Capturing the action, not participating in it, drives this Einstein High School student
Lots of teenagers document their days using the cameras in their phones.
Rebekah Kuschmider said her son Charlie, a senior at Einstein High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, has been active in sports, but found he enjoyed documenting what other students were doing on the field, on the basketball court and in the arts.
Rebekah said she remembers when he wanted to get a “real camera” to be able to capture what he saw.
So she said she turned to photographers she knew for advice on what kind of equipment to get.
“They gave me a couple of suggestions,” she said, and then Charlie got to work hunting for something that would allow him to take his photos further.
While Charlie said he’s a firm believer that “if you have something that can take a photo, you can make anything amazing — you don’t need the latest and greatest gear,” a digital camera with a zoom lens would allow him to create the kind of images he dreamed of capturing.
“The camera allows me to do more of what I want,” Charlie said.
Charlie and his mom credit the school with creating an atmosphere where students can dive into what interests them. Einstein, Kuschmider said, “is a school that’s got a real culture of ‘yes.’ And they give students a lot of opportunities to try things and express themselves.”
As a result, Rebekah said, “I’ve seen him figure out what lights him on fire, and what he wants to do with his time and where he wants to put his energy.”
There’s also a real spirit of collaboration at the school, according to Charlie.
“I have numerous friends involved in photography at Einstein who’ve helped me tremendously,” he said.
His enthusiasm for photography isn’t limited to sports.
“There’s musicians, there’s artists,” Charlie said, adding that the school is the one “that pushes you to do whatever you think is possible.”
He was asked about reactions from the students he photographs.
“Most of the time the reaction is always positive,” he said. “And I’m glad that I can give them the chance to have — not professional — but good quality photos of them doing what they love.”
Kuschmider recently learned he’s been accepted to Hofstra University, where he’ll be enrolled in the sports media program.