Ocean Conservation and Photography

A few days ago we arrived from different countries, cultures, backgrounds, and traditions to one place. We were distributed into several teams in order to know more about each other to do tasks. We started learning new things about the ocean and how it played an important role in our every day life. We started with a tour on campus and we were given the chance to see almost all kind of fishes to become knowledgeable enough to confidently swim in the sea.

Learning was always associated with fun, enjoyment, and momentous moments. OFL also made us learn photography. I never thought that photography needs hard work and lots of practice till you produce a piece of art. I learned how each thing in the picture will reflect a feeling and a way of understanding that could change with the absence and the presence of only one object. I can now take a meaningful picture where you should spend hours looking at due to the story that is being told through the simple details that are shown in it. Each one of us now takes about 100-200 pictures a day and some of us exceeded 200. As we all got the hang of it and started enjoying it. We started to feel the beauty of photography. We can now see photos from different sides and think deeply about it and feel the emotions that are noticeable in the picture.

Although we were strangers first day we arrived, but now we became close enough to call our friend ship “best friends”. So, OFL provides us with enjoyment, lots of fun, new friendships, learning, and photography. And I’m sure more than all this is waiting for us the next day !

By Noura alJurdi, Graduate of the Bayan Educational Complex for Girls, and prospective student at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.