What do YOU want from school photos?

[jerigirl]

Honestly I wouldn't touch the kids clothes/outfits/shoes. They may be the kid's favorite shoes and they won't wear anything thing else. That isn't really your call to make a decision on that. If you plan to do full body shots (other than class pictures) then I would maybe say that in the info sent home before hand.

[jerigirl]

The decorative mats we get are so the individual and class picture can be framed in 1 frame together.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Shoes haven't shown in our pics. And definitely don't touch their fashion choices! Your preferences don't matter. The family picks the clothes and that's that.

[LMPC]

Honestly I wouldn't touch the kids clothes/outfits/shoes. They may be the kid's favorite shoes and they won't wear anything thing else. That isn't really your call to make a decision on that. If you plan to do full body shots (other than class pictures) then I would maybe say that in the info sent home before hand.

I agree with this. And since you are in a medium COL area (as am I) I would say somewhere in the range of $30 would be good for a digital print (maybe 3 for $50). I would pay that.

[boolady]

Honestly I wouldn't touch the kids clothes/outfits/shoes. They may be the kid's favorite shoes and they won't wear anything thing else. That isn't really your call to make a decision on that. If you plan to do full body shots (other than class pictures) then I would maybe say that in the info sent home before hand.

I'm not sure why a photographer is the arbiter of what looks "weird," but I
would be livid if a photographer took it upon him or herself to modify my child's outfit based upon what he or she thinks looks good. If I send my kid to school on picture day in Spider-man sneakers, it's because that's what I want him to be wearing for picture day.

[Momit]

I think kids' quirky outfits, wonky hair and goofy smiles can be part of the charm of school pictures. I agree with PPs about not messing with their outfits. Still, not a bad idea to give parents a heads up that shoes may show depending on the pose.

[indigo99]

I'm not sure why a photographer is the arbiter of what looks "weird," but I
would be livid if a photographer took it upon him or herself to modify my child's outfit based upon what he or she thinks looks good. If I send my kid to school on picture day in Spider-man sneakers, it's because that's what I want him to be wearing for picture day.

Even though I know they'll show, my boys will be wearing sneakers because that's better than their crocs or keens - not because that's what I would choose for them to wear in photos if I had other options. That is why I considered giving the choice (because not all kids have multiple shoes to choose from depending on their outfit). I may be the only person with that problem though so I'll let it go. Obviously this isn't easy. One person thinks that goofy smiles and mussed hair are charming while another will be mad at the photographer for not fixing their hair and making them do their real smile. *sigh*

[specialp]

Our preschool does a head and shoulders with backdrop as the main picture. You fill out a form that is returned prior to picture day with additional options for backdrops and it has an options for you to check "shoes visible." Do you send out a form prior to picture day? If so, you could include that it will be a full shot with shoes visible.

[boolady]

Even though I know they'll show, my boys will be wearing sneakers because that's better than their crocs or keens - not because that's what I would choose for them to wear in photos if I had other options. That is why I considered giving the choice (because not all kids have multiple shoes to choose from depending on their outfit). I may be the only person with that problem though so I'll let it go. Obviously this isn't easy. One person thinks that goofy smiles and mussed hair are charming while another will be mad at the photographer for not fixing their hair and making them do their real smile. *sigh*

Sigh sarcastically all you want, but there's a difference between a goofy smile because that's what kids do, and you selecting children whose footwear you have deemed not matching or inappropriate for their outfits and choosing them to remove their shoes. Do you realize how it might make a kid feel, knowing that he or she and/or their parent put together a picture day outfit and you've decided to alter it?

If it's so sighworthy to you, don't offer to do it. Do you tell the brides whose dresses you don't love to change or hide behind their veils? You chose to quote me, which is entirely your prerogative, but I'm certainly not the only poster who feels this way. You wanted to know what I would want in a school picture. I would not want the photographer removing my child's shoes, especially when, as PP pointed out, you can just tell parents that shoes will be visible.

[indigo99]

Jen, I'm sorry if you took that as me being sarcastic because that is not what I meant. I do appreciate the input and didn't mean to single you out. I wasn't responding to just you, but I don't usually quote everyone with a similar opinion even when I'm responding to multiple people. I am honestly trying to be helpful, do a good job, and give people the best photographs that I can.

I actually am asked for a lot of advice on wedding days including which shoes or jewelry to wear, whether to wear hair up or down, how to wear the veil, etc. I think that brides usually hire photographers whose work they love. They respect them and expect the photographer to help them look their best in photos. Do I care if a groom has a huge wallet bulging in his pocket and a beat up watch showing on his wrist in their photos? Not really, but I am going to mention it in case it's something they would rather change. Obviously families at a school don't have the same relationship with the photographer though so that isn't really relevant.