You do not have to be a professional or even a big hobbiest to enjoy taking photographs. Photography is for everyone, no matter their age, or experience. Even someone who rarely holds a camera or captures a moment can take a fabulous photograph with the right camera and some patience.
In fact, photography is about patience. If you do not get that shot the first time, do not just give up and assume you won’t. Keep snapping. It takes a lot of messed up shots, to get that good shot that everyone wants.
Photography is a fun hobby that can allow you freedom, flexibility and loads of creativity. Every shot does not have to show something happening. Some shots can just be of objects or a building or something that interests you.
One day in March, we had gone to the park and we came across this tree. For whatever reason we all stood there staring at it for at least five minutes before it dawned on me how unique it looked. We had never come across a tree with thorns. So I snapped a photograph. It isn’t one of my best and I wound up taking three or four shots to get a good one where the sun wasn’t blaring down, but I love the photograph. I love the way the tree looks and the prickly thorns. See, photography isn’t all about people or events.
In addition, age should not really be a factor in who can take photos and who cannot. I firmly believe that if you can teach a toddler to be nice to the kitty, or to press the button on his little plastic toy, you can teach him to press the button on a camera while being extremely careful of it. I don’t recommend allowing your child to use your professional top of the line camera, but purchasing a cheaper digital model that is small and easy to hold, might just be the perfect option.
Allow your child of any age to snap photos. Let them get involved. You never know, someday you might have a real professional on your hand.
Below are two shots my daughter took. She is only nine.
Nicole Humphrey writes articles for the Scrapbooking Blog, for the Frugal Blog, and for the Photography Blog. She also guest blogs on a variety of topics. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.