Professional Photographers Explain How to Get the Perfect First-Day-Of-School Photo

Now that everyone walks around with sophisticated photo-taking equipment in their back pocket, most parents have thousands of photos of their kids. But there are really only two times a year that families stop, consider all the details and really try to take a good picture: the holidays (especially for that special card), and back-to-school time.

But how do you really make those first-day-of-school pictures shine? It's not just about printing off a back-to-school sign and calling it a day. Professional photographers know how kids can be tricky subjects to capture, so they've imparted their best tips on how to get that perfect snap. They offer ideas on everything from lighting and backdrops to how to keep kids sitting still long enough to take a pic (and how to roll with it if they really, truly can't). Plus, there are creative ideas for how to make the first-day-of-school pictures a tradition and show how much your students have grown over the years. With these in your back pocket, you can concentrate on actually getting them to the school bus on time. (May we offer these back-to-school hacks?)