A Photography Lesson From My 7 Year Old Self

When my mother gave me my first camera at seven years old, I held it in wide-eyed wonder. It was shiny and new, sparkling silver. It was a basic point-and-shoot, nothing fancy, but to me, it was my first ever camera! I ran around the house, snapping away at anything, moving or otherwise. Our sleeping dog? Yes. The Christmas tree upside down? Yes. The door peek hole? Yes. The table leg? That too. Everything was fair game. I didn’t think about what buttons were which or what the little dial meant. All that mattered was what I saw through the little viewfinder and the shutter button. What would that seven-year-old teach me today?

To stop worrying about getting the settings exact and just see and shoot.

To get loose.

To look around and place the camera at an expected angle.

To make the ordinary interesting.

To practice freely.

To not care what anyone thinks.

We can get so stuck in our heads about things. If we are using the lens, the right presets, adjust the settings appropriately. We can second-guess ourselves and compare our work to others. What if you stripped all those thoughts away and just shot what you loved and what inspired you? Whatever struck your eye? And now, with digital we don’t have to worry about wasting a shot or a roll of film. We can play and practice, let our seven-year-old selves out for a gleeful runaround with our camera. I’ve found that shooting a little less rigid and breaking the “rules” sometimes helps me see more things from a different perspective and let it be more about a moment or the light.

So, what would your seven-year-old self say to you about your style now? What can you learn from your younger creative spirit? Would they be as critical as you are today? Or more experimental and playful? Maybe, maybe not. But I think it’s worth thinking about. Of course, your story with photography is so personal, but I think there is something inherently naive and freeing about how kids play with cameras, even the disposable kinds. What if we matched that sense of freedom and not caring about what others think with our now mature, honed photographic eye? It’s something I’ve been trying to instill lately into my work as of late. Rediscovering the looser, carefree spirit of my younger self and integrating it with my style now.

Here’s to wherever you are on your journey,

Alanna

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