Nikon Learn & Explore
Beginner

Through the Eyes of a Child

The world as seen though children's photos

Looking at the world through the eyes of a child, you are exposed to the unique viewpoints they often have of their world—which can be vastly different from the way adults see their world.

Viewing the things that are important to our children through their photographs can be eye opening—from favorite teddy bears or dolls to siblings and pets—we can learn so much. Selfies (self-portraits) and pictures of sisters and brothers, photos of pets and the world around them, photos taken by children show their personalities shining through.

With the arrival of Spring (on March 20), and the warmer temperatures that the season brings, it's a great time to go outside with your kids to photograph the world around them. Helping a child explore their world through photography is a wonderful idea.

"Selfies" (This is me)

photo for through the eyes of a child article, photo by Caleigh of herself in B&W

© Caleigh Age 11

This is a great outdoor self-portrait or "selfie" that was made even more unique by shooting in in Black & White.

Furry friends

photo for through the eyes of a child article, taken by Megan, of a cat lying on its back

© Megan Age 10

This is a great photo of a cat, because the cat is looking right at the person taking the picture.

People I love

photo for through the eyes of a child article, by Caleigh of a boy looking at the camera

© Caleigh Age 11

This is a great photo where the subject is looking right at the camera. You can also take portraits when your subject is looking away from the camera.

Things I love

photo for through the eyes of a child article, taken by Vanessa of playground equipment

© Vanessa Age 8

This is a cool photo of a piece of playground equipment. How many people didn't even realize that? Close-up photos full of bright colors and shapes make for great pictures. Add a border for a special touch.

Things I See

photo for through the eyes of a child article, taken by Jack, of a vase

© Jack Age 8

A vase and branch.

5 Tips to Help Kids Take Great Photos $


  1. Carefully frame your picture. This is very important when you are taking a portrait—a picture of a person. You don’t want to cut off someone’s head or feet. Make sure you see exactly what you want to photograph in the LCD of the camera before you snap the picture.

  2. When taking pictures, remember to stand as still as possible. Even moving a little can cause images to appear fuzzy or blurry.

  3. Take a “selfie” or self-portrait. The easiest way to do this is to turn the camera around so it is facing yourself, and hold it out at arm’s length and press the shutter button.

  4. Try some of the special effects that your camera has. Most digital cameras can take Black & White pictures in addition to color. Some of them even let you add cool borders to your photos.

  5. Shoot some video. Most of today’s digital cameras also capture video so you can catch your friends in motion on their bicycles or of your dog running around the yard. You can play the video back on the camera, or have your parents help you connect the camera to a computer or TV to share your videos and photos with everyone.

Share some of your favorite photos with the rest of the Nikon Learn & Explore community. Follow the easy instructions to add photos at the bottom of this page!