#62 Let's play photographer
At the end, there’s a horse.
Kids love to play. They’re princesses, pirates, superheroes, and sometimes even improbably gifted doctors who miraculously cure broken legs with a Band-Aid and a wooden spoon. But one thing they never seem to play is “photographer.” I’ve yet to see kids running around with a toy camera shouting, “Say cheeeeeeeese!” or, “Let’s go outside, it’s golden hour!” Why is that?
Photography is probably just too boring. There’s no action, no drama, no adventure. What’s thrilling about staring through the viewfinder of a camera, waiting for the sun to hit the perfect angle? Photography is basically a mix of technical mumbo-jumbo and endless waiting for the right light. There’s no running, no jumping, and certainly no making noise, three things kids excel at.
And let’s not forget, photography is all about subtlety, a concept completely lost on kids. Photographers aim to capture fleeting moments, freeze emotions and tell stories, all while blending seamlessly into the background.
Kids? They want to be the center of attention, loudly and immediately. A photographer prefers to creep into some bushes on a sunday morning to snap a candid shot of a joyful jogger.
Kids are likely to focus on whatever makes the loudest noise, and honestly, it’s better that way, camera gear is expensive.
Interestingly my kids did like to play photographer when they were little. When my son was 3 years old, Fisher-Price made a 35mm camera for kids. (This was before the digital age!). He really enjoyed taking his own photos and I loved seeing from his perspective. Later when my daughter was 3, we gave her one also. They both loved using their cameras and I cherish those photos today. - They quickly learned, even at that young age, that the film was to be used wisely. They couldn’t just snap away. When there wasn’t film in their cameras, they would pretend that there was and play photographer. - I think this developed a love of art and image for both of them. My 29 year old son is a film producer and photographer, and my 25 year old daughter is an artist and aspiring film maker. By the way, we still have those cameras!
I’ve yet to see kids running around with a toy camera shouting, “Say cheeeeeeeese!” or, “Let’s go outside, it’s golden hour!” Why is that? Too funny 🤣🤣🤣