fbpx Skip to Content

FREE Back to School Printables

The first day of school is full of emotions. The rush and excitement of a fresh start is beyond exciting but the reality that your babies are growing up is often sad.

Through the chaos of back to school shopping, it’s incredibly important that you take the time to enjoy this very moment. Next year, your kids will be another year older, more independent and a whole lot smarter. Their interests will change quickly and they will slowly discover who they are.
One of my favorite back to school traditions is our “back to school” photos each year. It’s fun to see how much each kid has grown in just 12 months.

Over the years, my photography has improved quite a bit, mostly thanks to Shultz Photo School. I’m not a quick learner but Kyle Shultz has made photography easy and breaks it down into bite size chunks that I can understand. Aimed at helping parents capture the everyday moments of parenthood, it was a no-brainer for me to sign up.  I don’t aim to be a professional, only to capture the true beauty of my kids, without the hefty price tag of a professional photographer.

 Here are 3 quick tips to help you take your photos from snapshots to keepsakes.

Oh! I'm loving these colorful and FREE back to school printables. They make it so easy to remember which year/grade the kids are in. Gotta get these, PRONTO!

  1. Lighting:  This is the one tip that has changed my photography the most. You don’t need a fancy setup to get perfect lighting. You probably have a pretty good spot to take photos already, but you just don’t know it. What should you look for? Try to place your kiddo in open shade (meaning it has light shining around it but isn’t IN the light) while you stand with the sun behind you. If you have a covered porch, it’s the PERFECT spot. Simply place your little ones on the porch, step back and snap your pictures. Lighting really does make a HUGE difference in the quality of your photos.
  2. Fill the Gaps: Sometimes it’s cute to see props and the background but I prefer back to school photos that concentrate solely on the child. Focusing on filling the frame with the kids keeps out distractions, allowing you to focus on each tiny detail of your kids. Get up close, fill the entire frame with the kids and snap away. It’s even okay to cut off part of their head if you need to.
  3. Get Down: Have you ever noticed that professional phtoographers spend a lot of their time on the ground, squatting or even lying on their stomachs? Why do they do that? Beause they know a secret that we your yohave never though of. It’s super obvious but something you’ve likely never though of. When you snap a photography of your subject on their level, they are looking directly at you. This helps avoid looking up noses, focusing on foreheads and the illusion of double chins. Sure, one or two creative photo angles is cute but by getting on their level, you’ll create a simple photo that captures the details perfectly.

FREE BACK TO SCHOOL PRINTABLES

No back to school blog post is complete without a set of fun “Back to School” printables, so be sure to download your own set today!
FREE back to school printables

Click here to download your FREE back to school printables!

FREE first day of school printables


You won’t want to miss our other set of  “First Day of School” Printables.

free first day of school printables
PS-  Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter to have more fun printables sent straight to your inbox!