Do you ever wish you had a photograph of one of your favorite childhood memories? I sure do. It’s the image of my maternal grandmother sitting at her kitchen table while drinking her morning cup of coffee.

If I were a child today, I might have such a photograph. Today, kids have increasingly become interested in becoming the photographer instead of the photographed. Children (and their parents) have many resources to help them enjoy their adventure into the world of digital photography.

Here are a few tips to get your child started taking his/her own photographs.

Camera Choice
For your child to enjoy his/her photography experience, it’s helpful to choose a camera suitable for children. The camera should be durable, easy to operate, easy to hold, and fully automatic. Another issue to consider is your child’s expectations. Is the camera going to be more of a toy or will your child use it to record important life events? If your child expects to print photos, a higher quality is required than if your child just wants to play at taking photos like mom or dad. Other must have features to look for are the ability to accept an SD card for added memory, the ease of reviewing and deleting photos and printing.

One highly-rated, award-winning camera for ages 3-6 is the Vtech Kidizoom Camera. It comes with 16 MB of internal memory as well as an SD card slot for memory. It has 3 games, a resolution of 2 Mega Pixels and the ability to take video and add effects to photos.

A good option for a middle school child is the Argus DC3185 3.2 Mega Pixel Camera. It’s a good starter camera for the price, especially if you don’t want to purchase a more expensive, breakable camera. It comes with 16 MG of internal memory as well as an SD card slot for memory. Photo resolution is 3.2 Mega Pixels, and it also has the ability to take video.

For an older, more experienced child or tween, a low priced adult camera may have the features he/she needs to enjoy printing. Consider asking a friend or family member for their old camera when they decide to upgrade to a newer model. Look into used or refurbished models. Or if your child wants a new camera there are several bestselling compact digital camera brands to choose from: the Canon Powershot, the Nikon Cool Pix, the Sony Cybershot.

Teaching Your Child
Encouraging your child is one of the best ways for him or her to gain practice with digital photographs. Be sure to cover the basics such as how to hold the camera properly, how to turn the camera on and off, and how to take a photo. Depending on the age of your child, there are also some basic photography tips you can share.

  • Zoom in close to your subject.
  • Take “action” shots instead of posed shots.
  • Look at things from a different angle. Lay down and shoot up or climb high and shoot down.

Online resources to visit with your children.
With your permission and help kids can access some cool extras online, ranging in tips from professional photographers to ideas of what to do with all those photos.
Activity Center from HP.
Adobe’s Digital Kids Club
National Geographic Kids
Kodak Fun for Kids

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