Communication, Arts & Leisure Sciences
4-H Photography Project
The Colorado 4-H Photography Project teaches youth skills in capturing, composing, and editing photos while developing creativity and technical expertise.
Beginners (Units 1 & 2) learn basics of equipment, lighting, composition, and skill-building. Unit 3 covers additional skills for youth with prior experience. Advanced units include mastering advanced techniques (Unit 4), low light photography (Unit 5), refining specialized skills and focusing on careers in photography (Unit 6), and digital image editing including the use of AI applications (Unit 7).
Participants plan projects, experiment with techniques, and develop portfolios for exhibitions.
Project Overview
UNITs 1-2
Photography Basics
Designed for members 8-18 years old with no prior photography experience.
Inspiring youth to:
- Explore four project areas
- Equipment
- Lighting
- Composition
- Skill Building
UNIT 3
Next Level Photography
Designed for members 11-18 years old with experience in photography.
Inspiring youth to:
- Build on skills learned in Units 1 & 2
- Explore the following four project areas:
- Equipment
- Lighting
- Composition
- Skill Building
UNIT 4
Mastering Photography
Designed for members with advanced photography skills.
Inspiring youth to:
- Master advanced techniques
UNIT 5
Low Light Photography
Designed for members with advanced photography skills.
Inspiring youth to:
- Learn what equipment to use and how to use it for low light
- Learn techniques to use in low light
- Experiment with a variety of low light activities
- Plan for your photo shoots
UNIT 6
Advanced Photography
Designed for members 11-18 years old with advanced photography skills.
Inspiring youth to:
- Fine tune advanced photography skills
- Develop an advanced skills project
- Choose a photography skill to strengthen
UNIT 7
Digital Image Editing
Designed for members 11-18 years old with advanced photography skills.
Inspiring youth to:
- Use a variety of tools and techniques to edit photos
Official Project Materials
Materials & Curriculum
Member Resources
Find Your County
Counties play a crucial role in 4-H by providing a platform for young people to learn and grow.
Counties facilitate the delivery of 4-H programs that are of particular interest in their area and qualified, compassionate adult leaders run local clubs to support our youth 4-H members.
To find out if this project is supported locally, contact your local extension office.
Upcoming Events
Currently there are no events scheduled at this time associated to this page. Please check back for the latest events as they are scheduled.
Matting Photos Guidelines
- For county and state fair display:
- The exhibit photo must be 5” x 7” in size
- The photo must use a photo technique you are using within your unit
- The maximum size for the matting around the photo will be 8” x 10″
- Photos will be hung for display. Attach a string or hanging mechanism for the photo to hang. Please do not put the photo in a frame.
- Please attach to the back of your photo the following information:
- Member name
- Member county
- Subject
- Date photo was taken
- Notes
- Note: Images that are AI-generated should be labeled as such
Judging Criteria
Units 1-4 Judging Criteria
- Completed e-Record
- Completed Photo Journal/Binder with photos labeled:
- Camera used
- Activity #
- Photo # (left to right and top to bottom)
- Subject
- Date photo was taken
- Best 4″ x 6″ photo-matted and ready to hang
- Project evaluated on quality of e-Record (25%) and exhibit (75%)
- Each unit has its own specific activities that need to be included in the exhibit
Units 5-7 Judging Criteria
For Units 5-7, submit completed e-Record and one 5″ X 7″ photo no larger than 8″ X 10″ matted plus:
Unit 5
- Labeled Photo Journal/Binder with at least 20 4″x6″ prints taken while doing the project
- Back of print should be labeled with Camera used, Exposure details, Photo #, Activity from the manual, Date photo taken, notes
Unit 6
- Labeled Photo Journal/Binder showing progress and achievements.
- Label with Photo #, Subject, Date photo was taken, Notes
- Project evaluated on quality of e-Record (50%) and Exhibit (50%)
Unit 7
- Photo Journal/Binder with 20 before and 20 after editing photos
- Label with Name, County, Editing App, Technique Used, Notes
Careers
Scientific Photographer
Capturing scientific discoveries for use in publications
Wedding
Photographer
Capture pictures during weddings
Commercial
Photographer
Capturing images to be used in books, advertisements, catalogs, and wide media
Sports Photographer
Take photos of athletes during practice sessions, during the season, and during sporting events
Photojournalist
Capture newsworthy items for publication in newspapers, journals, magazines, or television
Law Enforcement
Forensics
Photographers help record the crime scene and the evidence
Livestock
Photographer
Travel to stock shows, ranches, and livestock events to capture photos
Museum/Gallery
Curator
Provide education to guests as well as assisting in the sale of art