Back to School Photos

So this year my eldest starts school, I am taking his first day of school photos and I thought I would share a blog post with a few tips.

When

The first day is an obvious choice , but try to take photos a few days before your child starts school (or a few days after) as the first morning may be a bit hectic . You can tell your child that you want them to try on the uniform before they start to check it fits and take some photographs .

Expectations

Children can have short attention spans and that can lead them to become bored or distracted easily if they are not enjoying the activity. Plan to photograph at a time when your child is not too tired and has been fed. Prepare all your props and location etc beforehand and only aim for 10minutes max . I like to use rewards as an incentive eg ‘ lets go to the park after mummy takes a few photos for your memory book’ .

If your child is not happy to have their photo taken that day just try another time, don’t put any pressure on yourself or your child , try to make it enjoyable for everyone .

Where

There are lots of options, outside your front door is a classic, in your home, outdoors in a garden or park. Taking a photo in the same spot each year like your front door means that you can compare over the years how much your little one has grown.

Pro Tip - Declutter the background ! Take photos with a neutral background like a wall or outside in a field. No one wants to see a pile of mums knickers in the background! ( unless that’s the look your going for ) It will make your photos look more professional.

Props

You can use some props to add to the scene and to let your child play with whilst you take photos .

Books, pencils, globe ,chalk board , lego, school desk, dolls, teddy bear etc.

Equipment

Depends on your own preference , you can use a digital camera or camera on your phone. I am always a fan of a camera phone with decent lighting. My phone is really convenient with children and easy to edit images and upload to social media quickly. In these photos I used a mix between a 35mm prime lens on my Nikon DSLR camera and my IPhone 7 plus.

Pro tip - Practice adjusting focus and exposure on your phone by tapping and holding the screen till you see the yellow square with the sun icon and adjust brightness by sliding up and down, It will make a huge difference to the quality )

Privacy

If you are uploading to social media consider if you wish to show your child’s school logo . I took my son’s photos with a plain coloured top without logos , if this is not an option you can blur out the logo afterwards.

How To Pose

If your child is old enough show them how to sit or stand in a spot and strike up a conversation with them . Ask questions as you take your photos .

- What are you most excited about going to school ?

- Can you show me your new book bag?

- Can you sing me your favourite song?

- When you grow up what would you like to be ? Etc

If you want a natural smile, tell them a joke, or ask them to tell you the silliest or rudest word they know. Toilet humour always works, then take a lot of burst photos to capture that laughing smile .

I am always a fan of the unposed natural shots and the trick to doing this is to observe, show interest in what your child is doing, have a chat and discreetly take the photos .

Good Luck , have fun and please share if you used any of these tips, I would love to see your photos.