The Importance of Child Photography

Child memories are key moments in human growth. To share valuable insights and experiences on why capturing childhood moments matters, Onita Sibanda (OS) speaks to Jemimah David Makeri (JDM) to dig deeper on the importance of child photography.

JDM: I am delighted to be a part of the conversation today. Thank you for having me

OS: It’s an honour to have you! May you kindly introduce yourself.

JDM: My name is Jemimah David-Makeri, I am a professional Media Producer and Children’s photographer. My expertise is at the intersection of using media as a tool for social change. Using documentary storytelling techniques, I document childhood and advocate for children’s rights through Lifetime Tales, a media company I founded for this cause. I also create media materials tailored towards enhancing children’s development and helping them thrive God’s way. I hold a degree in Radio, TV and Film Production from Eastern Mediterranean University and I am a Mandela Washington Fellow. Most fulfilling, I am a wife and Mum to the best duo who inspire me to thrive.

OS: Thank you for sharing your background and passion for using media to drive social change. Your work with Lifetime Tales is truly encouraging, and we are excited to have you share your insights on the importance of child photography.

Why are childhood photos important?

JDM: Childhood photographs are a trove of treasures that should not be ignored. They are instrumental in helping families preserve memories of the growing and developmental years of children. They also help preserve family histories, memories and traditions which create a bond between family members.

Importantly for children, these photographs often help give them a sense of identity and belonging. I also find that it helps to relive/revisit defining moments in their lives which contribute to the evolution into adulthood. Significantly, children can also see how valuable they are through these photographs.

OS: Well said, Jemimah! Childhood photographs indeed hold immense emotional and historical value. They not only capture the innocence and wonder of childhood but also serve as a visual narrative of a family’s love, growth, and legacy.

JDM: There may be good or bad.  We cannot deny that bad memories also exist. However, as much as we might like to forget them they also contribute to our growth into adulthood. Sometimes, revisiting those memories can also serve as a therapeutic healing mechanism.

OS: How did you develop the love and passion for child photography, from both persona; and professional experience?

JDM: Personally, my passion for children stemmed from when I was very little, I was always the child who would gather other children around to tell them stories or care for them. When I became a preschool teacher, I spent a-lot of time with children and I was constantly blown away by the remarkable intellect and potentials they possessed. A yearning to share these stories with their parents grew in my heart and I began to document them with my mobile phone. Fast forward to the lockdowns during Covid 19, I was temporarily laid off my TV Production/Journalism job and this forced me to spend days indoors with my niece; still intrigued by her intellect as she grew, I began documenting her growing years with my mobile phone and the reactions of her parents to the photos and written down stories always warmed my heart. By the time I became a Mum, I wanted to document my child’s growing years as a tribute to mine which was rarely documented.

From a professional stance, I realized that telling children’s stories could be an excellent way to show the world how valuable they are (especially children in Africa). I believe that it would help the world and the children themselves see that they are more than the mainstream media’s stories of poverty, sickness, hunger, infant mortality etc. Because of how serious I was this vision, my husband got me my first camera and I began to professionally document children.

OS: Wow! Your passion for children and storytelling is truly inspiring! How has the idea been practiced in Africa, from your findings?

JDM: For a long time, children were not the focus of photographs as they were deemed not a very important part of the story. They became part of the story around the 1980s when charity appeals in response to humanitarian issues such as the deadly drought in Sudan became popular. Children were used as the central focus of many campaigns, ads, posters, TV Commercials etc. used by NGOs to elicit sympathy and raise funds to alleviate the suffering. These campaigns invited a swarm of photographers traveling to capture stories from the affected areas and stories of the impact gained from the aids received. Unfortunately, the outcome was a standard set to portray children in Africa as helpless needing a saviour.

However, with the rise of more African photographers/storytellers determined to tell their own stories and change the narrative of how Africa is viewed, there has been a significant number of people dedicating their creativity and craft to photographing children in Africa in a more positive light. Even though there is a rise in positive stories of children, a lot of awareness still needs to be done on documenting children which is why I was very delighted over Besana’s efforts to have this chat.

OS: That’s a crucial observation, Jemimah. Besana’s initiative to host this conversation is indeed commendable, as it highlights the importance of thoughtful storytelling and documentation. Nowadays most people prefer digital photos rather than the physical pics. How do we balance the two and what do you think is the best option to enrich childhood memories?

JDM: It does, the ethics of telling children’s stories cannot be overemphasized. This is a very important question. I think both digital and physical photos have their pros and cons. While digital may seem like the best go-to because it tends to be more secure owing to the wear and tear of the physical, we cannot always trust that the digital storage will be there for a lifetime as cases of crashing storage devices (mobile phones, flash drives, computers, laptops etc. are quite common. If anyone opts for the digital storage, make sure to backup your images in multiple storage devices. Digital photos also have the advantage that we can take them with us anywhere we go, thanks to smartphones and cloud.

Print on the other hand if printed in high quality and stored properly in albums may not suffer a high level of wear and tear. I still have some of my parent’s prints from before when they were dating. Although our lives are becoming more and more online, we still exist in a tangible world and most of our important and immediate experiences happen in physical space. This gives printed photographs a more “real” nature. They exist in our physical world and can be viewed and experienced directly and tangibly. Decorating your home with printed portraits, fills your physical living space with memories. The downside is that physical prints are restricted to space. You can not view your images everywhere you go.

I balance both by creating a physical album collection of photos that really have a meaning for my family and I, then other photos are stored digitally and backed up in multiple devices just in case. 

To enrich childhood memories, I think we should just let kids be kids, do not try to make them adults too soon. Watch everyday for the things that make them smile and encourage those things, play with them, laugh with them, give them lots of hugs. I advise less posed photographs of them and more candid photos were they are being their true childlike selves. They will never have a childhood again; it is our duty as their nurturers to ensure that we give them the best childhood we possibly can within the means we can afford to. And as it relates to capturing their childhoods, I think it is also important to be mindful of ethics for instance as much as we would like to share their stories with the world, it is also important to not reveal too much about their identities. This can help keep them safe from trolls online.

OS: That’s a great point, your advice to backup digital images in multiple storage devices is sage wisdom. I agree that printed photographs offer a unique, tactile experience that awakens our senses and emotions. I love your advice on capturing candid moments of their childhood as these often reveal their true personalities and spirit.

JDM: Yes, it certainly does and also helps them truly see how they evolve overtime in character.

OS: Let’s talk of child headed households or orphans in general, those who grow up without parents. How will such memories help them? What is your experience and advise on such children?

JDM: My father passed away shortly before I turned one, I have very little memory of him but the one photograph I have of him holding me gives me a feeling of belonging whenever I look at it, a feeling that I was loved by an earthly father. This I believe is a way that such memories can help orphans. They can see that while they may not have parents, someone cared enough to preserve their childhood memories.

Further, the norm has always been for people to celebrate birthdays at orphanage homes, take pictures with the orphans and relief materials brought for them. We never really interact with them to hear about their dreams and aspirations; creating such memories for them will help them see that they are also a valuable part of this world and more importantly, a valuable part of God’s plan.

OS: I can only imagine how much that photo means to you, especially given the circumstances. Your insight into how such memories can help orphans is profound. Seeing themselves in photos, surrounded by loved ones, can provide a sense of security and self worth.

JDM: While working with a non-profit organization, in my organization on an Orphaned and Vulnerable Children’s project, I noticed that it was the norm to photograph them from the perspective of the impact achieved. I decided to change this by working on a project within my community, to photograph orphaned children and gift them with the print version of the photographs, the joy I get from them when they see those photographs knows no bounds. It lets me know that I have helped a child see how special the light they carry is.

I advise when photographing orphans, please be mindful that they are not props, they are humans too.

OS: That’s a truly inspiring initiative, Jemimah. As a mother yourself, what is the results you have seen in your family using this art?

JDM: In my family, it is always remarkable to see the children have conversations about the time when the photograph was taken because they actually remember it and how that moment made them feel! They are able to look and see how much they have evolved and grown in character. My niece always teases about how the photographs make her feel that her childhood is special and she doesn’t have to be outside Africa to have a special childhood.

OS: That’s truly heart warming! The fact that your family’s children can reminisce about the moments captured in the photographs and reflect on their growth and evolution is a testament to the power of visual storytelling. 

What’s your take on selfies, and whatsapp statuses for our children? Does it come anywhere near creating memories or raise self esteem?

JDM: In my opinion, I think that it comes near creating memories more than raising a self-esteem. The statues or selfies we share are majorly seen by the people in our circle of WhatsApp and most of the times our children don’t really have any thing to do with it.

What raises self-esteem is the reassurance we give to our children that they do not need to be posed a certain way or propped a certain way to be deemed perfect. That they are valuable just as God created them.

OS: You’re right, the primary purpose of sharing photos is often to create and preserve memories.

JDM: I’d also like to add that we must be mindful of the amount of information we reveal about our children’s identities. What we reveal about them can also play a role in building or tearing their self-esteem as they grow.

OS: You’re absolutely right. True self esteem is built on the foundation of unconditional love and acceptance. Such a crucial reminder!

How do you see The Besana Mail helping communities and our audiences in this important subject?

JDM: The Besana Mail has done an excellent job in hosting this chat and this, I believe is a step in the right direction. Further awareness can be raised to the ethical documenting and sharing of childhood memories. I also think going a step further to train people on how to document childhood ethically will be instrumental in helping communities and the Besana’s audiences.

OS: Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful insights! Raising awareness about ethical documenting and sharing of childhood memories is crucial, and taking it a step further by providing training and resources on how to do so can have a profound impact. Your last words?

JDM: Childhood moments are fleeting and most children’s identities are formed in the childhood years, it is our duty as nurtures and stakeholders on children’s rights to ensure that the children entrusted in our care have the healthiest childhoods possible. Only then can they evolve into thriving adults. It is easier to raise children with sound minds than to fix broken adults.

OS: Well said! You’ve beautifully captured the essence of our responsibility as nurturers and stakeholders in child rights. I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed guest Jemimah for your time, wisdom, and generosity in sharing your insights with us today. Your passion for empowering children and families’ shine through in every response and your expertise has been a gift to us all. Your presence here has made a tangible impact, and we are so thankful for your willingness to engage in this important conversation. Please know that your contributions will continue to inspire and educate us long after this chat concludes. Thank you again for being an invaluable part of this discussion! 

JDM: Thank you for having me today. It has been a pleasant time for me. My best wishes