School is back this week, so here’s my top tips for adorable back to school photos! Whether it’s the first day of school picture, the mid-year or last day, parents often pose their child in front of their home, back pack and smiles on! Here’s a few quick tips to help make the best of those memories!
1.Give your child a “heads-up” that you want to take their photo ahead of time. They’re more likely to cooperate if it’s not a surprise!
2. Allow yourself extra time.
Be prepared, have everything organised and ready to go. Pack lunches the night before, have uniforms ready etc. Charge your camera or your phone. Consider even taking the photo the day before school starts for even less stress!
3. Remove Clutter
Prepare before the shot, and remove any unwanted clutter before you click the shutter.
4. Shoot in the shade.
Many people think to get a well lit picture, their photos should be taken with the subject in the sunlight. But the sunlight can be very harsh, create deep shadows and make your subject squint too much. Instead, find a great patch of shade and have your subject stand there.
5. Pull your child away from the wall.
Lining up against the wall for a picture isn’t always the best composition. Instead, try having your child step forward from the wall quite a bit. This helps put the focus more on the child, and the wall is not so much a part of the picture any more.
All I did to change these two shots was pull her away from the wall 2-3 metres! Both shots were taken with an aperture of f/4.
6. Create a Reference Point
Take your shot in the same place each year so that you can see how your child grows from year-to-year. Some families like to do this outside their front door, for example.
7. If your child feels awkward- give them something to do, eg zip up their jacket, look in their bag, squeeze a stress ball, etc Not all photos need to be eye contact photos.
8. Try some different angles, eg getting down to their level as well as getting them to look up to you
9. Make sure you get in a photo with your child as well! Photos of children interacting with the parent or siblings are often more relaxed too.
Bonus tip: consider where you will share these photos and how they affect your child’s privacy. If you’re sharing online, you may wish to cover their school logo on their uniform and not reveal personal details.
Good luck with your back to school photos, and also with the children starting school again for the year!
And if your photos don’t work out, you can always book in with me for a whole family photo session!