Back to school is always such a fun time of year! And what better way to commemorate this special time than taking back to school pictures? If you’re a parent, you know how fast time goes by, especially while your kids are young. You’ll always be glad you took the time to celebrate and photograph milestones. Make your memories special with these unique back to school picture ideas you’ll cherish forever!
8 Tips to Take The Perfect Back to School Photos
1. Choose a Meaningful Location
Select a location that reflects the back-to-school theme or has a meaningful connection to your child’s education. It could be in front of their school, a library, or even at home with their backpack and school supplies.
2. Lighting is Key
Natural lighting often produces the best results for outdoor or indoor photos. Choose a time of day when the lighting is soft and flattering, such as early morning or late afternoon. Avoid harsh midday sunlight, as it can cast unflattering shadows.
3. Choose an Outfit
Encourage your child to wear an outfit that reflects their personality and style while keeping the school setting in mind. Consider coordinating colours or school-related accessories, like backpacks, hair bows, or plaid skirts to enhance the back-to-school vibe.
4. Add Props and Signage
Incorporate props and signs that indicate the grade your child is entering or highlight their aspirations for the year. Chalkboards, banners, or balloons can add a playful touch to the photos. And don’t forget to capture close-up shots of important details, such as their new school shoes, backpack, or a handwritten note about their goals for the year. These details can add storytelling to your photos.
5. Capture Candid Moments
While posed shots can be lovely, candid moments often capture the genuine emotions and excitement of the back-to-school experience. Encourage your child to engage in activities like reading a book, organizing school supplies, or talking with friends to create natural and authentic photos.
6. Involve Siblings or Friends
If your child has siblings, cousins, or friends starting school with them, consider including them in the photos. Group shots can showcase the excitement of going back to school together and can make the photoshoot more fun!
7. Edit the Photos
After taking the photos, enhance them using photo editing tools or apps. Adjust the lighting, colours, and crop if necessary, but be mindful not to over-edit and lose the natural feel of the images.
8. Have Fun With It
The most important aspect of back-to-school photos is to have fun and enjoy the moment. Encourage your child to express themselves, laugh, and be themselves during the photo session. Genuine smiles and laughter make for the best memories!
10 Unique Back to School Picture Ideas
1. Vintage Vibe
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/1092122978366657534/
We love the vintage vibe of this back to school photoshoot. You can get the vintage feel from the props like the old door and yellow lantern, as well as editing the photos with a vintage filter. The apples and chalkboard are a perfect touch!
2. Selfie Booth Frame
This selfie booth frame is oh so cute, and super simple to create. We love the colourful banner at the top, and the chalkboard featuring your child’s grade creates the perfect memory!
3. Back to School Flag
A personalized back to school flag is fun and unique. Choose their favourite colours to make a flag and have them hold it outside your front door. Bonus points for a colourful door like this one!
4. Holding Books
This is a super cute idea that’s super simple to execute. All you need is a couple of books wrapped in __ and an apple. Dress your child up in their favourite outfit, put their backpack on, and they’re ready for their photoshoot!
5. Back to School Balloons
Blow up a bunch of bright, colourful balloons and stick them on your garage in an arch. Have your child stand underneath the arch holding more balloons that spell out their grade!
6. Vintage School Desk
This vintage school desk is the perfect prop for back-to-school photos. Have your child sit at the desk and add other props like a basket of apples and back-to-school banners. We also love the letter board that displays her grade and what she wants to be when she grows up.
7. Chalkboard Phrase
Write a cute phrase on a chalkboard sign and have your child hold it up above their head. We love this one that says “Stop Crying Mom!” but you could also write “First Day of School” or simply write their grade on the board.
8. Sisterly Love
If you have two girls going back to school, a photo of them with their backpacks and scooters is such a nice memory to have. Have them choose their favourite outfits, and if they’re into it, they could style their hair the same way!
9. Driveway Chalk
This idea is so simple, but makes for such a cute photo! Grab some sidewalk chalk in fun colours and write out their grade. Have your child strike a pose to show off their exciting new school chapter!
10. Alphabet Wall
You can use any blank wall in your house for this one. Stick up colourful alphabet wall decals to create a fun backdrop. Grab a chalkboard sign, his favourite books and have him strike a back-to-school pose!
We hope you love these fun ideas to commemorate back-to-school days!
This post includes affiliate links.
Did you enjoy these unique back to school picture ideas? We’d love it if you shared this post on Pinterest!
Looking for more fun ideas for kids? Make sure to follow our Parenting Board on Pinterest!