March 29, 2024

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Cambridge is being captured by its community as part of the new artist-in-residence’s year-long program.

This year’s artist-in-residence at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts is Judee Richardson-Schofield. Each year a new artist is selected in a different medium. Richardson-Schofield is the first photographer to be named artist-in-residence since the program began in 2003.

Over the next year Richardson-Schofield will be hosting a variety of programs and events aimed at inspiring and encouraging Cambridge residents to capture the city’s beauty in her year-long event series, Capturing Cambridge.

“I don’t care if you have a cellphone or you have a top of the line SLR, the same principles can be applied all the way through,” she said.

To kick off Capturing Cambridge a meet and greet was held on Feb. 22 at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts where guests had the chance to not only find out what’s happening, but were also able to meet Richardson-Schofield and view some of her photographs at the exhibition.

The next event is an in-studio workshop called Lights, Camera, Action! which will be held on Tuesday, March 17, from 6:30 until 9 p.m. Participants will learn how to photograph subjects in a real studio with expert photographers from Henry’s and Rowan Photography.

“We’re going to get them behind the camera and in front of the camera, so it allows them to get the feel, get the vibe, get the experience because as soon as you get people in a studio with lights and you’re behind the camera, even if you don’t know anything, all of a sudden there’s a confidence that happens, a little mini confidence, and I’m hoping that will rub off on the people who come to the Lights, Camera, Action! event,” Richardson-Schofield said.

There will also be scavenger hunts in each core area of Cambridge, each with a different focus: Galt Architecture on May 9, Preston Street Life on July 11 and Hespeler Outdoor Green Space on Sept. 12.

“I have three other photographers who are specialized in street, architecture and landscape who are going to assist me with the walk-about. So we’re going to do the walkabout, set the route, and we’re going to do some pre-snapshots, so, you have to find what we found, along with finding all of the other things on your list.”

Along with the planned events and workshops are ongoing initiatives.

“We want you to capture anything and everything under the sun that means something to you in regards to what Cambridge is, what’s beautiful about Cambridge, what’s interesting about Cambridge, it doesn’t matter,” Richardson-Schofield said.

Throughout the year, Cambridge residents are encouraged to submit photos taken around the city: at events, in public places, and images that portray how they see their city, and submit them to Richardson-Schofield through a variety of different ways. Along with Photo Share is the Pose, Snap, Post initiative where participants are encouraged to take striking and original selfies.

Photographs can be submitted directly onto the Facebook group Artist in Residence – Capturing Cambridge – Judee Richardson-Schofield, by emailing them directly to judee77@rogers.com, using the hashtag #CaptureCambridge on Instagram or by dropping off hard copy 4×6 prints at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts, 60 Dickson St., Cambridge.

There are also “secret photographers” who are volunteers in charge of taking candid photos of people and handing out “I’ve Been Captured” buttons as part of the Random Acts of Candid Captures initiative.

There will be more events announced as the year unfolds, all leading up to The Grand Finale.

“The goal at the end is called The Grand Finale, and basically I want to have at least 10,000 images from the community to put in this. It’s called Amaze Cambridge and it’s going to be a maze through the Cambridge Centre for the Arts of all the photographs that were submitted for the year. So, good, bad, or otherwise, you get to be showcased if you submit to the selfie, or you submit to the scavenger hunt or Capture Cambridge.”

Richardson-Schofield said that at the end of the year she will select the 12 most creative photos which will be judged by the community. The top three photographers will win a cash prize of $100, $75 and $50. All 12 entries will win a framed and matted print.

“If you can hold a camera, if you can point and click, I don’t care if you’re two or a 102, we’ll figure out a way for you to participate in the event.”

 

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