediately apply their own vision to the techniques they’ve learned. Watching them grow, experiment, and express themselves through photography has been nothing short of inspiring.
I’m especially honored to celebrate one of our own: Alison Sanchez, a dedicated and imaginative club member, whose work was selected for the Dear New York exhibition at Grand Central. This beautiful exhibit, created by the Humans of New York founder, showcases voices and stories from across the city, and Alison’s inclusion is a testament not only to her talent but also to the strength of the creative community here at WHSAD.
To all the students who bring their ideas, energy, and artistry to everything they do. Thank you! You make this school, and the clubs, something truly special.
Mr. Stewart