Lisa's Unique Approach

School Portraits by Lisa takes pride in providing a flexible and stress-free school picture day.  

“I heard that they were taking pictures at school and I thought, ‘he’ll NEVER sit still—they’ll get nothing.’ And then they said that the photos would be outside and I expected a running blur across the frame, but THESE—you could use these photos in a magazine!”
— happy mom in Needham, MA
  1. Tailor a program to your school's individual needs.  I will consult with your school to determine the optimal schedule for capturing all of your students. For some schools, two days are required--no problem! 
  2. Making the process as easy as possible for school staff.  I can provide emails for you to send to parents to let them know about the school portrait process and what to expect.  I provide the order forms, pick up and drop off the photos, and write reminder emails for you to send to your parents.
  3. Work hard to minimize disruptions to the school day.  I will work with you to determine the best way to schedule the different classes and age groups on the picture days.  Teachers are great for keeping children at ease during the school photo time, but I work with you to minimize interruptions in lessons or issues with classroom coverage. In some schools it is possible to use a corner of the playground for school photos, quietly escorting one or two children over at a time for a quick snap! 
  4. Thrill your parents and make you smile too! Beautiful school portraits are going to reflect well on you and your school.  And I know that when you see a portrait that just captures your student's personality, you will be grinning.

Truthfully, every school is a little bit different--and I plan the school pictures accordingly.  But in all cases I am committed to: 

 

  • Lots of open communication about the school's needs and priorities while helping you to design a successful school picture day.
  • Finding a spot with good light and a pleasing background not too far from the rest of the class or playground.  You'd be surprised what can look great in the background of the photos--a fence, some weeds, a brick wall, plain white walls--I promise we will find somewhere great. All sample portraits were taken in school yards and parking lots of schools, even the ones that look like maybe they were in open fields--it usually works out just fine.
  • Helping making all the children feel comfortable, and encouraging them to relax, chat, and reveal a little of their personalities.
  • Using the school schedule to guide the way for school picture timing. Since picture day is once a year, there is bound to be a little adjustment to the daily schedule, but we won't schedule a class during their naptime or once a week art enrichment!
  • Asking staff for help in making the school portraits stress-free for the kids and minimizing the disruptions to their day.
  • Maintaining a flexible attitude as the day unfolds.
  • Creating and distributing materials to make school picture day as simple and convenient as possible for school administration, staff, and parents.

Some children are shy or ambivalent about school photos.  Although we try very hard to capture every child, we will never force a child who is uneasy.  However, we are not above bribing them with stickers, begging, or making fools of ourselves to help them feel comfortable.  Teachers are helpful in soothing shy children or making little ones feel at ease. We work with your staff and in environments that are comfortable for the children--and the result is great portraits and a very happy staff!