Labrador In Focus photography exhibit turns a lens on the Big Land

Photographs from youths in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation are set to be on display this weekend.

CBC's Library Partnership Project, CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, Melville Public Library and Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries are holding a community Labrador In Focus photography exhibit on Saturday.

The Labrador In Focus exhibit will be held at the Lawrence O'Brien Arts Centre from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. AT. Food and drinks will be provided at the free event.

The Labrador In Focus program is meant to give Labrador youth the tools they need to capture their unique world. The photograph subject is completely up to the young photographers.

The photographers, aged 13 to 23, chose to depict everything from life celebrations to being out on the land.

Mary Saunders, 15, said she loved the program.

"I love this experience and I feel like people should join and try to experience something new."

Mary said she learned how to set her white balance and edit images. Her favourite photographis one of her sister. It was one of the first pictures she took and sparked a love of portrait photography, she said.

Other photographers took pictures of things that are important to them. Elliot Pike, 20, created his own long exposure photographs showing movements of the northern lights with flashlights and lightsabers.

"I always wanted to learn about photography," Pike said. "I think I'm really proud to see the exhibit on Saturday."

The Labrador In Focus program is funded by the CBC Library Partnerships Program. The program is to explore partnership opportunities with public libraries to further community engagement.

Have thoughts about community programming like the Labrador In Focus photography program? Reach out to the program creatorhere.

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