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5 Photography Lessons for Kids That are Fun and Educational

As a parent, you are always looking for activities that will not only be fun for your kids but will also teach them new skills. If you are looking for something that will do both, then look no further than photography!

Photography is a great activity for kids of all ages and can teach them a lot about the world around them. Here are 5 photography lessons for kids that are sure to be both fun and educational.

Pay attention to light

Light is one of the most important elements of photography, so it is important to teach your kids to pay attention to it.

Where is the light coming from? Is it direct or indirect? Is it harsh or soft? These are all things that will affect the way a photo looks, so it is important to experiment with different lighting conditions to see what works best.

A simple experiment can easily demonstrate how important light is.

Place a toy in a window sill and then take a photo from the same spot at the top of every hour. At the end of the day (with 8-10 photos) you will see how the location and angle of the sun changes how light affects that which it illuminates.

Composition is key

The way a photo is composed can make or break it. Teach your kids about the rule of thirds and how to use negative space to create interest in a photo.

Also, encourage them to try out different perspectives and get creative with their compositions because photographers are always studying their environment for the best angles.

To begin showing them how to shoot from different angles, have your children take 5 photos of one of their toys. One photo from up close. Another from far away. The third from above. And the fourth from below. And finally, a photo from eye level. 

How close was too close? How far was too far? How did using the rule of thirds change when the angle and position of the camera changed? How did the light in the photos change with the different angles?

Simplify your lessons

When teaching kids about photography, it is important to keep things simple at first. Pick one subject and have them focus on that. For example, you can take the same 5 photos from the lesson above and apply it to the study of light in photography.

When beginning, don't overwhelm your students with the complicated exposure triangle. The truth is most people use and take great photos using Auto mode. It's more important (and fun!) to study light and composition as first lessons in photography.

Once they get the hang of light and composition, they can start adding in more complex subjects and camera settings.

Help them find their niche

Just like adults, kids need to find their niche if they want to take great photos consistently.

What are they passionate about? What do they love to take pictures of? 

Expose your children to a variety of photography opportunities.

Portrait photography. Sports photography. Documentary/Journalistic photography. Commercial/Product photography. Landscape photography. And photo editing just to name a few.

Once they've found their niche, encourage them to explore it as much as possible and really hone their skills in that area. 

Show them how to edit their photos

Even the best photographers sometimes need to edit their photos to perfection - and that's OK!

Editing doesn't mean that the photo is fake or enhanced in any way - it just means that minor imperfections have been corrected so that the photo looks its best.

There are tons of great editing apps out there that even kids can use, so find one that works well for them and show them how to use it properly.

Photography is a great activity for kids of all ages because it is both fun and educational.

By teaching your kids about light, composition, perspective, and patience, you will give them the tools they need to capture stunning photos that they will be proud of for years to come!

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