350 Island Pond Road

Previously I have given you an insight into my jobs as a Photography Counsellor and the work the girls produced during my time at Fernwood Cove, I would now like to give you a insight into Camp life itself. 

''Hey girl your a camper

get your Crocs on, go play

Hey now your counselor

get you boots on, get change

all that glitters is green

only Fernwood Cove is our home''

(to be sung to Smash Mouth's All Star, one of the many usual songs that has been adapted to suit camp life, other examples include The adams family theme tune, Sweet Caroline, The Flintstones theme tune, Jay z Forever Young and many more)

Down a normal road in Harrison Maine 04040 lies Island Pond Road, although it may appear to be just another side road, 350 Island Pond the 200 odd acre property at the end of it is anything but ordinary. Fernwood Cove formally Camp Chickawah is a traditional sleep away camp for girls.

During the summer, over both three and a half week sessions, the Camp comes alive with around 400 Campers, 130 odd staff members, around 17 horses, 2 Donkeys, 3 Sheep, a team of Pigs, a lot of chickens, 3 dogs and bunch of other wild critters. I was lucky enough to be able to experience camp life as a Camp Counselor and Bunk 'Mom'. Over the next couple of weeks I will be using the medium of Photojournalism to give an insight into traditional American Summer Camps, as well as my post camp travel and days off. 

350 Island Pond Road, (which according to the Sat Navs doesn't exist) is the home to Fernwood Cove, Extraordinary Summer Camp for Girls, formally Camp Chickawah. Harrison, Maine, June 2014 

The Directors often talk about the 'Threshold' and how we as Counselors are the 'Threshold Guardians' usually this is used to describe separating them from virtual outside influences such as Social Media, Trends and News  however it could also be used to describe the literal threshold between the Extraordinary, simple and traditional lifestyle we live within 350 Island Pond Road and the ordinary one we are part of in the real world , Fernwood Cove, Harrison, Maine, 04040. June 2014

Island Pond, the Hub of Fernwood Cove, perhaps if we were in a Storybook or a Disney film we would describe it as the watering hole inwhich life revolves around however  in real life its just the pond (habited by the so called 'Crazy lady') that we go Sailing, Stand up Paddle boarding, Canoeeing, Kayaking, Swimming ,Wakeboaring and Waterskiing in. Fernwood Cove,  Harrison, Maine, 04040. June 2014

Island Pond, Fernwood Cove, Harrison, Maine, 04040, June 2014

The Island within Island Pond, Fernwood Cove, Harrison, Maine, 04040, June 2014

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ

Session 2; New and more organized Beginnings

With the end of first session leaving us with only three working cameras, the two day intersession proved a perfect time to get to grips with our three new Ebay purchased cameras ( a Minolta XGI, Minolta X300 and a Vivitar XV-3, adding to our Canon AE-1, Nikon FM10 and  three Vivitar XV-3).

In Fernwood Cove we love a  challenge and second hand cameras do love to provide one. 

Just like any second hand camera purchase, bearing in mind that most of these cameras are twenty plus years old, a lot of them come with a nearly broken this and a faulty that, and two of the new additions were no exception. Unfortunately both Minolta's came with broken winds , the X300 a semi automatic and slightly newer Minolta came with a common fault in the form of a broken capacitor, where according to the big wide web the only cure is to replace the electronics- which i'm sure is a more costly process than buying the camera itself. The XG-1 also had a broken wind as well as acid leak from the batteries (perhaps hinting that it probably wasn't in the good working condition that was implied in the purchase details). Although teaching a class of seven mixed aged and ability campers with only four working cameras isn't ideal (as it means on average one person per class has to share a camera)  four is better than three, and to be honest we don't have a choice about it so the show or rather focuses must go on. 

The Department itself is working incredibly well perhaps even faultlessly , the weather is behaving, the cameras that still work (touch wood) are all fully understandable and teachable to all ages (even if the Canon AE-1 with its pendant based light meter and the Vivitar XV-3 with its sensitive shutter release work better in the hands of the older campers) The kids are producing well exposed and composed images, that are unique - remember Fernwood Cove believes in Eagles not Ducks- and so far the printing is working well. Its a great compliment when a Photographer or person who works in a very similar industry compliments their childs printing skills  which you've set up and approved yourself. Processing the films has also come on a lot, film loading has become a painless and quick process - even in those annoying, sweaty and cramped bags- and the films are coming out both constantly and successfully and even with a shine, with thanks to the PhotoFlo wetting agent.

The department is a lot more organized, with thanks to the new ring binder, envelope and name tag system, In which each film once developed is hung on a named peg, then cut up and placed in plastic wallets inside the negative holder, prints are also hung up on said named pegs then placed in named wallets ready for collection and display on parents day, meaning we haven't lost a negative yet.

Sophia Chase's work 

2/3rd Grader Ginny Matsui

8th Grader Hailey Robinson

4th Grader Grace Miliken

Laura Holden

9th Grader Bella Godes

4th Grader Lila Mueller

9th Grader Genevieve Dunning

5th Grader Ava Eisendrath

5th Grader Anabella Katz

8th Grader Bella Young

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ PHOTOGRAPHY

Old Orchard Beach, Week 3

With Week three of the first session coming to a close, we've had one of our best weeks in the photography department, not only has it been smooth sailing with the girls, apart from a few language barriers (teaching photography to a french native teenager, in which your every other sentence seems to consist of you both not understanding each other, isnt the easiest or my favorite, but I love a good challenge) but I have also been able to develop and enlarge a few prints of my own, taken on both trip day to Ferry Beach National State Park and Old Orchard Beach, in Portland, Maine. 

Developing and Photographing these amusement parks and arcades has given me a idea for my second year S.D.A or even just a project of my own, photographing theme parks and amusement parks in Black and White film creating a retro and vintage inspired project. 

Palace Playland, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, Maine. July 2014 

The Trip day girls at Ferry Beach and the Amusement Park, Palace Playland at  Old Orchard Beach, Maine, July 2014 

The Amusement Par, Palace Playland at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, July 2014

The Carousel, Palace Playland at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, July 2014

The Ferris Wheel, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, July 2014


ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ PHOTOGRAPHY

Teaching Film Photography in the Extraordinary World of Camp: Session 1 Week 1 and 2

I am lucky enough to be spending my summer instructing Black and White Film Photography to campers at Fernwood Cove, Summer Camp for girls in Harrison, Maine.  As this will form part of my Placement I have decided to write about it and share it with my readers.

Week 1

Summer Camp is about growth and challenges, growth of a department, a team, a Counselor, a Camper and all be it a bit cheesy  growth of a unit - or in our case a family. Sometimes in the case of a troubled child three and a half weeks isn't long enough to create long term changes in behavioral habits but  can be enough to make a serious impact, on not only their behavior but  their hobbies, goals and desires as well. 

Throughout the first weeks of focuses working in the department was hard and to be honest uninteresting, it was a sweltering 90 degrees, the chemicals were unstable and therefore inconsistent, with the film developing but maintaining a layer of gelatin on it and the prints drying in shades of murky brown instead of grey scale.  This disheartening process meant that I lost not just faith but interest in being within the department however with the tail of hurricane Arthur passing and the weather cooling we were hoping that with the new week the Darkroom would open once again.

The Photography Studio. Fernwood Cove. Harrison, Maine, Summer 2014 

Fernwood Cove's Dark Room, equipped with six enlargers, Fernwood Cove. Harrison, Maine, Summer 2014

The Cameras, Fernwood Cove. Harrison, Maine, Summer 2014

Week 2 

As the weather became dull and grey and the Darkroom no longer resembled a sauna we decided to re open Film Photography. 

Teaching a second/third grader or even a Spanish speaking ninth grader what Aperture is, yet alone how to use it is somewhat of a challenge, especially when the girls are confused/haven't actually been informed that these images aren't available for instant playback and unfortunately can't be hashtaged or filtered on Instagram. Yet  spending my whole day inside under redlight when its glorious sunshine outside was becoming routine and to be honest enjoyable.

Due to last weeks technical difficulties class sizes have seen a quite visible reduction in size, which although is unfortunate it means that we can now participate and print alongside the girls, something I found helped to motivate them as they saw you repeating each stage to achieve the perfect print, and not just standing there being the cruel bitch, continuously making them do tests  when all they really want to do is enlarge a  full sized print.

Below is some examples of their work. 

All Images are copyright Ellie Hetebrij Photography

Ice Dancers at Play

At about 8'o clock this morning I was lucky enough to photograph Ice Skaters Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker.

Hannah and Edward were both previously solo Ice Skaters before teaming up in April this year and are coached at both Bracknell and Peterborough Ice Rinks by Natasha Hale and Neil Chilcot respectively.

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker with Coach Natasha Hale, Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014 

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker mid lift, Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker in hold, Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker , Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker , Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker, Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014

Hannah Hetebrij and Edward Barker, Bracknell Ice Rink, June, 2014

I'm not to keen on how today's frames turned out as once again I struggled with the rink lighting, meaning that the photos are not quite as sharp as I had hoped :(.

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ

Red Arrows at Gylly

The Red Arrows Acrobatic Team, (the Public face of the RAF ) mark their 50th anniversary this year with a national tour. I was lucky enough to capture them captivating, inspiring  and enthralling the crowds at Gylly beach.

Its not that i'm not a  people person but I just didn’t want to spend/ share my experience of the RAF Red Arrows with the thousands of tourists/ families and students that lined Gylly Beach. Maybe that's not in the spirit  of the Red Arrows,  but today was a day I had been looking forward to all week and I didn't want to share the glorious sunshine and captivating sights of the Red Arrow stunt team with anyone but my friends (maybe because I didn’t want complete strangers to see how excited I was about it (after all a nineteen year old as excited as I was  is a little strange), or how I couldn’t stop myself from screaming with excitement as they flew overhead) so we ventured off the beaten path and into a field just off Swanpool, meaning that not only was our view completely clear of toddlers on their fathers shoulders but the planes were often flying straight over us (making it a very immersive if not slightly terrifying experience).

I have a distinctive memory of going to see the Red Arrows with my Mum and Grandma, but I can't seem to remember the actual event, something which seems completely unthinkable when they made such an impact on me at this age, and i'm sure that my childhood sense of intrigue and curiosity would of been even more fascinated and captivated by them. 

To  find out more about the Red Arrows - there defiantly a sight not to be missed.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/

The crowds swarms around Gylly, in anticipation of the Red Arrow Display team, Gylly Beach, May, 31., 2014

The Red Arrows (Jets 1-5 otherwise know as Enid make up the front of the formation whereas 6-9 (Gypo) make up  , the rear) Gylly Beach, May 31, 2014 

The Red Arrows flying over Gylly, Gylly Beach , May 31, 2014 

The Red Arrows with their new Tailfin designs, Gylly Beach, May 31, 2014

The Countries colours hung proudly, Gylly Beach, May 31, 2014

Red Arrow Display Team, Gylly Beach, May 31, 2014

The Jets forming a heart shape (this got to me a little bit - I screamed), Gylly Beach, May 31. 2014

The Red Arrows declining fully vertical in formation, Gylly Beach, May 31, 2014

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT ELLIE HETEBRIJ