A Few Things You Should Not Do Before Your Child Has His First School Picture Taken

If you are sending your child off to school for the first time, then your son or daughter will experience their first ever school picture day. While there are a number of tips and tricks you should follow, there are a few things that you should not do beforehand. Keep reading to find out what these things are.

Tell Your Child To Take Off His Glasses

If your son or daughter wears glasses, you may be tempted to ask them to talk them off while the picture is being taken. You may think that this will help to reduce glare. However, photographers are well aware of how to reduce glare issues. Specifically, the photographer will move slightly to the left or right to make sure that catchlights and glare are not reflected onto your child's face. Also, the use of umbrella lights help to cascade indirect light gently across your child's face. 

Leaving your child's glasses on and letting your child appear as they usually do in front of the camera is a great way to encourage good self-esteem.

Practicing The Smile

If you ask your child to practice his or her smile in front of the mirror, then there is a good chance that you are going to see a fake smile when the school pictures come home. Practiced smiles are often nervous smiles that look fake when a picture is taken. You should tell your child to be themselves and to smile naturally. It is best to smile right when the photographer tells you, because a smile will look more fake the longer you hold it. You can pass this tip on to your child.

If your child insists on practicing his look, then there are a few things that can prompt a more natural smile. Ask your child to say a word with an "uh" sound at the very end instead of an "ee" sound like "cheese." Ask your child to say something like "pasta" or "Santa." This can help to open the mouth a bit more gently. 

Also, you can prompt your child to think of something funny or to smirk more gently instead of smiling. Your child should understand that it is wise to blink normally as well, because a wide-eyed appearance can make a fake smile look even worse. The photographer will know how to time the picture right so your child is not caught blinking. Also, if a blink does happen, then most photographers will see this right away on a digital screen. A new one will then be taken, so no wide-open eyes are needed. 

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