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Photography for children does a lot more than just developing their eye for what makes a great photo. It can also boost their self esteem, stimulate creativity, and a lot more.
While a lot of schools offer photography lessons for kids, these can be expensive. As much as you might want to give your kids a formal photography training, you have other important expenses to prioritize.
But if you really want your kids to learn how to take good photos, you can teach them photography basics at home, on a family vacation, or at a children’s party—without having to spend much for photography classes. You just need a camera, a lot of research, and of course, patience!
Here are seven ways to introduce photography to kids:
1.Make learning resources accessible to them
To get your children interested in photography, develop their curiosity by showing them the creative outcome of documenting memories through photos. Teaching your kids to take a picture is a good start.
Introduce them to the camera and entertain questions from them. Make the possible sources of learning photography accessible to them. The next thing you know, they’re already excited about handling the camera and snapping photos with it.
2.Simplify complicated terms
We adults tend to complicate even the simplest things. When teaching our kids about photography, we must let go of that attitude and think of a way to make them easily understand and appreciate the technicalities of photography.
Use kid-friendly terms when teaching photography and cut chunks of information into bite-sized pieces so that they won’t be overwhelmed.
3.Teach the rules
Before they get to use a camera, make sure your kids understand the dos and don’ts of using a camera and photography. Let them know the bad effects of sudden drops and bumps, sand, and water or moisture to the camera. It’s best to instill to them at an early age the importance of handling a camera carefully.
Moreover, teach them basic photography compositions, how to get close to a subject instead of using a zoom, and a lot more. Remember to give them simple rules that they can easily understand and follow. A better and easier approach is to use situational explanations that their curious minds can understand.
4.Secure the straps
Now that you’ve fed your kids information on how to use the camera and snap a photo, it’s time to put their knowledge into good use. As you turn over the camera to your kids, make sure that you adjust the strap to its shortest length, so the camera won’t hit against something. Level it also on their chest so that they can properly handle it.
5.Take a step back and let them learn on their own
Image Source:www.pexels.com
Experience is the best teacher, and use it to make your kids learn photography. Take a step back and let your kids explore photography by themselves. It’s okay to follow where they’re going for guidance, but let them hold the camera on their own.
Let them do their own style of taking photos. You’ll be surprised to see the smile on their faces as they finally say, “I got the shot!” knowing that it’s their own work.
6.Have a contest to spur creative excitement
When your kids have already gained their confidence in photography, spur their excitement by holding a healthy competition between them. Or you can also do photography activities with your kids, putting the photos taken by them into good use. You can even engage them in an arts and crafts session! Together with your kids, you can make DIY photo coasters, scrapbooks, or photo albums using their snaps.
It’s always great to have a little challenge, so their eagerness to learn photography won’t just die down.
7.Take it a notch higher
If you think your kids are ready for advanced and slightly complicated photography lessons, take it a notch higher! Teach them how to shoot manually, use the zoom of the lens, or do stop motion photography. Enhance their skills by continuously offering ways to grow their passion for it.
Learning skills doesn’t only happen in school. You can also turn your home into your own photography school by engaging your kids in activities that will help them take better photos. Not only is it a lot cheaper than enrolling your kids in photography classes, but it’s also a good bonding activity for the family.
