School photos are a right of passage. They are crucial for us to remember our kids as they are growing, for them to show their own kids later, and of course to embarrass them in those later in life slide shows we all love. There are a few things you can do to prepare your kids for school picture day to make the day easy and get some great memories that will last a lifetime.
School Picture Day Outfit
A few days or even a week before choose the outfit. Involve your kids in this process so they can feel good and confident in what they are wearing. Maybe have a few outfits for them to choose from in case they are picky dressers. Make sure the outfits they choose avoid bright neon colors or character graphics if you can so the focus of the photos can be on your sweet childs’ face.
The Day Before School Picture Day
There are a couple things you can do to prepare the night before to ensure great photos. First, show your child a picture of the photographer (see mine below). This will help shy children warm up to me faster at picture time because they will see a face they recognize. This also helps them set the expectation for picture day as they won’t see the disruption in schedule as a bother, but more a fun activity.
Second, make sure they get plenty of rest. A cranky kid will not be happy with the disruption in routine on picture day. A well rested child will just go with the flow and be a happy camper (usually).
Third, go over the outfit choices again so that they know what to expect in the morning. If you have a child that battles over outfit choices (I know I did, and that struggle is real), this will help alleviate that and make the morning go smoother.
The Morning of School Picture Day
Make sure your child has a good breakfast to keep any of the morning krankies away. But do this before they get dressed so that the outfit you have chosen stays nice and clean. Talk with them about how fun picture day is going to be (I am always cracking jokes with the kids to keep them engaged and happy). Maybe show them my picture one more time so they really feel comfortable once they meet me in person.
Following these guidelines will help ensure your kids are well prepared for picture day and you get photos you will really love. I always strive to provide the best service to my schools, have fun with the kids and capture their authentic selves. If you want to know more about working with a fine art school photographer head on over to this article. It has everything you need to know about how smooth and easy the process is and if you want to bring me to your school, use the form below to contact me or DM me on Instagram! I would love to hear from you!
