The Escuela Nómada de Fotografía f22 and Fundación Unicaja have developed a three-day workshop at the Asociación Taller de la Amistad in Nerja, where individuals with intellectual disabilities and at-risk youth discovered the therapeutic power of images.
A photography workshop held in Nerja has demonstrated that looking through a viewfinder can be much more than a technical exercise: it can become a tool for inclusion and self-esteem. Over three days, the Escuela Nómada de Fotografía f22, with the support of Fundación Unicaja, worked with users from the Asociación Taller de la Amistad in Nerja, an entity that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities and minors with developmental disorders or at risk of social exclusion.
The workshop's approach set aside usual technicalities — shutter speeds, apertures, or types of lenses — to focus on the essentials: curiosity, emotions, and confidence. Each participant arrived with a different life backpack, but all shared the opportunity to discover that behind a camera, there are no labels. Photography became a game where mistakes were not an option, and every small discovery was a collective success.
One of the exercises that had the most impact was “What do you see?”. The simple question unleashed a cascade of diverse responses, showing attendees that each person perceives their surroundings in a unique way. Next came the favourite practice: in pairs, they photographed each other. It was not enough to just press the shutter; they had to get close, talk, wait for the right moment, and learn to look at each other with respect and attention. Afterwards, the photographs ceased to be mere images: participants intervened with drawings, colours, words, and phrases born from their imagination. Hearts, stars, messages of friendship and gratitude transformed each portrait into a declaration of affection.
The director of the Escuela Nómada, Mariano Pozo, highlighted the therapeutic value of the initiative. “For many of these kids, discovering their name alongside their work represents an act of personal recognition: it means feeling like an author, feeling capable, and understanding that what they have created deserves to occupy an important place,” he noted. Pozo emphasised that the experience at the Taller de la Amistad has been particularly rewarding because it allows one to see firsthand how photography can positively influence people's lives.
The third and final day featured an exhibition of the works created. The moment of seeing their own works hung and shared with peers and educators was especially emotional. The monitors themselves expressed amazement at the quality and creativity of the results. The exhibition, which took place in the association's own facilities, served to close a cycle that began with uncertainty and ended with the satisfaction of having achieved something personal.
This workshop is part of the social action line of Fundación Unicaja, which regularly collaborates with entities that promote inclusion through culture. The Escuela Nómada de Fotografía f22, for its part, has been developing projects that link imagery with personal development and integration for years. The experience in Nerja reinforces the idea that art can be a powerful vehicle for breaking down barriers and fostering autonomy.
The Asociación Taller de la Amistad in Nerja will continue working on new activities to complement this workshop, with the intention of repeating the experience in future editions. Meanwhile, participants take away more than just a few photos: the certainty that their way of looking at the world has value and can be shared.
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