4.3 Digital Photography and Children

1. Digital photography is a fantastic material for children to utilize for learning and exploration because it allows them to perceive their world from an entirely new lens--quite literally! While we may be constantly seeing the world around us, these long-standing experiences make us somewhat desensitized to our own perceptions and the manner in which our world is arranged. When young students begin to delve into digital photography, creating their works necessitates that they be aware of certain elements of "framing" (i.e. the things depicted within the frame of a photo) that will effectively bring the composition of our world back into the forefront of their perception. A great photo might utilize depth, light/shadow, focus, angling, and a variety of other techniques which would serve to heighten a child's critical eye, and re-sensitize them to the beauty of the natural world.
2. The process of digital photography also lends itself to mistakes, and greatly facilitates a child's ability to correct or perfect a work late into the creative process. As a opposed to traditional photography that is usually developed in a darkroom, and for the most part, developed to be the final product, digital photography is extremely fluid, and able to be greatly altered before the final product. Editing softwares, such as Adobe Photoshop, are not only fantastic tools to use for digital photographs, but they are also intrinsically linked to the medium, and as such, serve as an essential part of the creative process. A young child might be thrilled to explore the plethora of options available in Photoshop to see just how far technology can change a photo before it is presented as the final work. 
3. In terms of art education, digital photography is perfect for facilitating the artistic development of a child because there is no designated way to take a "correct" photograph. Whether it be for social media, professional, or personal use, we are all constantly taking pictures and using processes of digital photography, which makes us all digital photographers. Children are certainly included in this tally, and thus, they too do not have the shackles of "good creative work" or "bad creative work." This lack of boundaries is extremely congenial for their education, and it would certainly serve to foster their sense of confidence in exploration and risk-taking.