Back to School Photos

It is that time of year....back to school shopping, open houses and putting our children on the bus or even in their new dorm room.  It is a season filled with anticipation, excitement and all different kinds of emotions. My kids will not go back to school until after labor day but I know many children have already had their first day.

As a mother and as a scrapbooker, I always think about what I want to capture each back to school season. I think it is very important to think about it BEFORE the actual first day of school and to capture shots that will truly tell your child's story.

I think we all take the traditional back to school photo of our child with their backpack or school bag.  I always try to think about where I want to take the photo before I engage my children.  It has been very easy for us because our back patio is surrounded by woods and lots of shade.  It is a great spot for lighting. Thinking ahead can really help you get the best photos.

I always take photos of my children individually as well as together.  When I am telling their story, sometimes I focus on the group and other times I focus on each child.  I like to have everything covered.

Other photos that you might like to consider would include back to school preparations.  Such as the following types of photos.....

• a photo of the kids and the shopping cart full of school supplies
• a photo of the kids racing to the mailbox in hopes of finding the card that tells them who their teacher will be
• a photo of the kids signing their name on their new school supplies
• a photo of their signature
• a photo of the kids backpacks, tennis shoes, folders, or first day of school outfit
• a photo of the kids going to school or getting on the bus

When I am photographing anything, one of the things that I am most focused on is capturing emotion.  A first day of school is packed with emotion.    Here are some photo ideas that might allow you to capture that emotion....

• your child leaving on the bus.....child's emotion or your emotion as a parent
• the excitement of seeing friends again after the summer break
• the end of the school day when your child rushes to you or a sibling

One of my favorite layouts  is the layout below.  It was my daughters first day of school and my son who was home all day with me missed them so much.  The photographs are not great because of the lighting but they bring me right back to the emotion of that day.

What photos and emotions are you hoping to capture this school year?  I think it is important to think ahead and anticipate where you are going to capture the photos that truly tell your child's story.

Speaking of going back to school....did you hear that Digital U is back?   It is on Tuesday, August 20th at 9:00 Eastern Time.  We will be discussing how to document the school year.  If you are new to Digital U, it is a free seminar that we host at Creative Passion once a month.  We discuss various topics and it is a whole lot of fun.  You can register here.  We hope you can join us and best wishes for a great start to the school year.