Kids Can Capture

This Saturday we did our studies at the Farmers Market.  The topic was "Colors" and we played a fun game called "Color Tag". My assistant and I announced a color and the kids had 5 mins to photograph find it and photograph it.  Look at their images! Theses are great photos.  The kids ages range from 4 - 10 years old.

Saturdays at Virginia Avenue Park 

I will be teaching classes about image making without the use of a camera through the Sun printing process. Kids will also  learn about photography through lenses, prisms, kaleidoscopes and shadow pictures.

When: Every Saturday, January 28 - March 17  from 11-12                        
Location: Thelma Terry Building WS 4
Who: Kids 3-6yrs
Cost: FREE

Space is limited and is on a first come first serve basis.


Click here for more info and park location.

The Kids in this class were so ready to rock on this assignment!  They got a small taste of what it takes to produce a photo shoot and what it feels like to be in front of the camera.  By using a green screen (or sheet), a few props around the house, fun costumes and photoshop you can create this look with your kids at school or home too. I think they did an awesome job. What do you think?

Buying a Camera for Your Child
If you are considering purchasing a camera that will be primarily used by your child I advise against buying a camera that is made for kids.  Camera's today are very intuitive and a basic review of the instruction manual will put you on the right path to taking a photo that is in focus.  Afraid that your child will break the camera? Well, the first lesson to be taught about photography is equipment handling.   Practice how to hold, store and pass a camera. Most importantly, make a big deal out of using a neck and wrist band.

What to look when purchasing a camera for a child

There are several things to consider when purchasing a camera for your child:

1. Camera Size - A large camera may be too bulky and heavy for a child's' small hands.

2. LCD size (the screen on the back) - Kids like the larger LCD screens -  make sure that the camera also has a viewfinder (the little opening that you look through)

3. Zoom - You will want a camera with a decent zoom lens. Kids love to take those close up shots of animals that they can't really get close to.  A zoom lens also allows them to stay put and take a shot that is farther away.

4. A dial that lets you choose how to shoot (close-ups, sports, low light, auto). These options are great if you want to use this camera as a building block to learning photograph.

There are many brands and varieties of cameras out there on the market.  A decent camera can be purchased for $175.  Don't forget an extra memory card and batteries!

As you know it’s that time of year again and the C.R.E.S.T Enrichment after school photo workshop is back in full swing.  As always we have introduced the class by creating Cyanotypes aka sun prints.

Our students for this class were amazed by this very easy and fun process. They first decided what objects they wanted to use.  The kids were provided with different materials such as buttons, rubber bands, transparent images, safety pins, in order to compose an image.  And they were encouraged to use something from nature for some of their prints, such as leaves or flowers.  Once they selected their object they were to arrange them on to the paper or cloth creating their own design.  The second step was to have their prints put out in the sun to get them exposed. After being exposed the kids rinse out their images and amazed at their new creations.

Here are some examples of Cyanotypes from our Intro to Photography class:

This sun print was created by one of our 1st graders, Josh.  It was nice to see how he manipulated the buttons and the rubber bands to create a face.  It reminds me of clown with a very surprised look on his face.

Pine needles by Josh (1st)

This is playful image was made by Sophia (2nd grade)

Sun Print by Lizzie (K)

Sun print by Adrianan (K)

Kids love getting creative with a camera and taking tons of photos. While they are in the creative process, why not give them a little photography project to keep the ideas flowing. Kids don't need a lot of direction when it comes to taking photos. Just give them a camera and they are ready to go! However, to keep them focused, here are a few ideas for getting your shutterbugs clicking away!

Tell a Story: It could be about how dad makes his famous pancakes, the story of special moment or just the day a friend came over.  Capturing all the moments is exciting!

Pets: What's so awesome about your pet? What does your pet do that makes them so special?

All Around Town: On your next shopping trip, encourage your kid to look around and capture life where they live.  They may have a newer appreciation of their town.

Get Silly: Photos don't have to make sense. Encourage kids to get silly and creative by photographing anything they like from any angle – high, low, tilted. Tell them don’t think - just capture!

Word Search: Give your kid a list of words that they must find a take a photo of. This can be lots of fun!

So the next time your kids start complaining their bored, give them a camera and a photography idea. It could keep them busy for their entire holiday; the only downside is that you may not get to your computer!

Students were encouraged to get low, get high, and move in close to their subjects while learning how to make photos from different angles.  Why? This is because the composition of the photo changed as they varied the angles to photograph the subject.  This assignment also told the students another thing. A subject may look normal at certain angles and appear amazing at other angles.

John W.   3rd grade

Kyle, Kindergarten

Elsa, kindergarten

Gabriel, 1st grade

Luke, 5th grade