How to Teach a Child to Take Photographs

Photography is a fun and rewarding hobby for the whole family. Cameras come in all styles and price ranges, from the disposable to the 35mm, to match just about any skill level.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Diaries
• Batteries
• Photo Albums
• Preservation Boxes
• Pencils Or Pens
• Camera Bags
• Camera Straps
• Cameras
• Children's Cameras
• Disposable Cameras
• Film
• Point-and-shoot Cameras

1. Choose a camera to fit the age and interest of the child. One-time-use cameras are a good way to introduce photography to a small child without investing in a camera. The older child will understand camera care, so you can invest in a point-and-shoot.

2. Look at the camera manual together and discuss how to use the camera.

3. Teach your child about camera care. Show by example the correct way to handle and care for a camera.

4. Help your child load and unload the film for the first few times, especially if he is using an older-model 35mm.

5. Talk about how to frame a picture in the viewer. Most of the point-and-shoot cameras have a box in the middle of the lens that will help smaller children learn to place the main subject in the box.

6. Teach an older child about the one-third rule of placing the subject just off-center, in either of the four corners, to make an interesting photograph.

7. Show the child how to keep the sun to his back or to one side of his subject, which will help keep "sun squint" off people's faces in the pictures.

8. Talk about the use of a flash indoors or in very low light. Nighttime, a cloudy day, or shady areas may require a flash, which will keep dark shadows from blocking out interesting details.

9. Practice with your child holding the camera as still as possible when taking pictures to keep the picture from being blurry.

10. Encourage him to wait until his subject stops if he's using a point-and-shoot for a sharp picture. If using a 35mm, talk about camera settings to stop motion.

11. Experiment with different films. Show your child how to keep a diary of the film used, the type of day the picture was taken, and any settings used.

12. Look over the developed photos together. Discuss the good points of each picture and help him choose which he'd like to give to others or place in an album.

13. Put together an album with space to write when and where each picture was taken and who or what the subjects are.

Tips & Warnings

• Place a long strap on the child's camera and teach him to wear it around his neck at all times - this will help prevent dropping or laying the camera down when out taking pictures.

• Teach a younger child to fill the frame with the subject for better results. Most point-and-shoots require you to be close to the point of interest to fill most of the frame.

• Develop the habit of organizing the negatives and keeping them in plastic sleeves, which are sometimes provided by the developing center.

• Talk about using a camera safely. A camera lens pointed directly into the sun will cause damage to the photographer's eyes. Film canisters may have chemical residue on them, so they can't be put in your mouth or used to store candy.

• Keep negatives away from heat and sunlight.

• Always keep the cap from a film canister out of the reach of small children - the cap could cause choking.