Back to School Photography Tips

Since summer is quickly winding to a close and the kids will soon be boarding the bus and heading back to school, I thought I’d share some back to school photography tips and suggestions so you can preserve these fleeting moments for a lifetime. Hopefully, with these suggestions, you’ll look back at these photos years from now and give yourself an “A plus.”  

Be Prepared
The first day of school always brings about nervous jitters and excited butterflies causing for some anxious kids so being prepared on the first day is important.

• If first day photos are a must for you, add a little extra time into your schedule that morning so you have time to do everything without feeling completely rushed.
• Make sure your camera batteries are charged and ready to go.
• Lay out as much as you can the night before like your camera bag, your child’s clothes, etc. The more that is ready when you wake up, hopefully the smoother things will go.  

Shot Suggestions
I always think about what shots are important to me prior to anytime I am going to be taking photographs and then I jot down a top five on a post it and keep it with me so I am sure to get what is most important to me.

• Don’t limit yourself to just shooting on the morning of school. Have your kids try on their first day out fits a couple of days before the big day to make sure they fit and snap photos of each of them during this little fashion show. 
• Take photos while shopping for back to school supplies. Too chaotic to actually take photos while shopping? Then take some photos of all the new loot when you get back home. There is just something magical about piles of unused school supplies waiting for the learning to take place and fill those notebook pages. 

• I always take some photos the night before the first day of school, it’s kind of a “quiet before the storm” type photo of my son’s clothes neatly laid out, backpacked packed, etc. 
• On the first day, document the whole morning through your photos. Take photos of sleepy children not ready wake. Snap away as they are eating their breakfast of champions, styling their hair, etc. 

(collage made in Pic Monkey)

• Take some posed photo of each child in their new outfit. I love using props in these types of photos. Print a free grade card for your child's grade from this collection at How Does She? and have your child hold them in the photo. (My son is holding one in the above photos.) Be sure and get a close up of the signs too! 
• Take some shots of siblings together. And if you have smaller children who aren't school age, be sure and get a shot or two with them as well. 
• If your children ride the bus, take photos of them waiting for the bus, getting on the bus, and the bus pulling away. If your children walk or ride a bike to school, stand behind just a bit and take some shots of them walking/riding off. If you drive your kids to school, get a photo of the school sign, preferably with your child with it! 
• Get out the camera again and capture their sweet faces as they come home from school excitedly telling you all about the first day. 
• Are you homeschooling family? You can still capture first day moments like Monica at Daily Dwelling did!

Ok, Mommarazzis, get those battery charged and capture the moment!

(Post originally written for and shared as a guest post at My Favorite Finds)