I'm a firm believer that every kid is an artist until they're told they aren't. Like any kid, mine are always up to something, whether it's building a village for their train set out of Legos, drawing dinosaurs, or taking the occasional photograph. For them, I think everything is an exploration into their own little world. It's awesome to watch, and I think it's important. I mean...what's life without an imagination?
When Holden (our oldest) was a year old, one of my good friends bought him his first camera: a little digital camera shrouded in rubber. It was basically indestructible, and what he captured with is was always entertaining. Life from three feet.
When he turned two, I gave him a 35mm camera to mess around with (since he had been using a camera half of his life). I had inherited it from somewhere, and felt it would be fun to have him tag along with me and try to get him thinking about taking only the good ones, as he only has 36 opportunities per roll, and Dad wasn't going to feed his camera too often.
"Frame 0029". George and laundry. 2011
"Frame 0047". First selfie. Dog chew toys and bassinet. 2011
"Frame 0077". Mismatch. Striped pajamas and socks. 2011
"Frame 0083". Red motorcycle abstract. 2011
"Frame 0162". First landscape. Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. 2011
A journey around Sprague Lake. Rocky Mountain National Park, age 2.
"Frame 0557". Hudson Baby. 2012
"Frame 1435". Energy. Cache la Poudre River, CO. 2012
"Frame 1436". Hudson camping. Cache la Poudre River, CO. 2012
"Frame 1746". Cattails in the fall. 2012
Somewhere in the Southwest, hard at work with the Holga in the back seat. 2012
Framing up the following image of Badwater Basin atop my tripod. 2012
Holden's first photograph of Death Valley. Looking to the south west at Badwater Basin, 2012. Age 2.
While composing this one, he so cutely shouted "Say cheese, mountains!". Panamint Range. Death Valley N.P. 2012.
Helping develop his first roll of film. March, 2013. Age 3.
Cedar Island Wildlife Refuge. 2015. Age 5.
At five years old, adventuring at Cedar Island with his binoculars and 35mm rangefinder. 2015.
The flag at Fort Macon. 2015.
While it's not as accessible as a blank sheet of paper and a pencil, photography's inherent limitations need a strategy, which build thought processes for preparing kids for whatever lies ahead...