# Gun-Wielding Children Photos 'My First Rifle' Depicts American Children with Their Personal Rifles By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2014-05-08 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/my-first-rifle References: [featureshoot](http://www.featureshoot.com/2014/05/sofie-kesteleyn/) & [ansofiekesteleyn.be](http://www.ansofiekesteleyn.be/) 'My First Rifle' is a photo series that captures American children with their guns -- not toy guns but Crickett rifles, which are real, .22-caliber guns specially designed for children. The Crickett rifles, designed for children between the ages of five and 12, are lightweight and come in a variety of colors. Photographer An-Sofie Kesteleyn embarked on a [road trip from Ohio](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holy-ohio) to Texas, and visited gun shops, shooting ranges and private houses looking for Crickett-wielding children to photograph. Kesteleyn paired the children's portraits with photos of each child's answer to a question about what their greatest fears are. Aside from putting a disturbing face to the raging [gun-ownership debate in the US](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/no-gun-zones-map-tool), the 'My First Rifle' photographs are captivating for the simple reason that it's extremely odd to see [innocent-looking young children](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-eternal-child) equipped with guns capable of killing a person. The children's answers about their greatest fears are distinctly childlike and innocent, a stark contrast to the destructive weapons they hold in their hands. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 41% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [Regional](https://www.trendhunter.com/regional) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Child Gun Rights:** Creating child-friendly gun designs and training programs for them. - **Gun Industry Future:** Designing innovative firearms for children. - **Child Safety Education:** Introducing firearms safety lessons in school curriculums. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Firearms:** Creating specialized and portable firearms for children. - **Education:** Incorporating firearms safety training into school activities. - **Photography:** Creating new photography concepts, such as capturing controversial topics. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Anti-Gun Water Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/antigun-water-toys-jayhayspray20-promotes-change-in-societys-relationship-w.md) - [Gun Violence Prevention Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sandy-hook-promise.md) - [Playful Thermal Printer Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/childrens-print-camera.md) - [Kid-Friendly Instant Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/myfirst-camera-insta-wi.md) - [Children-Focused Tech Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/technology-products-for-children.md) - [Collectible Mini Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/photo-creator-mini-cam.md) - [Biometric Smart Guns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biometric-smart-guns.md) - [Thermal Print Portable Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thermal-print-camera.md) - [Journalist-Focused Short Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-shooting.md)