Need some help *long*- Tween, Disney and photography

[issa]

Hi all,

This is my first post on this board though I have sat amazed at the lovely shots posted.

My question is in regards to my 11 yr old daughter. I am going to make this a long post in the thought perhaps others are dealing with a growing child that is losing the magic a bit. A little background.

We are locals and have APs - we LOVE the world. But more and more..the thrill is dwindling for my older daughter. Unfortunately its too bad at this time - she has a 3 yr old little sister who LOVES it ..and is successfully potty training using Disney day trips as "bribes" ( no..M & M's didn't work) We go about 2-3 times per month for a day..and a long 8 day trip in May.

Last Saturday, My girl was just down and out and said " I just don't like it all as much as I used to" * - ( we talked and she ended up having fun with her goof ball dad)

When we came home - I started thinking more, yeah..I can understand that. She's 11..and has to trudge along. We try to get everyone to have a special thing to do..but..I can understand her.


SOOO - we had a brainstorm and here are the results. Basis- I know she LOVES to take pics and loves to work in my Photoshop elements.

1) pick 1 "land" "section" "area" to focus on - cover it all
2) Everyone "must" eat within the "land" of that day
3) Older daughter will have $5-8 to buy her meal - ( This gives her more freedom - she's very picky...its a way for her not to be forced to eat Mexican)

4) We Just ordered the Sony H5 for our family camera ! ( I am SOOO excited we have researched for weeks) I will inherit the old one..and we ordered a CoolPix L6 for her.

5) she can take as many photos as she likes -

At the end of the day - we will have a contest - not against each other..but everyone will vote on the persons "best shot" of the day. The best shots will get printed and we can hang the themed "best shot "pics

She can also print the others ( thank god Costco is cheap and she can start scrap booking.

She is excited and I hope this will help her to enjoy her day and focus on working with her camera and looking for the "perfect shot" and that it will develop into a really great hobby for the family. She loves taking pictures..but film was just a waste, we would barely make it down to develop it.

THE question - Do you know of any really good photography guides for kids? She LOVES to read and the camera we ordered isn't anywhere near top of line ..but it does have nice functions and still can be a point and shoot.
( important to me was that it could "just" be a point and shoot...and still have the room to grow and develop interest in working the camera. She is still a kid though - $119 for a camera is enough)

I am looking for stuff that explains photography..from camera to setting up a shot to colors and balance, Iso ect... in a very kid friendly format. Is this asking too much? My husband and I are just learning beyond the basics as well..so this will truly be the family learning together.

Thank you for any input.

We'll let you know how the next adventure to the world goes.

 

[AbbysFamily]

Start with the web.. Many no cost options exist. Since you specifally talked about photoshop, look for the Adobe Digital Kids Club. They have a big set of lessons/activities. Disney would be a fun place to try and do some of these.

As for a book on 'how to take pictures', I can't help too much. However, with a P&S, I would think that letting them work out their own views would be better than a 'how to compose perfect' answer.

Children have their own unique vision. I love the 'random' pictures my 7yo takes . She often captures things in a way I wouldn't see.

Good luck. Since she already enjoys pictures and photoshop, she may already be on the path to either a career or a life-long joy. (My dad had a darkroom when I was a kid, and I 'got the bug' from there.)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Mom, you are a genius.

This is a good one to start with: http://www.amazon.com/KODAK-Most-Basic-Digital-Photography/dp/1579907628

 

[Lachesis00]

Good luck! What a fun family project!

 

[jann1033]

very good idea!

photoguide book for kids, also a web site if you let her go online
http://www.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...alx-jeb-7-1_book_2554649_4?tag2=amd-google-20

 

[amid chaos]

Great ideas!

You could also have a hidden mickey contest..see who can get the most, best, or unusual hidden mickey.

 

[tinksdad]

What a GREAT idea!! I think your DD will be converted totally into wanting to go back again and again!! There are soooooo many photo opportunities that on a normal trip for us "out of towners" that we can't get it all in!!


Frankly, I'm jealous.......

 

[issa]

Thank you all for your kudos and support

I let her have our old camera today after school to get the basics down. She had a blast in the backyard with our dog and 3 yr old. She shot a series a pictures she is going to make into comic book page with captions.

She is actually excited to go to disney on our next trip

Thanks so much for the betterphoto link. She was knee deep in it tonight and it was just good to see her so excited.

I'll update with some "best photo" shots after our next visit

 

[Gdad]

Great idea- my kids are younger but I will have to keep this in mind.

PS- Your daughter sounds extremely creative.

 

[makinorlando]

Thank you all for your kudos and support

I let her have our old camera today after school to get the basics down. She had a blast in the backyard with our dog and 3 yr old. She shot a series a pictures she is going to make into comic book page with captions.

She is actually excited to go to disney on our next trip

Thanks so much for the betterphoto link. She was knee deep in it tonight and it was just good to see her so excited.

I'll update with some "best photo" shots after our next visit

Something that Tara (she will be 10 on Sunday) and I have started to do with our frequent trips to the parks (we too have APs and with the exception of the past two months spend at least one day a weekend in a park)

We will pick a few "subjects" and then look for them in the park we are in - usually a color and a letter that the subject needs to start with, or just a color theme, etc. She loves to try and find the things before me.

As someone else suggested she also likes to hunt for Hidden Mickeys and is pretty good at it.

She will normally just use her cell phone camera to snap the photo when she sees something - she likes to travel light and does not want to worry about carrying too much stuff! Over the next few months I am going to see if she wants to start using the P&S to take photos that she can start scrapbooking. I made a little scrapbook from her birthday party this past weekend for her and her three friends of photos from the day and the girls really loved it - she had fun helping me put it together.

I am going to suggest she make a video the next time we go - we have not done that yet - I normally don't take the video camera with us to the parks - but she does love creating movies at home.

I hope you and your family have many many more enjoyable and memorable visits!

 

[carolina_yankee]

I love the ideas you've worked up with your daughter - if my folks had done that with me (and we had digital cameras back in the dark ages of the '70s - I'd be a much better photographer now.

Kids have such a great eye and soak of knowledge very quickly when it interests them. I would recommend Bryan Peterson's book "Learning to see creatively" here at Amazon. He has a good style that isn't snooty, but is still very comprehensive.

His other major book, Understanding Exposure, is the bible for many people on learning how to make the best use of light, aperture, and shutter speed (and he's a fan of natural light), but if your daughter's camera won't let her adjust those feature, it just might make her frustrated.

Perhaps you'll share some of the photo competition shots here?

Dirk

 

[lovesdumbo]

Great idea!

Maybe she would get some ideas by viewing all the great photos here on this board and on the theme parks boards.

 

[issa]

I have told her about the boards here and she was even poking around on the scrapbooking board ( really excited about that too.....I have a feeling this will cost me )

She has checked out the betterphoto for kids section as well. I also downloaded the instruction manual for the camera she will be using, she'll probrably only use the basic manual for now.

Ordered some books, and now we wait

 

[jann1033]

uhh if she wants to really get into photography and wants a dslr that will make scrapbooking cheap in comparison oh well what we won't do for our kiddies

 

[issa]

 

[BethanyF]

I have told her about the boards here and she was even poking around on the scrapbooking board ( really excited about that too.....I have a feeling this will cost me )

If she has already read photography specific books on taking photos; maybe get one of the special issues from a scrapbook magazine on taking photos for scrapbooks.
And if she likes playing with digital editing, maybe she would like digital scrapbooking (again, check the magazines, there are a lot geared just toward digital scrapping)

 

[boBQuincy]

To help "keep the magic alive" maybe a "script" for a scrapbook page would be fun, a guidline to help focus (pun intended) the activities.

a background - an overall photo of the attraction or area
a sign - to help "place" the scene
a close-up detail of the attraction
an action photo - maybe some motion blur
people (that's one I often forget)

Once back home the elements can be arranged onto the page and some journaling can be added.

 

[Michele]

Another scrapbook idea to use for taking pictures would be to make an ABC book of Disney. It would be kind of like a treasure hunt, looking for things that start with certain letters.

I love all these ideas and I agree, let her check out this forum and post pictures in our weekly photo contests.

 

[issa]

I love the scrap book ideas ! Thank you all so much! I have never done scrapbooking but we're going shopping this weekend to get her the basics. In explaining it...I have mentioned that people get things "on sale" and think of creative ways to use them..papers , bows, writing , coloring and stickers... Laying them out so that it creates a themed page. So she's anxious to start sale hunting.

Lets hope the the "on sale" tag sticks ( I can dream)

I was showing her some of the weekly contests and she seemed..quite interested

Thanks again everyone.

Btw - does anyone have any kids that are currently on the boards/post pictures?

 

[WeLoveNemo]

Good Luck! My "tween" and I had the most fun after our return when creating a slideshow of her pouts and sneers during out last trip. (I photographed them all for evidence one day!). I find, left to their own devices, children take the best pictures from a whole new and refreshing perspective. See the parks through her eyes and enjoy.