School Picture Day: What to Wear, How to Prepare & What Parents Can Expect

School picture day can sneak up on you. You see the reminder from school and suddenly you're thinking, what are they going to wear? Do they need a haircut? Should I tell them how to smile? 

As both a school photographer and a mom, my advice is: keep it simple.

The best school pictures don't come from perfectly styled kids with perfectly practiced smiles. They come from kids who are comfortable, relaxed and able to be themselves.

So, if school picture day is coming up, here's what I highly recommend.

What Should My Child Wear for School Picture Day?

Something they feel good in.

Picture day isn't the best morning to convince your child to wear an itchy sweater they hate just because you love it. If they're uncomfortable, there's a pretty good chance we'll see that in their pictures.

Instead, choose something that feels like them.

Solid colors, simple patterns and layers tend to photograph really well, but there's no need to overthink it. If your child loves bright colors, let them wear bright colors. If they have a favorite dress or shirt that they feel great in, that's usually a good choice.

I want their school pictures to look like your child at this age.

A few things to avoid is clothing with large text, characters or graphics across the front. Those can sometimes pull your eye away from their face, which is ultimately what we want the photograph to be about.

If your school pictures are using a black background, please avoid black shirts. 

If your school's pictures are taken outdoors, keep the weather in mind. We want them comfortable enough to relax rather than thinking about how freezing or hot they are.

How should I do my child’s hair for school pictures?

The way they normally wear it.

Picture day isn't the time to try a completely new hairstyle that your child isn't comfortable with. Again, we're going for them. Do a quick check before they leave for school, but don't feel like their hair needs to be perfect.  Cowlicks are allowed to be cowlicks.

The goal isn't to send me a perfectly styled child. It's to send me your child.

How to prepare the morning of school picture day.

There are a few practical things you can do that morning:

• Have them eat breakfast before getting dressed if they're particularly talented at wearing their breakfast.

• Wash their face.

• Brush teeth after breakfast. (You may think it goes without saying!)

• Give hair one last quick check.

• Make sure the outfit is comfortable.

• Then...send them to school.

That's really it.

You don't need to spend the morning practicing smiles in the mirror.

Actually, I'd rather you didn't!

Should I practice smiling with my child?

Nope.

You can absolutely tell them that it's picture day, but you don't need to coach them on exactly what to do or tell them to "smile nice.” I'll take it from there.

When kids are trying really hard to recreate the smile they've been practicing, that's often when we get the stiff, uncomfortable school-picture expression we're all familiar with. I'd much rather talk to them for a second, let them get comfortable with me and see what expression naturally comes out.

Sometimes it's a huge smile.

Sometimes it's a little smirk.

Sometimes it's a quiet, sweet expression that is completely them.

That's what I'm looking for.

What is picture day like for my child?

This is something parents don't always get to see, so you might be wondering what happens after you send your child into school that morning.

My goal is to make school picture day easy, relaxed and quick for everyone involved, especially the kids.

Classes typically come to the picture area together. When it's your child's turn, I'll tell them exactly where they need to go and what they need to do.

They don't need to know how to pose or sit like a statue.

And they definitely don't need to show up knowing how to give me the "perfect" smile.

I'll talk with them, get them situated and take several photographs. The whole thing usually only takes a couple of minutes before they're headed back to class.

It's a very small part of their school day.

What if my child is shy or doesn’t smile?

That's completely fine.

Not every child walks into picture day ready to chat with a photographer they've never met (though some definitely do!) Some kids need an extra second. Some are naturally quieter. Some don't give giant smiles on command.

I don't need them to.

My job isn't to force the exact same expression out of every child. My job is to meet them where they are, help them feel comfortable and create a photograph that actually looks like them. And sometimes the quieter expressions end up being some of my favorites.

What if my child gets messy before their photo is taken?

They're kids.

I photograph enough children to know that sending them to school clean does not guarantee they'll still be clean when they arrive in front of my camera. Do your best that morning and then release yourself from responsibility. I'll fix what I reasonably can when they're with me. Hair can be moved. Collars can be straightened.

The rest is part of documenting this particular age and stage.

Why I Take More Than One School Picture

Traditional school picture day often meant sitting down, smiling once, click, done.

My approach to school photography is a little different. I take multiple images of each child because expressions change in a matter of seconds. The first photograph isn't always the one that feels most like them. Giving kids a little room to settle in allows me to capture more natural expressions, and gives families photographs that feel more personal than the traditional one-pose school picture.

That's one of my favorite parts of my approach to school photography!

The Best School Picture Day Tip? Don't Stress About It.

School pictures are supposed to capture this tiny moment in your child's life.

The missing tooth.

The haircut.

The curls.

The freckles.

The little smile they make right now that might look completely different next year.

Yes, brush the teeth. Fix the hair. Pick an outfit you both like. But after that?

Send them to school and let them be themselves.

I'll take care of the rest!

If you're a parent reading this because picture day is coming up at your child's school, I hope this makes the morning a little easier.

And if you're a school administrator looking for a school photography experience that's simple for your staff, comfortable for your students and gives families more natural, individualized school portraits, you can learn more about my school photography services in Western Massachusetts below.

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