I’ve been taking pictures of my daughter since she was a few hours old, but rarely do we wield our cameras at the same time.
My 6-year-old is a proud owner of her own digital camera, and this summer she has been putting it to good use snapping shots of the hydrangeas that border our patio, kids at the pool and numerous bugs she has collected. She loves getting up close to her subjects and using her body as a tripod. I love it too. Not only is she making the most of a fairly expensive camera, but also, she is quite a talented little shutterbug.
Of course, you don’t have to run out and drop a wad of cash on an expensive digital camera, so that you can have a photo day with your child. Instead consider allowing your son or daughter to borrow your point and shoot camera. Just make sure the batteries are fully charged and that you have plenty of room on your memory card before you hand the camera over to your budding Ansel Adams.
If you have an older child show him how to use your camera’s features, such as auto-focus, zoom and sports mode. Next, head out to an event or activity that yields frame worthy shots. While you are there you can give your child some simple pointers, such as the Rule of Thirds and the importance of unique angles. Have your child crawl on the grass or climb a tree for different angles and perspectives.
Another idea is to volunteer as a photo subject. This can be a very revealing experiment. The candid photos will illustrate how your kid sees you. Plus, it will be fun to look back on the photos in a few years.
Once the photo shoot is over, spend some time going through the images with your child. Have him select his favorites and make a photo book from the day’s best shots. You could also print up a few of the funnier images and place them in scrapbooks or on the refrigerator so everyone in the family can get a good chuckle.
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