School Photos Don't Have to Look Like School Photos

About 6 years ago I decided to pursue a career as a portrait photographer. And one of the avenues I took involved school photography. I did so because I saw a need for a change. We have been accepting school photos as they have been for as long as I could remember. My children's photos were looking no different from mine, which were taken nearly 30 years prior. It just didn't feel right, nor did I have any desire to put them on display. They were merely a record of a child's development and growth.

So I set out to change that. At the time a rather large, nationwide chain of studios was doing well with the ever popular white background photography. I couldn't help but think how well that would work with school portraits.

To me the photo still needs to remain a record of a child's growth and development but it should also have an element of fun and freedom. The white background leaves the image free from distractions, and the space in my compositions gives the child space to be free and just be. It does exactly what I want it to do. Its relaxed and fun, as children should be.

Our school portraits are continueing to be successful and we are growing this aspect of our business each year. We don't wish to be solely school photographers so it is not an aspect of our business we are pushing at full speed. Variety is the spice in my life which is why we are maintaining this side to our business even though our our new studio is really taking off.

Anyway, I am very proud of our school portraits. It is important to me that quality be the common thread amongst all my work, regardless of whether or not the portraits are taken in my studio or in a school or nursery. So I thought I would share some examples of my school portraits so those who don't have children at one of my schools can see that they aren't the typical or average school portrait. I hope you can see that they are so much more than that.

If your children attend a school with photos you are not happy with and would like to see photos like the ones displayed here please get in touch and we can provide a sample pack for taking into your school to show the staff. I can't gaurantee it will make any difference but it doesn't hurt to try.

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Every year I do a load of school portraits and I rarely get the chance to share them as I never share anything without permission. Gaining permission is just that bit more difficult when you don't meet face to face with many parents. So I just don't bother. But this year I thought I'd give it a go and get some permissions as they are just too lovely not to share. (You know you got it right when you show Mum and she gets tears in her eyes - this family has been coming to me for years now and I love watching them grow) School portraits give me a chance to work very differently than usual. In some ways its not how I like to work at all but in others its a chance for a little freedom. You see for me, I like to be a perfectionist with my work. And being such can be draining. This usually means creating just a few really great portraits for my studio clients and having all the time in the world in which to do so. With school portraits on the other hand, there is only so

Christina Lauder Portraits

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