New Photography Class Helps Girls Increase Self-Confidence

Photographer and therapist Dee Lebovits recently started Self Portrait, a class that teaches young girls the art and fundamentals of photography, while also helping the students build their self-confidence in a group setting.

Sarah, age 9, photographs the beauty she observes around her
while experimenting with point of view.

In March, Rockland County was introduced to Self Portrait, a new type of class that teaches young girls the art of photography while it reaffirms the importance of having a strong sense of self-respect and positive self-image. Founded by therapist and experienced photographer Dee Lebovits, the 10-week program fuses different photography techniques with the goal of making students more aware of the world around them.

“[Photography] makes you more mindful of the beautiful things around you,” Lebovits says. “If children learn that while walking around with a camera, they’ll start noticing things they would have otherwise not noticed.”

With a different lesson each week, the young girls, ages 9-16, will grasp how to embrace and respect themselves, while learning photography techniques such as composition, controlling shutter speed, point of view, and much more.

Each class is specifically designed to tackle an issue the girls may face in their environment. “Learning about how to deal with issues girls face these days can be tough but the groups allow the girls to learn something new, feel empowered, and feel good about themselves, all while having fun,” Lebovits says.

The last class is a meet-the-artist reception, an opportunity for the young photographers to display one of their favorite shots for parents to enjoy. Once their 10-week session is completed, girls can choose to reapply for another 10 weeks to continue with different assignments and learn new skills.