Little Eyes, Big Discoveries: Photography Education Continues at Tohumluk
ANKARA - Can a cardboard box become a window onto the world? How does light create an image? How do mirrors change what we see? At Tohumluk Foundation, we have begun a photography journey that invites children to explore these questions.
On October 12, 2026, we held the first session of our photography program for fourth-grade students at Dr. Ahmet–Filiz Göğüş Primary and Middle School in Tulumtaş, in Ankara’s Gölbaşı district. Coordinated by our volunteer photography instructor Murat Berkyürek, with contributions from fellow volunteer instructors Seda Felekoğlu and M. Kemal Bakır, the four-week program will continue until November 2, 2026.
Through this initiative, we aim to introduce children to basic photography techniques, encourage observation and creativity, and help them express what they see from their own perspectives. Following an introductory week combining foundational concepts with experiments, the program will continue with three weeks of practical photography activities.
A cardboard box becomes a window onto the world
In our first session, students explored the *camera obscura*, or dark chamber, a device that demonstrates the optical principle behind a camera. Historically used by artists, it offered children an opportunity to observe how light forms an image.
Using cardboard boxes, the children built their own devices and investigated how images appear. A simple object they had assembled themselves became a starting point for questions about light and vision. Watching them explore ideas through hands-on experimentation was one of the most exciting parts of our first gathering.
Mirrors, changing images, and new perspectives
We also introduced kaleidoscopes and periscopes. Looking at the colorful geometric patterns created by reflections in a kaleidoscope, students explored color, shape, and symmetry.
The periscope provided a way to examine how mirrors redirect light and how a different viewing position changes what we can see. As children tried to understand these devices and explain them in their own words, the lesson became a shared process of discovery.
Exploring light, reflection, and image formation gave students opportunities to ask questions and seek answers through experimentation.
From looking to seeing
One of the program’s central aims is to help children discover the difference between looking and seeing. Creating a photograph involves noticing details, observing light, choosing a moment, and deciding what to show. Two people can look at the same scene and notice entirely different things—a reminder of photography’s possibilities for personal expression.
In the coming sessions, each student will be provided with a camera for practical activities. Children will experiment with framing, examine their surroundings from different angles, and use their photographs to communicate how they perceive the world.
Alongside technical learning, we want students to gain confidence in their own choices. What they decide to photograph, which details attract their attention, and how they compose an image will all contribute to discovering their own visual voice.
An instructor’s perspective: Curiosity, observation, and expression
Our volunteer photography instructor and program coordinator, Murat Berkyürek, describes the purpose of the initiative:
“It is very valuable to us that children look at the world with curiosity and express what they see within their own frames. Photography is not just a technical activity; it is a form of expression that teaches us to pay attention, be patient, notice details, and look at our surroundings with fresh eyes.”
Berkyürek notes that building camera obscura devices and exploring light through kaleidoscopes and periscopes enriched the learning experience. He explains what matters most to him:
“For me, the most important outcome of this program is not simply that children learn to take photographs, but that they begin to ask questions, observe, and develop their own perspectives. Every child perceives the world differently. Photography allows those differences to become visible and gives children an opportunity to express themselves freely.”
A frame for the future
At Tohumluk Foundation, we believe that engaging with art early in life creates valuable opportunities for children to understand and express themselves. Through our work in Tulumtaş, we hope to nurture curiosity, attention, imagination, and the confidence to experiment.
A question asked today by a child investigating an image inside a cardboard box may become the starting point for another discovery tomorrow. A photograph can also help a child recognize their own perspective and share it with others.
We thank our volunteer instructors Murat Berkyürek, Seda Felekoğlu, and M. Kemal Bakır, along with the school administration and teachers, for their contributions. We continue working to create opportunities for children to look with curiosity, learn through experience, and tell their own stories.
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