Camera activities for kids are ideal ways to introduce them to photography.
Snapping a photo has become a such a common modern activity for people, including children. It's easy to forget how magical photography can seem. From documenting a new place during vacations, to taking a memorable shot of two friends in a party, it's an accessible way to remind people of past experiences, relive happy moments, visualize new places they have never been before or even create artworks from it. Teaching children how a camera works allows them to maximize its potential, understand the "magic" behind the process and perhaps boost the creativity of such young minds.
Instructions
1. Show the key parts of the camera to the children and provide a brief explanation for each one. These include the "shoot" button they need to press to take the photo, the lens in front of the camera where light passes through to create the image inside the camera and the LCD screen or viewfinder, which is used to compose or frame the shot. Most cameras also offer a zoom button somewhere near the "shoot" button, which makes it possible to make a farther subject looking relatively nearer on the photo or vice versa.
2. Show the children where the "switch" button is. Explain how this on-off button allows at least two basic modes that they should be aware of: the "camera" mode and the "playback" mode. When at camera mode, they can shoot photos. When at playback mode, they can view the photos they shot. In relation to this, show them the "scroll," "zoom" and "delete" buttons so they can better look at the photos they shot and delete them, if needed. Also, show them the important information on the LCD screen when in "camera" and "playback" modes. These include the available space or number of photos that they can still shoot with the camera and how long the camera's battery can still function before needing a charge.
3. Teach them hold the camera properly. As a camera is a considerably expensive device that is always prone to damage with a bump or fall, reminding children of taking extra care when holding it is essential. Generally, a camera has a wrist or neck strap. Use this by wrapping the camera around the wrist or wear it around the neck to serve as added security. This way, even if a kid accidentally loses grip of the camera, it will still hang around the wrist or neck and avoid a dreaded fall. Also, when taking a shot, they should hold the camera using two hands with a pointing finger aimed at pressing the "shoot" button, which is generally found on the upper right hand of the camera when it is pointing at the photography subject.
4. Provide them with initial photography instructions on look for points of interest in their shooting location and frame their shots. Tell them to look for an interesting subject and background, then they should compose their shots using the camera's LCD screen or viewfinder. Remind them that creativity and the concept of what looks good on camera is essentially something that would come out naturally when they start shooting. Also, tell them to avoid shooting something against or behind a strong light source as this will cause their main subjects to look too dark.
5. Give the children cameras to use and allow them to experiment on different kinds of shots with them. Provide them with a few minutes to do such activity. Children can find more excitement on photography activities by allowing them to explore different shots with their cameras on their own.
6. Review the photos they shot together. Given such visual examples, you can better explain to them the concepts of photography including the importance of framing, lighting and the subject and the elements around a photo. You can also provide them with basic do's and don'ts, like avoiding camera shakes by holding the camera securely when taking a photo, avoiding taking photos in locations that are too dark and using the camera flash when taking photos in dark locations.
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