URGENT!!! How to prepare for the first ever year book photo shoot?

[MamaPrincess]

Any tips? Advices? Anything?

What did you do right, wrong what you thing is

smart thing to do when perparing your kid to

go to the pictures taken at school for the year book?

How is it done? what is the process, child asks, mother does not know

what to tell. Do the whole school line up? bet not, do they go by

class? do they wait in line? do they do it in the classroom? caffeteria?

How many poses?

What the background to choose? what is good what is bad what is regretful..

what to dress in, what colors? what are not good idea? what outfitf or a girl?

what style?

how about hair? curl not to curl? hadaband? yes no maybe?

are parents allow to be there at hte time to brush hair or things like that

are parents sending hairbrush for someone to do it .. is there anyone doing it

yeah... seemingly simple question from my daughter brought up the

avalanche of follow ups..

hahhaha.. any tips?

[whatsnextmom]

Honestly, it all varies from school to school. Most go class by class but some do several at a time. Some give options of backgrounds, some don't. Some do more than one pose, others don't. Some kids get fancy. Some wear the same superhero t-shirt they always wear. Some years it's in the cafeteria, some years it's in a classroom. I've never seen parents encouraged to stay unless they are the class helper for the day. 

We never count on school pictures being good. We never buy more than the 8x10. I take much better shots of my own kids and I suspect most moms actually do. Our school pictures are usually fine. I laugh about the one my DS decided to wear his reading glasses because I said they made him look handsome when he first got them (he was 7 and he only needed them a whole 6 months lol.) I think the series where DD tried to hide her braces with a closed mouth smile is quite endearing. I think the year she put curly ribbon in her hair funny. DS tried a new hairstyle about 10 minutes before a picture once and it was awful and immortalized for eternity lol. 

Basically, there are too many variables for an answer. Sorry!

[moominmamma]

I would suggest not giving the whole thing too much importance. Like whatsnextmom says, don't count on the photos being any good; in a few years you'll look back and giggle, regardless. In these days of inexpensive digital cameras, your favourite photos will be the ones you took of your kids, not the supposedly "professional" school pictures. My rule is "look like a neat, presentable version of your usual school self." No logos or graphics on the clothes. Neatly but informally dressed. No prep / grooming that the child isn't accustomed to. Often we forget or are not aware that it's photo day. It makes no difference. 

Here photos are done in the library annex. Kids to and line up a grade at a time, which is 4-8 students per group (yeah, small school!). 

We never get a choice of backgrounds or number/variety of poses. Sometimes the photographer bring two or three and will shoot a bunch of photos in front of each in an effort to encourage parents to buy a big variety of prints. We have never bought any of the prints: they're just used for the yearbook and the student cards. 

That's all. It's totally not a big deal.

Miranda

[zebra15]

Here its a class or 2 at a time,   Things move rather quickly, the photographer has a class list, everything is bar coded.  Same old blue background thats been around for 50 years, same old pose that's been around for 50 years.  Some classes go in the am, some don't go until the end of the day (yep, after recess, lunch PE/ ART, you name it).  Honestly, in no way would I call them 'professional' pictures or a 'photo shoot'.  I can do much better with my camera phone.   You are gonna get a shoulder up (maybe chest up) photo of the kid.

I've never seen a parent,  I've never seen a kid 'fixing themselves' up unless it was Jr high or older.

I wouldn't fret.  You need to pre-order the packages here, most parents get the smallest one available if anything.  Almost everyone gets the $$ yearbook instead.

[chel]

My dd has always brought a hair brush to school, but she is fairly OCD. The photographer doesn't do anything, so prep your kid ahead of time (practice smile, if hair is long decide if you want it all pulled back or in front on shoulders).

I have a frame that has a spot for each year. I do my best to get all grey backgrounds. Here kids can pick "jewel" tones.

As pp said it is just a shoulder up shot, watch out for images on shirts where only an odd portion would show.


I also only buy the cheapest package. Sometimes the add on option of the smallest size to trade
Edited by chel - 9/27/12 at 10:59am

[ollyoxenfree]

How to prepare? Well, this year, DD dyed her hair a bright shade of Kool-Aid pink a few days before Photo Day. 

That's probably not what you had in mind. 

Most years, the kids just went to school in their regular clothes. If their hair was neat, that was a bonus.  

We usually have a choice of 2 or 3 "takes" of the same pose, against a blue, grey or brown background. DD wears a lot of bright colours and DS wears a lot of black, so usually their clothes stand out against the background.

Portrait photographers will suggest that a subject avoid wearing white or black (too harsh for many skin tones) and graphic images and logos and busy prints. Although it's a good point to avoid images on shirts, I actually don't mind the photos we have with them. Many years later, it's a sweet reminder that when he was 7, DS loved the shirt with the dinosaur that Gran gave him and he wore it constantly. 

I agree with everyone that these aren't really professional portrait photos. 

For packages, I usually buy a package with a couple of 5x7 prints for each grandmother (they like to get the photos), and that always comes with some wallet-sized photos. Some years the kids will trade wallet photos with their friends, some years they don't.  I avoid 8x10 photos. Personally, I think it's an awkward size. Too big for a lot of albums and it seems huge sitting on a desk or shelf, and I don't think the school photos are nice enough to hang on a wall.  

[meemee]

photoshoot came and went. didnt really do anything about it. 

the photographer gave out free combs to those who needed it. 

friend lent dd a giant candy ring that dd wore to her K shoot. dd is in 5th grade. i have not purchased her pictures in 3 years. 

ours does two runs. if you dont like the pictures in the first run the next week they are back for reshoots. 

[grumpybear]

Background- gray. It's the most neutral and won't clash with whatever color they are wearing.

As far as others, my philosophy is, I'd like the portrait to be as reflective of my son's time in school for that year. Meaning, he wears the clothes he normally wears to school (although he's taken a fancy to donning a dress shirt and tie for the past 2 years).

Of course I am not much help in the hair department since my school-aged child is a boy but when they took sibling photos, I just tied my little girl's hair in pigtails so the hair isn't on her face. As far as her outfit goes, I opted for a plain shirt.

Whatever it is, it's going to turn out adorable.

For packages, I choose the cheapest that comes with an 8x10, 5x7s and wallets. That way we cover home and grandparents.

[LuckyMommaToo]

I pretty much let my kids do whatever they want. Last year, in kindy, DD chose a crazy rainbow sunburst background. Hilarious, and fits her personality perfectly! She wore her super frothy Easter dress. Made her own necklace out of Christmas ribbon and some doodads. Seriously, it was the BEST school photo EVER. I still grin every time I see it! DS usually wears a t-shirt, which also fits his personality.

So I say, don't micromanage.