UNCLE OLLIE

UNCLE OLLIE ADORED HIS BUSINESS PARTNER'S LITTLE GIRL. HE'D BRING HER WONDERFUL PRESENTS, CANDY AND OTHER OFFERINGS OF FRIENDSHIP. But no matter how hard he tried, Uncle Ollie continued to fail in his efforts to gain the little girl's affection. With all her heart, she despised Uncle Ollie. The little girl's parents could not figure out why she disliked Uncle Ollie. The problem was actually simple enough. It had to do with how children, particularly small children, perceive the world around them. You see, the parents quite often would take the little girl to watch Laurel & Hardy movies. While the movies delighted most members of the audience, the little girl perceived things quite differently. She saw what she perceived as Hardy cruelly abusing Laurel. And that is why the little girl, the daughter of Stan Laurel, despised Oliver Hardy. - So, what does all this have to do with photography? Well, let's say the time has come to teach your little girl (or boy) how to take pictures. You patiently explain The concept of shutter speed, 'F' stops and ISO. Unfortunately, you explain it in much the same manner in which you would explain it to an adult. The child just doesn't get it. A child does not perceive instruction in the same way as an adult. Remember SHOW & TELL. Well, that's how a child learns - show and tell. For instance, how do you teach a young child the concept of proper exposure? First, keep it as simple as possible. Then use a RELATED concept that a child can easily understand. Take little Susie into the back yard. Using the garden hose to fill a large pail with water, explain (and show) how when you turn on the water full blast, the pail fills very quickly. Then show how long it takes to fill the same pail when the water barely trickles from the hose. When the child understands this concept, use that concept as a bridge to help the child understand the more complex concept of how shutter speed and 'F' stop interrelate to achieve proper exposure. Children just perceive things differently Use show and tell; in other words, actually show (not just tell) the child how a simpler but related concept works, then use that as a stepping stone to teach the child the more complex concept. This, of course, works just as well with all kinds of instruction, not just photography. Larry Elkins ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY