There's only one "first day of school" for every child, so capture
the day accurately with extra special photos! Whether it's kindergarten,
first grade, or any year thereafter, you'll want to preserve that
special day forever... and here's how!
Tip 1: Plan ahead. From clothes to lunches to backpacks, there are
many things to get together for that first day of school! Don't be
scrambling for camera, batteries, and memory cards as you rush your
child out the door... make sure you have those things ready beforehand!
Hurried activities will only add stress, so the more relaxed you are,
the more relaxed your child will be!
Tip 2: Be sensitive to your child’s emotions and needs. Preparing
your child for the first day of school AND the first day of school photo
is important. The additional stress of taking a photo before heading
off to school might prove a bit taxing for your child. Its a good idea
to talk about that first day of school photo beforehand with your
child... knowing what to expect is a stress reliever for everyone!
Tip 3: Decide where and when will be the best place and time to take
photos. If your child’s going off to school on the bus, waiting at the
bus stop might be a great place to start! If you’re picking your child
up after school, you might want to take the photo in front of the
school. This can even work out better because the anxiety over the first
day of school will have subsided.
Tip 4: Make it a tradition! The first day of school is a great time
to chronicle, in photographs, the growth of your child. Try taking
their picture in front of the same tree or in the same pose each year,
and frame or scrapbook all the images together to see their growth right
before your eyes, from kindergarten to college!
Tip 5: Don’t forget to photograph those who may not be going off to
school. -- younger children, friends, or even dad! The images of those
watching can create some wonderful and completely spontaneous images!
Have a great school year and don't forget to keep taking pictures throughout the year!
xo
Jen
Posts
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas! Making it a tradition is brilliant, sometimes the years just slip by unnoticed and unphotographed!
Love the idea of having a list of photos you want to take. We've always had "the spot" in the yard where we take the traditional first pose, but love the idea of documenting the rest of the day. This is the first and only year my 3 girls will be in the same school at the same time for another 5 years. I am going to take some special first day shots at school for them now. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Jennifer. It's amazing how much better everything flows with a great plan in place.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kirsten, Kim and Monique! Everything about photography for me is about celebrating our traditions and the special little things that are unique to each person and each family. Kim - I'm glad I could inspire you a bit!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, love this simple yet thorough list. Thanks for making it easy to capture the special moments. Love how you're sensitive to the person being photographed. It's easy to get wrapped up in the moment and forget that part. Thanks for the great reminder.
ReplyDelete