Thursday, 08 October 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Medan Mayor Rico Waas has expressed his support for a basic photography course organized by the Persatuan Wartawan Pemko Medan (PWPM) at the Medan Public Service Mall (MPP) building on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
The photography course, the first organized under the new PWPM leadership, was attended by 50 high school and university students from various parts of Medan. The Medan City Government supports the program as a platform for the younger generation to develop their visual skills and use digital technology to create positive works.Head of the Medan City Communication and Informatics Office Arrahmaan Pane officially opened the event on behalf of Mayor Rico Waas. In his remarks, he praised the PWPM initiative to organize a photography course specifically for high school and university students.
"On behalf of the Medan City Government, we express our great appreciation. This is an excellent initiative by the new PWPM leadership. Amid the flood of information, we need a young generation that understands visual content and knows how to respond to it," Arrahmaan said."Through this course, we want students and university students to become influencers for the city of Medan. Your visual works can help develop the image of this city in a better direction," he said.
According to Arrahmaan, the younger generation plays an important role in shaping a city's image through social media. He therefore encouraged participants to more actively document changes, development projects, community activities and various potentials across Medan through photography.He also urged young people to change the way they view various negative stereotypes that have long been associated with Medan. In his view, the city's development should be communicated through factual and positive visual works.
"Let us leave behind the labels 'Gotham City' and 'Ini Medan Bung' in their negative connotations. There are many positive changes and development projects. Show through photographs and social media that Medan has changed," he emphasized.In addition to explaining photography as a medium of visual communication, Arrahmaan also gave participants simple tips that they could immediately apply when taking photographs with a mobile phone.
He warned participants against relying too heavily on digital zoom, as it could reduce image quality. Instead, photographers should move closer to or farther away from their subjects to achieve better image composition."When you use a phone, your own feet are the zoom. Move closer to the subject or move farther away so the result remains sharp. Regardless of the device—whether a phone or a professional camera—anyone can create great work as long as they understand the story behind the photograph," he said.
"Our goal is simple: We want to encourage the younger generation not only to use technology, but also to use technology to produce their own works," Edison Ginting said.
He emphasized that photography is a relevant skill in today's environment and can be applied across many fields. The ability to take good photographs is useful not only for people pursuing careers as photographers, but also for journalists, entrepreneurs, content creators and active social media users."An interesting photograph requires more than just a camera. You need a sense of the subject, must determine the right angle, understand light, choose the composition and finally turn the subject into a photograph that tells a story," he explained.
Edison said photography skills can support various fields, ranging from journalism and social media to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), tourism, the creative economy and personal branding.He therefore encouraged participants to continue developing their skills without hesitation and to practice consistently. In his view, photography requires a process and practical experience that can only be developed through the courage to experiment.
"Photography can support journalism, social media, MSMEs, tourism, the creative economy and even personal branding. Do not be afraid to try. Skills are not developed in a single day, but through the courage to keep trying. Do not leave the camera in your bag. Take it out and capture the good stories around us," he added.
To deepen the participants' understanding of the material, PWPM invited two speakers with experience in photography and journalism. They provided participants with knowledge that approached photography not only from a technical perspective, but also as a visual medium and a storytelling tool.
The speakers were Dr. Muhammad Said Harahap, S.Sos., M.I.Kom., a lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at UMSU and a media literacy activist, and Rizky Cahyadi, S.Sos., chairman of the Association of Indonesian Press Photographers (PFI) Medan and a photojournalist.The material covered camera operation, the Rule of Thirds composition technique, various angles, framing, leading lines, lighting and exposure. Participants also learned about the importance of perspective and how to build a story within a photograph.
PWPM did not limit the program to theoretical instruction inside the venue. Following the introductory session, participants took part in a practical photo tour around the MPP building and the Merdeka Square area in Medan.During the practical session, participants were able to immediately apply the techniques they had learned. They observed subjects, determined compositions, made use of available lighting conditions and selected moments that they considered to have visual value and storytelling significance.
PWPM will subsequently select the participants' best works. The selected photographs will be published through the social media accounts of the Medan City Government and PWPM. They will form part of a visual campaign showcasing the positive aspects of Medan.The event also marks an initial step by PWPM in providing the younger generation with a space to learn and develop. Through photography, participants are expected not only to produce attractive images, but also to communicate messages, document community activities and promote Medan's potential through creative and responsible visual works.
With support from the Medan City Government and the involvement of journalism practitioners, the basic photography course is expected to become a sustainable platform for high school and university students to develop their visual skills. These skills can be applied in education, organizations, professional careers and various creative activities. (IDNC)REPORTER: H. Muhammad Said Harahap | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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