Tips for the perfect school picture

That annual rite of every school year is just around the corner for elementary school students: school picture day.

School pictures are wonderful mementoes of childhood and make great holiday gifts for grandparents. So why do the words “school picture day” cause moms so much stress? Because we want the perfect picture.

In reality, the perfect picture is the one that perfectly captures our kids at that stage of life. A cowlick that just won’t lay down? Adorable. Missing front teeth? Even more adorable!
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Follow these tips, gleaned from the pros, to get your little one as ready as possible for those annual pictures. Then, let the photographers who work in the schools throughout Troy, Albany, Guilderland, Clifton Park -- and the whole Capital Region -- do what they do best.

• Start with the basics. Teeth brushed? No messy face from breakfast? Then move on to the clothes. Help your child pick out a shirt, blouse or dress in a color that looks great. You want your child to be the star of the photo, so avoid clothes with logos, words, or a large print or pattern. Be sure to check the picture day flyer to look at sample poses. If the photographer takes a picture of the whole body, then you’ll need to plan for pants, skirts and shoes, too.  
• If your child wears glasses, tell her she can wear them. After all, this is what she looks like at this stage of her life. Most photographers can reduce the glare, and if they can’t, they will advise your child to remove them.
• Style your child’s hair the way he typically wears it. If the first-day-of-school haircut doesn’t look fresh anymore, take him for a haircut a week or two ahead of picture day.
• Tell the kids to be natural. Don’t practice the smile, don’t work on a pose. The photographers are pros when it comes to turning a frown into a smile.