To Jack (Flashjack) -- Anika's photography... comments welcome.

[IzzieK]

OK, I cannot sleep because my DIL finally found Anika's pretend camera and extracted all of those photos she took for several days in a row, culminating to our trip to the Melbourne Zoo after instructing her what to do when she takes photos again the next day...I believe we have a budding photographer there so I think I better hash up and pretend I am better than her...

1 Samsung GT-15500 ISO 100 F2.7 SS 1/25 -- this was shot behind glass



2 Same camera, F2.7 ISO 50 SS 1/115 -- I think this is upside down... -- remember she is only 3 years old and has no idea of landscape nor portrait mode.



3 Little frog outside the frog collection enclosure -- she enjoyed this little one very much.



4 this one I have no idea where she got this. Somewhere along the trail? F2.7 ISO 50 SS 1/180



5 This is a funny one -- Pappops (Bill). My DIL showed her this one before sending it to me because she cropped Pappops' head. She said Pappops is too tall , doesn't fit her camera. Oh well...Bill had a laugh when he saw it...



OK...when she promised she will do better, she wasn't like me experimenting, she just did. No promises.I know it is a cellphone camera (2.8 mpx) but she really did better than the previous days of trips we did. What can I say? -- through the eyes of a child. Better than me with my D810, huh?

P.S. I did not alter nor did any editing to these images. They are as sent to me...upside down, right side up, who cares? She's three and that is the most important. Start 'em young...

Thanks for looking and any comments will be appreciated.

[Shadowman]

Nice series, shooting into those enclosures can be challenging. Love #5, next lesson zooming with your feet.

[Dave Humphries]

I am impressed at the colour accuracy and contrast range if you didn't fiddle with them Izzie.

Yes, it looks like she could be a photographer soon.

Perhaps now is the time for DIL to show her how turning the camera 'upright' would help tall people fit in

Made me smile - thanks, Dave

[James G]

Izzie, isn't Australia upside down?

Seriously though, it is amazing how children take to technology! It reminds me of an interesting observation some time back from a celebrity of 'our' vintage about the modern digital world. 'it is their world, the little peoples world, and we are strangers in it, feeling our way around, as they romp gleefully through it."

[flashback]

Izzie these are great! 'Through the eyes of a child...' This is great, getting to see the world the way a child does, no worry about rules, what other people will think, all those comments about 'crop this', 'crop that', 'if it were mine', 'it's not working for me'. This is pure, raw, unadulterated vision. Right now I would suggest giving Anika some books with photos (not books on how to make photos, just WITH photos). Let her look through them, see what if anything seeps in and if she can translate that into her photography. She's young enough to just have fun and if you start imposing all these rules it may suck the fun out of it for her (I know, for some people rules are more important than fun but we are talking photography and a three year old.)

#1 is an amazingly good shot given that it's through glass(?). It has more than a bit of a natural look to it. #2 cracks me up as it's the kind of photo my mom would have taken, maybe not upside down but definitely with a finger on the lens. #4 would any of us thought to take that photo from that perspective? #5 is just flat out funny, it's not her fault pappops head is missing, just too tall for her camera. Hard to defeat logic like that.

I think this is where vision and artistry originates, cultivate it and let it blossom. She could become a famous photographer some day. Cheers to Anika.

[Rita]

What a precious set of images Izzie and I love her thought patterns, especially why she cut Bills head off
Last summer we gave an old P&S camera to my 7 year old great niece. We went to the local lake where she
taught me a lesson. There is a lovely shot to be had of the lake but it is hard to get a good position. Even to
back up there are picnic tables in the way. Take a child with you and they find the solution.....just stand on top
of the table

[bnnrcn]

Hi Isabel, your thread made me smile The young lady seems promising !

[IzzieK]

Nice series, shooting into those enclosures can be challenging. Love #5, next lesson zooming with your feet.

I'll tell her mother...she had corrected her several times about the upside down cell phone...thing is, she remembered easily but her little body is so flexible, she will twist and turn until she get a shot.

Would you believe that after each shot, she remembers to press a button and the camera became a calculator? She does that each time...

Anyway, thanks for your comment...

[IzzieK]

I am impressed at the colour accuracy and contrast range if you didn't fiddle with them Izzie.

Yes, it looks like she could be a photographer soon.

Perhaps now is the time for DIL to show her how turning the camera 'upright' would help tall people fit in

Made me smile - thanks, Dave

I am glad you like her shots...no harsh comments for her? I am disappointed... Anyway, I honestly did not do anything to her shots at all, not even crop nor changed anything. It came as it was and uploaded as is. Thank you for indulging me and my family...

[IzzieK]

Izzie, isn't Australia upside down?

Nope! When you go over there, you will find everything is the right side up too...would you believe that???!!!

Seriously though, it is amazing how children take to technology! It reminds me of an interesting observation some time back from a celebrity of 'our' vintage about the modern digital world. 'it is their world, the little peoples world, and we are strangers in it, feeling our way around, as they romp gleefully through it."

And that I completely and totally agree. Thanks James...glad you like the way she did her job. Pretty good, huh?

[IzzieK]

Izzie these are great! 'Through the eyes of a child...' This is great, getting to see the world the way a child does, no worry about rules, what other people will think, all those comments about 'crop this', 'crop that', 'if it were mine', 'it's not working for me'. This is pure, raw, unadulterated vision. Right now I would suggest giving Anika some books with photos (not books on how to make photos, just WITH photos). Let her look through them, see what if anything seeps in and if she can translate that into her photography. She's young enough to just have fun and if you start imposing all these rules it may suck the fun out of it for her (I know, for some people rules are more important than fun but we are talking photography and a three year old.)

Thank you for noticing I dedicated this one to you because of your request. I am glad you are not disappointed. She was so fascinating to watch that it puts me to shame with my fiddling with my camera buttons.

#1 is an amazingly good shot given that it's through glass(?). It has more than a bit of a natural look to it. #2 cracks me up as it's the kind of photo my mom would have taken, maybe not upside down but definitely with a finger on the lens. #4 would any of us thought to take that photo from that perspective? #5 is just flat out funny, it's not her fault pappops head is missing, just too tall for her camera. Hard to defeat logic like that.

I think this is where vision and artistry originates, cultivate it and let it blossom. She could become a famous photographer some day. Cheers to Anika.

Let us hope so, Jack...then she can be a Dr. Princess/Photographer. She has always told everyone before that she is a princess, then this year she became a doctor, helped me put cream on my wounded knee and said, "Jesus will heal your wound, Nana." So I said to her, "And you will help Jesus heal my wound if you put that cream on my knee, OK?" You should had seen the glow of pride in her eyes...it was priceless! Her mother brought her up early to believe in God. With the atmosphere nowadays happening with some lawlessness, we will need people like her one day...just a thought...

No, I will not, nor her mother will not correct her at this stage as to how she uses her camera phone, just the upside and downside part of things. One day she will be able to work it out by herself...

Thank you Jack for the suggestion to upload her photos and the comments. It is very heartwarming...

[IzzieK]

What a precious set of images Izzie and I love her thought patterns, especially why she cut Bills head off
Last summer we gave an old P&S camera to my 7 year old great niece. We went to the local lake where she
taught me a lesson. There is a lovely shot to be had of the lake but it is hard to get a good position. Even to
back up there are picnic tables in the way. Take a child with you and they find the solution.....just stand on top
of the table

It has to be a child to think like that, Rita...that was a funny story and I am still laughing...I am sure we find gems in how children think. What we adults sometimes find hard to do, the kids can really give us some pointers many times...We just got to know how to relate to how they think...

You know, when I was young*er, I read somewhere that all children get to that part where they believe they have seen fairies or seen some things we don't see and it was not a make-belief for them. Then they grow up and adults tell them to stop it. And all the beautiful things they see disappeared too, just like that.

Anyway, thank you for your comment. I am glad you like the way she thinks.

[IzzieK]

Hi Isabel, your thread made me smile The young lady seems promising !

Thank you for your comment, Binnur. I hope she will not get off that interest in her even if it just turns out to be a hobby for her one day. She can easily follow instructions and doesn't forget them that quick and applies it even the next day just when you think her attention span is not that long at the time...I am glad she made you smile...

[rpcrowe]

I have a feeling that you have a budding photographer in your family. Seriously... IMO these images show some natural talent for a child of her age...

[IzzieK]

Thank you, Richard...she is more good at talking and reasoning...and of course her "concerts" where she sells tickets first. Her uncle and Bill were caught one night and her father said to the boys -- go get a drink first. It is going to be a long night... And her mother was assigned as "photographer".