I would echo Tom's approach to take things step by step. The first camera I
used as a child of six or seven was an Ensign Fulvu 120 camera with no
controls other than a shutter release and a film wind-on. It helped to teach
me how to hold the camera still and gently squeeze the shutter release
rather than push it down violently in excitement. I soon moved onto to a
Cosmic 35 (a variant of the Smena 35) bought for my 8th birthday. This
needed focusing and exposure to be controlled and it wasn't long before I
had earnt some money and bought an ancient Weston II meter. I was lucky as
we had a darkroom at home until I was 12 and had access to another at my
Father's workplace so learnt to print b & w.
With my own son, Keir I started him off on a cheapish point and shoot
Canon with standard and tele lenses which meant all he had to do was to
compose the seen. He still uses this on school trips away and I have
certainly found that the ability for him to take pictures without my being
there has increased his confidence and his picture taking abilities. So one
lesson to be learnt is to let them get on with it on their own.
This was reinforced many years ago when I first started teaching when
with 9-year olds I simply sent them outside with a camera and asked to take
pictures of each other the net result was an extremely successful fresh
view of the world. Keir at 11 now also uses an OM PC or OM G which he uses
very successfully getting a pretty high rate of correctly focused and
exposed pictures though he hasn't explored properly different focal length
lenses, that will come with time.
However one essential I learnt from 15 years of teaching in the 70s and
80s was not to pressurise kids into doing anything, just be there as a
resource on which they can draw, gently and positively encouraging them
whilst fostering a self-critical attitude. They will all go through spurts
of enthusiasm for taking pictures and at other times won't be so interested;
accept this as a part of growing up and of life.
Hilary Stone
Tom Scales wrote:
>
> I can speak (or type) from recent personal experience, so I'll jump in with
> some thoughts. Hopefully everyone else will too, as I'd love other ideas.
>
> I started out very simple. I mounted a 50/1.8 on an OM-G, set it for
> automatic at a reasonable middle aperture (400 speed film) , focused it at
> infinity and taught them only two things:
>
> - How to take a picture
> - How to wind it
>
> So, that meant we started with landscapes, distance shots, mostly by walking
> around the neighborhood.
>
> That lasted a roll or two.
>
> Next I showed them how to focus. They didn't get that one very well, so the
> number of in focus shots was pretty low, but improved over time. My oldest
> got it more quickly, so her 'good shots' outnumber her 'bad shots'. We went
> for a nice walk in the woods that included waterfalls and an old family
> cemetary. They loved the cemetary (what does that say about how I am
> raising my kids).
>
> Next we tried a macro lens. Didn't require any new skills, just more
> accurate focusing. I took them to the botanical gardens. Again, my oldest
> really got it and seems to be learning and understanding composition on her
> own. One of the hardest things was to not tell them what to take pictures
> of, or to second guess their choice of shots. I wanted to, badly, but
> didn't. Film is cheap -- learning by yourself is priceless. Shannon's
> flower shots are great -- I'll get both their shots on the web as soon as
> the scanner gets back.
>
> The last trip, I introduced the concept of focal lengths. They both had a
> 35-70/3.5-4.5 mounted on their (identical) OM-G bodies. Zooming seemed to
> come pretty naturally, although we haven't seen the results yet. This trip
> was to our zoo, or what they laughingly call a zoo in Austin.
>
> Our next step, and it is a big one, is to learn about apertures and shutter
> speeds. That's going to involve more sitting down and talking than any of
> the other things have. I think they'll get it. Will they understand how to
> apply it? Maybe not yet. I may actually give them OM-1 bodies for this
> lesson.
>
> Hope that helps. I can assure you that it will be a lot of fun and a little
> frustrating. Load you camera(s) with lots of film and get out their and
> shoot. Make sure you give them reasonably fast print film, as it masks so
> many of their mistakes.
>
> Tom
>
>
>
>
> <snip>
> Now, what I still haven't quite figured out is - how do I get started
> teaching him how to use the camera? I'd like for him to eventually
> understand how things work and what he's doing, but I'm unsure about how
> much and what to tell him for starters, without confusing him by simply
> asking too much of a 9-year-old child. I'd be grateful for any suggestions
> as to the appropriate steps to split the teaching/learning process up into.
>
>
> MtFbwy,
> Volkhart
>
>
>
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