With a bit of inspiration from photos online, my oldest son Christian (5 y.o.) and I began planning for his Kindergarten graduation photos. When it came to planning, I gave him the liberty of making a lot of the decisions. He appreciated being involved in the planning process. Firstly, since his favorite color is blue, we chose blue for his cap and gown. Great minds think alike! It’s the color I envisioned as well. (Definitely a popular cap/gown combination!) I purchased the set that you’ll see in the photos from Amazon. Christian also requested balloons as photo props – blue and silver ones!
Tip: The heat that day caused the balloons to deflate a bit when left in our car for a few minutes more than anticipated. It’s definitely something to be careful about when transporting helium inflated balloons.
Scouting a location: Schedule a time to visit the prospective locations. Figure out exactly which spots you’ll be taking photos. If your child goes along with you, you can have them practice some poses. Make it playful and not a chore.
Consider the time of day you’d like to take photos and visit locations around the same time as your upcoming photo day. We chose two different locations, which are less than 5 miles away from each other.
Highly recommended: Check for any events at that location that could alter your plans or prevent you from shooting on the day or time you would like.
A couple of other students snapped a few graduation pictures, while we were taking ours. This didn’t complicate things or slow us down.
We stepped over to another side and got some additional shots, so other people could take some quick pictures at the facade of the building. It was nice to see graduates taking photos with their families. It’s such a special moment! I admit I got a bit teary eyed.
Mindful Tips:
- If you’re utilizing a public space, show consideration for others by letting them use the area freely.
- Keep your equipment minimal, organized and in a place that won’t cause a hazard or nuisance.
- Don‘t block staircases or walkways.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Read any signs or postings so that you’re in compliance with the rules an establishment may have.
It was adorable having Nathan take pictures with his big brother. (Baby brother Preston sat this one out)
Allowing the boys to do some of their own poses made for a good time. We had a lot of laughs. I think they were pretending to be superheroes. [See photo above.]
All of the photos I took were shot on my iPhone 13 Pro. Most, if not all, of the ones I’ve shared in this post were taken in ‘portrait’ mode.
We took a break to have a bite to eat and enjoyed refreshing smoothies, before changing locations.
My mother in law was able to assist with my Nathan (3 y.o.) and Preston (1 y.o.) while I focused on taking pictures of Christian. Then it was Nathan’s turn! I’ll share a post about his preschool photo shoot soon.
To other home school parents: It’s possible to make achievements like graduations exciting and memorable without a classroom full of kids! Christian still felt like a graduate even though he didn’t walk across a stage with his peers. He and Nathan performed an end of the school year performance for our family and friends. It was such a wonderful celebration. I’ll cherish it always.
If you have any questions or advice for others, feel free to share! Thank you.
Love Travels Fast 