If your kids are getting into photography they might be having a hard time picking subjects. Here is a list of 5 things you can encourage your child to photograph plus a few tips on getting the best results.
Toys
picture by Jason Huskey
Have your child pick a favorite toy to photograph. Encourage them to take pictures from many different angles. First do the normal straight on shot. Then get up over the toy, then down below and so on. Sometimes our first instinct when we see a subject is not always the best picture. When they are done taking pictures of the toy, review the photos with them. Each of you should pick your favorite photo of the shoot.
Another idea for photographing toys is to create scenes. Arrange toys so that they are doing something. Set up a tea party for Barbie or a spy mission for your son’s action figures. This can be especially fun with Legos. Have your child be creative in what they set up. Try to tell a story with the final photo.
Pets
picture by Moyan Brenn on Flickr
If you have a pet that can sit relatively still try taking pictures of it. Let’s say for example your child is taking a picture of a cat. Get down on the cat’s eye level. Whenever we are speaking to a person we look them in the eyes. The same usually goes for animals.
The picture will be much more engaging if we can look directly into the cat’s eyes. We will feel like we are making friends with a gentle kitten rather than just observing some animal from afar.
If your pet is not looking at the camera talk to them a little. Have your child hold the shutter button halfway down to focus. As soon as the cat looks at the camera snap the picture.
If you are taking pictures of fish through glass make sure the flash is off.
Plants and flowers
picture by Dawn Huczek on Flickr
Go outside and find a flower or even just a leaf with vibrant colors. Try to get in as close as you can to these subjects. Most lenses will only focus a foot or two away from the subject. Any closer will be impossible to focus.
If your child is having trouble focusing at close distances you may be able to use the macro mode on your camera. Many point and shoot cameras have this feature built in. Look for a little flower icon to turn it on.
Macro mode allows you to focus at much closer distances. If you have a DSLR camera you will need a special macro lens. But don’t worry if you don’t have a macro lens because you probably have a camera phone that will do the trick. Iphones can focus about two inches away.
Family
Family and friends are always great subjects for pictures. Even poorly exposed or blurry photos of someone you love can make wonderful memories.
picture by Valerie Huskey
Younger siblings will be hard to photograph if they will not sit still. To avoid some frustration for your budding photographer, volunteer to sit for a photo instead of letting them chase around their little brother or sister.
Position yourself facing a large window, preferably a north facing window. Make sure the camera’s flash is off. Position your little photographer with their back to the window. This will throw some beautiful diffused light on you, the subject, which will make the picture turn out very nice.
Remember this little tip when you want to get some great shots of your kids too!
Food
picture by Jason Huskey
Finally, have a little fun arranging your dinner on a plate and let your child take a few pictures before digging in. It does not even have to be a fancy meal. A plate of macaroni will work fine. But think about the color combination a little. If you have a blue plate to put under the yellow macaroni this will make the picture more pleasing to the eye.
A shallow depth of field is used many times in professional shots of food. This means that only a small portion of the food is in focus. Usually the front of the plate and the back is out of focus. To achieve this effect you need to set your child’s camera to a wide open aperture. This will be a smaller F number. If your camera has Aperture Priority (A) mode use it to set a small F number. Try to focus in the center of the plate.
Above all remember to allow your child to be creative and have fun. Don’t try to teach technical terms too early. This will only serve to stifle their imagination. Review your child’s pictures with them and you will be in awe at how a child views the world.
What do your kids love to take pictures of? Let me know in the comments.
