HELP!!! What to teach the kids TODAY???? - financing for cameras fell through!

[RMThompson]

Hey all. Need some FAST help.

I had posted a thread before how I was participating in the Great American Teach-In, where parents come into the schools and teach students about various jobs.

Originally we were under the impression that we would be able to get a disposable camera for the kids, and I was going to spend some time setting up portraits of each other... however, now the budget fell through and we can't get ANY cameras - AND THE CLASS IS TODAY!

So i want to be able to teach them about photography. I know I want to touch on how many types of photography their is; art, nature, portrait, photojournalism, sports (what am I missing?)

Basically, how do I recruit 8 year olds into photography? How can I ENCOURAGE them?

I was thinking about making "viewfinders" out of cardboard, and using it sort of as a "mind camera" teaching them how to compose a little bit by using the viewfinder. (like the size of a piece of paper?)

ACK! Anyone have any ideas?!

 

[Overread]

cardboard viewfinders could keep them entertained for a short while, but its not really that inspiring.

What you could try is a slide show of what you had taken photos of - they don't have to be your best, but they have have to be interesting. Show them the photos and talk about them - not settings or what ISO you used, be more general
"this is the shot that I hiked 8 miles and lost my boot to get"
sort of thing.

 

[epp_b]

I was thinking about making "viewfinders" out of cardboard, and using it sort of as a "mind camera" teaching them how to compose a little bit by using the viewfinder. (like the size of a piece of paper?)

I like that idea. Teach them about what makes a good picture, not how to use a camera.

How about this: http://www.adorama.com/FJQSF.html

That's pretty dirt cheap.

What you could try is a slide show of what you had taken photos of - they don't have to be your best, but they have have to be interesting. Show them the photos and talk about them - not settings or what ISO you used, be more general
"this is the shot that I hiked 8 miles and lost my boot to get"
sort of thing.

Agreed. Turn photography into an adventure, find a back-story for each photograph you display.

 

[pm63]

It need not involve them actually taking photos. Do what the others said, or turn it into an interactive class discussion type thing, where everyone says what type of photography they would be interested in and you can give them advice on it.

 

[JerryPH]

So i want to be able to teach them about photography. I know I want to touch on how many types of photography their is; art, nature, portrait, photojournalism, sports (what am I missing?)

Macro, wedding, porno... no wait, leave out the porno... lol

Get a few shots that would impress the heck out of the average 8 year old... Like the one of Joe McNally taking the pic of the bulb on top of the Empire State Building being changed, or the one of a strobe being triggered inside a moving/ flying helicopter while the photographer was in another helicopter taking pics of all this.

Make it exciting, move fast and engage them in a lot of questions... things WILL workout for you. Oh, bring a camera and at the end, take a picture of them and tell them that you will print it out for them!

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Get them to build their own pinhole camera.
Produce a flat of a box (photocopying works).
Get them to stick it on to thin card, cut it out and make it.
Make the lens out of tinfoil.
The design of the box is not important providing you make sure there is a way to get 'film' in and the inside is black.
Using black electrical tape to seal the joints and tape the box shut once you have loaded it with film works well.
Use photographic paper for film as you can load under safelight.
Make sure you use something for a lens cover.
Use a light meter to calculate exposure.
If you use a known diameter pinhole (I used to use a hypodermic needle - don't let the children make the hole!) you can calculate an approximate aperture.
Photo paper is about 5 to 8 ISO.
I think you will find that gets them going.
It worked a treat when I taught some 8 year olds. They have this strange belief that cameras are complicated and it excites and amazes them to find they can make their own camera so easily

 

[RMThompson]

If I had more time, that would work.

Instead, I've decided to buy ONE camera and let them EACH take a photo... after a lesson on capturing light!

 

[epp_b]

Ah! That's a great idea! A suggestion: take down the students name and the exposure number they took so that you can show them to the students later.

 

[icassell]

How about a bit about composition ... rule of thirds type stuff ...

You could bring a bunch of lousy and good compositions and make a game out of it -- which are good, which aren't?

 

[Alex_B]

Get them to build their own pinhole camera.

I wanted to suggest this, but someone was too quick for me

We did this at school, and had great fun.

 

[iflynething]

Is an 8 year olds attention span even that long? Thinking back on when I was 8, would I have listen to talk about photography?

~Michael~

 

[icassell]

So, how did it go? What did you finally settle on?

Ian

 

[RMThompson]

Ah Ian,

Thanks for asking.

I did a little bit of everything. I gave them a lesson in light and how it effects photography... and how taking a picture is like recording light, similar to how listening to a cd is listening to recorded sound. (I made it simple, they were 8 after all).

Then I taught them the main componenets of the camera, and handed how the picture frame cameras I made, and showed them a LITTLE BIT on composition and framing.

Then I showed them some example pictures on the overhead, like how too much light or not enough light can ruin a picture. (I Photoshopped the same picture to make it too bright or too dark.)

Then we talked about how many different jobs use some form of photography; from the military using large satellites, to doctors using xrays, sports teams, fashion designers, etc etc.

Then at the end I had them EACH take a picture (on a Point and Shoot) of anything they want... I will print out the results and hand them to them Monday. (No school this week!)

All in all it was fun, and the teacher said SHE even learned a little. I wonder if was over the head of some of them, but a few of them really listened well.