[part of the Monday for Moms blog series – small tips and tricks that will make big changes in photos of your children]

In our county, the kiddos head back to school tomorrow!  Part of me is excited because for the first time I am not back to school myself. (yay for taking time off to be home with my kids!)  Another piece of me is sad because I know that in one short year, I’ll be sending my oldest child off to kindergarten which is a journey I’m not 100% ready to take.  Some asked if I would be sending him to preschool this year, but since I’ve spent years of my life teaching preschool skills to dozens of other kids, I felt it was my time to do the same for my own children.  We are excited for the year to come and ready for lots of “togetherness”! 🙂

As you send your little ones off tomorrow morning (or in the coming weeks, if you are in a different school division) I want to encourage you to GET CLOSE when you take your obligatory first day of school pictures.  Sure, take the time to capture the full first day of school outfit and backpack ensemble.  Maybe even add a chalkboard sign to note the year and grade level.  When you look back on these pictures, though, it will be about all the little details of your kiddo on this day… not the decor of the front porch, or the big tree in the yard.  Don’t be afraid to get so close that you crop out the top of his head and most of his body.  GET CLOSE so that you can remember that sweet face!  Fill up the whole frame of the image to capture those little details even better.  Also, remember that the farther away from the backdrop your child is, the more bokeh you can achieve in the background of your image which will create more separation and make your child stand out even more.

Some of my favorite photos of my own kids have been up close and personal.  It’s the sparkle in those eyes that I really want to remember. 🙂

I love to hear from you!  Comment below!

– Nikki