In the beautiful coastal plains of Ireland, junior Katy Savage and 23 other high school students participated in a photography expedition. The trip, hosted by National Geographic, allowed students the opportunity to explore their artistic abilities in photography and creative writing using Ireland as their muse.

In the span of two weeks, the group traveled Ireland, enriching their knowledge of  photography and writing under the direction of their three leaders and National Geographic expert, Andrew Evans. Together, they traveled through Dublin, Galway and the Aran Islands, taking in the scenery and making new friendships.

Junior Kate Freyermuth, a good friend of Katy’s here at Piedmont, said that Katy came back excited about the experience she had on the trip.

“When she came back, it was like she had this whole other family from Ireland,” Freyermuth  said. “They all still keep in touch.”

Savage said that the trip allowed her to not only improve her skills in photography, but meet new people and step out of her comfort zone.

“Be open, you never know what’s going to happen so make the best out of any situation,” Savage said.

Savage said that their first task when they arrived in Dublin was to find their way back to the dormitory together with only a map as a guide.

“The trip challenged me as a photographer and a traveler,” Savage said.

Other activities they did on the trip included taking photos or creating writing pieces with given prompts. One prompt they worked on, “25 Ways to View Dublin,” gave the students an opportunity to take pictures that captured a portrait of Dublin and it’s culture.

Katy has been interested in photography for two years now. Along with her trip to Ireland, she attended the California College of the Arts photography camp the summer before last to help improve her photography skills.

Savage’s brother, chemistry teacher John Savage, said that Piedmont does not offer a photography class, so the trip offered Katy an opportunity to learn and improve in something she loves.

The program includes expeditions in Bali, Rome, Alaska, and other locations globally where students can collaborate on workshops of their choosing.