A Photography Lesson

We noticed how much the children enjoyed using the camera last week to take photographs of the dinosaurs bones. Some were more interested in the photography process than the dinosaur bones!

I was able to organise for my good friend Sharon, from Sharon's Photography, to come for a visit as an expert photographer and teach the kids about taking photos. 

 

She taught them the strategy: "up, down, not a sound." This encourages the children to take photos pointing up, or right down low, not just in the same position all the time. And when taking pictures of animals- not a sound!

She taught them a little about using the camera correctly and safely. 

Then we went for a walk to the farm to take photos. 

   

The chickens thought we had brought them some food.  

 

Here are some of the children's photographs. ..

In the afternoon we watched a video and learnt a little about how a camera actually works. This is a pretty difficult concept to convey to a child - I don't think I can completely comprehend it! But the children were able to make the connection that  a camera has a shutter (we used our hands like a crocodile snapping) and that the shutter allows light inside, which helps to create an image. They noticed in the video that when more light went in the photograph became lighter and lighter until we couldn't see it anymore.  When there was very little light, the photograph became darker and darker. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSY4iWmccQk

I wonder if we can make a camera?