{"id":279886,"date":"2025-11-08T19:20:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T19:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/279886\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T19:20:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T19:20:13","slug":"capturing-community-somd-photography-earns-first-grant-and-inspires-a-revival-of-tangible-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/279886\/","title":{"rendered":"Capturing Community: SOMD Photography Earns First Grant And Inspires A Revival Of Tangible Memories"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SOMDPhoto Courtesy of SOMD Photography Team<\/p>\n

LEXINGTON PARK, Md.\u00a0\u2014 In just a few short months, SOMD Photography<\/a> has gone from a small gathering of creative minds<\/a> to a rising force in the local arts scene. Now, the group has something big to celebrate \u2014 their first-ever grant, a $5,000 award from the St. Mary\u2019s County Arts Council<\/a>, made possible with support from the Maryland State Arts Council<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The grant is more than a financial boost \u2014 it\u2019s a symbol of validation for a group that has been active only since June 6 yet has already made waves across Southern Maryland through community events, workshops and genuine passion for creative connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to go back to people having photo albums, to pictures being special,\u201d said Brian Haislip, one of the group\u2019s founders. \u201cPhotography isn\u2019t just about snapping moments \u2014 it\u2019s about making memories you can hold in your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

That belief forms the heart of the group\u2019s newest initiative: a print workshop designed to teach participants how to professionally print their photos, prepare them for gallery presentation and rediscover the joy of tangible imagery in a digital world.<\/p>\n

\"SOMDPhoto Courtesy of SOMD Photography Team | Print Shop at Event Photo by SOMD Photography<\/p>\n

The project aims to empower both seasoned photographers and first-timers. The workshops will also serve as a bridge for aspiring artists to get their work into galleries \u2014 a first for many in the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis grant allows us to reach the community through photography in a new way,\u201d Haislip said. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be a professional photographer to join our events or the SOMD Photography team. We want people to come out, learn and find joy in creativity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SOMD\u201cA Special Moment\u201d Photo By SOMD Photography<\/p>\n

Their recent Transformers event, held earlier this fall, was one of their most successful community engagements to date \u2014 blending hands-on activities, creative exploration and connection. For many attendees, it was their first introduction to the art of photography as storytelling.<\/p>\n

\"SOMDPhoto By SOMD Photography<\/p>\n

\"SOMDPhoto by Kinetic Pixels<\/p>\n

\"SOMDEvent Photo Contest Winner Alex Hoffman | Photo By: Alex Hoffman<\/p>\n

Since forming, SOMD Photography has become a grassroots success story, proving that art can bring people together in powerful ways. Their growth reflects a broader movement in Southern Maryland, one supported by local arts councils and fueled by residents who want to keep creativity alive at the community level.<\/p>\n

The $5,000 operations grant will help with more than just materials and space \u2014 it will give the group the foundation to build something lasting: a home for local creatives to learn, collaborate and exhibit.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, SOMD Photography has plans to expand their programming into 2026 with more workshops, exhibitions and outreach projects that make art accessible to everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve only been active since June 6, and already, we\u2019re making waves,\u201d Haislip said. \u201cThis is just the beginning. When people come together for art, incredible things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SOMDPhoto Courtesy of SOMD Photography Team<\/p>\n

Get Involved With SOMD Photography<\/p>\n

To learn more about upcoming workshops and events, or to join SOMD Photography, follow them on social media<\/a>. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned photographer or just love capturing moments on your phone, everyone is welcome to be part of this growing creative community.<\/p>\n

\"SOMDRidge Lions Club & SOMD Photography<\/p>\n

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\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Photo Courtesy of SOMD Photography Team LEXINGTON PARK, Md.\u00a0\u2014 In just a few short months, SOMD Photography has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":279887,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[228,226,227,1075,229,88,831,148264,148265,688,2412,148266,148267,106739,16973],"class_list":{"0":"post-279886","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-community","12":"tag-design","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-featured","15":"tag-lexington-park","16":"tag-my-town","17":"tag-photography","18":"tag-photos","19":"tag-somd","20":"tag-somd-photography","21":"tag-southern-maryland","22":"tag-st-marys-county"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279886"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279886\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/279887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}