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This is not really up for critique. It is more an astonishing look into a 12 year old's mind;

My eldest son has finally gained an interest in the other side of the camera, he has always loved being in front of the lens, but suddenly he has an interest in whats behind the lens.

I have let him wander around shooting whatever he feels like.

He took this photo today and said to me "Iv'e got a great photo". I scrolled through the images and tried to do the polite dad thing and praise his efforts. Ahh thats cool, Ohh I like that one etc...

I had noticed at one point he was lying down shooting upwards behind our pool fence into the palm tree. Sure enough, this was the image he considered to be "the great photo".

Later in the day I put all of his shots on the PC as he watched carefully over my shoulder. We did the slide show thing and then he said STOP! "Thats the photo Dad, thats Schapelle Corby's view!" I was stunned. I knew he knew about the SC case but had no idea his inspiration for the photo had come from that.

I was happy he had found inspiration for a photo, I was sad I felt old as I did'nt expect him to do so. I was happy he achieved something and was experiencing gratification from it, I was sad he was now so grown up that current affairs affected his life and thoughts.

Ahh being a dad.......would'nt swap it for anything. Here's his photo:

Great shot.

and christ.....when I was 12 I was speeding around on my BMX and dreaming of scifi movies (eg. star wars). I think if somebody had mentioned current affairs....back then I would have to say what are they?

The perspective of young children is often interesting

Maybe time to stop watching the news and current affairs with kids in the room and let them be kids???

Cheers

I wait with baited breath to see one of the 'ADULTS' come up with something with the insight and interpretive quality of this shot - albeit a little uncharitable to one in a less fortunate position than the rest of us.

What a great lad you have there Marcus!!

I think i'd be delighted if my 12yo son could produce something of vision that is so daring and provocative as that photo. (If i had kids) Some would call this a political statement, some would call it art. Either way it's a message of some sort that can be interpreted in so many ways.

Congratulations to your son and i hope this is the start of a long and productive life behind the camera for him.

Marcus,

It's never too early for our kids to become politically/current events aware, and I would hope and trust that you encourage your kids to pay attention to life and to think about others, and the lives of others, as they go about theirs.

I appreciate the sadness you feel as your children tell you in no uncertain ways that they're starting to mature, but with your guidance and just a loose hand on the tiller, this, I think, is where you enter the most rewarding, and thrilling, part of being a parent - seeing your kids blossom from from being kids at play to mature, thoughtful adults.

I kn ow how it was for me, and with two young male adults in the family, I have never been prouder to call them my sons!

That said, let's get down to the image. It's great that you encouraged him to use the camera, and that he was able to visualise so adeptly this concept and transform it (with your help) into an image that he feels proud of.

12 months ago I had to buy Leigh a D70 of his own so he would (a) stop screwing up my settings when he (b) kept on borrowing my camera. Perhaps you'll need to buy him his own camera too; perhaps something like a CP4500 which will allow him to both play and grow?

Christmas is coming ...

I'm selling my cp5400

That aside, wow! really good photo and great creativity!

Two things occur to me here:

- how wonderful that your son is already "making a photograph" rather than just snapping a picture

- it's difficult, if not impossible, to hide the real world from kids. It's even harder when they are teenagers. I don't think we can shield them from reality.

Great story Marcus and your lad's interpretation of his work is spot on.

As a dad of two girls, 14 & 12, I'm constantly scratching my head wondering who the hell is sneaking in when I'm not looking and teaching them stuff. Then I realise the knowledge is coming from within and that it's their own innate curiosity and analysis of the world we've brought them into that brings about these wonderful moments.

Sounds like your boy causes you a bit of head scratching too.

Speaking of kids and what they see

The other day we were making lasagne and my 8yo nephew was taking a few photos with my d70 and sb800 lots were throw away but this one and a few others were keepers



He is quite the natural talent at photography when he listens and keeps steady