Thursday, October 23, 2008

Close up digital photography with kids


I had the privilege yesterday to work with a group of year 4/5/6 students at Ravensbourne School. We were looking at how to take close up photos. The photo above is one of the results of our session taken by Alisha, a year 4 student and I think it is amazing! We talked about how to take a close up using the macro function, we talked about angle and lighting.

I took a group of 10 students and taught them these elements of photography and they then went out and took some photos and shared back with each other. Five students then paired up with a new five students and taught them everything they knew. We did this until everyone in the class had learnt how to use the camera to take quality close up shots. I stood back in wonder as the students did such a good job at teaching each other and the excitement built over every creative shot taken. There was no silliness, no silly photos, just students whose world view had been narrowed! I say narrowed because they began peering around the school yard looking for small things of interest. A great cry went up when it was noted that small green clusters of leaves had small droplets of water inside which glistened in the sun!

It is a privilege to be a part of a child's learning. To share the excitement of new knowledge. To discover a world that went unseen before we, as teachers, opened the door to help students see.

I love my job.

3 comments:

inneskennard said...

Jane
From another who loves his job who like the caterpillar is about to give it up to become a butterfly. Loved your post on macro photography - experienced a similar high earlier this year. Then moved the students on to using a DinoLite portable microscope to get in really close - Imagine the excitement when the kids found a germinating acorn (the newest oak in the world) and then found almost invisible insects inside the acorn - Amazing and humbling.

Innes

Mr Lietze said...

An inspiring lesson for Teachers and students - thanks for sharing Jane.

It makes me think about doing a "Macro" lesson joined alongside your "micro" lesson...hmmmm...

Jane Nicholls said...

Innes, isn't it amazing the things we can do with kids in the classroom now! How we can indulge their curiosity and truly teach in a different way because of technology.

Jamin, looking forward to seeing your pictures on your blog. You got me thinking, why is the 'macro' function on the camera the one used for taking close ups? You are right, it should be called 'micro'!