How many times do you as a photographer get stuck to one place and use your zoom button to capture an image? The zoom button is pretty important. However, even more important is the ability to realise you can move your feet as well!
Even I sometimes get stuck in one place! Though since purchasing a fixed length lens that does not zoom I have got a lot better at placing myself.
A photo I captured of my son on a 50mm 1.4 fixed length lens.
Every lesson with my class I always make sure I build on the previous one, and this is very important with zooming. Just because we are learning the way to zoom in doesn’t mean that we should forget how to frame the image we want. Equally you should explain to your son or daughter that when you zoom in you can capture detail and the whole of an object may not be necessary in the frame.
With my class I initially worked on zooming with the use of their feet! I picked an object and asked them all to make sure that their camera was not zoomed in at all, then asked them all to make sure they could see the whole of the object with lots of space around it.
We then took three images. each time taking 2 steps closer to the object, altering nothing on the camera.
There were images taken by one of the boys in the class.
We then discussed what had happened to the object and which image was the best. For some of the children they had got too close on their last step forward to get the whole object in (but not necessarily got close enough for a detail shot).
This process of looking at the images on the computer or the back of the screen is of real importance on the way through this activity. This way your child will understand what is happening, and by discussing it, both of you will be able to ask questions to increase understanding.
Next try standing in one place; and using the same object use the zoom button.
You may need to show where this button is or explain how to use it. Start with the camera zoomed out as far as possible and try to get the whole of the object in the viewfinder, then zoom all the way as the camera will go, and take another picture and compare the two.
In class I just grabbed the nearest object!
Discuss with your child when you might be best to use the zoom button rather than your feet! Some ideas are:
Wildlife photography (so as not to scare the animals or birds)
Sport photography (when you are not allowed to get too close because of ropes and safety)
Up a tall building!!!!!! (I probably don’t need to explain that one!)
To take photos of people so they don’t realise (and you get a natural image)
See if your child can come up with any more?
Once the idea of zooming with the feet and the button has been established you can start to have some fun and get creative.
You will find that the moving of the feet and the zoom button happen together and your child will probably try to capture images with their lens 2cm from an object! Now is a good time to explain that this is not the best way to get a great image. In fact those teaching with DSLRs will need to explain how close you can actually get to an object before your lens will not focus automatically.
I remember how bemused I was when I first got my camera and it wouldn’t take images within a foot of an object; frustration and lack of understanding! It still makes me laugh when I lend my camera to adults who have never used a DSLR and they encounter the same thing. I see them trying to press the shutter release button and looking totally confused when it simply will not take a photo.
Last night I experienced 7 out of 8 of my class ending up with blurred or fuzzy images (with point and shoot cameras)when I asked them to take detail shots of hands, feet, eyes etc. It was a great opportunity for me to explain the importance of not getting to close! Most point and shoot cameras will take an image regardless of whether it is in focus, so just be aware of this!
Provide your child with a collection of objects or go for a walk and pick some objects as you walk to practise zooming. Suggest that they try to capture the whole object in the first image before capturing the small detail.
The images below were taken when I asked Megan to take a photo of both of the pumpkins, then to zoom in on an interesting bit for the detail shot.
Go and have fun with this one! I’d love to see any of your children’s images!
Feel free to post them on my Facebook business page with an explanation!