I try my best to foster my child’s love of photography. Given that my grandfather was a professional photographer, who helped cultivate my passion for picture-taking, I feel responsible for encouraging my daughter’s interest.
You never know how much a simple tip or a few words of encouragement can mean to a budding shutterbug. You can help your child learn the basics of photography by purchasing easy-to-read books designed for young shooters. In addition, consider giving your child the opportunity to experiment with your photo equipment (supervised, of course). The two of you could team up and shoot together. Give your child a photo assignment and watch as practice makes perfect.
Once your child’s confidence builds, then consider entering his pics in a few photo contests geared toward youngsters. Many local camera shops offer competitions for young photographers. You will find a slew of them in May during National Photography Month and the summer months when children are out of school. Summer is also a great time to enroll your child in programs and seminars designed especially for youth photographers.
The pictures your children shoot during these summer programs can then be used to enter national photo contests. The competitions offer tips and feedback from professional photographers, plus most feature amazing prizes, including new cameras and a host of other photo accessories to the winners.
A couple of reputable contests that I am familiar with include:
Young Travel Photographer of the Year: Avid shutterbugs ages 16 and under can enter the well-respected contest, which focuses on capturing images that epitomize the joy of travel. The grand-prize is decided on who submits the best portfolio. However, prizes are also awarded in single-shot categories as well.
Teen Ink’s Art and Photography Contest: The national magazine prides itself on celebrating art and photography. Once a month, the publication runs a contest for teen photographers whereby young shutterbugs are eligible to submit color and black-and-white photos that illustrate their creative genius. At the end of the month one teen is honored for his or her outstanding photography skills.
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