Categories
6 years and beyond

Award Winning Photographers

The girls have been fixated on taking photographs and having an iPhone and an iPad it makes it accessible and easier for kids to take photos.  They did have a camera but it is hard to look out the view finder and as it is a more of a toy it is hard to change the batteries and just a pain to use. It is great and the kids love their dog cameras (a camera in a shape of a dog)  but they are not very good for taking pictures, hence them taking over my iPhone to take as many weird and wonderful images as possible and of course silly selfies!

In the newsletter at the kids school they have been asking for the children to enter the local Blackheath Flower and Craft Show. This year was the 94th show! Yes, it has been going a while.

We went to the show and discovered the girls got awards. Well done girls!
We went to the show and discovered the girls got awards. Well done girls!

I thought why not let the kids take my phone and take some images with it and if they were any good we will print them up and enter them into the show. I gave Lillian the phone and she got all creative and bent down and saw things at different angles. I asked if she needed any help and she yelled, “I will do what I want and take pictures of what I want mummy!” O.K, temperamental artist attitude.  I did say that she can do what she wants as it was her photos and she did not need the attitude…. not sure if the artist understood this but she did her images and then gave the phone to Julia for her turn.

Julia took some great images also but was more straight to the point about shooting her photos. Lillian was bending in all sorts of different poses and was getting very creative. The girls loved taking photos and I must get them a better camera that can be easily used by the kids. I have noticed that there are digital cameras for sale but hubby and I would like to do investigate what is best online before we invest any money. I don’t want to spend on some to then find that they are not what we wanted. If you have any suggestions on what to get for two six year olds that would be great. Thinking of Christmas presents for the cameras.

We picked out two images for each child to submit to the flower and craft show. Hubby mounted them on thick board and we entered them after school on the Friday 12th of September. The show was on the 13th and 14th of September and as the kids had their birthday party on the Saturday we went to the show on the Sunday.

Lillian with her winning photos.
Lillian with her winning photos.

When we saw the kids photographs at the show we were amazed and excited to see that they had been awarded prizes. Lillian got 1st and 2nd and Julia got 3rd for infant photography for the show. How amazing is that! We were very proud parents and the kids were very pleased as well.

Julia with her winning photo
Julia with her winning photo

I wonder what wonderful works of art they will produce next? Will they be photographers or just love it as a hobby? I did photography as a hobby and also at university. I must say I love taking photographs. Is it genetic? Who knows. It will be interesting to see how this interest progresses.

As said before I am keen to foster this interest in photography as I believe it is a nice skill and a good interest to develop. Who knows where it will take the girls. Now must figure out what is the best camera for little people that will give you decent images and of course not cost the earth. Plus it needs to be shock proof if dropped by kids. I know, I might be asking for a bit much!

Do your kids love to take photos? Has all the latest technology helped make it easier for them to get involved? Let us know.

Categories
5 years and beyond

Now You Can Take 3D Photos

Hubby has come across a new app on the iPhone that allows you to create your own 3D images. Yes how cool is that.

The app is called Seene and it allows you to capture and share your 3D photos, it is a free app so go to the App Store and give it a go!

Check out our first go at 3D photography. They will get better once we learn more about how to take them, but great go for a first try. Below are the girls in 3D. Just put your cursor over them to see the image move around.

This is not a paid rave about this new app, just wanted to share. What things do you think you would want to make 3D?

 

Categories
4 years and beyond

Budding Artists

Do your kids love technology, mine do and seem to know how to use it instantly. Maybe this is a sign of the times or just good tools that are easy to use. We are lucky to have a tablet and the girls seem to understand how to use it. iPads and the likes of the Google Nexus are so easy to use, even a toddler can do it.

My girls lately have insisted that they want to make videos for their songs, and have told me and daddy that they want to be video musicians. Basically they want to have video clips of their songs. You have heard it here first. My kids have decided they want to be stars. Not sure if this will happen but you never know. I wanted to be on the record in case they become huge and popular artists. I know they are clever what ever they do, they don’t have to be a musician or a pop artist, they will be fine what ever they decide. So don’t think I am putting pressure on them to be a rock star.

Mind you if they get rich and make it as rock stars then they can care for their parents, well why not?  My iPhone has so many videos of the girls singing and pictures pulling funny faces. They both love taking pictures and being able to see what they have taken and the ability to turn the camera around to take pictures of themselves.

Funny faces on the iPhone camera
Funny faces on the iPhone camera
Funny faces on the iPhone camera
Funny faces on the iPhone camera
Funny faces on the iPhone camera - Rock star look already
Funny faces on the iPhone camera – Rock star look already

What is the strangest picture your kids have taken on your phone or computer tablet?

Send in comments.

Categories
News

Is Technology Making Us Smarter?

According to a story on news.com.au by Jackie Sinnerton, technology is making us smarter. This is apparently due to being exposed to more information and a wider vocabulary. I do agree the more things you are exposed to the greater chance you have of learning more and absorbing the information, this is especially so for little kids who have been described as sponges due to the fact that they soak up everything around them.

I do question the person or family that cannot afford all the gadgets and technology and doing things the old fashioned way. Reading books, exposing their child/children to the same things but not via a computer tablet, or an iPhone (note, I have the series 4). I do agree if you can afford the technology all the better, however it is expensive to make sure that you have what your kid needs in this technology age. We would love to give the kids an iPad each, but we are not made of money. It does not need to be an iPad, it could be a Google Nexus each or something similar. Maybe the Microsoft Surface (release date for 26th Oct 2012 – not sure what the cost of this product is as yet, waiting to see) when it comes out. We are not picky but it really all does come down to money. We cannot purchase one we will need to get two, so every cost is doubled.

In this age of technology it is a must to expose your child/children to computers and any technology that will help them with their future and of course school work. No computer skills will be a negative in the future, everything is computer driven and related. I must say that the iPhone that I was lucky to get for my birthday this year was very easy to use and with no lessons the twins are using it like masters.

My girls have done most things early, but not sure if that is a sign of genius or just smart little girls. I do know they have been told they are advanced in some areas, but also in some areas they need to do more. So in regards to advancement who knows really. In the news.com.au article there is a link to a Mensa Test. I never do well at intelligence tests, not that I am dumb but my brain does not do well with these type of questions. I like more creative things, I tend to find that I lean towards to the arts more than the maths and sciences. Maybe this is why I don’t do well with an intelligence test.

Why not test your smarts and take the Mensa Mini Quiz, answers are listed as well just in case you want to know if you are getting it right. Not everyone can be geniuses or have a high IQ. I do think my kids are smart but it does not bother me as long as they are happy. When they are older the girls find something they like to do, and manage to make a living out. You can only wish for happiness and that they do well. If they are clever at some subjects or certain areas, I do hope the school sees this and pushes them to do more, although hard to know until they are in school as they are still in pre-school. Why is it everyone has to have advanced clever kids, why can’t they just be average? I know it is more interesting if they are smart and excel and everything, however many successful people were average and have done very well.

Many kids that are very smart give up trying as they think it all comes naturally to them. When they go to a selective school with all smart kids they find it hard to keep up as they are now not the smartest person in the room.  This is a big shock to some kids. The average student tends to try harder and achieves while some over achievers and high IQ kids don’t want to pursue a career as a doctor, lawyer or politician and some decide the pressure is too much. I have seen this happen.  While this is just some things that I have witnessed and is not indication for all, so don’t think that average is bad, it sometimes can make you try harder and do very well at life.

Do you think we are getting smarter? Is it due to more information or that parents are teaching more things to their children and in turn the kids are learning more? As a stay at home mother I find that the kids benefit by me being here and teaching them, but vice versa, if I was working they would be learning things at care and also to pre-school so maybe it is much of a muchness. Send in your comments, and why not continue the discussion on our twitter or facebook pages.