Ready for the first day of school? 5 tips to get the best photos of your kid's big day
Well, almost, but it's still an exciting time as kids around Knox County prepare to return to school on Aug. 7. And with the first day of school comes the requisite first day photos, so parents can show off their pride and joy to friends and family online.
But sometimes the photos we envision might not translate into the ones we actually take, and you want to make sure you get the best photo you can to remember your child's first day of school.
So with phone or camera in hand, here are some tips from Knox News photographer Brianna Paciorka and reporter Keenan Thomas on how to capture your kid's smiling face before they hop on the school bus Aug. 7.
Environment matters, and you can still have fun
An easy way to get fun, interesting photos for the first day of school is to utilize the environment around you.
Stairs are a great prop to use, as you can capture your kids sitting on the stairs, leaning on the railing, descending the stairs or posing in the staircase. Couches, chairs and benches can provide support with a variety of poseable options for parents to capture.
The options extend outside of the staircase and living room with trees, archways and doors being excellent locations with options for kids to lean, walk through or climb for photos! It can show how they're ready for the school year journey or climbing their way to academic success.
Be mindful of lighting, surroundings
Lighting and surroundings are two of the biggest potential issues to look out for while taking photos commemorating your kid's first day of school.
Lighting plays an important role in capturing nice photos, but it can also spell trouble if you're not positioned well. Taking photos in the shadows will make the shots darker, whereas having the background too bright could cause it to be overly backlit and leave your kid in silhouette.
To capture good lighting, make sure the background is the same brightness or darker compared to the foreground where your kid us. Also, be mindful of the sun's location. Positioning your kid where the main light source is shining on them from the front or to the side will properly expose them, but you don't want them to be squinting when they say, "Cheese!"
As for surroundings, you don't want things in the background to "stick out," like a pole that appears to be sprouting from their head, or unpleasant props like a trash can visible off to the side.
Find contrasting backgrounds to make your photos pop
Another good way to take nice photos is to find a background that contrasts with what your kid is wearing. If your child is wearing darker clothing, then find a lighter or colorful background. But if they're wearing something bright and colorful, a darker background will help to draw attention to them.
This way, you can highlight your kid on their first day even more while making your photos interesting, without them getting lost in similar colors within the shot.
Composition matters, and here's a tip to capture it!
While taking photos, keeping an eye on composition can improve the aesthetic quality of your photos, and that's true for taking first day of school pictures!
Parents can utilize the rule of thirds by positioning their kids and the camera to capture more dynamic photos. The rule breaks photos down into three columns and rows that are symmetrical in the frame, with best practices including positioning the subject either within different columns or along different lines.
On phones, an easy way to implement the rule of thirds is with a grid present on the screen in the camera app. It might need to be turned on in the settings, but the grid allows parents to easily take nice photos.
Or if you just want a simple photo, do whatever seems best to you! Maybe you want your child to be in the center of the frame or doing something goofy.
Pose, pose, pose, and have fun!
Allowing your child to try a variety of poses could be a fun way to engage them in the photos while having several options to choose from when posting on social media later.
It could be a nice and proper pose, one with a little board that says something to express excitement about the first day, a pose using props like a backpack to show it off or even a silly pose that showcases your kid's personality.
But at the end of the day, have fun with it! If your kid has any ideas, listen to what they have to say and try it out. It could lead to a unique photo that no other parent is posting online, and even could get them excited to take on the day ahead.
Either way, this should be a fun and relaxing activity. Getting a nice photo to remember the day is the cherry on top, and you can have a good time doing so.
Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Try these 5 tips for taking the best first-day-of-school photos
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Bride Yelled at Her 2 Years Ago. Now She Refuses to Join Husband on Couples' Outings
One woman says she's done spending time with her husband's friend's wife after a series of tense encountersNEED TO KNOW A woman refuses to attend a boating trip with her husband's friend due to past tension with the friend's wife She says the bride once screamed at her in front of others before a wedding ceremony, with no warning or cause The woman now avoids all interaction with the couple and wonders if she's in the wrong for keeping her distanceA woman seeks support from the Reddit community after refusing to hang out with her husband's friend as a couple, following an uncomfortable history with the friend's wife. In a post shared to the AITAH subreddit, she details a series of upsetting experiences that have led her to draw a firm boundary. 'She once yelled at my husband to 'get out' when he walked inside of their house to use the restroom,' the woman recalls, explaining that her husband had the groom's permission and was visiting as a guest. The situation escalated to the point where the rest of the visit took place awkwardly in the garage. The tensions continued during the wedding itself, where her husband served as a groomsman less than two years ago. On the way to the venue, the bride called her and asked her to pick up a sign-in book that had been forgotten, a task she gladly accepted. But later, things took a turn when the bride began screaming at guests. 'Anyone NOT in the bridal party is NOT ALLOWED to be in this part of the venue until the wedding begins,' she recalls the bride shouting at the top of her lungs. Embarrassed and uncomfortable, she offered to leave and pick up her husband after the ceremony. 'There were no signs, no instruction, the valet never notified us, security never notified us of this rule,' she explains, adding that she ended up sitting in her car for over an hour with another guest. Her husband was upset by the way she was treated and offered to leave, but she encouraged him to stay and chalked it up to wedding stress. Still, she says she didn't feel 'fully comfortable for the rest of the night,' and the experience left a lasting impression. Following the wedding, the couple's interaction with the groom and his now-wife grew sparse. They missed the couple's gender reveal after her mother passed away just days prior and were met with backlash for not attending. 'They were pissed we didn't go and made it an opportunity to talk badly about us,' she shares. Since then, she's seen the bride only briefly at social events, making a point to 'keep my distance.' The groom, however, has been eager to rekindle the friendship and has repeatedly invited the couple on boating trips. But the woman refuses to go, explaining, 'I really don't want to be stuck on a boat with her for hours.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Despite her insistence that her husband go without her, he won't. 'I tell him to go by himself, but he refuses this option,' she says, noting that every week he brings it up and every week she shuts it down. Her husband seems disappointed but ultimately understanding. 'Husband seems bothered by having to turn down what should be a fun time but understands that it wouldn't actually be a fun time,' she writes. Still, the situation leaves her feeling conflicted. 'I feel like I may be the AH because husband and groom were very close,' she admits, 'and now that he's married to a woman I don't feel comfortable around, I am becoming the 'factor' that keeps them apart.' One commenter suggests a solution that resonates with the woman. 'Suggest to hubby that maybe they should just make it a man's trip for just them two,' the commenter offers. The woman agrees but shares that the groom's wife is unlikely to be okay with that plan. 'She has to be there or it doesn't happen,' she explains, indicating that the bride insists on being included in everything. Now, the woman remains firm in her decision, even as she grapples with guilt over the tension it's caused. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
14 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Vacuum Cleaner Quietly Returns to Its All-Time Low for Amazon's New Month Deal
Pet hair, snack crumbs, and tracked-in dirt can make clean floors feel like a full-time job, but the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright Vacuum Cleaner is built to tackle the mess quickly and leave time for things you actually enjoy. Its combination of strong suction, smart design, and purpose-built pet tools gives busy households a fighting chance against tumbleweeds of fur and stubborn carpet debris. Head over to Amazon to get the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright Vacuum Cleaner for just $426, down from its usual price of $540. That is a discount of $114 and 21% off. See at Amazon Dyson's latest Animal lineup puts raw power front and center. A redesigned cleaner head digs deep into carpet fibers to lift embedded dirt, while adjustable gates slide open to prevent larger pieces like cereal from snow-plowing across hard floors. The Extra version arrives with a tangle-free turbine tool that sucks up long hair without winding it around a brush bar, so you spend less time cutting clogs and more time enjoying clean rugs. Steering is easy thanks to the signature Ball design. Instead of fighting a rigid frame around table legs, you tilt your wrist and the entire vacuum pivots smoothly, navigating tight corners and furniture clusters with surprising grace. At fourteen feet, the built-in hose reaches stairs and ceiling cobwebs without moving the base, and a quick-release wand means no hunting for attachments when inspiration to tidy strikes. Filtration is another strong suit. A fully sealed system traps fine dust and allergens inside rather than blowing them back into the room, an important perk for anyone with asthma or seasonal sneezes. The roomy clear bin empties with a single button press straight into the trash, keeping hands away from the dust cloud. Both the filter and bin rinse clean under the tap, so there are no ongoing bag costs. Dyson includes several bonus tools such as a groomer for shedding pets, a soft dusting brush for blinds, and a stair tool that fits narrow treads. Everything clips to the vacuum frame for easy storage. A five-year warranty backs the motor and parts, and replacement components are widely available if you ever need them. If your current vacuum whines at the sight of pet hair or leaves grit behind after a single pass, upgrading to the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra is a sensible splurge. It is available for $426 at Amazon, a solid savings compared with the regular $540 list price. See at Amazon
Associated Press
15 minutes ago
- Associated Press
AP top stories Aug. 4
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.
