How a photo challenge turned children into mini photographers
When people talk about doing a creative activity with children, they often think about crafts, painting and drawing. But what about photography? Can our little munchkins create surprising and artful photographs?
I totally believe so and that’s why I launched a Photo Challenge for Children last May, sharing my passion for photography while all children were stuck at home during the lockdown.
Inspiration
As a family photographer my goal was to inspire children and give them the opportunity to be creative in their own terms but with a clear brief.
Every day for 5 days, children were sent a video explaining the theme of the day supported with various examples including a feature of a famous photographer showing how they developed their work around that theme. It is never too early to learn about the established and worldwide-known artists.
For colour, we looked at Martin Parr’s incredible use of vivid colours, for nature, I presented Yann Arthus-Bertrand and his amazing areal photography and for self-portaits, Vivian Maier’s black & white photographs (found later after she died) were in focus.
The Photo Challenge
Plenty of children aged from 3 years-old up to 10 years-old took part in the challenge daily and shared their photo with the group, keeping each other stimulated. For each challenge a ‘Best Photo’ winner was chosen, which was often very hard to choose.
Kids responded so well to the challenge, I was truly amazed by their motivation and imagination. Children got really creative and enjoyed their first attempt at photography.
On the theme ‘A frame within a frame’, one participant took the powerful photo of the locked gate around her local playground; using the photography technique help this 10-year-old talk about the important subject that mattered to her at this moment in her life.
Watch this video showing the best from this kids photo challenge:
The feedback from some of the parents were so positive:
“We’ve loved doing your Photo Challenge this week.”
“It was a great challenge for them all week and they really got into it.”
And this helped me reviving the ‘photo mojo’ within me. Kids are brilliant for this, their energy is so communicative.
I may run another challenge like this one every year. To make sure you don’t miss it, just sign-up to my enewsletter so you can be notified.
Otherwise, follow my work on Instagram for some inspiration.
Marion & You Photography is a photographer in South London specialising in family, newborn and baby photography.
Marion specialises in London family photography, South East London family photography (Beckenham, Crystal Palace, Bromley, Dulwich, Forest Hill, Herne Hill, Greenwich), North London family photography (Islington, Hampstead, Kentish Town), East London family photography, South West London family photography, Kent family photography as well as areas in and around London.