Cell phone taking a photo of the Welcome to Warwick sign with flowers in bloom

Warwick Voices through Photos

Are you intrigued by the idea of taking photos to share your perspectives of our community?

You may be interested in Essential Photovoice

Essential Photovoice is an approach to dialogue that combines amateur photography with facilitated group discussion. It utilizes components of both Essential Partners’ Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) and Essential Photovoice (EPV) to enhance and deepen WTPW’s commitment to recognizing every individual’s need to be seen, heard and valued. The beauty of EPV is its diversity; every photovoice program is different, and each program has a different focus. With photovoice, different stories are told, different photographs are captured, and different outcomes are sought. Despite the many differences, common to each photovoice program is its effectiveness as a method to reveal real life experiences and stories that empower individuals to foster change in their community. Programs conclude with a public exhibition in which participants share the stories behind their photographs.

Our First Essential Photovoice Program took place in the fall of 2023

Who: Warwick Township residents

What: A free, six-week program, two hours per week, followed by a public exhibition in November

When: Wednesday evenings: 6:30 - 8:30 PM, September 20, 27, October 4, 18, 25 and November 1

Where: Warwick Valley Community Center, 11 Hamilton Ave, Warwick, NY

How: The program is now in its exhibition phase. Check it out!

Warwick Voices through Photos Exhibition

Village of Greenwood Lake

When: Sunday, November 12th - Sunday, December 3rd, 2023

Opening & Reception: Sunday, November 12th, 12:00 - 2:00 PM

Where: Greenwood Lake Public Library

Village of Warwick

When: Friday, January 5th - Wednesday, February 28th, 2024

Presentation & Reception: Saturday, January 6th, 1:00 - 2:00 PM

Where: Albert Wisner Public Library

Next Location - TBD!

In the meantime, you can check it out…

…in the Albert Wisner Public Library’s online archive: Warwick Voices through Photos Exhibit

…on In the Valley on YouTube: We the People Warwick's Warwick Voices through Photos program and exhibition

…or through this detailed review: Review: Warwick Voices Through Photos Exhibition

Some Frequently Asked Questions

What is Essential Photovoice?

Essential Photovoice (EPV) is an approach to dialogue that uses participants’ amateur photography and facilitated group discussions to give participants the opportunity to capture their perspectives of their communities and to share those perspectives through their photos.

What should I expect?

The project unfolds over six weeks with participants identifying, photographing, and discussing shared experiences, needs, and concerns during two-hour weekly sessions. Each week, participants are given a “prompt” to take pictures that express their perspective on, views about and feelings around the topic of the prompt. The pictures are printed and participants select images to use in a group discussion. Discussion focuses on why the photographs were chosen, what makes them meaningful and any insight or deeper understanding gained in the process of members sharing. Projects conclude with a public exhibition for the community where participants’ enlarged photographs are displayed with captions that reveal the story behind each one.

Do I need to be a photographer?

These days, everyone is a photographer. If you’ve used your mobile phone to snap a photo, you have enough experience to participate! You just need to be willing to use a phone/camera to take photos to help tell your story, express your viewpoints and to choose photos to share during group discussion.

Where and when does Warwick Voice through Photos program take place?

Weekly two-hour group workshops at the Warwick Valley Community Center at 11 Hamilton Avenue in Warwick from 6:30-8:30 PM on Wednesdays: September 20, 27, October 4, 18, 25, and November 1, 2023.


How do I register to take part?

The program has now concluded and is in its exhibition phase. As such, registration is closed. The Warwick Voices through Photos Exhibition is on display at the Greenwood Lake Public Library from November 12th through December 3rd and the Albert Wisner Public Library from January 5th through February 28th. Next stop…TBD!

What, where and when is the Exhibition?

The Warwick Voices through Photos Exhibition will feature photos with captions chosen by the program participants during the final sessions of the program. During “Opening Night” participants will have the option to attend in person to further explain their photos and perspectives to exhibition attendees. 

The Warwick Voices through Photos Exhibition will take place at Greenwood Lake Library.    

The Opening “Night” Reception will take place on Sunday, November 12th from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM and will be open to the public during normal library hours from November 12th through December 3rd.

The Exhibition will move to Albert Wisner Public Library in Warwick and will be open to the public during normal library hours January 5th through February 28th. Join us for a Presentation & Reception on Saturday, January 6th from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM.

NEXT STOP…TBD!