If you hear the words "school picture day" and immediately picture a kid sitting on a stool, giving a slightly terrified smile in front of a questionable blue background... you're probably not alone.
Traditional school photography has looked pretty much the same for decades. Kids move through quickly, everyone gets roughly the same pose and expression, and parents cross their fingers that everyone's hair survived recess and nobody blinked.
But I think school pictures can be so much more than that.
As a Northern Utah fine art school photographer, I take a more personal, artistic approach to school portraits. An approach that focuses less on getting every child to give me the same "perfect" smile and more on capturing the little expressions and personality that make them them.
What Is Fine Art School Photography?
Fine art school photography is a more intentional, artistic alternative to traditional school pictures. Instead of bright backdrops, forced poses, and assembly-line photography, the focus is on creating simple, timeless portraits that highlight the child.
No cheesy props. No awkward posing. No "say cheese!" 47 times.
Just your kid.
I use simple backgrounds and beautiful light so there is nothing competing for attention. The result is a collection of timeless school portraits that feel more like artwork than traditional school pictures.
And yes, I still photograph the big, joyful smiles! But I also love the serious faces, tiny smirks, raised eyebrows, belly laughs, and everything in between.
Sometimes the photograph a parent loves most isn't the one with the "perfect" smile. It's the one where they immediately think, "Oh my gosh. That is SO them."
That's what I'm looking for.
Join My Community
Want priority access to limited session, early booking for seasonal offerings, and invitations to curated Adventure Days? Join my community to stay in the know!
How Is Fine Art School Photography Different From Traditional School Pictures?
One of my biggest frustrations with traditional school photography is how impersonal it can feel. Children aren't interchangeable, so I don't think their school portraits should be either.
I've spent years photographing children and families, and one of my favorite parts of my job is figuring out how to connect with a child quickly. Some kids sit down ready to tell me their entire life story. Others look at me like I am extremely suspicious and they would very much like to return to class now, thank you.
Both are completely fine.
I know how to read those personalities, make kids comfortable, and draw out genuine expressions in a surprisingly short amount of time. I pay attention to the subtle things: the little grin, the thoughtful stare, the nose crinkle, the laugh they were trying really hard not to give me.
Those tiny things are often what make a portrait special.
Why Choose a Boutique School Photographer?
Working with a boutique school photographer offers something that large, big-box school photography companies simply can't replicate: a personal relationship.
Your school isn't one of hundreds on a spreadsheet. I work directly with schools to create a portrait experience that feels easy, organized, and aligned with their community.
Families also have the opportunity to choose the portraits they genuinely love rather than having one pose selected for them. My goal is to create images parents are excited to order—not ones that disappear into a drawer somewhere five minutes after they come home in the backpack. These photos are ones that will live on the walls in your homes, snugly tucked into a beautiful frame, rather than a sad life hidden away in that dreaded drawer!
Are Fine Art School Portraits Meant to Be Printed?
Absolutely! In fact, that's a huge part of why I photograph them the way I do.
My photography style is timeless, classic, emotive, and artistic, and I intentionally create photographs that will still look beautiful hanging on a wall years from now.
Childhood changes ridiculously fast. One minute they're missing their two front teeth and insisting on wearing rain boots everywhere, and somehow five minutes later they're a teenager. The expressions and quirks that seem so ordinary right now become the exact things we want to remember.
That's why I want these photographs to live somewhere other than a phone or hard drive. I want families to print them, frame them, put them in albums, and someday look back and remember exactly who their child was during that little window of time.
Where Can I Find Fine Art School Photography in Northern Utah?
Fine art school photography is still a unique offering in the Northern Utah photography market, and I'm excited to bring this boutique approach to local schools, preschools, private schools, nature schools, Montessori schools, and homeschool communities throughout Davis, Weber, Salt Lake Counties and the surrounding Northern Utah area.
My school photography is really an extension of the experience I already offer my family photography clients: relaxed, personal, artistic, and centered around genuine connection.
I don't want to just create a record of what a child looked like in kindergarten, third grade, or eighth grade. I want to capture the little glimmer of personality that makes their parents stop scrolling through the gallery and say:
Yep. That's my kid.
Because someday, that's the part they're going to want to remember most.
Let's document your story
If you want photos that capture your family exactly as you are, I'd love to create with you.
