Children and Photography
Inquisitiveness is one of the best aspects of childhood and it is this natural attribute that makes children so endearing.
A curious child is all it takes to pry into the so-called secrets, which he or she feels are being held from him by the adults, and therefore parents who introduce their children to new hobbies and areas of interest are the ones that can really inspire them.
Although children are always ready to explore, there is nothing that would parallel the interest and curiosity invoked by a digital camera and taking pictures.
Many parents are wary of handing over the digital camera to a child and rightly so, but a better option would be to gently and gradually introduce the gadget to the child and teach him or her how to handle it.
The level of introduction should ideally vary according to the age of the child and while photography lessons for a two-year old kid suffice with peering through the view-finder and pressing the shutter, a nine-year old can be taught a few basic details pertaining to good photography, which would remain with him for many more years to come.
The first lesson to a child relating to photography should be in regard to the manner in which the digital camera should be held.
Children who are completely unfamiliar with the camera would require supervision from adults initially, but good and patient guidance would enable the child to take clear and shake-free photographs not only during the session, but in the future as well.
While teaching the child to hold a camera, the foremost tip should concern holding the camera straight and an effective way of achieving this would be to draw the child's attention towards the framing of the shot and teaching him to observe it prior to hitting the shutter button.
Having handed over the digital camera to the child, the parent should allow the child to take as many photographs as he or she desires as this is the best way to encourage them.
Taking a lot of pictures would also bring forth the child's nature to experiment which in turn would enable him to judge the number of different ways in which a particular shot can be taken.
Thus, over a period of time not only would the child learn to photograph from different perspectives, but would also realize the impact of different settings and factors like motion.
A parent should realize that every child has his or her own preferences and having acquired the camera, one child would come back with endless photographs of objects and another would have endless photos of faces.
At this point, the parent can come in by channeling the child's attention towards finding an object of interest within the immediate surroundings and taking a photo of that object.
A basic explanation regarding the principle of the rule of thirds is essential for every young and budding photographer and along with it comes the lesson pertaining to the art of focusing.
The lesson that should follow the introduction of the focal lock should be about the different modes in which the camera could be used.
Although exposure and its three elements of ISO, aperture and shutter speed are a bit complicated for children, they could be introduced to the concept with practical examples and by allowing them to observe the difference in the photographs.
After having taught the youngster, it is time to sit and review the pictures, which he or she has taken and is eager to show to his parents.
This is the time for having fun, enjoying the photographs, sharing in his pride and offering suggestions in as constructive manner as possible.
A curious child is all it takes to pry into the so-called secrets, which he or she feels are being held from him by the adults, and therefore parents who introduce their children to new hobbies and areas of interest are the ones that can really inspire them.
Although children are always ready to explore, there is nothing that would parallel the interest and curiosity invoked by a digital camera and taking pictures.
Many parents are wary of handing over the digital camera to a child and rightly so, but a better option would be to gently and gradually introduce the gadget to the child and teach him or her how to handle it.
The level of introduction should ideally vary according to the age of the child and while photography lessons for a two-year old kid suffice with peering through the view-finder and pressing the shutter, a nine-year old can be taught a few basic details pertaining to good photography, which would remain with him for many more years to come.
The first lesson to a child relating to photography should be in regard to the manner in which the digital camera should be held.
Children who are completely unfamiliar with the camera would require supervision from adults initially, but good and patient guidance would enable the child to take clear and shake-free photographs not only during the session, but in the future as well.
While teaching the child to hold a camera, the foremost tip should concern holding the camera straight and an effective way of achieving this would be to draw the child's attention towards the framing of the shot and teaching him to observe it prior to hitting the shutter button.
Having handed over the digital camera to the child, the parent should allow the child to take as many photographs as he or she desires as this is the best way to encourage them.
Taking a lot of pictures would also bring forth the child's nature to experiment which in turn would enable him to judge the number of different ways in which a particular shot can be taken.
Thus, over a period of time not only would the child learn to photograph from different perspectives, but would also realize the impact of different settings and factors like motion.
A parent should realize that every child has his or her own preferences and having acquired the camera, one child would come back with endless photographs of objects and another would have endless photos of faces.
At this point, the parent can come in by channeling the child's attention towards finding an object of interest within the immediate surroundings and taking a photo of that object.
A basic explanation regarding the principle of the rule of thirds is essential for every young and budding photographer and along with it comes the lesson pertaining to the art of focusing.
The lesson that should follow the introduction of the focal lock should be about the different modes in which the camera could be used.
Although exposure and its three elements of ISO, aperture and shutter speed are a bit complicated for children, they could be introduced to the concept with practical examples and by allowing them to observe the difference in the photographs.
After having taught the youngster, it is time to sit and review the pictures, which he or she has taken and is eager to show to his parents.
This is the time for having fun, enjoying the photographs, sharing in his pride and offering suggestions in as constructive manner as possible.
