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Photography for early elementary kids


UCF612
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My 6 year old is begging to learn photography (he's been asking for at least a year). He has recently decided he wants to be a wildlife photographer. I realize at 6 he might not have already picked a lifelong career but I want to encourage this hobby right now. I love photography and have plans in the works to start my own business so seeing him interested thrills me! But I don't know where to begin teaching him. Any recs for good books/classes/websites/etc I can explore? So many things seem aimed at older kids/teens. He is barely reading so I can't just hand him a copy of Understanding Exposure and let him work throught it. The library had a pathetic selection of books for kids on photography. I plan to work through Underatanding Exposure with him slowly but would love other resources. He's currently shooting with my old Nikon D90 and a 50mm lens. Thanks!

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The best book, IMO, is Jim Miotke's book, "Photography Basics for the Absolute Beginner." Or something along those lines. The organization of the book is superb and compositional principles are given in bite-sized bits. Thos book is not necessarily meant for a six year old, but it is the book I use as a spine for teaching photography to kids at co-op.

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I picked up my first camera at age 11....put myself through college with it...and then spent the years between college and early 40s as a professional.

 

Starting young can be good!

 

I'd think of small, happy assignments....find six things that are red. Look for curves. Find and photograph animal tracks, butterflies, and the dog.

 

Encouraging means printing his favorites and creating a portfolio or display.

 

Learning about light and shadow comes with more experience.

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Thank you! I learned by myself but didn't pick it up until high school so I could read and teach myself. I will look up that book and I love the idea of small, happy assignments. I'm going to brainstorm ideas for that.

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