School Photos… tips for success
The new school year has started… children are settling into their new classrooms, and in September school photos will be taken in many schools around the country.
Everyone has a funny story about one of their own school photos. I cut my own bangs at a 45 degree angle just before my Kindergarten school photos. I know my mother was horrified at the time, but we laugh about it now and that photo is priceless to me.
As a family photographer who takes student, class and staff photos for 2 private schools, and a mother of 3 boys, I’ve compiled some tips to help you prepare for your children’s school photos along with some of my favorite images. Many of these tips work for teachers as well!
Tips for Great School Photos
Clothing:
Avoid logos, slogans, even large images of a person, cartoon or animal. They are distracting & take away from the subject. Cropping can cause words & images to be cut in half anyway. Let the focus be on the subject.
Plan your outfit ahead of time. Make sure it is comfortable and fits properly.
What works best: solids, simple patterns, darker colors vs. white & pastels which can wash you out. Colors that bring out your eye color look great!
If you know the background color ahead of time, wear a color that compliments it, don’t match it or you’ll be a floating head.
Grooming:
Haircut – cut it at least a week ahead of time. Give it a chance to grow out just a bit, and yourself time to learn to work with a new style.
Hide the scissors from your little ones – every year in the school photos I take, I have at least one kindergartener that has cut his or her bangs themselves.
Special instructions:
Send them in a note either attached to the photo form, or give it to the teacher directly. Examples: glasses on/off, jacket or sweater zipped or buttoned up or left open, etc.
Acne – many school photographers offer touch up services for a small fee. This would be easier in many cases & the end result will look more natural than going overboard with concealer.
Other options:
If you would rather forgo the school photos – have your family photographer take individual photos of your children during your family portrait session & order them in wallet or small sizes to share with family & friends.
High School Senior Photography is all about bringing out the personality and style of the student, and sessions are personalized just for them. I love shooting these sessions… they are a lot of fun and capture a special time in their lives as they are looking towards their bright future.
While many of the tips above may still apply, there are others that are more specific to this age bracket and style of photography, so I will consult with clients to make sure that the photographs truly express who they are. Seniors are encouraged to bring multiple outfit changes, accessories, jewelry, items to represent their interests (ie. sports, music, hobbies, etc.). Girls may opt to have their hair and makeup professionally done. Locations are discussed – I love that part & have many favorites to choose from.
Final Tip:
After all of that advice, remember to embrace who your child is right now and let their school photo reflect that. The goal in the end isn’t really a perfect picture, it’s a memory of who they were at that age.
