Fun with Photography

By Melanie Linn Gutowski

Chances are your nieces and nephews love to look at pictures of themselves. Most kids growing up in the digital age are fascinated by gadgets, especially cameras with the instant gratification of personal portraits. Photography is not only an easy way to get into creative expression, it also has the advantage of being one of the least messy creative hobbies out there. Here are some tips to help your niece or nephew get started in creating photos of their own.

-Upgrading your equipment? Give your niece or nephew your old digital camera.

-Teach them how to use the camera equipment. Chances are they'll catch on quickly, but don't forget to provide a camera bag or other container for storing the parts. Mom will thank you, too!

-Borrow some photography books from the local library and look through them with your niece or nephew. Try to find titles that reflect their own interests, and talk about what makes the photos cool or interesting.

-Go on a photo safari. Take your niece or nephew to a scenic local spot, such as a conservatory, park or zoo, and have them document the trip.  

-Have a photography scavenger hunt. Make a list of things to look for and take your nieces and nephews out to find them. At the end, look through the photos and compare the different ways each person captured the items on the list.

-Help them display their artwork. If you're a crafty auntie, help your niece or nephew design a scrapbook of their favorite photos (don't forget the captions!). If you prefer the techie route, help your little ones to upload their photos to a photo sharing site and then design a book. You can even order a copy for yourself!  Or, you may just want to choose a few favorite photos and print them for display in a collage frame.

-Encourage kids to use their photography as gifts. Wrap up a photo of the family pet for a sibling, or take some funny self-portraits and frame them for mom and dad.

-Create your own museum. Have your niece or nephew choose some favorite shots to enlarge and frame, then hang in their room. Or, choose a wall in your own home to use in displaying niece and nephew art. Each time they complete a new photography project, change out the photos on the wall, and upgrade from the usual fridge display.

-Host a photography contest. Challenge all of your nieces and nephews, or include other family members and friends, to find the best photos. Decide how many submissions to allow per person, then print all of them and display for voting. The photo with the most votes wins a pretty photo album, a neat frame, or other fun photo-related prize.

Melanie Linn Gutowski is a freelance writer and a proud Godmother.