A couple of weeks ago we had a very lovely relaxed and sunny day at Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds. We took the camera and Bella took all these pictures. I encourage her to use the camera as much as she wants (providing she is careful!) and love watching her snap away. As a child, I remember having to really think about every photograph I took on my first camera so that I didn't waste the film, and then the feeling of surprise and excitement, or disappointment, when the photos came back from the developers.
How different it is now. Bella clicks away, taking as many as she wants, as do I, knowing that they can all be edited when we get home. She has a camera, a little pink plastic VTech, but I think she knows that it is a "toy" and that our camera is where the real fun is to be had.
I love to see her different perspective on the world through the camera lens. I often wonder what she really intended to photograph. In the above shots, it is the Abbey, my sister lying on a blanket, Angus's arm, her feet, and me doing some crochet. All very random, yet she managed to capture so much of what we experienced on that day; beautiful historic buildings, lounging in the sunshine, bare feet and bare arms, and a little recreational crochet.
Does anyone have any tips on how to encourage and nurture this interest in photography in children? Or maybe I should just continue to let her use the camera as much as she likes.
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I will delay showing you my Christmas crafty nonsense until at least September, when we can pretend that it is Autumn. It was very amusing to read your wildly different comments and feelings on the C word. Clearly not everyone shares my love for early festive planning! But that is ok.
Wow she is really good! A great eye... love the feet shot. A blogger in the making I think! x
ReplyDeleteThanks Lou - I think she was trying to capture her freshly painted toe nails. But feet shots are a prerequisite for blogging - I'll encourage her! x
DeleteThink Bella is going to be the next David Bailey! She's miles better than me, and I've been practising for years! xxx
ReplyDeleteI'll put it down to beginners luck!
DeleteBoth my girls like to take photos and little videos! Just let her enjoy it! You obviously do, think it might be in the genes! Ada :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't given her a video camera yet - I think that might be like opening Pandora's box!
DeleteYes, she's a natural! It's great she's taking an interest x
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea. Just so long as she doesn't drop it - at least the pink V tech bounces. x
DeleteThey are great photos. Elizabeth has one of those pink vtech cameras too. I love going through the photos on her camera and seeing things from her perspective, always get lots of feet and of the tv. xx
ReplyDeleteYes! Bella takes loads of the tv too, it makes me laugh! And she swivels the view finder round and takes lots of herself pulling funny faces, which always makes me smile. x
DeleteLove Bella's photos... could be her calling ... my eldest boy has the blue Vtech camera but he always loves to get his hands on my camera to take a few snaps ... I think we should nurture this creativity ... Bee xx
ReplyDeleteYes, I am glad she likes the camera so much. Since starting the blog I am much better at remembering to take it with me when we go out somewhere, and that gives her more opportunities to snap away. x
DeleteLovely photo's, and what a beautiful abbey!! I just talked about it with my youngest, that nowadays you can take as many photo's as you want, and keep what you like. Earlier you had to think about each photo, and don't forget the developing costs. Groetjes, Gerda
ReplyDeleteHi Gerda, thanks for stopping by. You are right about the developing costs, I hadn't thought of that. And we never bother with photo albums any more, we look at photos on the laptop!
DeleteI love seeing the world through their eyes, when they take hold of the camera.
ReplyDeleterachel xo
Yes, it's a fascinating little glimpse into what matters to them.
DeleteI loved seeing what my children would chose to photograph when they got ahold of my camera. Usually there were many photos of our pets and their stuffed animals. Photography is certainly more accessible nowadays than when we were growing up. Like you said, I just remember taking carefully arranged photos and feeling great disappointment when the prints returned blurry or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI know, when I think of all the shocking, blurred photos I lovingly stuck in an album as a child and teenager...but maybe that was half the fun! x
DeleteKids take those pictures you never think of seeing - I think they're natural born photographers and Bella has taken a marvellous set.
ReplyDeleteNina x
Nina that's a good point. Kids are so in the moment, they aren't thinking about how the photo will come out, or what people might think of it, they just want to capture something.
DeleteFabulous pictures - she clearly has her mum's eye for a good shot. P got hold of a camera with real film in it and spent a good 5 minutes looking for the screen so she could see her shot - she was most perplexed at the idea of having to wait to see her pictures.
ReplyDeleteOh bless you, I don't think I have a good eye at all! Love you story of P's camera confusion. Bella tries to touch the screen on everything to make it work - she just assumes that touch screen technology exists everywhere!
DeleteI remember having to wait to have films developed, not good when you have no patience. Talking of the C word, how about a grown up camera for Bella from Santa? You can get them so reasonably priced now, it doesn't have to be a top model. I love Christmas so it really doesn't bother me that the card shops round here already have their Christmas cards in stock, nor that the kids will just get back to school and the supermarkets will be stocking advent calendars. Bring it on, I say.
ReplyDeleteJo, that's a really great idea. I think she might be ready for something a bit more sophisticated than the VTech, I will look into it. Thank you. x
DeleteCharlotte loves playing with my camera! I just let her snap away...so fun! Great photos, Bella!
ReplyDeleteBella plays with the camera on my phone and I find lots of blurred shots of her barbie and her feet - very funny!
DeleteLove those photos, thank goodness for digital - I remember the agony of waiting for pictures to be developed!
ReplyDeletePlease hold back on the 'C' word - we've only just got summer!!! (though those mental lists have already started to creep into my head)
I will hold back until it feels like autumn! Maybe I will take my lead from Marks and Spencer - when they put the mince pies on sale I will know it's safe to mention the C word! x
DeleteWell Bella is a good little photographer isn't she?
ReplyDeleteI definitely think you should just let her use it as much as she likes... I think that is what contributed to my interest-- I always had access to my parents cameras growing up!
Hi Mikelle, thanks for stopping by. You are right, I just need to let her play with the camera as often as she likes.
DeleteGreat captures Bella :D
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, I'd say, as an ex art teacher, that you're right to just let her click away. She needs to develop two things - her own personal aesthetic - and an understanding of how the camera sees as opposed to how her eyes see. Disappointing photos are so often the ones where we forgot the camera can't take the shortcuts the brain does. The more she does what she is doing the more she will discover what gives her the shot she wants. And then she'll be ready to learn about how the camera works, and so on :D
Thanks for the advice Annie. I feel I need a crash course in the techie side of photography, so that I can explain it to her one day. Hmm, that's my excuse anyway... x
DeleteThese photos look great! I don't have any tips on how to nurture an interest in photography in children, but I think the more she photographs the better she gets and the more she will love it.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm hosting a giveaway at my blog today for Sedwick Studios, hope you enter! http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/2012/08/sedwick-studio-giveaway.html
Trishie, that is a great tip! You're right, time and practice is all she needs. x
DeleteWell if you're crafting for Christmas then it must be ok! You've reassured me Jooles! I need to start thinking about craft fairs etc - I don't want a last minute panic. xx
ReplyDeleteWell done to Bella! What fab snaps of your day out :) Here's hoping she keeps it up and becomes world famous some day! Haz x
ReplyDeleteThat would be lovely - she could be my own little pension plan! x
DeleteThis post made me smile. First, I think your daughter's pictures are really good and I think you are a fantastic mother for giving her that freedom with the camera. Yesterday my family of five went to the Garden Festival in Chaumont sur Loire. My husband was armed with his camera and concentrating on his own aesthetic. Tristan, our eight year old, had the family camera and used it to snap up 150 shots. I think it's great that my husband encourages him, like you with your daughter, to feel free and confident. We looked at the pictures later and really, honestly, a few of them really spoke to us. Yes, it is interesting to see your child's perspective on things. My only advice here would be to continue to show your daughter how enthusiastic you are about taking pictures. Passions are contagious, I believe. There will be people along the way who will teach her a few tricks and if she loves what she does she'll be asking them plenty of questions!
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful weekend.
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie. Thank you for such a lovely, thoughtful comment. I do hope passions are contagions - she loves to craft and make things as much as I do but I dread the day she turns her back on such things because anything your mum does is embarrassing. But photography...that is considered "cool" so maybe there is hope there!
DeleteGillian x
Love Bella's photos! She's got such a good eye! x
ReplyDeleteShe's irritatingly good. She didn't inherit it from me! x
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