International Photography Contest for Kids

Do you like National Geographic Kids? They're holding a photography contest! Visit the Contest Page for the details like the rules and how to enter.

Here are some easy photo pointers to remember:

• Watch for things in the background. You don't want a telephone pole sticking out of somebody's head in their picture. Or a flower arrangement growing out of their ear. Look before you snap the photo and adjust where you are standing as needed for a clear picture.
  
• My Dad taught me to frame my pictures. If you're looking through a grove of trees use two tree trunks on either side of the picture to frame it in, maybe a branch on the top - what are you framing? Maybe a house, a mountain, your friend an interesting window. Be creative. Look for lines in the landscape, buildings, your surroundings to use as frames.
  
• Look for lines and patterns that draw you back toward the point of interest in the picture. Like the line between the grass and dirt of a flower bed bringing you toward a flower. The curve of a sidewalk, road or stairway curving into a photo rather than away from it. Someone's head tilted so they're leaning in toward the center of the photo.
  
• The rule of 3rds. Some cameras have a "tic tac toe" grid on them. Why? This is to help you organize your photo as you're taking it. Try and line things up on the grid. Try to capture a point of interest where the lines intersect. For example: Someone's eyes, the center of a flower, the land below a rainbow and where it begins to curve up could follow an intersection. I will try to post some examples.
• Horizon's... play with dividing up land, sky and whatever's in between look for a pattern in what you're working with.
• Digital cameras let you try more than one time to get the best photo. If you have something you really want a good photo of try 4-5 photos of the same thing then pick the best and toss the rest.
  

Good Luck (let me know how you do!)

Suzanne