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 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
<strong>September</strong> <strong>2019</strong> 47
- Page 1 and 2: Brought to you by ISSUE 23, Septemb
- Page 3 and 4: REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Brendon Gilchr
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- Page 42 and 43: Encouraging Our Children To Become
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