Back to school…it’s all us mammas are thinking about at the moment and kind of a six letter word sometimes with all the stress surrounding the decisions we’re making.
But whatever side of the decision fence you’re sitting on (and even if you’re still firmly on it and unsure of what you’re doing in a few weeks), taking “back-to-school” photos can still be the fun right of passage it’s always been.
Taking photos of my boys at the start and end of each year is one of my favourite things I get to do as a mom. I revel in every cheesy, Pinterest-y moment of it. But it’s not always the easiest thing to, especially with preschoolers and even more so when our kids have extra needs. So, if this is something you love to do, whether you’re planning on homeschooling/virtual classroom/rocking that first day…here are some simple steps you can take to make the process a more enjoyable one.
Get organized.
I know right? As if we don’t have enough to organize ahead of a school year! But leaving it until the morning you’re rushing off to school is never a good idea. Take into account the lead time that any custom boards will take to order (I got my re-usable custom boards from Brecreative Design co and I love them). There are some really fun ideas out there but keep it simple if you’re pressed for time and especially if you have multiple kids. I love these boards because I plan on reusing them every year.
(Bonus tip: I did learn that adding the text in photoshop after taking the images is WAY easier if you want to avoid smudges, but this is an added step and slightly more complicated if you’re looking to keep things simple).
If you’re using a letter board, get that all set and sorted and also take a few minutes to choose outfits or make sure you have a uniform laid out.
Choose a spot!
I like to suggest you choose a spot that you’ll have a bit of space to move closer and crop out. I like to use the front door because I want to be able to see their growth each year against it and on our welcome mat. If you’re shooting with your DSLR camera, do make sure you shoot landscape and portrait to crop as you want or need to for baby books or frames. If you’re on your phone, shoot multiple images moving closer to and further away from your little love too. Regardless of how you’re taking these images…also prepare for a bit of a workout!
Timing is everything.
I like to suggest you do this a day or two before the actual start of school. A practice-run if you will. This will give the kids a chance to wear their shoes and carry their backpack and you’ll be able to iron out any issues for their first morning. It’s also a good idea to choose the time of day that your kids are at their best. If this is the morning, great! If it’s after their nap, also totally fine. Taking it a day or two before will give you some time to look through the images or download them if you use your DSLR camera and you’ll have time to edit them and store them to share on the morning they go off.
Ditch perfection.
The quicker you get on board with these images being about the milestone and not about making everything look perfect, the happier everyone will be. Snap away and soak up their silly little personalities too. It doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect. I love looking back and having a laugh at how ridiculous it is trying to get an image of a toddler standing still! For older kids, let them have a say on what they want to wear/include in the shot. Funny quirks will be so much fun for them to look back on. For this year? I’m pretty sure there will be MANY odes to the crazy of the 2020 school year so embrace the crazy, have some fun with these and tag me in any you post so I can come over and cheer you on in whatever school choice you make this year. Good luck mamma!
Some safety tips:
I know, we never want to think about all the scary things out in the world when we’re about to send our kids out into it, but here are a few safety tips to take into consideration (especially when sharing your back to school photos online):
- It’s a good idea to hide any school-identifying details in your images. If your school wears a uniform, simply cover the emblem with an emoji or other form of editing before uploading.
- Try to refrain from including any teacher names or other identifying factors on your back-to-school boards.
- I love including little things the kids are currently enjoying or funny things they say. However, remember that once images are online they are there to be found later on too so keep that in mind for anything your kids’ friends could dig up down the line.
