How To Get Children Interested In Photography
As with so many things, getting your child involved with photography at an early age is a great way to quickly hone their craft and absorb all the techniques. It has been scientifically proven that kids can learn new tricks far more easily than adults, but this isn’t the only reason to teach your children about photography early.
Photography is a great way to introduce the world to them. With just a few pictures, your child can learn about the beauty of what’s around them, the intricacies, the details and the stories that are there to tell. In many ways, it is a creative exercise. Something to engage them with their surroundings and give them the freedom to spin their own perspective on it.
With that being said, you don’t want to force it on them. There is a fine line between teaching your child the art of photography and lecturing them about it. You need to make sure they are engaged and excited and not feeling like they are just in another lesson at school. With this in mind, here are five ways to get your children interested in photography without becoming just another boring teacher!
Be Patient With Them
When they’re at school, teachers are trying to get children ready for a test or an exam. With photography, however, there is no test on the horizon. There is no reason, therefore, to get impatient with your child if they are struggling to get a hold of something. Be patient with them, let them get it in their own time and – if they do not get it – don’t force it. Photography isn’t for everyone, after all, and your child might be interested in other aspects of life. All you have to do is communicate, be patient, and give them the space to get to grips with it.
A Photo Book To Show Progress
A good incentive when getting your children interested in photography is making sure there is a reward at the end of it. Photo books are always a great way to store your photographs and give yourself a way to display your work, so why not give the same reward for your child? A small square photo book, for instance, can be a cute end-goal for your child, allowing them to place all of their photographs inside and perhaps even take them into school to show their friends and teachers!
Keep It Familiar To Begin With
Of course, when you’re teaching your children about the wonders of photography, it can be tempting to take them to beautiful, photogenic places to get them excited. But you needn’t do this. It’s actually more important to allow your child to take pictures of familiar places, such as the household or the back garden. This will help your child find new and interesting ways to see their own world, which is essentially what photography is all about. When they get a bit better and want to take photographs of different things, then this is the time to take them out and about. Try to start their photography adventures with places close to home, like a nearby park or a countryside walk. Taking urban photographs can be a fun challenge too, especially if you live close to beautiful architecture which catches the eye and will get your child even more excited about what’s possible with a camera.
Play Around With Filters
Every child loves to have fun with apps and filters. Of course, they’re likely to go all out and paint up a photograph with all sorts of different shades and edits, but that’s okay. Let them treat their photographs like they would treat a blank canvas and paint. It might get a little messy, but this is all about being creative and giving them the freedom to explore and have fun!
Let Them Tell Stories
Children love to be told and tell their own stories. At a young age, a child’s imagination runs wild, so it’s important to nurture that with their photography. If they’re taking photographs in the garden, ask them why they have chosen a specific scene and what they want to tell in the picture. This will also be perfect when you are using a photo book maker. All the best photo books have a theme and a story which ties all the photographs together, and this will give your child a way to reconnect with the pictures they have taken and gain some of their own inspiration when it comes to the stories they want to tell next!
