Expressions

Expressions Program

Ron Talley, Sr., Art Director, IOC

An award-winning professional photographer has mentored youth through photography for more than 10 years. He has coached students at Venice Arts (a nonprofit, community-based, arts program, which reaches underserved, low-income, at-risk youth) and Rites of Passage (a similar program mentoring young men ages 12-17, at Faithful Central Bible Church). Other similar youth-centered programs include: Peace4Kids, Seeking Peaceful Solutions and Foundations for Second Chances. These programs focused on youth in the foster care system, after school programs and anger management programs. He has a talent for interacting with youth and nurturing their creativity and expression through the eye of the camera. He presents the elements of a photograph in a way that allows participants to see the world differently.

In addition, Mr. Talley has worked with adults to promote positive expression through photography. Facilitating workshops on photography is clearly part of his expertise too. Over the past three years as an instructor with Digital Photo Academy, he has led groups of adults in hands-on activities at various points of interest in greater Los Angeles. He helped to establish the Skid Row Photography Club in downtown Los Angeles in 2007. He has facilitated workshops and instructed members. He also served as a facilitator with his wife Deborah, a 10-week photography class for the women of The Los Angles Mission and students in the Boyle Heights Training Center program. As founder of the Photographers and Digital Artists of Los Angeles, one of the oldest and largest photography groups in Los Angeles, he has conducted countless workshops and shared his skill with members. He currently writes about photography for the Examiner.com.

Ron and his wife Deborah have developed and delivered a curriculum that is fun and effective to numerous individuals of all ages, which was designed to empower them by honoring their learning styles, gifts, and desire for positive expression through the art of photography.

Love to empower others, on how to express what they see and enjoy about the world.