How to take the perfect back-to-school photo

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Thousands of kids will be heading back to school Tuesday, but before they do parents will take the annual first day of school photo. CBS 58 News found out how to take the perfect photo you won’t forget. Hartford Photographer Gloria Witt of Colorful Dreams 4U Photography joined CBS 58 to give us tips: 

Avoid awkward hands! 

Sometimes you just don’t know what to do with your hands. Holding a first day of school sign can help.

Parents can also have their kids put their thumbs in their strap of their backpack.

Parents can also have their kids spin! Witt says for girls with dresses on, the photo will capture the flow of their dress, and it gives kids an automatic natural smile.

Don’t ‘Say Cheese’

The key is to get children to be more natural and stay away from the ‘Say Cheese!’ If you have multiple kids, have their siblings or friends make them laugh behind the scenes, like making a funny face.

Lock your elbows and get down

Whether you’re using a camera or a phone, it’s important to lock your elbows and keep it steady. For the little ones, it’s important to get down to their level so your photo is straight on, instead of looking down on your child.

Safety Concerns to Watch Out For

Common Sense Media says: 

• Make sure your home address isn’t in the background of your child’s photo
• If you’re neighbors or child’s friends come by for photos, don’t post pictures of other children on your social media pages without asking permission from the other parent.  
• Don’t tag your children; you don’t want to increase their social media footprint
• Try to be vague on back-to-school signs, parents want to make sure they don’t reveal too much about your child and which classroom they’ll be in all day