NZPhotographer Issue 23, September 2019

Aside from focus and concentration, photography
non-intrusively allows children to learn a lot about
other disciplines. Photographing flowers? They will
inevitably learn about the different plants, their
blooming and growing behavior and the insects and
wildlife that surround those flowers. Photographing
animals and pets? They will soon become a pro in
knowing how they behave and how to take the best
shot.
DEVELOPING SELF-EXPRESSION
Last but not least, photography help kids express
themselves in ways they can’t do otherwise. Notice
how the camera becomes the window into their
minds and souls and consequently helps you connect
more closely with them throughout their life.
If I were involved in developing the modules for
schools and educational institutions I would make
photography mandatory from the very first year
because no matter what language your kids speak,
how many friends they have, whether they’re part
of a large or small family, or if they have any health
or developmental issues, capturing objects and
moments around them will help showcase their inner
world. It can connect them with others, kick start
a passion for creative writing (if they are asked to
write a short paragraph to go with their photo) and
most importantly it helps them share their journey so
they know they are not alone; being seen, heard,
understood, and appreciated.
HOW TO INTRODUCE PHOTOGRAPHY TO
YOUR KIDS
Make it Enjoyable and Exciting
First of all, your child must find photography to be an
enjoyable and exciting exercise – Don’t push them
into taking photos! The best way to start is to let them
use your camera or your phone (with one swipe most
smartphones now allow the use of the camera without
unlocking the phone itself) and just see what they do.
It doesn’t matter what they photograph, what matters
at the very first stage is the process itself. At the very
early stage they will probably start with self-exploration
and will take photos of themselves, hands, feet, smiles,
cheeky eyes, then they will switch to taking photos
of family members and friends. From there they are
likely to progress to capturing their bedroom, toys, and
other surroundings. From the inner world to the outer
world this process is very important, there’s no need to
guide it.
SET CHALLENGES
Once your child’s interest in photography has gone
beyond the initial capturing process, give them some
easy but exciting challenges in the way of a game
e. g. “Let’s find 10 red/orange/blue etc things in the
back yard and photograph them!” Grab your phone
or camera and join in the game yourself!
When they show you what they have captured,
you will gradually get an idea of what it is they like
to photograph – small details? the bigger picture?
flowers? nature? pets? people? This is the point where
you can start helping them develop their own style.
When they are not in the mood to pick up a camera
on their own, ask them to take a photo of something
to help you out. Find an excuse and say “Sweetie,
I can’t come and look right now as I’m very busy, can
you please take a photo of it and show me? We can
also show it to Daddy/Nana etc when he/she comes
home too as they’d like to see it I’m sure.”
Reward Them
Of course, all efforts must also be rewarded and all
achievements made to feel important to help them
keep their motivation and excitement alive – Don’t
allow disappointments to get in the way.
Depending on how excited your kid is about running
around with a camera, find some of their best shots
and print them even if it is a batch of small 5’x7’
photos (many online services offer these for free if you
are subscribed to their mailing list). You can then hang
these photos on the fridge just as you do with their
precious masterpieces created in art class.
A few things to keep in mind…
Having your kids running around with a camera (and
we don’t necessarily mean literally running!) doesn’t
mean the only career path they can look forward to
is becoming a professional photographer. Not at all.
However, photography allows them to keep an open
mind and sooner rather than later they (and you too)
will realise that what they see is so much more than
what other people around them see! So don’t be
afraid that your plan of seeing your child become
a lawyer, doctor, or accountant in the future will be
ruined if you introduce them to photography – it will
only make them more creative in their career.
You don’t need to start your kids off with a big or
expensive camera, a small point and shoot can cost
about $100-$150 nowadays and is a great starting
point. However, if a point and shoot is “not enough”
and stopping your kids from taking full creative control
in capturing the world as they see it, don’t put off
getting them a second hand DSLR just because you
think that DSLR’s aren’t play things meant for children –
You might be in the process of nurturing the next Ansel
Adams!
46 NZPhotographer