The Ojai Photo Club will feature photographer and documentary cinematographer Sarah Bourscheid as its guest presenter for April. The free event, “Quiet Compassion,” will be held on Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana St., Ojai, CA.

Bourscheid practices compassion through the lens of her camera, striving to bring the viewer and the subject together to discover their shared humanity despite any differences. In her eyes, empathy and beauty are inseparable. The presentation will explore compassion in everyday life and include projects on loss, strength and love. She will show a selection of her still images as well as a preview of a video documentary currently in production.

For Bourscheid, her photography is a journey of growth, deepening her own empathy. “In this tumultuous and divided world,” she writes, “it’s important to understand that our differences can bring us closer.”

Growing up in New Jersey, Bourscheid developed an early passion for storytelling and at first thought she wanted to be a novelist. But after two years in New York for a degree in creative writing, she realized that she didn’t want to think up stories in her head when there was so much that captured her attention in the world around her. Changing tracks for a more visual medium, she went on to graduate from Brooks Institute of Photography with a Bachelor of Science in visual journalism. Although she has changed career paths, she feels that her background in writing has made her a stronger visual storyteller. Currently she is a professional photographer, videographer and documentary cinematographer based in Ventura. She specializes in event coverage, corporate video, documentaries and video editing. As a staff photographer for the Ojai Valley Visitor’s Guide, she has created the series “Faces of Ojai.”

For more information about Bourscheid’s work, go to her website, http://scheidmedia.com/

Monthly free presentations are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service and education outreach. The general public is always welcome to attend.

The club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Only members may submit images for critique. More information is available at: www.ojaiphotoclub.com/