A great (and fun) idea is to take your own school photos. You can add some elements (see tip #7) and new perspective (see tip #3) and continue the annual tradition with your own camera.
1. Show some personality
One of the things that strikes me about traditional school photos is the sameness, and one of the reasons we homeschool is so that our boys are free to be themselves! Do not be afraid to embrace your own creativity and the personality of your child through location, props, activity, or facial expressions.
2. Make use of natural light
Forget the flash. Forget bright sunlight. Get outside in the open shade (or on an overcast day). It eliminates squinting, harsh shadows, and over-exposure. Evening is a wonderful time of day for soft light!
3. Try a new perspective
Stand on a chair, climb a ladder, get on your belly. Whatever you do, do not just stand there! At least not for every photo, since there is no one-picture-rule here! Standing slightly above your child will give you a great shot of their eyes.
4. Get close
It is fun to get shots of kids doing interesting things in interesting places, but it is very important that you do not forget to take a few shots up close. Really close. Make sure you can see their missing teeth, their freckles, their eye color, or their new hair cut. You will treasure every detail of those little faces in the years to come.
5. Use the rule of thirds
For a nicely balanced photo, take your focal point (eyes in the case of a face shot, or head in the case of a body shot) and off-center it a bit, horizontally and/or vertically. Imagine lines dividing the picture into thirds, and place the eyes on the top line.
6. Create traditions
While variety can be the spice of life, many children look forward to traditions. Do you have back-to-school routines that would lend themselves to photographs? Take pictures of your child at his or her workspace each year, or out for doughnuts on the first day of school.
7. Embellish
Once you have taken the pictures, feel free to add a little flair. At the free online photo editing site, Picnik, you can can crop, create collages, add frames and text, and so much more!
You can check out examples and read more
here.
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