MAYA’s November session was run for us by Caroline who had taken part in YAC’s online training course about Archaeology and Photography.  This was our first session back in the Museum of Somerset after starting up again after lockdown.  It was great to be back at the Museum again and the staff made us feel very welcome.

Caroline began with a PowerPoint about the history of photography and what to think about when composing and taking a photograph.  The MAYANs had brought along some items to photograph, things that were particularly personal to them.  We started out by talking about these items and wondering what archaeologists hundreds of years from now would be make of them… would they be able to work out what they meant to us and what kind of people we were?  The items included teddies, toy soldiers, village magazines, tiny old glass bottles, bags and masks.  It was fun to imagine that all these things were found by future archaeologists and wonder what kind of picture they would build up about us as individuals and our community.

After a short break we then took photos of the things we’d brought, thinking about how to arrange them, whether or not to use a scale and what sort of background to use… ending up by everyone photographing each other and then all taking selfies!

This was a very different and fun session and a great one for our first time back indoors.  A big thank you to Caroline for organising it for us and to the Museum for welcoming us back!