While on a recent year 9 school camp out in the bush (about 400km north-north-east of Perth),l I was asked to run a quick photography lesson. The intention was to give the students some photography tips before they spent some time shooting photos for a photography competition.

bushwalking

Mount Edon, Western Australia

I had prepared some brief notes before-hand, and thought it would be worthwhile posting them here on my blog. I started by talking through a number of photography rules.

a student taking a photo
Warrdagga Rock, Ninghan Station, Western Australia
1. There are exceptions to every rule.
   I'm sure most of you have heard about the rule of thirds and numerous other photography rules. Remember that these are only guidelines - they are not rigid rules that you must adhere to. There are certainly situations where you can break these rules.
2. It's not about the gear.
   Having better / more expensive camera gear doesn't necessarily mean your photos will be better. Know how to use your gear, and understand the various settings, including all the modes. Know the limitations of your gear, such as the minimum focus distance, maximum ISO you can use before you get too much noise, maximum aperture your lens supports, etc.
3. It's all about the light.
   Photography is all about capturing the way the light falls on something, so learn to appreciate shadows and direction of lighting. The time of the day is also important, as it has a big impact on the lighting. The golden hour is the first and last hour of sunlight in a day, and the blue hour is the time of twilight in the morning and at night - both great times for photography.
4. Don't share all your photos - share your good photos.
   Only share your good photos. Don't share too many photos of the same thing, and cull out the bad photos first. People aren't interested in seeing 50 photos of the same thing!
5. Print more photos.
   In this digital age, people don't print enough of their photos, and only look at them on the screen. Take the time to print some of your photos and hang them on your fridge or make a photo board. Make a photo book of your photos from a holiday or trip.
6. Take more photos.
   The best way to improve your photography is to take more photos. Carry a camera with you, and make a point of using it.
7. Try different angles.
   Too often people only shoot from eye height while standing. Vary your viewpoint by getting down low, get up high and shoot down, get closer, etc.
8. Be aware of the background.
   Always think about the background when taking a photo. It is not ideal to have a sign post growing out of the back of someone's head! If appropriate, use a large aperture to decrease your depth of field to blur the background.
9. Shoot silhouettes.
   When the sun is lower in the sky, try shooting silhouettes by getting the sun behind the object or person that you are photographing.
10. Take photos according to a theme.
    As a photography exercise, it can be worthwhile to try taking a series of photos that all adhere to a specific theme. For example, take photos of objects that are a specific colour, or look for a specific shape or pattern. Try only long exposures, or try only short exposures.
11. The best camera is the one that's with you.
    That's a saying attributed to well-known photographer Chase Jarvis, who emphasised the fact that if you have a camera with you, you are more likely to take photos of things that matter. (He created an iPhone app called "Best Camera", published a book of his iPhone photos, and created a website to allow people to share their iPhone photos.) In this modern age, many people have a capable camera built into the smart phone that in their pocket, and many people need to use it more than what they do!

unknown

Warrdagga Rock, Ninghan Station, Western Australia

I then followed up with some tips for photographing wildflowers.

• Think about the light source, light intensity, light direction, and shadows.
  Bright sunlight will cause harsh shadows, especially if it is directly overhead. An overcast day is great, as the clouds provide a soft diffuse light. If there are no clouds around, create your own shade on the item being photographed.
  

  Everlasting (Rhodanthe chlorocephala)

  Warrdagga Rock, Ninghan Station, Western Australia
• Watch your background.
  You do not want a bright background when photographing wildflowers. Ideally, you want a background that is darker than the flower, as it will help highlight the flower in the photo. Use a short depth of field to ensure only the flower is in focus, and everything in the background is out of focus.
• Watch your focus.
  It is important to get the right part of the flower in focus.
• Think about your viewpoint.
  Don't only photography flowers from above, looking down. Try getting right down on the ground, so you can shoot the flower from ground level.
• Know your gear.
  Know how your camera focuses, understand how to select different focus points, and know the minimum focus distance of your camera/lens.
• Watch the wind.
  Wind will blow flowers back and forth, and can make it challenging to get sharp photos. Use a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion, try blocking the wind, and take multiple photos.
• Leave no trace - take only photos, and leave only footprints.
  Watch where you step, to ensure you don't unnecessarily damage vegetation. Don't litter, but take your rubbish with you, and don't pick any wildflowers.

Last year, my oldest son Ashley won first prize in the "Plant and Animal Habitats" category for Years 4 to 7 of Chevron Australia's Focus Environment photography competition.

And earlier this week, we heard that he won in the student category in the Curtin University National Science Week photo competition, winning an Apple iPad 32GB Wifi as his prize.

Here is Ashley (aged 11) posing with the iPad that he won in the Curtin competition, displaying the winning photo on the iPad:

Ashley posing with his iPad and camera

Chevron Australia's FOCUS Environment Photographic and Caption Competition is once again open to all Western Australian school students in Years 4 to 12.

The competition encourages students to be aware of the world around them and to make a commitment to caring for the environment and safeguarding it for the future, and last year more than 900 entries were submitted.

There are three categories (see below) and three age categories:
        Years 4 - 7
        Years 8 - 10
        Years 11 - 12
Each photo entered must be accompanied by a 25-word caption that is taken into consideration during judging.

Chevron are putting $30,000 towards prizes, with first place prize winners receiving $200 for themselves and $1500 for their school, second place prize winners receiving $150 themselves and $1,000 for their schools, and highly commended students will win $50 each.

All entries must be submitted on-line, with upto two entries allowed in each category. The competition closes on Monday, 9th August, 2010.
Note that the competition is restricted to school students from Western Australia only.

My 10 year old son Ashley received a letter in the mail today, indicating he had won first prize in the "Plant and Animal Habitats" category for Years 4 to 7 of Chevron Australia's Focus Environment photography competition.

As can be expected, he was pretty excited about the win, and is looking forward to the presentation ceremony in October.

Here's his winning photo, taken in our back yard with one of my favourite lenses, the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens:

explorative spider

photo by Ashley, aged 10

back yard, Western Australia
Canon EOS 350D, 100mm f/2.8 macro @100mm, 1/125 sec, f/11, ISO200

Update (19 October 2009): We attended a presentation evening on 15 October, where Ashley received a certificate, and a cheque for $200, as well as $1500 for his school.
All the winning photos from the 2009 competition have now been published on Chevron's website, and the winning entries for each of the categories can be seen on these pages:
        People and the Environment
        Nature's Moods
        Plant and Animal Habitats

Having written recently about Getting Your Kids Started In Photography, here's a list of reasons why you should get your kids into photography.

Ashley (my 10 year old son)
Mandurah foreshore, Western Australia


1. Encourage Creativity
   
   Photography encourages a child's creativity by making them think about colours, composition, framing, light, depth-of-field, etc. The creativity is not just limited to the photography either, but also extends to how the child uses the photos they take. For example, photos can be used by the children for scrapbooking, making bookmarks, making cards, etc.
   
   
2. Keep Them Entertained
   
   Photography has the potential to keep children occupied for many hours. This includes the action of taking the photos, as well as post-processing, learning more about photography by reading, etc.
   
   
3. Get Them Outdoors
   
   Today's children often spend too much time indoors, behind the tv / computer / game console. Outdoor photography provides another reason for them to enjoy the outdoors, both close-to-home in your back yard, and the greater outdoors, in parks, forest, etc.
   
   
4. Share Your Passion
   
   As you're reading this photography blog, I assume you have at least a passing interest in photography yourself. Getting your kids into photography allows you to share your passion with them, as well as sharing your photography gear with them.
   
   
5. Photography is a Great Social Activity
   
   Photography can be a great social event, particularly if there are multiple photographers in the family. I regularly take my two older children (aged 8 and 10) on photography outings.
   I also have taken my children on a number of photowalks with other friends and colleagues.
   
   
6. Capture Memories
   
   Photography allows children to capture their own memories from their own viewpoint of significant events, such as birthdays, family outings, holidays, etc. These photos can mean a lot more to the children than just the photos taken by a parent, as the children will often see different things to photograph, and will see them in a different way.
   
   
7. Potential Source of Income
   
   In the longer term, photography can potentially provide some income to the child, either via micro-stock agencies, print-on-demand prints (such as redbubble.com), or by taking photos of events and people and selling prints. As the children's photography prowess improves, there may be opportunities for doing family/group photos of friends and family, and possibly also weddings of friends and family.
   
   
8. Photography Doesn't Have To Be Expensive
   
   You don't need to spend a lot of money to start your children in photography. A cheap new or second-hand point-n-shoot camera is all that's needed to get started. With digital cameras, the on-going costs are minimal, as there's no film-developing costs.
   
   
9. Photography Requires Less Manual Dexterity than Other Visual Arts
   
   Compared to other visual arts such, as painting and sculpture, photography depends least on manual dexterity, making it ideal for kids of all ages.
   
   
10. Photography Has No Age Boundaries
    
    There are no age limits for starting photography. Children of any age can enjoy it.

Nicholas (my 5 year old son), Mandurah foreshore, Western Australia

Having recently written about getting your kids started in photography, I decided to sit down with my 10 year old son Ashley, and my 8 year old daughter Michelle, and get some feedback from them about their thoughts on photography.
Here are the results.


Q. How long have you been taking photos?

10yo: Err...I don't know...from when I was about six or seven.

8yo: About two and a half years or something, when I was about six.


Q. How did you learn how to take photos?

10yo: My dad told me how to, and I just tried.

8yo: Dad taught me. He taught me how to hold the camera still, how to focus, and how to press the button.


Q. How complex was the first camera that you used?

10yo: I just needed to get used to it, and then it was pretty easy. Then other similar cameras are pretty easy to use.

8yo: It was pretty simple.

With technology continually advancing, digital cameras are becoming cheaper, with manufacturers packing more powerful electronics into smaller and cheaper cameras. I think it's fair to say that most households in western society would own one or more digital cameras.

Digital photography is great for children, because the ongoing costs are very low, compared to the costs of buying and processing film. When using a digital camera, children also get instant feedback, as they're able to see the photo they've just take on the LCD screen on the back of the camera.

Point Peron, Rockingham, Western Australia

I introduced my children to photography at a fairly young age, and in this post, I want to share some ideas and suggestions for getting your children into photography.