Hi Doug,

Your tips are great for us "70 years plus" members to review and heed as we pass them on to our much younger ladies and men. I really enjoy your tips, but I seem to forget once in a while, and therefore need your column to continue. 

LaVerne Rice.

Hi Jane:

That is so great to hear, and you are right, they are never to young to start.  I think to date our youngest member on MyPhotoClub.com is 13.

Cheers Doug 

Doug:

It's never too early to start, even toddlers!   My granddaughter has been keen to use a camera ever since she turned two in July.   We bought her a play camera but she wants to use my daughter's Canon Powershot, announcing 'me photo'.  I'm more protective of my SLR!   At present she pretends, but it won't be long before she starts taking 'real' photos.  She knows where the shutter button is, and what she wants to photograph.  She watched what we do, and wants to see what we have taken.  One day I was slow to show her, and she leant over and pushed the green display button on my SLR - something I had never shown her but she had noticed me doing!

My daughter already has a camera for her 3rd  birthday. She's a creative child, the enthusiasm is there - the technique will follow. 

For interest, what is the age of the youngest MyPhotoClub member?

Jane Vincent-Havelka 

Doug - your topic on encouraging young people to get interested in photography is right on. It is a wonderful hobby that opens up many new areas of interest and possiblities. In this digital age, it is of little cost to let a young person try out your camera and take some images. Along with the tips that you gave, the end results can be a positive reinforcement of the joy of photography. 

When my niece, at the age of nine, showed an interest in taking pictures, I would give her my camera to use at family functions (and that was in the days of film!). Over time and with continual pointers, she did all the photography at family get-togethers. This led to weekend shoots and finally a big shoot in Africa. 

Now she is achieving a dream and is completing her second year in photography at college. That just goes to show that you never know where the sharing of something you enjoy will lead to.  

Encouraging Children and Teens to Get Interested in Photography:

Most of us remember our first camera, it may have been a 110mm, 126mm, 35mm, Polaroid, a Disc camera or for the late bloomers digital.  What you probably don’t remember is when you took your first photo.  

The reason for this is because most of us started when we were very young, and we picked up a parent or relatives camera out of curiosity, and that adult said, “here, I will show you, now take my picture.”  And from that moment on, we were probably fascinated with wanting to do more with a camera and explore the world of photography.

There is something about cameras that just naturally draw children to them, and teaching them how to use them could be the spark for a life long interest in photography.

Next time you have the opportunity try it with your child, a niece, nephew, grandchild, friends child, you know what I mean, and open their eyes to the creative world of photography.  Below are a few points to remember when teaching kids of all ages what to do with a camera.

Holding and getting to know the Camera: Show them how to hold the camera using both hands and to make sure they have the camera strap around their neck or if it is point and shoot the strap around their wrist.  Tell them you know just like when using your Nintendo Wii controller, you have to make sure the strap is around your wrist just in case you accidently let go.  You also want to make sure they know it’s not something so fragile they are walking on glass, after all you want it to be fun.

Also show them the different parts of the camera, shutter button, lens, eye piece and explain to them what all the different parts are for and what they do.  Children and teens are fast learners, they will remember.  How many times have you asked them something about a computer?

Framing your image, this is where it all starts:  This is probably the most important thing you can pass on, is how to frame your image, as this will help them start to see the photo and develop their composing skills.

Use a piece of cardboard and cut out a frame and have them walk around framing different images, it might sound silly, but they will have fun and actually it’s an exercise used in adult workshops too.

When they start taking images, make sue they know what they see in the viewfinder frame is going to be in the image, so watch for fingers, someone standing to close, their camera strap, etc.

Beginners especially children have a habit of taking quite a few images of the same thing, even though today it’s digital, you should set a limit of how many of one subject.  This will not only stop them from taking too many images of one subject, but actually encourage them to look around and observe other things to photograph.  

Key things to Teach them:  You want to make sure children or teens know the basics, and from there they will develop into their own skill set and techniques.  Here are a few points to consider.

Hold the camera still: Make sure you pass on the importance of keeping the camera still when taking your photograph.  If they are a little shaky in the beginning, try showing them to rest the camera on a table or stool.  (tripods will come later)

Make sure the camera is level:  Keeping things level for a pleasing image is very important, I guess this is one of those rules that you learn to follow first and then as you get to know what you are doing, you can break it for a more creative shot.

Fill the frame: Children want to take in everything, that is what kids do, observe and learn, you need to encourage them to move in closer to their subject and fill the frame.

Selecting what they want to photograph:  This is the most important part of the photo process, choosing your point of interest.  Teach them to get the subject into the viewfinder first, then expand on making the subject more interesting by moving in closer or change the angle.  This is all the basics of composition and these first tips presented properly will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Be creative and experiment: You want them to have fun, so just like you do in your photographs encourage them to experiment.  What would that photo look like if you were laying on your stomach?  If you took the shot while standing of the a chair, everything will appear different?  What happens when you take a photo of your dad’s eye up close?  No wrong answers you just want to encourage them to see life from all sides.

How to put this all together:  You have to fit what you are showing to the age of the child you are teaching.  So taylor your lessons to their speed of learning and interest on that particular day.

Make sure they get to play with the camera and experiment, don’t hit them with to much technique all at once as this may go the opposite way and discourage them from taking photos.  You should stick to one or two ideas or techniques each time they are using the camera and build from there. After you have talked about different ideas hand them the camera and as hard as it can be sometimes, step back and let them try it on their own.

If you have printed a series of their images, take the time and sit down with them to go over their shots, words of encouragement presented the right way, will help them learn faster than saying that’s not a good image.  So it’s all how you discuss their images, you know as a photographer when you share your images, constructive criticism goes further than when someone just out and out says to you I don’t like that.  After all in the big picture (pardon the pun) you want to encourage creativeness.

As your child continues to use the camera you can introduce more techniques and advance them at a pace they can handle.  Talk about shadows, perspective, a boiled down version of the rule of thirds, etc.  

Talk to them about what you love to photograph, and how you do it, stick to what you know, then you will show them confidence and they will be confident and fell comfortable about their photography.

As time progresses and you see the interest developing, take your children with you when you go out taking photos, even if it’s just a short walk in the park.  This will help them develop into a great photographer like their adult mentor.

Have fun and encourage children to be creative - Doug Burdick, Stan C. Reade Photo.