THROUGH THE LENS: POWERFUL STORYTELLING BY ALUM IN ART SCHOOL – A Catholic and Marist Faculty | Notre Dame Prep

Shaped by experimentation, reflection and a rising confidence in her skill to inform significant tales, “distinguished scholar” Sydney Hinds is discovering her voice in documentary pictures.

Sydney Hinds arrived on the Savannah College of Art and Design, one of many world’s prime artwork colleges, figuring out she wished to be challenged — however with no fastened concept of what that problem would appear to be.

Now midway by way of her third yr at SCAD, the 2023 Notre Dame Prep graduate is flourishing in an setting that calls for each technical precision and private reflection. Majoring in pictures on the distinguished SCAD Distinguished Scholars Award scholarship, Hinds has spent her school profession studying the right way to stability construction and freedom, and the right way to belief her instincts as a visible storyteller.

“My time at SCAD has been amazing and better than I could’ve ever expected,” Hinds stated. “I’ve learned so many new things and made so many new friends. The teachers at SCAD have all been so nice and continue to push me in my photographic abilities.”

That push has come by way of a variety of photographic disciplines. At SCAD, Hinds has labored in black-and-white movie, colour movie, business pictures and documentary pictures, gaining fluency in each course of and artistic goal.

“I’ve been allowed to dabble in many different types of photography at SCAD,” she stated. “Not many things surprised me because I went into SCAD with no expectations of normality.”

Freedom and duty

What did shock her, nevertheless, was the diploma of autonomy she was given — and the duty that got here with it.

“Sometimes the level of freedom was overwhelming,” Hinds stated. “Don’t get me wrong, there are still restrictions and things I must do. However, it’s fun to try and find a middle ground of knowing your limits and pushing yourself so you can grow.”

That stability — artistic freedom inside outlined objectives — has change into central to her improvement. Rather than prescribing content material, many assignments deal with outcomes corresponding to storytelling, lighting mastery or conceptual readability.

“Most of these projects, when assigned, were a ‘here’s what the end goal needs to be,’” she stated. “Which then allows the students to grow in their skill set while still being able to use their own voice.”

A unity of religion and other people

One such venture would change into some of the significant experiences of her time at SCAD.

Hinds’ self-guided documentary sequence on Churches in East Georgia started as a backup plan after her authentic proposal was declined.

“My documentary project started as a backup plan for another project pitch I wanted to do,” she stated. “My teacher didn’t favor my Plan A so to Plan B I went.”

What adopted was an immersive exploration of worship, neighborhood and shared perception throughout denominations. Over the course of the quarter, Hinds traveled to 4 completely different church communities in or close to Savannah, photographing Sunday companies at Community Bible Church, St. Matthew Catholic Church (Spanish and school pupil Masses), St. Phillip’s African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Reformed University Fellowship Fall Conference.

“I wanted to capture the variety of denominations but also showcase that they aren’t these vastly different things,” Hinds stated. “They all worship and celebrate the same God and believe in the same Savior.”

Her focus prolonged past structure or ritual. Instead, Hinds targeting individuals — faces, gestures and moments that conveyed connection and devotion. She additionally made deliberate visible selections, working to keep up constant colour palettes throughout photographs to strengthen the sense of unity.

“My goal was to not only showcase the churches in subject, but to also showcase them visually,” she stated. “I wanted to capture the worship that occurs. That was the main focus.”

Open and welcoming

One of the venture’s most sudden elements was how prepared congregations have been to welcome her.

“I was worried that when I started this project that a lot of churches would say no, because of how sacred and sacramental the time at church can be,” she stated. “But I only had one church say no.”

The openness she encountered allowed her to work patiently and respectfully, typically ready for quiet, unguarded moments that exposed one thing deeper.

“Different faces, ages, ethnicities, all celebrating their God in worship,” she stated. “A unity of faith and people. One Church, one body.”

Among the photographs within the sequence, one stays her favourite.

“Shepherd’s Little Lamb probably being my favorite recent image I have taken,” Hinds stated. “The pure moment caught in this image, unplanned, unposed, just a moment in time captured by a camera that tells a beautiful story.”

Outside the studio and classroom, Hinds has additionally discovered grounding by way of Reformed University Fellowship, which she credit with shaping her school expertise in quieter however necessary methods.

“One thing I did not expect to find was a group that could help me grow and live in my faith,” she stated. “I found my closest friends in a religious group called RUF.”

Looking forward, Hinds is deliberately resisting the stress to outline her post-graduation path too narrowly. While she is aware of documentary pictures has captured her creativeness, she is leaving house for discovery.

“My dream career can take me anywhere,” she stated. “I know I definitely want to photograph people and capture their story.”

Notre Dame Prep, IB evokes, prepares

That intuition — to look at rigorously and inform tales with intention — was cultivated lengthy earlier than she arrived in Savannah. Hinds credit Notre Dame Prep, significantly her time within the International Baccalureate Diploma Program and IB artwork lessons, with making ready her for SCAD’s calls for.

“At NDP I learned what it takes to be a good student,” she stated. “Most of all, though, NDP strengthened my art skill.”

As she continues that journey, Hinds credit Notre Dame Prep with serving to lay the inspiration — academically, artistically and personally.

“Being in Mrs. LewAllen’s IB art class allowed me to grow in my artistic voice and see art in a new light,” she stated, noting that the IB Diploma Program ready her effectively for SCAD’s educational rigor. Some of her highschool art work nonetheless hangs in her residence, a reminder of the place her artistic path started.

“NDP will always be a big part of my artistic and academic adventure,” Hinds stated. “It got me to where I am now and for that I will always be grateful.”