Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely LOVE to take pictures!  Over the past few years I have developed a real passion for photography.  I have quite an array of fancy equipment.  But you don't have to be an enthusiast like me in order to take great pictures in your classroom!


All you really need is a little fabric, a cute prop, and get ready to snap away!
The photo above was part of our Mother's Day gift last year.

It is SO SIMPLE these days to take awesome photos to share with your students' families.


I've purchased fabric in several different colors and designs for my photo booths.  I usually buy two yards of fabric... from the sale rack of course!  I like when the fabric is a solid color with a slight texture.  Sometimes designs can be too busy and take the focus away from your subject.


I always set up my photo booth near a window.  Natural light is your friend!  Just be sure to NEVER shoot directly into the light.  Keep natural light behind you or to your side.  You can see how bright the day was in this picture below.  It was so helpful to have the shades to block some of the light.  You never want direct sunlight on your subject's face!


This is an adorable prop I bought on Etsy from Dandelion Designs.  It's a chalkboard frame and it was around $20.  I did find that when my student's wrote on the board, it was difficult to see in the picture.  I solved that problem by digitally adding the text (keep reading to find out how!).


I bought this wooden frame at Michaels super cheap from the clearance section.  Then I put a coat of aqua paint on it, and layered on some polyurethane to make it smooth.  The frame is a 5x7.  I don't like any prop that's too big for my firsties.  Again, it takes the focus away from their adorable faces!  I got the "first day" sign from Aimee at Primarily Speaking.  {Unfortunately, I couldn't seem to find it in her TPT store anymore!}  And be sure to keep the glass part of the picture frame off, because it could cause a glare. 


Here is a pic from our Father's Day photo shoot.  I used Pic Monkey to quickly and easily add the text to the chalkboard.  I edit my photos in Lightroom, but Pic Monkey has some awesome editing features, too!  And, Pic Monkey is FREE!!!


I typically print my pics at my local Walgreens, because it's quick and easy.  I also like to send a digital file to the student's family.  Parents LOVE getting the pics in their email.  That way they can print additional copies, forward the email to other family members, or post the pic to their social media page.


Happy Snapping!!!


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