Tips For a Stress-Free Picture Day
Did you know that it is possible to ease the stress of school picture day? Who knew! Every parent knows how harrowing the preparation for picture day can be. Getting the best smiles and expressions out of stubborn teens and rambunctious little ones can brew up a stressful and exhausting experience. Here are some helpful tidbits to make the day less intimidating for all parties involved!
- Take some time to sit down with younger children to prepare them for the hustle and bustle that comes with school picture day. Help them understand that they will be dressing a bit differently that day, and what the expectations may be for keeping their hair neat and tidy until the photos are taken. Keep the atmosphere of the home calm that morning and avoid excessive stress before sending your little ones off to school to avoid sour moods.
- Avoid last-minute haircuts any sooner than about ten to fourteen days prior to picture day. Brand new haircuts sometimes take a while to lay properly, so it is best to give the hair plenty of time to settle in to ease the stress that comes with trying to style uncooperative hair.
- If your child does not wear a uniform to school and has the option to choose their own clothing on picture day, spend some time planning your child’s outfit beforehand to reduce the stress of trying to choose one at the last minute. For the best results, try to select a shirt with a basic design, and try to avoid tops that display cartoon characters, brand names, or are excessively bright or distracting. After all, we want your child’s beautiful face to be the focal point of the portrait, not their hot pink shirt featuring Peppa Pig!
- While we do offer these guidelines, we still recommend allowing your child to assist you in choosing their picture day outfit. Their cooperation is largely determined by how comfortable they are, so dressing them in an outfit that makes them grumpy may impact the quality of their photos. Work with your child to come to an agreement on an outfit that is conducive to a great portrait, but also makes your child smile. After all, a comfortable, winning smile is what we aim for!
- Although some parents like to prepare their child to pose for their photos, we recommend leaving the posing to the professionals! Each child is different, and if the child is too focused on doing what they rehearsed at home, it may be more difficult for the photographer to pose the child in a way that makes the most sense in the moment.
- Talk to older children, and teens about their smiles. Many teens are self-conscious about their smiles and may try to keep their mouths closed if they are feeling insecure about their teeth or braces. Their photographer will want to draw out their natural smile with teeth, so help them feel more secure in showing their pearly whites! If your child chooses to not show their teeth in their school portrait that is okay too! We just encourage you to discuss this decision with your child prior to photo day so everyone is on the same page with the decision.
- If your child wears prescription glasses, speak with them beforehand about whether or not the glasses should be worn in their photos. For younger children who may be more forgetful, it’s best to speak with their teachers about your preference to help keep your child reminded. If you or your child choose to keep their glasses on, we will always do what it takes to minimize the glare. Our photographers are trained to adjust the lighting accordingly to optimize the image while reducing or eliminating glare in glasses. Non-reflective glasses work best for portraits. If your child has glasses that are sensitive to light, our photographers will take a couple of minutes to let their lenses transition back to clear.
Although it may seem overwhelming to prepare for picture day, following a few best practices can help minimize stress or discomfort for your family and your child. Our goal is to always capture the best images of your child, so we always advise to do what you can to prepare at home, and allow the photographer to take care of the rest!