Grade 6 Art And Craft Design, Mixed Media And Technology – Photography:Sceneries Notes
Art & Craft — Design, Mixed Media and Technology
Subtopic: Photography — Sceneries (for age 11, Kenya)
Scenery photography is taking pictures of places — like hills, rivers, farms, beaches and towns. In Kenya we have many beautiful sceneries: the Rift Valley lakes, tea farms of Kericho, savanna in Maasai Mara, Mount Kenya slopes, and the coastline at Diani. Here are easy ideas and activities you can try using simple tools like a phone camera, a small camera, paper, glue and crayons.
Simple scene: hill, sun and tree — Kenya-style
Tools you need
- Phone camera or simple digital camera (most phones work well).
- Small notebook or sketchbook, pencils, colored pencils.
- Printer or print shop (optional) for mixed media projects.
- Glue, scissors, bits of leaves, paper, paints for mixed media.
Easy composition tips (how to place things in your photo)
1. Rule of thirds
Place important things on the lines or where lines cross.
2. Leading lines
Use roads, paths, fences or rivers to lead the eye into the picture.
3. Foreground, middle, background
Add a rock or flower close to the camera (foreground) to make photos feel deep.
Example: a bright flower in front, a school building in the middle, and hills behind.
Light and time of day
- Golden hour (shortly after sunrise or before sunset) gives warm colours and soft light — perfect for scenery.
- Midday sun makes hard shadows — try shaded places or come back later.
- Cloudy days give even light — good for photographing details.
Simple camera tips
- Hold the camera steady — use both hands or rest on a wall.
- Tap the screen to focus on the part you want sharp (for phones).
- Try different angles: low (near the ground) or high (from a step).
- Turn on grid lines in your phone camera to help use the rule of thirds.
- Use HDR mode for scenes with bright sky and dark ground (if your phone has it).
Mixed media ideas (combine photo + art)
- Print a scenery photo and paint on parts of it with watercolour or crayons — add bright colours to a plain sky.
- Make a collage: tear paper, add dried grass or small leaves from your school garden, and glue them on the printed picture edges.
- Draw frames and patterns around your photo with markers, then add a caption with the place and date.
- Use a phone app to add filters and simple stickers, then print and cut into shapes for a mixed artwork.
Project 1 — "My Local View" (easy, in class)
Materials: phone camera, notebook, printer (optional), glue, coloured pencils.
Steps:
Steps:
- Choose a safe spot near school: a tree, a small field, or the school gate.
- Take 5 photos using different angles (low, eye-level, from the side).
- Pick the best photo and print it or draw the scene in your notebook.
- Add mixed media: glue dry grass, draw animals, or write a short sentence about the place.
- Share with the class: say where you took it and why you chose that view.
Project 2 — "Kenyan Scenery Collage" (home)
Materials: 3 printed photos (lake, hill, market), scissors, glue, coloured paper, leaves.
Steps:
Steps:
- Cut parts of each photo (water, sky, trees) and arrange them on a larger paper to make one new scene.
- Glue and add painted details or small natural materials.
- Give your collage a title like "Rift Valley Morning" or "Coast and City".
Safety and respect
- Always ask permission before taking pictures of people.
- Do not disturb animals or remove plants. Leave nature as you found it.
- Be careful near roads and water — take photos from a safe distance.
Quick 5-minute exercises
- Find 3 different textures (grass, wall, tree bark) and take close-up photos.
- Take one photo using a low angle (near the ground).
- Take one photo that uses a leading line (path, fence, or river).
- Try a silhouette by photographing a tree against the bright sky at sunset.
- Make a mini collage by cutting a printed photo and adding one coloured paper shape.
Little glossary
- Composition
- How you place things in a picture.
- Foreground
- The part of the scene closest to the camera.
- Golden hour
- Time near sunrise or sunset with warm light.
- Mixed media
- Using more than one art material (photo + paint + paper).
Tip for teachers/parents: Encourage children to talk about why a photo makes them feel a certain way. Use local Kenyan places so they connect with their environment.
Have fun exploring Kenya and making art from the scenes around you! 🌄📷✂️