Here is a fun activity to try with your kids. Have them shoot a theme. Pick one topic to take pictures of for the whole day or even the whole week. This will help your child to see the world in a different way. You may be surprised to see how your little photographer interprets the theme.
Below are four basic categories of themes with examples included.
Things
- Doors
- Road signs
- Old barns
- Abandoned buildings
- Churches
- Columns
- Water
Feelings and Emotions
- Happy
- Sad
- Mad
- Tired
picture by Tony Hisgett on Flickr
Colors
- Red
- Green
- Blue
Shapes
- Circles
- Squares
- Lines
Lines are especially helpful for the budding photographer to recognize. If you choose this theme, make sure you point out how the lines move through your child’s pictures. Have them follow the lines with their fingers. This will help them compose more interesting pictures in the future.
Blue
You probably noticed that I picked “Blue” as the theme of this post. Most people will immediately think of the color blue. But blue can also be a feeling. Encourage your child to think creatively about the subject.
If your theme is “Happy”, ask your child what she can photograph besides a smiling face that will show happiness. Have your child think about things that make them happy. Maybe a warm summer day is happiness. Maybe reading a book with mom represents happiness. Get them thinking and using their imagination.
Review their pictures
As always, take some time to review your child’s pictures with them. Pick a few that you especially like and tell them why. Maybe your favorites are in focus or well exposed. Maybe they perfectly portrayed your chosen theme. Whatever it is give your child some positive feedback.
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