I think this will be a fun thread. I thought I would throw this out there and see what everyone thinks...
- Neighbor wants to learn photography and wonders if I will teach her.
- I'm an experienced technical instructor, just need to decide what will work for her.
- Neighbor is a mom of foreign origin whose son is also in our scout troop.
- She eventually wants to buy some good equipment and learn to take good images.
I have plenty of equipment similar to most of the CR gang. My plan was to loan her a basic DSLR, (like a Rebel or a 30D) with a basic kit lens and flash along with a few good books and let her get her feet wet. Then loan another camera (like a 5Dc or something different), different lens, maybe a prime and let her experiment some more. Demonstrate the fact that she can get good pictures with any camera if she develops good technique, etc. Along the way answering questions and then teach more later after she is more familiar with what to ask.
Cart before the horse or the chicken and the egg: I think that many folks go out and buy a ton of gear, mess with it for a while and then get discouraged because it isn't what they expect. It isn't that fulfilling. My goal is to first see if she truly enjoys taking pictures before she invests in gear or gets turned off by trying to formally "learn" photography. Actually taking pictures is the most important part and often that is the part people learn they don't really prefer after all. Or, by actually taking pictures one tends to be motivated to learn on their own why or why not a picture worked and get the spark, the itch to keep going. One also starts to discover what kind of pictures they like to take and how they like to go about it. How many of us have said that if they could have known some period of time earlier what they knew later, how they would change their initial purchases, etc. By loaning her a camera for while, I hope to give her the ability to make a better purchase later that suits the style she develops.
So, what are the thoughts of CR members that have some experience with this scenario or teaching in general? Keep in mind that I'm not new to teaching but since this isn't an official classroom type thing, I figure I would try another approach. It's more of a private tutor kind of thing I guess. The more good ideas I get here, the better! Thanks.
- Neighbor wants to learn photography and wonders if I will teach her.
- I'm an experienced technical instructor, just need to decide what will work for her.
- Neighbor is a mom of foreign origin whose son is also in our scout troop.
- She eventually wants to buy some good equipment and learn to take good images.
I have plenty of equipment similar to most of the CR gang. My plan was to loan her a basic DSLR, (like a Rebel or a 30D) with a basic kit lens and flash along with a few good books and let her get her feet wet. Then loan another camera (like a 5Dc or something different), different lens, maybe a prime and let her experiment some more. Demonstrate the fact that she can get good pictures with any camera if she develops good technique, etc. Along the way answering questions and then teach more later after she is more familiar with what to ask.
Cart before the horse or the chicken and the egg: I think that many folks go out and buy a ton of gear, mess with it for a while and then get discouraged because it isn't what they expect. It isn't that fulfilling. My goal is to first see if she truly enjoys taking pictures before she invests in gear or gets turned off by trying to formally "learn" photography. Actually taking pictures is the most important part and often that is the part people learn they don't really prefer after all. Or, by actually taking pictures one tends to be motivated to learn on their own why or why not a picture worked and get the spark, the itch to keep going. One also starts to discover what kind of pictures they like to take and how they like to go about it. How many of us have said that if they could have known some period of time earlier what they knew later, how they would change their initial purchases, etc. By loaning her a camera for while, I hope to give her the ability to make a better purchase later that suits the style she develops.
So, what are the thoughts of CR members that have some experience with this scenario or teaching in general? Keep in mind that I'm not new to teaching but since this isn't an official classroom type thing, I figure I would try another approach. It's more of a private tutor kind of thing I guess. The more good ideas I get here, the better! Thanks.