JOHN WESSEL PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM

Wessel Photography Program at San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA

This year’s John Wessel Photography session at the Ann & Steve Hinchliffe San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA was entirely photographed in black and white, with more time using the camera than previous sessions. It worked. There was ten times the number of great images than space allowed for display on the Palos Verdes Art Center walls.

When picking out selections for a show based on a class you taught, it’s a half joyous occasion. That centers on the fact that in good sessions, like this Summer of 2025 group of photographers, simple class assignments remind you how talented and willing this crew is and will continue to be. Going through their archive highlighted their eagerness and their individual skills, but also underscored multiple instances of them coming together as a team, learning to capture their own style while still being connected to each other.

Some are just perfect assignments, while others are outside of the parameters of lessons. That’s the victory of these images. Whatever they are, however they work, they exist beyond the photographers who gave them to us.

This concludes my time with the Wessel Photography Program. Thanks for having me along as it grew into the great photographers we had this last session.

Henry Cherry

Teaching Artist

Palos Verdes Art Center is grateful to photojournalist Henry Cherry for his nine years of instruction and creative vision that shaped this program into what it is today.

This program is funded by the John Wessel Photography Endowment. For information on how to contribute to this fund, please contact Community Engagement Director Gail Phinney at gphinney@pvartcenter.org