Playful Learning with Photography

03/05/12 23:35

Lion cubs are playing the whole day, jumping on each other, wrestling, chasing and exploring the world around them. While doing that they are learning essential social and hunting skills, very important for their survival in the bush.
When humans are children they also learn through play, but somehow playing disappears gradually from the learning process during school time. It becomes serious. At least this is what usually is said, one got to be serious and grown up, not playing around anymore. For what reason may learning be play during childhood, but not during adulthood? Isn’t it play that increases the learning curve and accelerates the process? We seem to learn easier when its fun. And here comes photography into the picture.
Since digital photography made its way into our lives, fun and play came back for the learning adult, playing with cameras, compositions, looks and creations. And it seems almost unnoticed that one is constantly learning when doing photography and not only about photography. Photography itself is a tool for all sorts of learning processes. Learning about oneself, about the team one is working with, about the environment, about a destination, about talents. visions, ideas. The list is endless. Photography can be applied to any subject of learning in all parts of life. With it come play and insight. Photography allows seeing, understanding and creating progress for oneself and the world around us.
Let’s utilize photography. Let’s play.