National Geographic Photography Guide for Kids Book Review
64Yes, I’m writing a review on a book for kids, but first let me share some of my own picture history…
I used to own a Canon Rebel (SLR) camera. I loved it! It always took perfect pictures, but I never really learned to use all the functions. Then, I took 2000 pictures in two weeks… and sold my Canon to pay to develop all that film.
My next camera was a
digital, on a low budget. I’ve been relatively happy with my HP Photosmart R817.
I’ve had it five years; it’s been dropped a lot and it works great. For most
purposes, it takes great pictures too. But, this is not a review of my camera - it's a book review, so read on...
Last year, I started to study journalism. I love taking pictures, so I thought I would enjoy a class in photojournalism. I soon discovered that my little pocket sized digital camera had limits. I started to dream about owning an SLR again. The digital SLR market is out of my price range… but, this year, after a lot of research, and a gift of cash from Mom, I was able to get what’s called a ‘hybrid’. This camera has many of the features of an SLR without the price tag.
Now, I have to relearn how to take pictures. So, I started looking for photography books at our local library. I started in the children’s section because I wanted something basic and simple, that wouldn’t be too technical AND that I could read through quickly.
I checked out several, and found National Geographic
Photography Guide for Kids to be excellent. It includes lots of photographic
examples to show how different functions affect the picture to be taken. In 75
pages, it breaks down everything I learned from the college level text, and
explains it in a clear and succinct way. (No offense Mr. Linsenmayer – I learned
a ton from the field exercises you assigned). But, this book provides a full plate for information in bite size pieces.
This book is titled “for kids” and it is in the children’s section of the library, BUT, it is an excellent resource for adults too. It starts out with technical information about different types of cameras, lenses, and features; includes tips on composition, and framing; and ends with advice from National Geographic photographers.
If you or your child wants to know more about their camera, and how to take great pictures, I would recommend National Geographic Photography Guide for Kids as a first read. It will give you all the information you need to get started.
