Back to School: Alternatives to Boring School Photos

It is less than a month away before the summer ends and school starts back up again. Another new school year means it is time for new school pictures. Let me kick off this Back to School blog series by talking a little bit about school photos.

With a smart phone nowadays, it is so easy to snap photos of your kids and document their growth and milestones. As parents, we want to remember our beautiful kids being little and cute, how much they grown in their uniqueness, and all the new things they do. Hundreds and hundreds of photos. Good ones or bad ones, it doesn't matter as long as our kids are in them. But most of them don't end up on the walls or being displayed because of the low photo quality.

As if that is not enough, you also find yourself ordering the traditional school photos your children bring home with them each year. Everyone can pretty much expect a meticulously posed shot with the perfect smile. Great! There is a worthy picture to put on the wall. But....there is still something missing?!

You want to see more of your children's uniqueness. Things they do that show who they are. Such as the unique way they laugh, the way they run, the way they dance and sing, the way they play their favorite sports, the way they hug and kiss, the way they celebrate victory. The list can go on and on. And you want to create prints and wall arts with these photos for your home or as meaningful gifts for the grandparents. So what is the alternative?

My answer to you: book a custom family/kids portrait session instead!

There are so many talented photographers who can create high quality photos that tailor to your family. With a custom portrait session, the kids have the freedom to be who they are and what they enjoy doing. I usually ask my clients about their kids' interests prior the session because it prepares me to speak and engage them in the things they like or are familiar with. I also personally prefer an outdoor location because it gives them more space to move around. Especially for the younger children, they are full of energy and they need space!

Even if you are not ready to invest in hiring a photographer, I encourage you to still plan a special day every year to go out and take your families photos on your own. The kids just grow up way too fast! Plan ahead but focus on having a great time on the photo day! Don't get frustrated when things don't go as planned. You want to make this a positive experience so everyone will want to do it again and again. Improvise. Laugh. Enjoy.