Have your camera readily available wherever you are: at home, on a walk, when traveling.
2 - Make certain that your camera is "safe" at all times - out of reach of young hands.
Always keep it in its case or protective bag, away from sticky hands, until ready to be used.
3 - Make it a practice to grab your camera and "Point and Shoot" whenever any of the following catches your eye:
- An expression on your child's face
- A captivating body position he or she is in
- Interactions he/she is in with other children or adults
- Food that he/she likes, or doesn't
- Favorite Toys
- Pets
4 - Whenever possible "Point and Shoot" from a few different angles.
If you are at a distance from your subject, use your telephoto lens to zoom in.
When you are using your macro (close-up) setting make sure your lens is wide-open.
5 - Pay attention to what is catching the eye of your child, whatever age he or she is.
Again, pull out your camera, engage them in conversation and quietly "Point and Shoot" until they forget you have the camera.
6- If your child is of an age where he or she is talking, use the photos, once downloaded, to start conversations.
The child who still fits in your lap may enjoy describing the photographs as you both sit in front of a computer monitor.
Let him or her take the lead.
7 - Use the photos to expand imagination.
Ask questions.
In addition to what he/she may remember abut the scene, ask, "What else could be happening? Does it make you think of anything else?" 8 - Stay aware.
Everything can be a subject for your "Point and Shoot" - splattered cereal, spilled milk...
Look at the patterns.
Are there different colors? What textures do you see? 9 - Be prepared for your child to ask to use your camera.
Be open to this and gift him or her with his/her own camera when ready.
10 - View your camera as one of your best friends.
It can be your access to a brightened day.
When you get involved in looking at the colors, patterns and textures in the "messes", you will not stay upset for very long.
Even the mops or cloths for wiping up can take different shapes.
You may also have fun with your child visiting the photography and queries on my Photography and Transformation Blog - link below.
In exploring, you and your child might find some photos that inpsire quessing what the subjects were.
The two, or more, of you can also exercise your imaginations creating some of your own stories around the photographs you see there.
Then take off to do your own exploration with your cameras using them for new ways of seeing.