So easy a 9 year old can do it.

HockeyDad · 08-05-2013, 11:33 AM - **1 Like**

Recently I took my 9 year old to a local Corvette show. I walked around with my K-30 with the DA10-17 mounted to play with fisheye car photos. I managed to get a few I liked, but I digress... When I got my K-30, the intent was to sell my 1st DSLR, the K-r. However, it seems my 9 year old has taken an interest and even started asking, "Dad, is my camera in the bag too?". How do you like that? "MY CAMERA"?!? Well, after gently reminding him that it is still my camera until he can afford to buy it from me (I'll make him a good deal), the answer is now almost always yes.

Anyway, after making a short story long, I'm pretty certain he is the more talented photographer between us. Here's a few he snapped from the show using the K-r and a Tamron 18-250mm.

...and I think he might be a budding street photog too

P.S. mattt, if you stumble on this thread, I never even told him your rule

**jatrax** · 08-05-2013, 11:38 AM

kid has a phenomenal eye for that age. You should nourish that, he has a lot of potential.

wish my kids had taken an interest.....

JinDesu · 08-05-2013, 11:42 AM - **2 Likes**

I claim unfairness in that he's short and therefore can get better low angle shots than we can!

Very remarkable shots

Takumar55 · 08-05-2013, 12:01 PM

Those are fantastic. I'm curious - did he use automatic mode and autofocus, or is he also making his own manual adjustments?

Wired · 08-05-2013, 12:05 PM - **1 Like**

I know exactly what you mean. My niece has been borrowing my K5 since she was 9. For Christmas last year I gave her my old K100D with kit lens and AF220t flash. I've been impressed with her work.

Amazing how the child's eye works for photography.

She's also stubborn and only uses manual focus and manual modes because she doesn't trust the cameras decisions.

HockeyDad · 08-05-2013, 12:57 PM

Thanks everyone, I'll pass on your comments!

Originally posted by JinDesu

he's short and therefore can get better low angle shots than we can

Absolutely!

Originally posted by Takumar55

did he use automatic mode and autofocus

Originally posted by Wired

She's also stubborn and only uses manual focus and manual modes because she doesn't trust the cameras decisions.

No, I used to leave it in P mode for him but recently have switched to AV mode with the ISO capped at 3200. I explained how aperture impacts the image as well as the decisions the camera makes. He learned a hard lesson in that the other day on a nature walk, he was on my shoulders shooting some deer in the tall grass and the shots came out blurred from camera shake. Turns out, he had bumped the thumbwheel and ended up at F/22 so the shutter slowed to 1/3 or so... I also explained that F/8 is nice and sharp and pretty forgiving so he defaults to that unless he's trying for something special.

Oh, and he uses center-point autofocus but I showed him how to focus and recompose.

**jatrax** · 08-05-2013, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by Wired

Amazing how the child's eye works for photography.

Less to unlearn maybe? But they do see the world differently.

I read somewhere that for a child everything is 'new' and as we get older our brain screens out things that it already knows about so that we don't even notice them anymore. Hmmm, maybe I can use that the next time my wife says I didn't hear her.......

Eulogy · 08-05-2013, 01:10 PM

Nice, I remember taking some rather interesting photos when I was younger. That said, I never had an SLR to work with.

Kids just see things as "Why not take a picture and see what happens?"

Adults see it as "Okay, I need to frame it like this, or else that will be in the background"

**jatrax** · 08-05-2013, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by Eulogy

Adults see it as "Okay, I need to frame it like this, or else that will be in the background"

I don't know but it looks like this particular kid had his backgrounds all figured out. Natural instinct or conscious thought I've no idea, but that's a very good eye.

To the OP: do you have a fair in your county, with a photography contest? Might be a way to get him interested in showing his work. And you should be thinking about archiving those shots for him so he has them later in life.

Wired · 08-05-2013, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by jatrax

Less to unlearn maybe? But they do see the world differently.

I read somewhere that for a child everything is 'new' and as we get older our brain screens out things that it already knows about so that we don't even notice them anymore. Hmmm, maybe I can use that the next time my wife says I didn't hear her.......

There was a conference I attended last year that spoke about the child's ability to see the world differently vs grownups. We had to build this tower out of spaghetti and string to hold up a marshmallow. the current record is held by a grade 4 class. They put an extra 3 feet over a group of architects.

Beautiful things the innocent mind.

HockeyDad · 08-05-2013, 08:17 PM

Completely agree with all the comments on kids having a naïveté about them that helps them see the world through fresh eyes. He has been playing around with the K-r for a few months now and I haven't said word 1 to him about what to shoot or how to compose it. Heck, I'm a newbie so who am I to teach that stuff anyway. I have simply shared a little technical knowledge so he can learn to manipulate the tool to achieve his vision. It has been wonderful seeing the family photos he has taken at birthdays and such as well as one wedding. Looking forward to the Woodward Dream Cruise to see what he comes away with.

fakerz · 08-06-2013, 08:24 PM

Great clarity! I supposed i picked the right body to buy right

**Genobreaker** · 08-07-2013, 08:56 AM

D*** those are good shots.

andreas_johansson · 08-12-2013, 03:59 AM

Fantastic photos (I have a K-r too)

08-05-2013, 11:33 AM - 1 Like	#1
HockeyDad Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 482	So easy a 9 year old can do it. Recently I took my 9 year old to a local Corvette show. I walked around with my K-30 with the DA10-17 mounted to play with fisheye car photos. I managed to get a few I liked, but I digress... When I got my K-30, the intent was to sell my 1st DSLR, the K-r. However, it seems my 9 year old has taken an interest and even started asking, "Dad, is my camera in the bag too?". How do you like that? "MY CAMERA"?!? Well, after gently reminding him that it is still my camera until he can afford to buy it from me (I'll make him a good deal), the answer is now almost always yes. Anyway, after making a short story long, I'm pretty certain he is the more talented photographer between us. Here's a few he snapped from the show using the K-r and a Tamron 18-250mm. ...and I think he might be a budding street photog too P.S. mattt, if you stumble on this thread, I never even told him your rule

08-05-2013, 12:57 PM	#6
HockeyDad Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 482 Original Poster	Thanks everyone, I'll pass on your comments! Originally posted by JinDesu he's short and therefore can get better low angle shots than we can Absolutely! Originally posted by Takumar55 did he use automatic mode and autofocus Originally posted by Wired She's also stubborn and only uses manual focus and manual modes because she doesn't trust the cameras decisions. No, I used to leave it in P mode for him but recently have switched to AV mode with the ISO capped at 3200. I explained how aperture impacts the image as well as the decisions the camera makes. He learned a hard lesson in that the other day on a nature walk, he was on my shoulders shooting some deer in the tall grass and the shots came out blurred from camera shake. Turns out, he had bumped the thumbwheel and ended up at F/22 so the shutter slowed to 1/3 or so... I also explained that F/8 is nice and sharp and pretty forgiving so he defaults to that unless he's trying for something special. Oh, and he uses center-point autofocus but I showed him how to focus and recompose. Last edited by HockeyDad; 08-05-2013 at 01:03 PM.

08-06-2013, 08:24 PM	#12
fakerz New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	WOW Great clarity! I supposed i picked the right body to buy right

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08-05-2013, 11:38 AM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	kid has a phenomenal eye for that age. You should nourish that, he has a lot of potential. wish my kids had taken an interest.....

08-05-2013, 11:42 AM - 2 Likes	#3
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	I claim unfairness in that he's short and therefore can get better low angle shots than we can! Very remarkable shots

08-05-2013, 12:01 PM	#4
Takumar55 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 120	Those are fantastic. I'm curious - did he use automatic mode and autofocus, or is he also making his own manual adjustments?

08-05-2013, 12:05 PM - 1 Like	#5
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519	I know exactly what you mean. My niece has been borrowing my K5 since she was 9. For Christmas last year I gave her my old K100D with kit lens and AF220t flash. I've been impressed with her work. Amazing how the child's eye works for photography. She's also stubborn and only uses manual focus and manual modes because she doesn't trust the cameras decisions.

08-05-2013, 12:59 PM	#7
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by Wired Amazing how the child's eye works for photography. Less to unlearn maybe? But they do see the world differently. I read somewhere that for a child everything is 'new' and as we get older our brain screens out things that it already knows about so that we don't even notice them anymore. Hmmm, maybe I can use that the next time my wife says I didn't hear her.......

08-05-2013, 01:10 PM	#8
Eulogy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick Photos: Gallery Posts: 632	Nice, I remember taking some rather interesting photos when I was younger. That said, I never had an SLR to work with. Kids just see things as "Why not take a picture and see what happens?" Adults see it as "Okay, I need to frame it like this, or else that will be in the background"

08-05-2013, 01:29 PM	#9
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by Eulogy Adults see it as "Okay, I need to frame it like this, or else that will be in the background" I don't know but it looks like this particular kid had his backgrounds all figured out. Natural instinct or conscious thought I've no idea, but that's a very good eye. To the OP: do you have a fair in your county, with a photography contest? Might be a way to get him interested in showing his work. And you should be thinking about archiving those shots for him so he has them later in life.

08-05-2013, 06:10 PM	#10
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519	Originally posted by jatrax Less to unlearn maybe? But they do see the world differently. I read somewhere that for a child everything is 'new' and as we get older our brain screens out things that it already knows about so that we don't even notice them anymore. Hmmm, maybe I can use that the next time my wife says I didn't hear her....... There was a conference I attended last year that spoke about the child's ability to see the world differently vs grownups. We had to build this tower out of spaghetti and string to hold up a marshmallow. the current record is held by a grade 4 class. They put an extra 3 feet over a group of architects. Beautiful things the innocent mind.

08-05-2013, 08:17 PM	#11
HockeyDad Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 482 Original Poster	Completely agree with all the comments on kids having a naïveté about them that helps them see the world through fresh eyes. He has been playing around with the K-r for a few months now and I haven't said word 1 to him about what to shoot or how to compose it. Heck, I'm a newbie so who am I to teach that stuff anyway. I have simply shared a little technical knowledge so he can learn to manipulate the tool to achieve his vision. It has been wonderful seeing the family photos he has taken at birthdays and such as well as one wedding. Looking forward to the Woodward Dream Cruise to see what he comes away with.

08-07-2013, 08:56 AM	#13
Genobreaker Site Supporter Join Date: May 2013 Location: Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 135	D*** those are good shots.

08-12-2013, 03:59 AM	#14
andreas_johansson Inactive Account Join Date: Jun 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 13	Fantastic photos (I have a K-r too)