For the last 3 weeks, Jon has been participating in a Summer Photography Camp put on by Jessica Sprague.

We start the week off with a delightful video.  Candice Stringham has done a great job on the video instruction!  She encouraged Jon to get started, and then sent him daily lessons.  We are now on Week 3 Day 2 of the Summer Photography Camp.  Videos are given once a week, Lessons are given every day, with a scavenger hunt set up for the weekends.

She gave us examples of different ways to photograph an object, showing the differences in photos that used these tools and those that didn’t.  Each tool builds – horizontal, horizon, vertical, focus, perspective, framing – as the lessons have progressed, so has Jon’s photography skills. Once he finishes the lesson, he is encouraged to head over to their online gallery, post his homework, and interact with students on the forums.

Jon hasn’t been interested in uploading the photos to the gallery – or interacting on the forums, so I didn’t push that past the 4th day or so.  Just let him see that they were available. He did/does enjoy looking at the gallery.

One thing that has been exciting – is that it has blended into our art studies.  We saw a picture of people in Ukraine that was posted to Facebook – I asked Jon to give me ways the photo could be improved – He quickly said – they could have moved the people into the window arches for a frame, moved the camera to capture the thirds a bit better, straightened the camera for the horizon line, and moved the point of focus to the left. YES! 

Learning how to take a photograph is simple. We all have point and shoot, auto make your picture come out fabulous settings, and talented kids.  But how do we teach them what makes a GREAT photo – what turns it into art? 

How many times have you uploaded your photos to find 50 of the dog sitting in front of a pile of clutter, focused right in the middle of the viewfinder with the perspective set straight on the dog’s nose?  Would you like to teach them how to take a moment, to position their own body, and the dog’s body to make a photo worthy of printing and putting on their dresser or night stand?

This has also helped our summer – given him a focus for the day, during our walks and activities, to find objects to photograph. 

We visited the most beautiful waterfall – full of flora and fauna – and this is his favorite topic above. Himself. Ha.  Bird’s Eye View.

He took about 6 photos of this stump in the lake. I could see that he was playing with thirds, horizon, focus and birds eye view. 

Worm’s Eye View/Bird’s Eye View, below, Vertical Lines and Framing with Lines – I could see that he took a few tries to get the lines straight, above I could see from the series of photos he took that he was trying to frame with leaves.

Photos taken on the dock/debris that swept ashore from the Japanese Tsunami in Newport.  Focus on the Ocean or Focus on his Brother.  (Our Photos of the Dock)

I am very happy to provide this review of our experience as a part of The Curriculum Choice for Jessica Sprague. We received a free pass to the camp in exchange for our honest sharing of our experience with you. If you are looking for a little daily activity this summer – I recommend the Summer Photography Camp for Kids!

Summer Photography Camp
for Kids 

Do you spend your summers listening to the sounds of video games and complaints of boredom? Would you like to find something fun and educational that will keep your children busy? Then this class is for you! …Or rather, for your children. JULY 9-27