It’s that time of year again here in Minnesota! BACK TO SCHOOL!
Before you send your child off on the bus, here are five tips to capture the best first day of school photo!!
Plus, you get a FREEBIE - your very own first day of school template to download, print, and use in your child’s photo. Find it below!
So let’s dive into some tips and tricks you can use when taking your child’s photo for school!
Tip #1: Background
Pay attention to the background of your image. You want your background to be clear of any distractions or clutter. Keep it neutral. You can even fill the frame with just your child to avoid any distracting elements in the background. My favorite spot is on the front porch. It’s not too busy on the porch and the only background is your front door and any decor you have. It’s fun to take their first day of school picture each year in the same spot and see how much they’ve grown over the years. Also pay attention to any branches, plants, or poles which look like they are sticking out of their head.
Tip #2: Backpack
It’s not official until the backpack is on! It’s fun to see straps over the shoulders while holding their first day of school sign. For the younger ones, take a picture of your child wearing their backpack from behind to capture that special backpack they had to have! It will also allow you to see how small and tiny they once were in a few years down the road. Check out this sweet photo of my daughter below. She looks so tiny and the backpack is half her size. Heart melted.
Okay…now back to the photo tips!
Tip #3: Lighting
Take your photo outside where there is natural light. Taking pictures in the living room can turn out dark and cast shadows across the face. Go outside and look for an open area with shade and even light. Even light can typically be found on the North and South side of your home. Open shade can be anywhere near a space that provides coverage from the sun. Make sure the sun is not shining directly in your child’s face to avoid any squinting towards the camera. Also, avoid the sun being directly behind them which will create a blurry, hazy photo. The right kind of light will not cast shadows on your child’s face.
Tip #4: No Filters
Instagram filters are all the trend right now. Years from now they won’t be. Keep your child’s first day of school picture simple and classic! You want to have a clean and crisp image of your child to remember them by. Use the photo or portrait modes and then hit that edit button! Play around with exposure, contrast, brightness, and warmth of your image. You can always revert back to the original version (at least in iPhone you can). Stay away from the saturation and vignette settings. Believe me when I say it doesn’t look good…trust me.
Tip #5: Privacy
Not the type of tip you were expecting, but it’s an important one! Make sure you don’t give out too much personal information in your first day of school signs. Keep your child’s sign generic. Cross out personal information using the editing markup feature before posting to social media.
SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER
My model is starting kindergarten next week!!
We won’t talk about the tear in my eye when taking this photo.
WATCH ME EDIT
Watch me edit a photo using only the in camera settings on my phone. The results can be subtle but the end result should be a clean, crisp image.
Pro Tip!
Make this time taking pictures fun! And keep the outtakes! Tell a joke to grab a natural smile.
Try this one:
Q: Why does a duck have feathers?
A: To cover his butt quack!
Now that you’re ready to capture the best first day of school photo, let’s get you prepared for an amazing sign to use for your kiddos!
Check out your FREEBIE below!!!
Your First Day of School Sign can be printed in the standard US letter format (8.5x 11).
Download your template by selecting the button below!
