Thursday, July 16, 2009

The odd perspective of a child


Squeaky clean
Laval, QC, July 2009


A funny thing happens when I hand my camera over to our eldest son, Zach: I realize his sense of composition at the age of 14 far exceeds mine at that age. It's quite a kick to watch him wander around a scene, measure it with his eyes, figure out the one perspevective that'll have the most impact and then shoot it. It's quite a kick to imagine how good he'll become if he decides to pursue this seriously.

He's very thoughtful behind the lens, which isn't odd at all considering where he comes from. But things do tend to get a little wonky when he's in a comedic mood and wants to get a reaction out of his audience. Which is as it should be. I'd have him no other way.

Your turn: Do children look at the world differently than we do? Why might that be so?

For more odd-themed insanity, please click here for the launch entry for this week's Thematic Photographic.

11 comments:

ciara said...

i think until a certain age, they see the world and people with more honesty.

your son's photo came out great. good job! :)

CoffeeJitters (Judy Haley) said...

Someone once told me that all children are born artists - and then we educate it right out of them.

Nikky said...

i like your son's picture!

also, at the very early time of about 5:30 in the morning I had the pleasure of seeing you on ctv newsnet...good stuff!

Independent Chick said...

I think they absolutely look at the world differently. It's an honest, raw perspective.

And I agree with Judy, they are born such artistic, open, imaginative creatures and we somehow suck that right out of them. Unfortunate. We could learn so much from their perspective.

Mojo said...

Absolutely children see the world differently! Or at least hopefully they do. Hopefully they haven't seen enough of humanity's dark side to become jaded. When you're six, the world is fair. It operates by rules, you pick teams and at the end of the game everybody's still friends. It's not until you have to compete for a prize or a scholarship or a job that things start to lose their shine. Kids don't understand haves and have-nots, at least not in the way that they will later.

And you really oughta give your son his own regular feature. (Assuming he's interested that is.) If you keep it here on your blog he could have the public outlet without the risks associated with running his own (another un/fortunate aspect of childhood... trust.) Plus, he'd have a ready made audience!

I love the quote Coffee Jitters left. How sadly true is that?

Carolyn R. Parsons said...

I remember when everybody was tall...I think I was in my twenties when I realised my friend's mom was actually quite short at a little over 5ft when I'm 5ft5.

and then there is the perspective of coming at things without preconcieved notions...

I think the teen years are so difficult because they fall between the two perspectives and get a bit disoriented. ...the picture is great!
Breeze

Tawcan said...

No kid here yet but kids certainly see the world a bit differently.

Here via Tanya.

invisible said...

Kids do look at things differently. For one thing, you notice belts a lot more.

Jeena R. Papaadi said...

Nice picture!

Here from Tanya's.

Star said...

Most definately. I think it's because they don't have all of our "social graces" yet, to filter their thoughts and comments through. Or, because they are short.

Star said...

Oh, I ment to say tht I love the photo. He has quite the eye. Gets that from his Dad I imagine.