New short film spotlights the women photographers of Queensbridge Houses

A short film premiering Sunday at Queens Theatre highlights the creativity of Victoria Heath and a group of women photographers from Queensbridge.

Photo by Heath, Courtesy of Josephine Herrick Project

By Rachel Vick

Queensbridge resident Victoria Heath had always been the family photographer, snapping pictures at gatherings and events.

When Heath signed up for a photography class at her housing complex to help her learn more about the settings on her digital camera she got more than she bargained for. The course opened her eyes to a world of possibilities and kicked off a year of exploration. 

 “I've always been creative, I just learned more of me,” Heath said.

Instead of focusing on people, she began to photograph nature and architecture, she said. Advice from her instructors inspired her to shoot from different angles, to brave the cold and seek out adventures at the Statue of Liberty, the Cloisters and throughout Western Queens.

“I'm just driving or walking, and look and say ‘Oh I wish I had my camera,’ because I can see the photo in my mind,” Heath said. “The everyday things are so gorgeous.”

Heath is one of a handful of local photographers featured in the short film “The Way I See Now,” which premieres March 7 at the Queens Theatre. The film tells the story the Queensbridge Photo Collective, a group of senior women who explored community and creativity through a virtual photography course during the pandemic.

“I was so pleased at how it came out,“ said Heath, who classmates nicknamed ”the critic” for her helpful and discerning eye.

“My classmates are awesome,” she added. “I loved to see the different styles each has; different and simple things you don’t see on your own.”

The classes are part of the F-Stop program, a photography initiative for Queensbridge residents founded in 2019 by the Josephine Herrick Project and Jacob A.Riis Neighborhood Settlement.

The Queensbridge Photo Collective is led by Nicole Rosenthal and Robin Dahlberg and began meeting again for classes in the spring of 2020, despite the pandemic.

COVID-19 precautions influenced the teaching style and limited hands-on training, but the eight participants were eager to continue their photography work, said Josephine Herrick Project Executive Director Miriam Leuchter.

By documenting a year like no other, “this group of women is leaving a legacy,”  Leuchter said.

“They got back together despite COVID, despite isolation, for remote classes,” she added. “We’re excited for people to see their vision and who they are as people and artists.”

Both Leuchter and Heath had the same advice for budding photographers thinking about about shooting the city around them: 

“Do it. Just do it.”

Registration for the free event is available on Queens Theatre website.