Teen with a Flickr account?

[Sachis2112]

Hello, folks. I am friends with a young man (about 15) who is starting to show some potential in photography. His uncle and I (not related) have been encouraging his interest and his family is very supportive. He seems to have the eye for it and that's wonderful.

He's currently taking a class and has a free Flickr account. (I'm trying to talk his mom into upgrading him for his birthday so that he can have somewhere to share shots.) I want to put him in touch with other young people, teens especially. I hope to keep him interested in getting out to shoot instead of spending all his free time on WOW. he lives in the boonies and he hasn't yet learned to see the woods and fields with a photographer's eyes.

Anyone interested in becoming a "friend" with him on Flickr to help me keep him motivated?

[junglebear]

To be honest Flickr is probably not the best place for that kind of thing. You can put your shots in 30 groups and get a hundred comments, but not many people will take note of who took it. I've been posting on Flickr for over a year and there are only 2 or 3 people who comment regularly on my photos.

Why not see if he wants to join in here, introduce himself and post a few shots in SYS? He's more likely to get encouragement and learn some things here on DPS, I'd say. Although that said, the average age here is a lot older than teens!

[inkista]

Have you considered getting him to join the Teenage Photographer's group on Flickr?

[Sachis2112]

That's a good idea... Didn't even think to look for a teen group...

I was more thinking that, if he had a group of folks in his age bracket as "contacts" he would see the kind of work they were putting out. Sort of a reminder that, if he sticks with it, he could be doing the same quality of work within a few short years. Part of my reason for suggesting Flickr is because he's already there and has to actively post for school assignments. I don't know that I could talk him into coming over to DPS until he's a wee bit older. Maybe in a year or so.

[junglebear]

Yeah I see your point.
By chance I came across this girl on Flickr today, she's only 15 and using the same P&S/bridge as me and I was bowled over, I noticed she's in a number of 'teen photog' groups.

[Indigo November]

Originally Posted by Sachis2112

I don't know that I could talk him into coming over to DPS until he's a wee bit older. Maybe in a year or so.

Why is that? I'm fifteen, and I know of a lot of other teens on here, even a 12 year old. Why wouldn't he want to join DPS?
He'd get a lot more encouragement here than he will on flickr.

[Sachis2112]

I haven't yet approached him about it but thank you for your post! Makes me feel more comfortable about doing so!

[Indigo November]

Yeah, send him over, he'll get all the encouragement he needs, and then some!
I hope you can convince him to try it out, we need more young, talented photographers on here.
If he does join, let us know, we'll welcome him!

[parkerreno]

Originally Posted by Indigo November

Why is that? I'm fifteen, and I know of a lot of other teens on here, even a 12 year old. Why wouldn't he want to join DPS?
He'd get a lot more encouragement here than he will on flickr.

I'm only 13 and I LOVE dps, you get much better feedback than flickr. He should also look at all the tips, they have helped me bunch!!!

[inquiries]

Originally Posted by Sachis2112

I haven't yet approached him about it but thank you for your post! Makes me feel more comfortable about doing so!

I would definitely suggest using DPS! I started using here a couple months before I was 15 and found it very useful, the assignments helped give a focus topic to work towards, and the articles are useful too