Blake High School Students Turn Riverfest Assignment Into Public Photo Exhibit

A new exhibit opening Thursday night at Blake High School in Tampa will showcase photographs taken by students at one of the city's most popular events. The show was made possible through a partnership with the Gasparilla Music Foundation.

The images come from Riverfest, held this past May, where six students from Joe Papadopoulos' TV Production and Digital Cinema class were sent on a real assignment. Their task was to capture the people, the fun and the music of the event.

Each student received a new, state-of-the-art camera and an all-access pass that included backstage areas. The opportunity is part of the Gasparilla Music Foundation's Photo Ops Mentorship Program.

Tad Denham of the foundation said the group's research points to clear benefits from arts involvement. "Our studies show the benefits to mental development, to behavior improvements, to all kinds of positive things that come about by being part of the arts, whether its music, photography or any other type of arts," Denham said.

Papadopoulos said the access given to the students is unusual. "There is no other program in the county for students at the high school level to go on a professional concert and shoot, have free rein, all access pass," he said. Before he became a teacher, Papadopoulos worked as a photographer with Tampa Bay 28, so he knows how valuable such a chance can be.

The students approached the festival in different ways. Eleventh grader Keegan McDaniel pointed to his photographs of musicians, saying, "This shot I liked because you could see the passion he puts into playing his music." Fellow 11th grader Cisco Betances focused on the audience. "I tried to capture the emotion from the crowds, and this was a really exciting shoot because of all the bubbles," he said.

For some participants, the project was their first experience taking photos with something other than an iPhone. Tenth grader Jazzlyn Robinson said using a real camera made a difference. "So, to have it physically in my hand and being able to explore and take shots by myself was an amazing experience," she said.

Papadopoulos said the work will give the students a lasting advantage. "They are going to have images on their portfolio that no other high school student in the county or in the state will have," he said.

In all, 60 photographs will be displayed, 10 from each student. The community is invited to view them Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Blake High School 501Gallery. The show is titled Riverfest Reflections.