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Photography Tips for Kids

Inspire Young Minds with Fun Photography Tips for Kids

Welcome to our kid-friendly photography guide—where creativity meets the camera! Whether your child is just starting out or already loves snapping photos, our expert advice makes learning photography fun, easy, and inspiring. Packed with hands-on tips, beginner-friendly techniques, and exciting project ideas, this guide helps kids of all ages explore the art of taking great pictures. Discover how to turn everyday moments into photo masterpieces while building confidence and creativity behind the lens.

 

Here are fun and practical photography tips for kids, whether they’re using a phone, tablet, or digital camera. These are suitable for ages 5–14, and great for sparking creativity, observation, and storytelling.

Top Photography Tips for Kids

1. Hold the Camera Still

• Use both hands and keep your elbows tucked in.
• Or, rest the camera on a table, bench, or wall for extra stability.

 

2. Look Carefully Before You Shoot

• Ask: What’s interesting about what you see?
• Take a moment to notice colours, shapes, shadows, or patterns.

 

3. Fill the Frame

• Get closer to your subject to avoid too much background.
• Make the subject the main focus of the image.

 

4. Try the Rule of Thirds

• Imagine the screen is divided into 9 squares (like a tic-tac-toe grid).
• Place important things on the lines or where they cross.

 

5. Experiment with Angles

• Try taking photos from:
  • Above (bird’s-eye view)
  • Below (worm’s-eye view)
  • Very close-up (macro)
• This makes photos more interesting and dramatic.

 

6. Use Natural Light

• Outdoor light is best—especially early morning or late afternoon (golden hour).
• Avoid using flash if you can—it can make photos look flat or harsh.

 

7. Tell a Story

• Try a photo series: your morning routine, a nature walk, or making a sandwich.
• Think beginning → middle → end.

 

8. Capture Emotions and Moments

• Ask a sibling or friend to jump, laugh, or make a silly face.
• Candid shots (not posed) often turn out the best.

 

9. Look for Patterns and Reflections

• Tiles, fences, water, and mirrors make great photo subjects.
• Use puddles, windows, or even spoons for cool reflections!

 

10. Edit with Care

• Use simple tools to crop, brighten, or add contrast.
• Free apps like Snapseed, Lightroom Mobile, or built-in phone editors are great.

🎯 Photo Challenge Ideas for Kids

• 🐾 Nature scavenger hunt: Take photos of something green, something rough, something tiny, etc.
• 📦 Macro magic: Use a magnifying glass to shoot textures up close.
• 😊 Faces in places: Find objects that look like faces (doors, plugs, clouds).
• 🌈 Colour hunt: Take one photo for each colour of the rainbow.
• 📖 Photo story: Make a photo comic or picture book.

🧰 Beginner Gear Tips

• Start with any phone or tablet camera—they’re great for kids.
• If using a compact digital camera, choose one with simple auto mode.
• A tripod or gorillapod helps for still shots or videos.
• Consider kid-friendly cameras like:
  • VTech Kidizoom (ages 3–7)
  • Instax Mini / Polaroid Now (instant cameras for tweens)

🧒 Photography Safety Tips for Kids

• Always ask permission before photographing people.
• Be careful near roads, water, or animals.
• Keep devices secure with a strap or case.
• Ask an adult before sharing images online.

 

 

Other online photography resources: 

• The BBC Countryfile website have compiled their top ten tips for photographing wild birds

• The excellent National Geographic Kids website has some great accessible tips aimed specifically at young budding photographers

• The Huffington Post has some great ideas for parents on how to encourage a love and interest in photography

• This BBC news article details how it is possible to engage with nature photography even during isolation

• Little London magazine have written a piece giving advice on photography for kids

• The Kids Camera Guide blog gives a great overview of everything a child beginning their journey in photography might want to know including useful terms, tasks as well as equipment recommendations if you wish to invest in it at a higher level

• Photography Concentrate has a guide that is not specifically aimed at children but gives some great insight and information specifically about smartphone photography

 

Photography projects

• Digital Camera World has a series of tutorials detailing 12 photo projects to try indoors

• Amateur Photographer magazine has devised their own list of tasks that can be completed at home

• Tech Radar have put together a list of 52 photography projects, each one to try out a new photography technique

• Click It Up A Notch has a list of photographic activities for kids that can also be incorporated into a 30 day challenge

 

Courses with a charge

• Established online education provider Udemy have created a kids beginner online photography course that can be done at your child's own pace

• Sharp Shots Photo Club provide a number of different photography courses for kids for the price of £50

 

Here’s a fun and simple 30-Day Photo Challenge for Kids, perfect for phones, tablets, or cameras! It encourages creativity, observation, storytelling, and a little bit of daily routine. Suitable for ages 6–14 (with or without adult support).

📸 30-Day Photo Challenge for Kids

Day	Prompt	Idea/Tip
1	Your Favourite Toy	Set it up like it’s the star of a movie
2	Something Tiny	Zoom in close or use a magnifying glass
3	Something Blue	Find as many shades as you can
4	A Silly Face	Ask someone to make a goofy face — or take a selfie
5	A Shadow	Look outside in the morning or late afternoon
6	Your Shoes	Try different angles — above, below, even while walking
7	Nature Up Close	Zoom in on a flower, leaf, or bug
8	A Reflection	Use a mirror, puddle, or shiny spoon
9	Something Round	Hunt for circles indoors or outside
10	Animal Friend	A pet, bug, bird, or even a stuffed animal
11	Your Breakfast	Try a top-down “flat lay” like a food blogger
12	Something Old	A wrinkled hand, worn shoes, or an antique item
13	Your Favourite Place	Indoors or outdoors — what makes it special?
14	Something That Makes You Laugh	Capture a silly object, moment, or meme
15	A Close-Up of Texture	Rock, carpet, tree bark — zoom in!
16	Something That Starts with “S”	Could be sun, scissors, or sandwich
17	A Colour Explosion	Find a colourful scene or arrange objects by colour
18	A Picture with No People	Focus on objects or scenery only
19	A Book You Love	Bonus: stage a scene from the story
20	Sky Shot	Look up: cloudy, sunny, stars or sunset
21	A Smile	Capture someone grinning (with permission!)
22	Something You Built	LEGO, sandcastle, or blanket fort
23	Your Reflection in Something Weird	Spoon, sunglasses, puddle, or window
24	Something Green	Plants, toys, clothes — anything!
25	Letters or Words	Take a photo of signs, book titles, or handwritten notes
26	A Favourite Snack	Bonus: show it before and after it’s eaten!
27	A Doorway	From the inside or outside — try framing your shot
28	Something New You Tried	Could be food, skill, or activity
29	Shapes in Nature	Look for triangles, spirals, or patterns
30	Your Favourite Photo from the Month	Reflect and pick your top photo — why is it your favourite?

🎯 Optional Challenge Rules:

• Take one photo per day — don’t worry about perfection!
• Use natural light when possible.
• Keep your photos in a folder or printed into a mini photo album.
• Share them (safely) with friends or family — or create a slideshow!