This summer, I officially hired my 8-year-old son, Oliver, as Jato Create’s first-ever Junior Photographer.
It’s a decision that came from both the heart and the head. I wanted to spend more time with him, and I also saw it as the perfect opportunity to introduce him to photography. Just yesterday, we spent the morning watching YouTube videos about the exposure triangle and taking mental notes about how to shoot sports like a pro.
Oliver will be shadowing me during photo shoots, mainly at East Penn Flag Football this season. He’ll be using real gear (my backup setup), helping pass out business cards, and learning how to navigate the fast-paced world of sports photography. And yes, he’s getting paid! This is his first job, and I want him to treat it like one.
When I think back to my own first job mowing lawns with my brother, I remember how proud I felt earning my own money. I hope Oliver gets that same feeling. But more importantly, I want him to learn responsibility; how to handle expensive gear carefully, how to adjust on the fly when settings are off, and how to bounce back when something doesn’t go perfectly. I hope he walks away with more than just cash and camera skills. I hope he remembers the time we spent together.
East Penn Flag Football is the perfect place to start. Oliver used to play in the league and still has a lot of friends on the field. This is a way for him to stay connected and be part of the community. It’s fast-paced, full of action, and loaded with moments worth freezing in time.
A Quick Interview with Oliver
Q: What are you most excited about with your new job?
Oliver: I’m excited about taking pictures of people that I know and earning money to buy new Nintendo Switch games.
Q: What kind of pictures are you hoping to capture?
Oliver: I want to get pictures that have the most action in it.
Q: What’s something new you’ve learned about photography so far?
Oliver: I learned that with shutter speed I can make the photo look darker or lighter and sharper or have motion blur.
Q: What’s your favorite part of going on shoots with your dad?
Oliver: It’s fun to spend more time with my dad and the camera gets really heavy over time.
Q: How does it feel to take photos of your friends?
Oliver: It’s really fun taking pictures of my friends and I hope that they like the pictures that I take of them! And I can’t wait to show off the pictures that I take to my friends and family!
Stay tuned for some of Oliver’s shots this season. You might be surprised what a junior photographer can capture.