Photography is an important part of my world. My kids always see me with a camera, whether it’s my ‘big camera’ or my cell phone. I’m constantly snapping pictures. I love it when they take an interest and want to participate. My oldest loves to create stories with the images she takes and my little one is obsessed with making silly faces.
Do your kids love taking pictures? Are they always stealing your cell phone to snap selfies? I’ve got some simple ways that you can teach your kids about photography.
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Give them a camera. It may seem obvious, but if they don’t have a camera to practice with, they wont’ be able to experiment. It doesn’t have to be a fancy camera. Your cell phone will work. Even a basic point and shoot. Show them how to hold it properly and how all of the buttons work.
Explain what focus is. What does it mean when something is in focus? What does it mean when something is blurry? Ask them to cross their eyes. What happens? Ask them to look at something really close up. Can they see it well? Is it blurry? Now look at something further away. What happens to the objects in front of you. This will help show your children that a camera works similar to your eyes.
Talk about composition. Explain that there are many different ways to photograph something to make it interesting – up high, down low, at an angle, close up, far away, from the side, from the back, etc. Have them take pictures of 10 of their favorite things using some of the techniques above. Go through the images and talk about how each one is different and how the composition affects the image.
Show them the light. The best way to do this is to study it. Look for bright light, dark shadows, and shade. Go outside and find your shadow. Notice how it looks different at different times during the day. Pay attention to the light inside too. Have your child walk through the house and point out spots where the sun shines in. Find funky shadows in your home. Watch how the window light changes throughout the day. Take pictures in all kinds of light and talk about which ones look the best and why.
Make it fun. Go on a photo scavenger hunt. A quick Google search will get you tons of results. Photograph a day in your life. Or focus on one part of it. Maybe your morning routine. Have your child photograph their lovie and tell a story with the images. Anything that might help get them excited about taking pictures. Make sure you upload them to your computer and talk about their favorite ones. Praise and encourage them to keep trying.
All of these things will help get kids thinking creatively about taking pictures. Summer is a great time to head outdoors with a camera. No excuses! For even more inspiration, come check out my Kids Who Click class.