JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A thriving Jacksonville photographer hosted a free workshop on Saturday for teenagers at his studio on the Southside.
Blue Franswa said he wants to give aspiring photographers a source or opportunity to work with an industry professional.
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He gave them insight into the industry and the basics of how to use a camera. He even offered some of them a job to work with him in the future.
Franswa even paid all of them for the three hours they spent there.
“Your time is valuable, and take that with you,” Franswa said. “I hope that stays with them when they get jobs and create their own jobs for themselves.”
Franswa has been in the photography business for more than 16 years now. He said his parents helped foster his work ethic thanks to their entrepreneurial spirit.
He credited people in his own community while growing up who he said took the time to mentor him. He said why not pay it forward.
“People took the time to prepare me for my future so now it is time for me to give back and do the same,” Franswa said.
And that eventually led to him molding his own passion for this form of art.
“I could make people feel good, look good, feel confident and then document that moment in time. They have that art from me forever,” Franswa said.
He said he also wanted to teach these teenagers life skills in addition to improving their talent with a camera.
Things like saving money, budgeting, prioritizing your time, and making time for yourself.
“The desire to make a goal and start planning for their lives, no matter how young they are,” Franswa said. “Start planning and visualizing what they want to be when they grow up.”
He said he wants to do workshops like that consistently. Several groups, companies and individual donors helped make that event happen.
