Volunteers are needed to assist sexual assault victims and their families through Montgomery County’s Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program (VASAP), part of the County’s Department of Health and Human Services. Interviews are currently being conducted for the 2023 winter training session.
VASAP outreach volunteers donate their time serving victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Volunteers provide 24-hour crisis counseling and companion services at County hospitals and police stations for victims of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. Bilingual volunteers are encouraged to apply.
Volunteers must attend a training program that covers crisis intervention skills and the specialized knowledge of the emotional, medical and legal issues that victims face.
Volunteers must commit to serve for one year. They are needed in on-call capacity and for one 12-hour shift or two six-hour shifts per week.
Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, County residents, have a valid driver’s license and immediate access to transportation.
For more information or to arrange an interview, call the Montgomery County Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program at 240-777-1355 or visit the VASAP website.
With a new year comes an opportunity to change things up from what you have come to expect each week. In the video link that is part of our weekly Montgomery Update newsletter, we have a bit of a different approach. This week, County Chief Administration Officer Richard Madaleno and I talk about the just released recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Capital budget.
CIP Budget Update
We transmitted our recommended six-year, $5.4 billion Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget to the County Council this week for its review. Because this is the second year of the County’s two-year capital budget cycle, changes and additions are generally limited to address capital or operating budget constraints. While we were not able to fund all of the worthwhile projects, this is still a relatively a “good news” budget. During my 12 years as an at-large County Councilmember, we faced more difficult budgets and tough choices, so I am glad this budget is better. However, high inflation due to supply chain issues, labor shortages and a tight construction market has had a significant impact on this CIP proposal. Without more funding from the State, we will be limited in our ability to solve local problems and to build the kind of healthy, just, economically vibrant community we want for our residents.
My recommended CIP budget plan includes a 5.9 percent increase for the Montgomery County Public Schools’ capital budget, as compared to last year’s approved budget.
I am pleased that the CIP funds MCPS’s request to build a new Burtonsville Elementary School at a nearby site already owned by MCPS instead of renovating the current building. This project will provide a new neighborhood-based school built to modern standards. It also will allow us to work together to renovate the old elementary school building to expand childcare offerings and other community uses. The community has asked for more community use facilities and this project is a good deal for the community and the County.
I am glad that we were able to fund construction of more high school wellness centers, which provide important medical, mental health and other supportive services. They will be added at Blake, Crown, Damascus, Einstein, Magruder, Northwood, Springbrook and Woodward high schools. Also underway is planning for a future center at Poolesville High School.
We were also able to provide Montgomery College with a 2.8 percent increase from the last approved budget and a 2.9 percent increase for Park and Planning.
One important project that is receiving funding for the first time is the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. The County has selected Montgomery Housing Partnership’s proposal to combine an affordable housing development with a new arts center in the Wheaton Arts and Entertainment District. MHP will develop the former WMATA site with two affordable rental buildings of 280 apartments, a stand-alone garage and 40 affordable for-sale units.
The arts center will be included on the ground floor of the building fronting on Georgia Avenue. The center will include performance spaces, classrooms, gallery space, back of house support space and administrative offices.
The recommended CIP also includes $1.4 billion in funding for projects to help advance our Climate Action Plan goals, including funding to provide a full upgrade of the County’s recycling center. The recommended CIP includes funding for planning and design of a new transit maintenance depot to accommodate an expanded fleet of low-emission vehicles and maintenance and fueling/charging facilities. The budget also proposes funding for new HVAC systems for the Executive Office Building, the Judicial Center and the 4th District Police Station that will improve energy efficiency.
We look forward to working with the County Council as this recommended capital budget moves through the approval process.
Groundbreaking of a Historic Affordable Housing Project
I attended the groundbreaking today for the County’s largest-ever affordable housing development, which will be located at Randolph Road and Bushey Drive (near Veirs Mill Road) in Silver Spring. This project grew out of discussions had when I first took office to find creative solutions to our long-standing affordable housing crisis. The County has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and AHC to build nearly 200 multi-family homes. What’s unique about this project is that the County was able to leverage the land value, coupled with reduced property taxes, through the County’s PILOT program and a substantial loan from the County’s Housing Initiative Fund, which enabled this construction to move forward despite dramatic increases in both construction costs and interest rates. I am thrilled that this will include homeownership options for low-income residents. When we began discussing this project, I pushed for home ownership opportunities, and I am grateful to our partners for making sure that was included. It is an outstanding, innovative project. Because affordable housing is a priority, we must seek out partnerships and ideas like this to spark projects that deliver many deeply affordable units and benefit a broad range of wage earners.
The groundbreaking today is similar to several projects I have discussed in which we plan to leverage County-owned land and ask developers to bring us creative affordable housing projects. I was recently updated on the responses we received for the RFPs we put out on 18 County-owned parking garages and we will have some good news on that front. This week in our CIP recommendations, we had great news in terms of our Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) loans being repaid so quickly that we are able to “re-use” $30.2 million for additional lending for NOAH preservation projects.
We are working with developers to bring down the cost of construction on these projects to give more people a place to live that will not demand half of their monthly income in return.
This was an exciting week for the entire State as we welcomed a new administration to Annapolis. I am looking forward to working with the Moore-Miller administration. They have been proactive ahead of this week’s inaugurations in reaching out to counties to make sure that collaboration is a priority.
We share many of the same values as the new leadership team including an emphasis on clean energy and public education. As new Governor Wes Moore mentioned in his inauguration speech, clean energy can define our economy. We have led the State in implementing the climate friendly initiatives with our Building Energy Performance Standards, electrifying our vehicle fleet, opening the nation’s largest bus microgrid for electric buses and enacting a ban on natural gas in most new building and home construction. I was especially pleased to hear him say that “we will put Maryland on track to generate 100 percent clean energy by 2035.” That will be important to our Montgomery County goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2027 and by 100 percent by 2035.
The governor also emphasized using our State education system to help every child no matter what they are struggling with. We know there are learning challenges brought on by the pandemic and mental health issues that we hope to address in Montgomery County by expanding our wellness center programs in public schools. This is addressed in my FY 24 capital budget proposal recommendations that were transmitted to the County Council this week.
I like and support Governor Moore’s innovative “year of service” for some graduates out of high school. This is an example of the type of new ideas we need to invigorate our youth and expose them to enriching life experiences. We know that too many of our high schoolers leave unprepared for work. If Governor Moore can make a program like this work, it can be a can be lifechanging for our youth—as well as an asset to our State in growing the talent of our work force and attracting/growing new businesses.
I am encouraged that Governor Moore is prioritizing making the State more business friendly—as well as raising the State’s minimum wage. I agree with what he said: “Maryland is asset rich, but strategy poor.” We look forward to working with him for State investment and support in our infrastructure, priorities and projects that we have in the pipeline in Montgomery County. The success of our County can help the State provide funds for communities in need across Maryland.
As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to protect the health and welfare of our constituents, I look forward to working with this administration on closing the equity gaps that exist in our health, education and planning investments and processes.
Governor Moore, Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Attorney General Anthony Brown make up the most diverse leadership team the State has ever seen. It is a group that is well suited to represent our diverse County because they are leaders from our community.
The governor is right when he said at this week's inauguration that this is not a victory, but an opportunity to change lives for the better. I look forward to that challenge.
‘Human Trafficking Awareness Month’
The County this week recognized “Human Trafficking Awareness Month.” I want to thank the work done by law enforcement, the justice system and the Human Trafficking Prevention Committee.
Since 2017, the County group has worked to help end what many people consider modern slavery that allows people to profit from the control and exploitation of victims. These victims can be forced into working in inhumane conditions for little pay or forced to continue working even when they want to stop. The committee works on the legislative level to strengthen laws, enhances visibility of this problem in our area and works with victims to find support once they are free of their captors.
The most recent Montgomery County Police Department statistics on human trafficking are alarming. They show a 600 percent jump in activity through most of 2022 with eight victims identified from seven separate cases, There were just three investigations into human trafficking in 2021. This indicates a rebound to pre-pandemic levels of human trafficking activity discovered in Montgomery County. We know this fight is not over. A national hotline for human trafficking abuse still receives hundreds of calls per year. People text or reach out online about situations in which victims are moved in inhumane conditions and exploited in different ways. This is an organized crime that must be eliminated.
This marks an important time of year to honor family and traditions that began centuries ago and continue here in Montgomery County. The County is home to many groups representing Asian countries and the Southern Pacific region. I recently met with the delegation from the South Korean embassy that commended the County for creating a safe and welcoming environment that plays a big factor in relocation decisions.
Local community groups created by Asian American residents help develop that welcoming environment and set up our County to benefit from their talents. For a list of resources and organizations available to Asian American County residents and others, please follow this link.
We have one of the strongest life sciences industries in the nation. Asian Americans have made an imprint on that industry and I am sure that as it continues to grow, more life science professionals will be needed to help keep up with employer demand in our region.
Lunar New Year falls on Sunday, Jan. 22, but the celebrations started earlier this month and continue through January. The County is proud to host an event in Gaithersburg specifically for County employees celebrating the “Year of the Rabbit.” Vietnamese communities will honor the “Year of the Cat.” I hope the new year brings hope, peace and prosperity.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has transmitted his $5.4 billion Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to the County Council. The recommendations are a $136.7 million (2.6 percent) increase from the previously approved capital budget.
This is the second year of the County’s two-year capital budget. As a result, adjustments are limited to project changes that either meet the County’s CIP amendment criteria or are necessary to address capital or operating budget constraints. To see the complete recommended FY24 Capital Budget and amended Fiscal Years 2023-28 Capital Improvements Program, go to https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/omb/publications.html
“My FY24 CIP amendment recommendations take advantage of opportunities to leverage significant non-County resources and reflect our broadly shared values of prioritizing education and core infrastructure improvements while considering racial equity and climate change concerns,” said County Marc Elrich. “These amendments are all affordable within available resources. However, high inflation due to supply chain issues, labor shortages and a tight construction market has had a major impact on this CIP proposal. Without more funding, we are limited in our ability to solve local problems and to build the kind of healthy, just, economically vibrant community we want for our residents.”
CIP Recommendations Highlights:
$1.72 billion in General Obligation bond issuances over the next six years
This is $40 million more than the current Spending Affordability Guideline limit.
A modest increase in bond authorizations is recommended in FY24 and FY25 to respond to a change in conditions affecting State Aid for school construction.
$1,874,811,000 for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) capital projects.
This is an increase of $104,010,000 (5.9 percent) from the prior approved budget.
Record amount of funding for schools if approved by Council.
Funding recommended for building new Burtonsville Elementary School instead of renovating current building.
High School wellness center construction funding for Blake, Crown, Damascus, Einstein, Magruder, Northwood, Springbrook, and Woodward high schools as well as planning costs for a future center at Poolesville High School.
MCPS’ new Materials Management Building Relocation project to facilitate redevelopment of the Stonestreet site in Rockville and modernization of warehouse facilities is added.
$345,299,000 for Montgomery College capital projects.
This is a $9,484,000 (2.8 percent) increase over the prior approved budget.
$30.2 million increase for the preservation of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) program.
$282.7 million for Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) CIP projects.
This is a $7.9 million (2.9 percent) increase over the prior approved budget.
Substantial funding for the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center included for the first time.
The County has selected Montgomery Housing Partnership’s (MHP) proposal to combine an affordable housing development with a new arts center in the Wheaton Arts and Entertainment District
MHP will develop the former WMATA site with two affordable rental buildings of 280 apartments, a standalone garage and 40 affordable for-sale units.
The arts center will be included on the ground floor of the building fronting on Georgia Avenue.
The center will include two performance spaces, classrooms, gallery space, back of house support space, and administrative offices.
$1.4 billion in funding for projects that advance Montgomery County’s Climate Action Plan goals.
Additional funding to provide a full upgrade of the County’s recycling center.
Funding for planning and design of a new transit maintenance depot to accommodate an expanded fleet and low emission vehicle maintenance and fueling/charging facilities.
Funding for new HVAC systems for the Executive Office Building, the Judicial Center and the 4th District Police Station that will improve energy efficiency.
New transit maintenance depot.
Activities to locate a site and begin preliminary design to have a new depot in place prior to the expiration of the Nicholson lease to accommodate fleet growth due to the introduction of Flex, Extra, and Bus Rapid Transit (Flash) services.
Lactation rooms in all county buildings.
Recommended funding will assess all County-owned and leased facilities, as well as improvements needed to comply with Bill 11-22 Lactation Rooms in County Buildings.
Elizabeth Square Mixed-use Development in Silver Spring.
The South County Regional Recreation and Aquatics Center (SCRRAC) is being built as part of the Housing Opportunities Commission’s (HOC) Elizabeth Square mixed-income, multigenerational, mixed-use development.
Recommended funding will provide HOC with half the requested funds to demolish its current Elizabeth House public housing development. Additional County loans will also support the demolition project.
Funding has been increased to complete Elizabeth Square WSSC Water sewer and storm line improvements.
As part of the FY23-28 two-year CIP process, the Office of Management and Budget assisted the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ) in developing a budget equity tool to encourage departments and decision makers to consider the racial equity and social justice impacts of proposed projects, project amendments and budget decisions. ORESJ staff conducted training and provided technical assistance to departments as they requested CIP amendments. In addition, racial equity was considered in assessing possible CIP additions and deferrals. Where possible, efforts were made to hold harmless projects which could address racial disparities.
In its analysis, the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice also noted ways in which different approaches to implementing projects could impact racial equity. This input is useful to continuing conversations about how programs can be structured to achieve our racial equity and social justice goals.
Proposed CIP project changes that have the greatest potential to advance racial equity and social justice include the $30.2 million increase for the preservation of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing; additional High School Wellness Centers in the highest need schools; the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center; Digital Equity – Montgomery Connects grant funding to bring broadband to affordable housing complexes; school construction projects serving communities primarily comprised of Black, Latino and low-income students; and Montgomery College projects.
Montgomery County Recreation registration for summer camps is now open. Families can plan for their children’s summer activities by attending a Summer Camps Fair from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, at the Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center.
Residents can now view camp information online and build their own guide. Those attending the Jan. 22 fair will be able to register their children for camps at the event.
Montgomery County Recreation provides hundreds of healthy summer camp programs at locations throughout the County. Parents are encouraged to plan early for the summer months as many camps fill up quickly.
New this year, the fairs will enable parents and children to experience games and activities that will also be at summer camp. The fairs will have gaga pit, arts, crafts, games and snacks.
At the fairs, families can meet with recreation staff members and talk with instructors to ask questions and learn more about the offerings. They also will be able to register for Rec Assist, the department’s financial aid program.
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is now accepting registrations for its 2023 Summer Camp season. There are more than 40 summer camps available this year for a variety of interests including sports, nature, adventure outings and archaeology at multiple locations for kids 3-18 of all abilities. Camps run from June through August.
Register by Sunday, April 9, and save $25 off select camps by entering “EarlyBird” in the coupon field on ActiveMontgomery.
Applications are also being accepted for the Marye Wells-Harley Dream Camp Scholarship. The scholarship provides young people, ages 3-18, with scholarships to attend Montgomery Parks summer camps. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need and will be given to as many applicants as funding permits.
“Summer camp is something every child should have the opportunity to experience,” said Katie Rictor, executive director of the Montgomery Parks Foundation. “The Foundation’s scholarship program gives children in Montgomery County the ability to have enriching experiences, learn about parks and the environment and make new friends.”
Scholarship applications can be found on the Montgomery Parks “Classes & Camps” webpage. The applications are available in English and Spanish. Scholarships are administered through the Montgomery Parks Foundation.
A varied lineup of special events and programs will be held throughout January by Montgomery Parks, including a treasure hunt in Wheaton Regional Park and many outdoor adventures.
The January events calendar will include:
Wild Forest Time. Sunday, Jan. 22. 1-3 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. Drop in at the campfire circle during the program to join in on the fun. Build a fort, climb a tree, learn about woodland critters, create some art or just explore the woods. Registration required. Ages 3 and older. Free.
Woodpeckers of Winter Introduction. Wednesday, Jan. 25. 7-8 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Learn what woodpeckers can be found in Montgomery County, what makes woodpeckers special, who to see this time of year and what can be done to support woodpeckers in the wild at this virtual program. Want to see woodpeckers in person? Register for the hike ($10) on Sunday, Jan. 29, associated with this program. Registration required. $10.
Wild Child Hike. Friday, Jan. 27. 1-2 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. Scamper like a squirrel, balance like a billy goat and run like a rabbit on and off the trail on a hiking adventure. Registration required. Ages 4-12. $6.
Pushing Boundaries, an exhibit featuring 10 artists who work in two and three-dimensions, utilizing unusual materials or styles, will be on display at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn through March 5.
The Arts Barn is located at 311 Kent Square Rd. in Gaithersburg. Viewing hours are 1-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday during events and other activities, or by appointment.
The artists featured artists and their works will be available at a joint artists reception from 2:30-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26 at both the Arts Barn and the Kentlands Mansion, where the Art League of Germantown will be holding its annual juried membership exhibition. The joint reception is open to all and free to attend. Light refreshments will be served. Masks are encouraged, but not required.
Artists featured in the Pushing Boundaries exhibit were selected by a jury committee from the City’s annual call to artists and by special curator, Mary Weiss Waldhorn.
“Each artist showing in the exhibit has a unique perspective through their use of materials and depth of insight and thought processes, pushing creativity to a different level than often seen in more traditional exhibitions,” said Ms. Weiss Waldhorn.
Featured artists in the exhibit include Don Coomes, Lee Goodwin, Caroline Green, Trisha Gupta, Kirke Martin, Rodney Mayer, Jim Roberts, Richard Schellenberg, Rhea Reeves Stein, and Cathy Wilkin. More about each artist:
Don Coomes uses dabs of paint, intricately layered and multicolored, to create textural abstractions that are highly detailed, yet simplistic in composition. His work has evolved during the pandemic. His dabs, though still very layered, are textured with new, amorphous shapes.
Lee Goodwin is a fine art photographer who specializes in long exposure work. His two pieces in the exhibit were taken on the midway at the Montgomery County Fair using a tripod that allowed him to make exposures longer than would be possible with a hand-held camera.
Caroline Green is a former Arts Barn student who is now studying design in college. Her art is inspired by surrealist photography, haute couture fashion and unique designs. See these influences especially in her self-portrait with her cat, “Dreamscape.”
Known for her printmaking, Trisha Gupta also has branched out into creating three-dimensional imagery. A therapist, as well as an artist, Ms. Gupta has been exploring the brain—with one of her pieces being a fascinating embroidery-covered sculpture. Her lithograph, “The Doctor Again,” evokes the anxiety we all feel when confronting illness.
A ceramicist with a studio in Boonesboro, Kirke Martin also explores painting on metal surfaces and forming large, industrial looking sculptures out of clay. He has several exhibition pieces and more functional wood fired ceramic pieces as well.
Originally a landscape painter, Rodney Mayer has been exploring, quirky, humorist surrealist-like themes in his recent work. “Meltdown” evokes the juxtaposition of the word meltdown as he shows the image of a nuclear explosion and a melting ice cream cone. “Hungry Mouth” started as a remnant of tree bark that turned into a toothy, menacing grinned character with wine bottle corks for teeth.
Jim Roberts uses beeswax, found objects, printing type and natural objects to make works of art that deal with issues of social justice and national morality. Pieces from his much larger series, “Anatomy of a Lie,” have been selected to be part of this exhibit and are noteworthy for being unpretentious statements of a complicated subject.
Conceptual in nature, Richard Schellenberg’s art can be humorous, abstract in nature or could deal with issues of social justice. The pieces included in this exhibit mostly manipulate wood and color in dynamic ways. One of his included pieces, “Child’s Garden of Curses,” incorporates Syrian children’s drawings that show the violence and pain of war.
Rhea Reeves Stein glories in manipulating materials to create colorful, mixed media, wall reliefs that jump off her canvases in all directions. Her pieces made of wire, fiber, yarn paper and paint attempt to rein in her anxiety about the chaos of life through her use of control over her media and style. Her largest piece in the exhibit, “Flame of Hope,” will immediately draw visitors with its vibrant colors, undulating shapes and rich texture.
Cathy Wilkin is best known for her very definitive style with paper collage with included “Prometheus Descending” as an example. Also included are works she made during the COVID-19 health crisis, when she went back to her roots as a painter and crafted some evocative, surrealist images that portray the distress of that time period.
Most of the exhibit’s artwork is for sale and all images are copyrighted by the artists. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 301-258-6394, e-mail artgalleries@gaithersburgmd.gov or visit the Arts Barn gallery webpage.
The Arts on the Green visual arts program is funded in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). To discover more about MSAC grants and how they impact Maryland's arts sector, visit www.msac.org.
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Partnerships is seeking employers who would be interested in hosting students that will be part of the 2023 Summer RISE program. Summer RISE is a hands-on career learning experience for rising MCPS juniors and seniors during the summer to engage in learning opportunities related to their field of interest.
MCPS is seeking employers in all career fields who would be willing to help prepare students for life after high school. Hosts could benefit by gaining extra help at a time when it is tough to find workers, and by building a future talent pipeline for the organization.
Hosts should be able to offer a minimum of 50 hours with in-person, virtual or hybrid options between June 26 and July 28. It is suggested that employers host at least two students for 10-30 hours per week and no more than eight hours a day for a total of 50 hours up to five weeks.
Since 2017, 2,400 students have participated in the program, gaining skills and connections with industry professionals. This year, the program is looking to serve 800 MCPS students in more than 60 industries.
Those who are interested in becoming a Summer RISE host can learn more about the program from:
Montgomery History will hold its 17th Annual Montgomery County History Conference as an online event Jan. 21, 25 and 28. The conference will offer a myriad of opportunities to participate, including three keynote sessions, 12 breakout sessions and a film screening.
Sharing the stories that matter is essential to understanding the community. This year’s conference will trace the evolution of immigration to Montgomery County, address why historic preservation matters and study the fraught history of teaching history to today’s young people.
The conference is scheduled to include a special preview of excerpts from Ain’t no Back to a Merry-Go-Round, an inspirational documentary that highlights the protests that led to desegregation of Glen Echo Park in the 1960s.
Breakout sessions will cover topics such as restrictive covenants and housing discrimination, Frieda’s Cottage, LGBTQ+ history, the archaeology of the enslaved, suburban growth in the 1980s and the changing face of agriculture. There also will be a session on the Oyster Wars on the Chesapeake Bay.
Registration for the conference starts at $25 ($10 for students) and offers varying levels of access.
A full schedule, including session descriptions, and more information can be found on the conference’s registration page.
Questions about the conference can be sent to Montgomery History’s Director of Programs Matt Gagle at MGagle@MontgomeryHistory.org.
Participants will be introduced to the main camera features that control exposure and creative expression. Essential camera gear will be covered. Participants should make sure that your DSLR camera is fully charged before attending the workshop.
“There is a story behind every image that I capture,” Mr. Asfaw said. “When I look into the eyes of someone in one of my photographs, I am captivated by their presence. In my landscapes, I seek the wisdom of the past. Leaves, a cave, a pile of stones, all represent the soul of a place.”
He said the colors and mood of light are a constant source of inspiration.
“I translate my images into printed work using all different types of media, including fabric,” he said. “My background in alternative photographic processes, such as platinum, palladium and cyanotype, has expanded the way I look at photographs. I use various cameras in my work. A large format camera is irreplaceable.
Mr. Asfaw is a teacher of photography. He said studio lighting and field photography are his favorite subjects to teach.
