10 tips for capturing the cutest back to school photos ever

Looking for the cutest back to school photo ideas of your kids this fall?
Grab this quick, handy checklist of shots to get every year for precious school pictures you’ll cherish.

There she goes! My baby is off to Kindergarten. That moment that felt like a lifetime away when the doctor handed her to me for the first time is actually here. She has been so excited, and then nervous, and then excited again over the last few weeks so I wasn’t sure how this morning would go but she did great! She was all smiles and excitement which made it so much easier on me to just be happy for her and keep my own tears in check.

For such an important milestone moment, you can bet I planned our entire morning routine around the back to school photo ideas for my girls. I do this every year, but the images from this morning were just that much more precious to me now that they are both heading off to the same school together.

With just a little planning and prep, you can capture priceless back to school photo ideas of your kids despite the hectic nerve-filled morning routine on that first day. I hope you find these just as helpful as I do!

10 tips for capturing the cutest back to school photo ideas:

Getting Ready:

1. Scout your photo spot: In the couple days before school, take note where the light hits your front yard so you know right where to put your kids for the quickie photoshoot on that busy first morning. You don’t want to be guessing only to discover they were squinting against the sun through the whole session when you import your images later.

2. Plan their back to school wardrobe: Lay out every single piece of clothing, accessories, shoes, etc. that your child needs to wear on the first day. We rarely lay out outfits during the school year, but this is the one morning I don’t want to be arguing over where a sandal might be hiding. This also prevents last-minute confrontation over hair bows and necklaces. (Can you tell I’m a girl mom?!) Make sure your child is on board with the outfit pieces you’ve laid out so there are no issues when it comes time to getting dressed in the morning! Otherwise you definitely risk a grumpy grimace instead of an adorable smile.

3. Pack the lunches the night before: If your child brings their lunch to school, don’t waste your precious morning minutes fussing over that first lunch. Get it ready the night before and have it ready to go. Already overwhelmed about what to put in the lunchbox? Check out my list of 30 ideas here.

4. Prep your props: Do you do the adorable first day signs? Have them already printed or mark your chalkboards with the appropriate info and place them by the clothing you’ve laid out.

5. Set the alarm 15 minutes early: It doesn’t hurt to pad that first morning with an extra cushion of time. Once you’re awake, exude a sense of calmness for the kids. Your goal is to keep them relaxed and as happy as possible so those smiles in the photos are big! They’re already going to be nervous about the first day, a smooth photoshoot will prevent adding even more stress.

6. Have a healthy but QUICK breakfast ready to go: The first day is not the time to be crafting animal pancakes or waffle towers. If your child has a nervous tummy like I did as a kid, they may not even want to think about eating that morning. Stick to something simple and familiar that will give them enough energy to make it to lunch. I was sure to have our fruit pre-washed and cut, their favorite cereal request on hand (Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the current pick), and a big container of whole milk to go with it.

To keep their moods light, I encouraged a little more playfulness than usual. It’s a running family joke how the Peanut takes after me and my loathing of bananas and yet Little Pea and Handyman Tim adore them. There was a little playful banana chase that I normally would have put a quick end to but let it play out instead . . .

It’s Photo Time!

7. Have your back to school photo ideas shot list in mind: Your kids are dressed, they are calm{ish}, hopefully they are even smiling! You have precious minutes before it all can potentially go sour and they want nothing to do with your photos. Do not squander this moment by fussing over where they stand or sit.

I head out that front door knowing I want to capture, in this exact order for a speedy flow:

• child 1 with sign, close up
• child 1 with sign, full body
• child 1 with sign propped next to backpack jumping
• child 2 with sign, close up
• child 2 with sign, full body
• child 2 with sign propped next to backpack jumping
• both children together with signs near backpacks jumping together
• both children together holding signs full body
• both children together holding signs closeup

By shooting both individual pictures first, the kids warm-up. You can have the child waiting their turn stand behind you and try to make the photo subject smile. By the time you do the group photos, they’ll be thrilled it is almost over and likely to give you the nicest smiles.

8. Stand eye to eye: While you are taking your shots, be sure to bend your knees and capture the image at your child’s eye level rather than having them stare up at your height. It is a more flattering angle for their chins and makes for a more intimate portrait.

9. Get closer, now a bit closer!: You will definitely want one shot of their full body so you can see how cute they are from head to toe, but if you’re using those photo props I mentioned earlier you’ll want to be able to get close enough to read what is on them! Be sure to get in close and get a close-up shot that fills the frame with just their face and the prop. You want to remember your child’s sweet face, not all the trees and bushes in your yard!

Extra credit for remembering to do the same orientation every year (horizontal vs. vertical) which makes a collage easier to pull together at graduation!

10. Make sure YOU are having fun!: Despite the nerves you all may feel, this is a happy moment. We are lucky to have front row seats to our children growing up. Save the tissues for when the bus pulls away and focus on the joy and adventure this first day brings. Every year my neighbors get the pleasure of seeing me model the jumping poses or jumping with my kids to get them in the festive mood. Though I might feel a bit embarrassed at the spectacle I’m likely making, I hope that my girls remember that mom was filled with enthusiasm and excitement at the start of their school years. Maybe my neighbors are getting some fun back to school photo ideas of their own!

Plus, seeing mom jumping does make for some fantastic smiles and twinkle in their eyes for the photos. Anything for the shot, right?!

Looking for more great back to school ideas? 

Don’t miss some of our favorite school year posts:

• 4 back to school organization tips that will save your sanity
• 3 quick table decorations for a Back to School Feast
• 24 crazy, messy, awesome back to school moments every mom understands
• Kindergarten Lunch Ideas: Packed with Love
• 30 quick dinner ideas for your busiest Soccer Nights
• 30 days of kids school lunch ideas: No Repeats!

P.S. Are you #TeamTears or #TeamNoTears when it comes back to school? Come on over and chime in!