I’m sorry, this is emotional…

Summary

In this video, Jared Polin partners with Canon to support a high school photography program by donating professional camera gear. The initiative, 'Fund a Photographer,' supplies underfunded schools with top-tier equipment, including Canon cameras and lenses. Jared surprises a teacher, Jeff Campbell, from a small Ohio school, with a range of cameras, lenses, and accessories to enhance their sports journalism class. The teacher, who previously purchased gear out of pocket, expresses immense gratitude. This gear will allow students to explore photography at a higher level, providing opportunities for years to come.

Takeaways

• 📸 Jared Polin from FroKnowsPhoto partnered with Canon to support young photographers with professional gear.
• 🎒 Canon provided a wide range of high-quality equipment, including 1DX Mark IIIs, 5D Mark IVs, EOS Rs, and lenses ranging from 8-15mm to 800mm.
• 🏫 Jared decided to help a small school in Ohio where a teacher, Jeff Campbell, was struggling with outdated or limited gear for a sports journalism class.
• 🖼️ Jeff Campbell, initially a social studies teacher, started taking photos for the school’s yearbook and eventually founded a sports journalism class.
• 📚 Despite budget cuts and a lack of school funding, Jeff purchased most of the photography gear out of his own pocket, including Nikon and Canon cameras.
• 👨‍🎓 A talented student named Ryan has been the primary photographer for school events, but he lacks personal equipment and uses what Jeff has bought.
• 🎁 Jared surprised Jeff by offering an impressive donation of gear, including multiple 1DX cameras, lenses, and more, to support the class and students.
• 🙌 In addition to Canon, Think Tank Photo contributed camera bags, and Prograde Digital provided SD and CF Express cards to complement the camera gear.
• 📷 Jared offered a 600mm f/4 lens and other top-tier equipment for Ryan and the other students to use, allowing them to greatly improve their photography skills.
• 🙏 Jeff and the students were overwhelmed with gratitude for the donation, which will benefit them for years to come, transforming their photography program.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the 'Funda Photographer' program mentioned in the video?

The 'Funda Photographer' program is designed to provide photography gear to students and schools that may not have access to high-quality equipment, enabling them to learn and practice photography with better tools.

How did the 'Funda Photographer' initiative originally start?

The initiative started when Canon had extra gear, and the video creator, Jared, wanted to help his former high school teacher whose budget for photography equipment had been cut. Canon sent them a significant amount of gear, which led to the expansion of the program.

What specific gear does Canon provide through the 'Funda Photographer' initiative in this video?

Canon provides a wide range of high-end photography equipment, including 1DX Mark 3s, 5D Mark IVs, EOS R models, various lenses ranging from 8-15mm to 800mm, and camera bags and memory cards from Think Tank and Prograde Digital.

Who reached out to Jared for help in this video, and what was the situation?

Jeff Campbell, a teacher from Shady Set High School in Ohio, reached out to Jared. His school had limited photography gear, most of which he had purchased himself, and they had no budget for new equipment.

What is the role of Jeff Campbell at the school, and how did he become involved in photography?

Jeff Campbell is a social studies teacher and assistant athletic director at Shady Set High School. He became involved in photography when his cousin, the school's yearbook adviser, needed help taking photos for school events. He later started teaching a sports journalism class to promote student-athletes.

What challenges does Jeff Campbell’s school face with regard to their arts programs?

The school faced budget cuts several years ago, leading to the consolidation of their arts programs. They now only offer a few fine arts classes, such as art and band, and have limited photography classes that are short and basic.

How has Jeff Campbell personally contributed to his photography class?

Jeff has purchased most of the photography gear for his class out of his own pocket, including a variety of Nikon cameras and lenses. He also bought a Canon R8 camera and a 500mm F4 lens to help his students improve their photography skills.

Who is Ryan, and why is he significant to Jeff Campbell’s class?

Ryan is a student and the head photographer in Jeff Campbell’s class. He has shown exceptional talent in photography and has been responsible for capturing many of the school's event photos, including sports and senior nights. He is one of the most trusted students in the program.

What surprise did Jared offer Jeff and his students during the Zoom call?

Jared surprised Jeff by offering a wide range of high-quality Canon gear, including multiple 1DX Mark cameras, various lenses (such as a 600mm F4), and several additional cameras for the students, including older but functional models like the Canon 7D.

How did Jeff and his students react to receiving the gear from the 'Funda Photographer' program?

Jeff and his students were overwhelmed with gratitude. Jeff expressed how the gear would significantly benefit the program, and some students shared personal thanks, mentioning how much they appreciated having access to such equipment, which they had never had before.