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 06/06/2005 11:46:02 PM · #1
I have been budgeted $500 to hold a sat digital photography class for kids through July. And then i'm curating the show of thier work for August.
This is for my communities art center - so we offer the classes for free. I live in the Boonies (literally Daniel Boone country) and there isn't much for the kids around here.

i'm going to get 10 cameras (kodak dc3200 - sturdy, kidfriendly cameras). I am hoping the local walmart will help out with the cost of batteries and printing since we are a 100% volunteer non profit group.

I'll take the kids in groups of 6-9y/o, 9-12 y/o and teens. I am thinking i might allow the teens to bring thier own digicams if they have one - but i am going to limit the younger ones all to the same camera because showing inidivuals how to do something on a dozen cameras that ive never used before would take all day.

Now i need to work out - What A I Goning To Teach Them!!!

I would love to have your input and hear your ideas.
I know someone else on this list was trying to organise a similar thing for folks with disabilities - how is that coming?
Anyone done this sort of thing before?
 06/06/2005 11:47:21 PM · #2
Originally posted by mesmeraj:
What A I Goning To Teach Them!!!



Obviously not how to spell ;)
 06/06/2005 11:56:35 PM · #3
Take a look here: Kids with cameras
 06/06/2005 11:57:23 PM · #4
well back in the day when i went to my photo class in high school the teacher taught us a lot of the technical work, we started off with learning the basics, shutter speed, aperature control, etc. We learned composition....Of course, this was before the digital age so we did a lot of work in the darkroom, too. Our first assignment was "panning, stop action, and blur" so that's basically how i started my photography career. and always keep it fun for them
 06/07/2005 12:05:59 AM · #5
Simple composition! Looking through the viewfinder/lcd screen and seeing what belongs and what doesn't need to be there. Moving around to get the best composition. Sometimes two steps one way or another makes or breaks a shot!
 06/07/2005 12:20:08 AM · #6
Lighting is the number 1 subject I think and the most trickiest when you use a point a shoot... Take it for me as to most of my early entries here when I started here, the flash use killed my photos....

Good idea and a good way to get kids thinking about things...
Digital photography is apart of so many different types of careers so this could be one more way of shaping their lives and helping them find what they are passionate about..
Good Luck and keep us informed how it is going ...

Message edited by author 2005-06-07 00:23:06.
 06/07/2005 12:40:25 AM · #7
Teach them how to compose a photo. Teach them to get close. When they are close enough, have them get closer. Then have them get just a little closer.


06/07/2005 12:42:00 AM · #8
art-inept - no offense, but i think you are overestimating how far 500dollars will go and the abilities of young kids. They will have point ans shoot cameras - to you and me shutter speed and aperatures might be basic, but to a child it would be very confusing (heck the concept is confusing to most adults when they first encounter it) and with a p&s a moot point anyways.

Also i should probably point out to everypone i will have these kids for 2 hours on a sat for 3 or 4 weeks - and that is the only time they will get with the camera.
06/07/2005 12:43:48 AM · #9
The basics....
Lighting. front, back & side.
Flash ON flash OFF
Viewpoint. birds eye, eye level & worms eye.
Importance in position of horizon.
Motion. Stop or Blurr.
Basic design elements. Leading lines, rule of thirds & shapes.
Close in or further away.

Hey think of what you learned at the begining and go with that.....

I covered a story like this a few years ago at work and some of the results were just great. Some of the kids that realy showed an interest in photography ended up doing work experience with me. The people who ran the programe got great satisfaction from working on it and have run it every couple of years since then.
 06/07/2005 12:44:32 AM · #10
TooCool and Tolovemoon - i am tossing up whether to do lighting first and them compoition or viceversa.

Decisions decisions!!
 06/07/2005 12:48:04 AM · #11
jmesetzler - kids love to get close in my experience.
the cameras in my budget have about a 2.5 foot focal though!!
I've been thinking about that one alot and thought maybe one week i could let them take turns using one of my cameras that does have a macros ability.
Kids can be so in your face!
 06/07/2005 12:50:55 AM · #12
Originally posted by Donaldo:

Hey think of what you learned at the begining and go with that.....



That's whats got me so nervous Donaldo - except for some darkroom experience with a tutor, everything i know has been self taught through trial and error and a couple of books from the library.

But your suggestions are fabulous, i can just see the kids all laying on thier bellies taking photos of one another hahah.
06/07/2005 01:30:45 AM · #13
Not to put everything in the center of the viewfinder. Dont cut off heads and feet. Cameras can be held vertical and horizontal. Dont shoot into the sun. Be patient and wait for the right moment. Dont use flash, especially through glass. Experiment and have fun!

I'm sure once you upload all the pictures from the first Saturday you'll be able to see exactly what they have problems with and go from there.
 06/07/2005 02:43:37 AM · #14
I have thought of doing workshops in our community center. With the 6-9 you could show them mainly about composition. Remember,some may never have touched a camera before. Teach them about different angles, not getting too close with point and shoot, explain that not all cameras are alike and close ups call for another type of lens,that they may get to try in future classes. A scavenger hunt for things to photograph would be fun for them or a short field trip that could be just a walk around the premises. 9-13 , same stuff but with more explanation, without getting too technical. Show them some of your photos, explain how you took them. 13-and up, composition, basic light differences, introduce SLR basics and tri-pods, still make it fun. You could offer more advanced workshop for those who have SLR's or digital and find out what kinds of cameras they have in advance so you can possibly help them , or have a spare you can loan them for the day. Find out what they know already with a questionaire.
 06/07/2005 02:50:35 AM · #15
oh ya lol digital, 500 would take you pretty far in film when it comes to a camera...hmmm, so i would just teach them the basics really, composition, that'll help them the most next time they pick up the camera to capture a landscape or something

Originally posted by mesmeraj:
art-inept - no offense, but i think you are overestimating how far 500dollars will go and the abilities of young kids. They will have point ans shoot cameras - to you and me shutter speed and aperatures might be basic, but to a child it would be very confusing (heck the concept is confusing to most adults when they first encounter it) and with a p&s a moot point anyways.

Also i should probably point out to everypone i will have these kids for 2 hours on a sat for 3 or 4 weeks - and that is the only time they will get with the camera.

06/07/2005 07:13:13 PM · #16
Originally posted by moodville:
Not to put everything in the center of the viewfinder. Dont cut off heads and feet. Cameras can be held vertical and horizontal. Dont shoot into the sun. Be patient and wait for the right moment. Dont use flash, especially through glass. Experiment and have fun!

I'm sure once you upload all the pictures from the first Saturday you'll be able to see exactly what they have problems with and go from there.


All great suggestions Moodville, i am jotting them down! And you are right - i thinkk once i get past the first group session things will come together from there.
 06/07/2005 07:18:43 PM · #17
Originally posted by pixieland:
IRemember,some may never have touched a camera before. [/qoute]

I plan to spend at least a rd of the first session showing them what the bits on the camera do - how to turn the flash on and off how you see different things through the viewfinder and the rangefinder you know...

[quote=pixieland] A scavenger hunt for things to photograph would be fun for them or a short field trip that could be just a walk around the premises.


I am lucky enough to have an entire courthouse at my dispossible since we will be the only ones there on a saturday. I was thinking of setting up some things for them to find. A scavenger hunt sounds fun ! Probably a good way to end the day!

Good idea on having the older ones tell me if they are bring thier own cam and what model in advance.

Thanks for the encouragement
 06/07/2005 07:28:47 PM · #18
Originally posted by mesmeraj:


Now i need to work out - What A I Going To Teach Them!!!

You did not say how old they are but I'd recommend teaching composition, perspective, leading lines, the rule of thirds and things like that first.

Kids are concrete learners and those concepts are more conducive to that type of learning.

Once turned on to composition your kids will already be better photographers than 99 percent of the population.
 06/07/2005 07:33:13 PM · #19
Originally posted by stdavidson:

You did not say how old they are

Originally posted by mesmeraj:
I'll take the kids in groups of 6-9y/o, 9-12 y/o and teens.
;)

Originally posted by stdavidson:
Once turned on to composition your kids will already be better photographers than 99 percent of the population.


Totally agree!
On a promo for fine living network a photographer actually said "don't look through the viewfinder (or at the subject at all) while taking a photo - they will turn out better that way" And i was horrified!
Learning to compose is a much more pliable experiance then looking the other way and hoping for the best.


06/07/2005 08:25:05 PM · #20
Originally posted by mesmeraj:
Originally posted by stdavidson:

You did not say how old they are

Originally posted by mesmeraj:
I'll take the kids in groups of 6-9y/o, 9-12 y/o and teens.
;)


I gotta get around to learning how to read one of these days. ;)

Your kids will take to composition like fish to water. Your gonna have a blast! They'll be taking pictures climbing up all over the place and crawling on the floor to get interesting perspectives and that will stick with them the rest of their lives.
 06/08/2005 12:04:26 AM · #21
Originally posted by stdavidson:

I gotta get around to learning how to read one of these days. ;)


with your reading and my gramar/spelling we could take over the world ;)

Thanks for the vote of confidence - i am hoping it will stick with them for life !
 06/15/2005 05:15:29 PM · #22
I just put up a very simple website for the project

Digital Development

i only just got AA on line a couple of ddays ago and i dont want to try anything fancy ntil i get that one a little more functional!

Please Read!

06/15/2005 06:57:09 PM · #23
Very Nice, but I am a human spell checker(although I tend to make my own typos from time to time).I don't have all the functions of the site yet so I put corrections in (parenthesis)- there are 4.
To provide the youth of Harlan County and it's surround(ing) areas the opportunity to creatively express themselves through the medium of digital photography.
Digital Development is a project of Artists' Attic, a non profit organization dedicated to promoting and encourag(ing) Art and Artisans in Appalachian Kentucky. Classes will be offered free of charge to children from 6 years of age to teenagers. Participates will have the ability to share their vision with the world through a public show at the Artists' Attic gallery, and through their own personal gallery on the web.
Artistic expression provided through Digital Development aims to inspire the imagination, stimulate self confidence(s-take out s) and empower the minds of all involved.
The first digital development session is set to begin in July, with an exhibition in August.
Classes instructed by Elli G Scott, will be split into 3 sessions - 6-9 year olds, 9-12 year olds and teens. They will take place of(on) Saturdays in the Harlan Courthouse.
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