[Herald Interview] Photographer delivers ‘frame of hope’

With DSLR cameras in hand and eyes beaming with curiosity, about 20 students carefully listen to a teacher explain how they, too, can take good pictures. This otherwise common scene is made more special as the students are homeless and the teacher is Cho Sei-hon, among the top tier of photographers in Korea.

This is part of Cho and Seoul City’s welfare program called “Himang Frame,” or frame of hope, seeking to help homeless members of society become more self-reliant by providing them with a chance to learn photography skills. Cho has run the program since 2012.

For Cho, with over three decades of career experience in photojournalism and fashion photography, taking pictures is not merely a way to capture a moment, but a means to connect the public and inspire hope.

“I’m grateful I can do the volunteer work when my talent is nothing more than just taking pictures. It is just that people like myself became more useful as society has changed (to pay closer attention to welfare),” the ICON STUDIO owner told The Korea Herald in an interview. 

After the two-month-long class that provides students with cameras and other necessary gear, he picks the two best students to work as public photographers in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. In March 2013, the first two homeless photographers opened a photo studio. Depending on the size of the pictures, they earn around 3,000 won ($2.65) per shot that they take and print for tourists.

While the photography becomes a useful source of income, the city also provides them with basic monthly allowances to support their living conditions.

Cho originally brought up the idea for Himang Frame after he was invited to a British photo exhibition in 2011 held by U.K. nonprofit foundation A Positive View, which pursues philanthropy through photography. Prince William became Royal Patron of the organization in 2010 after his mother Diana, Princess of Wales. 

Some 100 photographers around the world are regularly invited to the charity event to auction off their pictures for charity. All the auction proceeds are donated to photography class programs for the homeless in the U.K.

“At a dinner event in the U.K., I came across one of the photographers. Surprisingly, I found that he was once a homeless person who learned photography from the charity program. With the support, he became a professional photographer. I started to think, ‘Why couldn’t this happen in Seoul?’” said the 56-year-old.

Returning to Korea, he shared the idea with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon right before he was elected in 2011. After his inauguration, Park pushed ahead with the project with Cho in February 2012.

As of now, four homeless photographers are working at the public photo studio, with two more expected to debut soon as this year’s program is to be finished later this week.

“I’m hoping to train at least 10 photographers so that they can even form their own cooperative union and become truly self-reliant,” he said.

Cho’s philanthropic activities date back to 2000.

It began when he took family pictures of those with intellectual disabilities. But it was not until he felt the “obligation to support others” that he was asked by a social worker to take pictures of children put up for adoption on their 100th day after birth, celebrating a Korean tradition that recognizes the baby’s health and prosperity.

To raise awareness, he took pictures of each baby being held by a celebrity volunteer, and the event soon became regular with the adoptee photo exhibition being held every December as “Letters from Angels.”

“I somehow felt the sense of duty. Thanks to the participation of top celebrities, I was able to contribute to raising the awareness of the adoptee issue by encouraging these top stars to be more vocal as well,” the photographer said.

“At first, some thought that I was taking advantage of the innocent children to boost my popularity. But as the exhibition event continued for over a decade, no one looks at me with such prejudice anymore,” he added with laugh.

Cho also took pictures of disabled athletes and held an exhibition at the general assembly of the International Paralympic Committee in Seoul in 2007.

Moved by his photos, the IPC committee offered him the chance to work as one of 20 official photographers for the Paralympic Games held in Vancouver, Beijing and London.

“I wanted to break the prejudice through photography,” he said. “When you see the people from the sky, everyone looks like dots. I just try to equalize the disabled in the picture by discovering their beautiful sides. That way, I believe it can improve the public perception toward the disabled.”

Cho is currently the chairman of public relations at the Korea Paralympic Committee.

“Photography is a universal language. It moves the heart and wins sympathy without any translation.”

Recognized for his service, he received a presidential citation in 2011, along with an award from the Welfare Ministry for his adoptee program and another from the Culture Ministry for helping the disabled in 2010.

To better “donate” his talent and collectively support those in need with his professional skills, he set up a company called The Himang Frame for a Positive View in September 2012.

In conjunction with Himang Frame, Cho has also operated the Green Frame program since 2012 to support underprivileged youth who are interested in photography, especially the disabled, orphans and multicultural children. He has taught about 300 students annually since 2012, with financial support from Samsung Group.

“It felt so fruitful and rewarding when two orphan students were admitted to college as photography majors this year. Gaining school admission means they can stay at the orphanage until they graduate. A little support extended their living support and paved the way for change in their life,” the photographer said.

Under the regulation, orphans are required to leave the orphanage once they legally become adults. The rule is suspended if they are admitted to college.

As the Green Frame program is only available in Seoul, he now dreams of a greater goal to expand the program to those living in isolated areas, possibly with a mobile photography classroom.

Cho has also started providing such learning opportunities to blind children.

“As long as I explain in detail, the blind do understand what I say and take pictures as their senses of hearing and touch are much more developed. They can even distinguish where the light and shadows are by feeling the heat,” he said.

“Is it really necessary to see the pictures with eyes when they can visualize the object in mind? After all, they do have fun with cameras, which means that they get to have something to enjoy in their life.”

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)