Troop 3 Scouts Learn Photography Basics from Local Pro

On January 5, the Scouts of Troop 3 had a special guest at its regular Monday meeting. Mr. Coshow is a professional videographer, photographer, and filmmaker, and he taught around 15 Scouts and adult leaders many things about what he does, as well as how a camera works and important features when taking a photo.

Mr. Coshow began by telling the scouts about how a camera is, put simply, “a stupid box with a hole in it.” He shared that the camera was discovered by accident a long time ago. He then moved into settings like aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. The aperture and the shutter speed work together to control how much light is exposed in the camera, or the exposure, and are both very important when capturing a photo. Next, Mr. Coshow used interactive examples to show how those settings can both freeze a Scout in the air and also make them disappear. He also let the Scouts try drawing letters with a flashlight using a very long exposure.

A week later on January 12, Mr. Coshow returned for one more meeting with Troop 3. He began the session with depth of field, explaining how it controls which aspects of a photo are in focus. He then talked about some of the specific merit badge requirements, including one about telling a story with pictures. He ended the meeting by showing some of his own work, and telling the Scouts a little about his background. He even shared a story about how he first got inspired to do photography by the toy in a box of cornflakes. He also casually mentioned how he has photographed many celebrities, including Taylor Swift.

Overall, the Scouts learned a lot about photography from these two meetings, and many Scouts are interested in completing the merit badge. All of Troop 3 is very grateful for Mr. Coshow’s time and effort.

First chartered in 1917, Troop 3 Scouts in Manchester-by-the-Sea is one of the town’s oldest and most active community organizations.  Its history of fun, high adventure, and a legacy of Eagle Scouts committed to service for Scouts from Manchester, Essex, and throughout the North Shore.