Children usually love to get their pictures taken, but some are very camera-shy, even as small children. These children are sometimes naturals for being behind the camera instead of in front of one. And some children will be thrilled to be in either place! It all depends on the child. If the child is shy about getting his or her picture taken, let that child hold the camera and take a picture of you. Then you can turn around and take one of him or her.

We have several grandchildren, from the ages of four to sixteen. The older children are almost as camera-shy as the youngest ones, but all know that Grandpa wants pictures. Of course, they know that Grandma wants them, too, but they will do more for Grandpa than they will do for me. So if they start to try to get out of the picture-taking, we gently remind them that Grandpa wants their picture, and most of them are more than willing to pose. And after they all pose, sometimes one or two of them will ask that one of us take a picture of them with their cameras.

But the littlest ones, especially, are the ones who love to take pictures, themselves. Their moms have started giving them the cheap cameras for their own, and sometimes they get very good pictures. They are learning how to hold the camera steady, ask the subject to smile, and click the picture without wobbling the camera. These are all things that any photographer needs to know. They are also learning to tell their subjects that they want them to sit a particular way or in a particular place.

At Christmas, one of our granddaughters wanted me to pose, and she reminded me to smile. I gave her a big toothy grin, and she dropped the hand with the camera, put her other hand on her hip, and told me that I wasn't doing it right! So I asked her how I was supposed to do it, and she showed me-and I quickly snapped her picture!

Their pictures are shown, too, when they are developed. And they have a place to keep them. I think it will be something that they will treasure for the rest of their lives, especially as they see the development of their skills as photographers. Who knows? One of them may eventually become the next world-famous photographer!

Learn more about this author, Barbara A. Black.
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