It’s that time of year, when everyone starts to gather the family and tries to get a good picture for together. For many of us, especially with children with sensory needs, this can seem daunting. Finding the right clothes, getting everyone to look at the camera, and capturing that perfect moment. I am excited to partner with Schoola to share 5 simple tips to the perfect family photos which will have you saving pennies and giving to a good cause.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Schoola.
Want to know more about Schoola?
Schoola is an online retailer of preloved women’s, kids’, and baby clothes that gives 40% of proceeds to schools. Donating to your kids’ school is as easy as filling a bag with old clothes or purchasing your clothes on Schoola.
Now Schoola has partnered with Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, to raise money for the Malala Fund to support girls’ education projects in the most vulnerable communities around the world.
When you are getting ready to take your new family photos this year, don’t head to the mall! Instead, shop the Malala collection and 40% of the proceeds from any item purchased will go to the Malala Fund.
I am also sure your littles are starting to outgrow last fall and winter’s clothes, right? Now is the perfect time to package them up and send them in! It’s easy… simply request a donation bag and send in preloved women’s and kids’ clothes. The items will be sold on Schoola.com, and 40% of the sales proceeds will go to the Malala Fund.
How cool is that? You get to get the clothes you want and give away the clothes you don’t want AND support an amazing cause!
Once you have gathered your clothes, take a picture and post on social media and tag #passthebag and challenge your friends to do the same thing! Can you image the change we can make if we all send in just one bag of our loved clothes?
Let schoola help you outfit your family for your next photos, and rest easy knowing you are helping educate and support girls that very much need your help!
5 Simple Tips to Capture the Perfect Family Photos with Schoola
Find Clothes That Work for Each Child
In my family, I have a son that clothes make or break the mood he is in. One wrong material and you can forget getting a family photo. I was so excited to find Schoola, where he could pick out the clothes he wanted and because they are at a fraction of the price, I don’t have to worry if a tag might bother him… we can just try the next shirt we got.
You can see we didn’t stress over a button up shirt or dress pants. Instead his personality shines here. He isn’t being forced to smile, he is wearing clothes that make him feel good and his shirt represents him in every way possible (everyone that knows him, knows he has a Lego obsession).
Now, I have to tell you… before this last photo shoot, I had not heard of Schoola! Boy, was I missing out! I think I have shared this with all my friends since learning about it, and now I want to share it with you too!
My kids couldn’t wait to rip open the bags and see their goodies. Everything was packaged so pretty that the kids felt like it was an early Christmas. You can see, Super B couldn’t wait to try on her new outfit!
Let Their Personality Shine
This is super important if you have different personalities in your family! For my family, I have 2 older boys and a toddler. That toddler never wants to sit still, so making her do so for family portraits isn’t really going to happen. I let each child pick their own outfits and let them fit their style.
Think of the last party or wedding you went to with your best friends. Did everyone wear the same color shirt and pants for your pictures together? No! But I bet the pictures were awesome!
Let Them Move
As much as possible let them move! Set your camera to capture the movement and let your kids jump, throw leaves, or even run at you! You might be surprised just how cute the pictures turn out when you give your children freedom to be kids in the family photo.
Make the Photos About the Kids
If you make family photos a chore… your kids will despise it. My kids, however, love family portrait time. I let them pick from two locations I liked and then went with their favorite. Then I let them choose a few of the locations at the park and a few of the poses. They had a blast and didn’t feel like they were being forced. In fact, my middle son wouldn’t stop letting me take pictures.
Make it special. Like a family picnic. The fact that my kids got to open their new clothes from Schoola and head straight to the park in them for pictures made them smile from ear to ear and I never had to say “Smile” once.
You might even have to let go of the idea of having all the kids in one photo. That is what’s great about all these wonderful collage programs now. You can just piece them together and get a better feel for the whole family and everyone’s personality.
Choose Your Time Wisely
Finally, timing is everything. I highly suggest going to your family shoot when everyone is happy (or as close to happy as possible). We like to go during that sweet spot after morning snack, before lunch when everyone is still rested! You know your kids best to find the best time!
These pictures just make me smile! Are they sitting perfectly? No. Are they all looking? No. But I will remember this moment in time forever, thanks to the perfect clothes from Schoola!
So tell me, next time you go to take family photos, what tips will you take with you? What clothes will your kids wear? Let me know in the comments! I can’t wait to hear all about it!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Schoola.
More Adventures in Photography with Kids
