Children can have very short attention span. One moment, they’re into painting, the next day they want to learn to play drums, and very fast their attention will be on something else entirely like basketball. It might seems difficult to get kids to be interested in photography, while competing with all other hobbies and activities keeping them occupied. Fortunately, there are some simple tips and strategies for parents to get their child’s interest in photography and in the process, parents could create stronger bonds during the activities. Be it food photography, event photography, interior photography, architecture photography and or portrait photography.
Provide them a camera
The first step to make your children to be interested in photography is to get them a camera! It does not need to be an expensive DSLR, you can always get them an old point-and-shoot, mobile phone and or tablet. The best solution is to get them an old point and shoot camera, as you don’t need to worry about being damaged or too expensive. Alternative, you can consider getting a film camera and make them curious on the end results of their developed films.
Good guidelines to start photography
By creating some structure and guidelines helps them to explore, such framework would produce better results and retaining their attention.
Hence instead of just giving them a camera to a child and telling them to ‘take photos of something’ try to give some guidelines, concept or rules. Such as….
- Take 10 photos of things that makes you happy
- Photograph pictures 5 bugs you can find
- Capture photos that represent every colour of the rainbow
- Photograph a fruit in 10 different lighting settings
- Take portrait of different people with different emotions
As such, the guidelines will help the children to have direction and be creative to explore photography while producing images that they can a sense of ownership.
Let Your Kids Break the Rules
Although rules are meant to put in place to prevent danger or harm to other people. In photography, it will not get anyone hurt to push the creative boundaries. Do restrict your children in breaking technical rules such as the ‘Rule of Thirds’ or the ‘Brenizer Method.’ It will be fun to see your children push some limits you set forth and push their creativity. After-all, it is all about the journey over the results, children must enjoy the process by trying what they want to do.
Go on a Photo Walk With Them
Take a walk with your children and have them excited about photography. Such walk can be anywhere, at your neighbourhood, city, suburbs or tropical places. You can even take them to places that they are familiar with, you will be surprise 30 mins walk can turn out to be an hour. Because the kids will be stopping every minutes to snap photos of flowers, cars, walls, insects and all sorts of small object that they have never considered to be photo subjects previously.
It will be a fun way to see their eyes light up during the activities, which will help them to see familiar things in another perspective.
Be With Your Kids
It is important to be sure you are part of the activity. Firstly, they will miss out on your help, encouragement and excitement to learn about photography if you are not present. On top of that, the valuable bonding time with your kids will be miss out in building and strengthening your relationship with them.
Being there for almost any type of activity, not limit to photography is important to help the children to feel safe and secure. Where it gives them a sense of freedom to capture and explore without fearing judgmental or other adverse consequences. By being around also helps you to be involve in creating pictures, exploring and growing with the kids.
Print the Pictures!
Printing photos is one of the most meaningful ways to enjoy photography. Such sentiment excitement is for your kids to have a hard copy of their photos taken, so that they are able to impress you with their accomplishments and boast about their talents or skills they have learned. As children yearn to show and tell what they have accomplished. You could also consider having the photos to be printed in large frame to instill a love for the medium.
Let us know if you require any photos to be taken and feel free to contact us for consultation on your photography needs.
