School Picture Day

Hi, BJBE Families!

I’m Tracy from Shay James Photography and I’m excited to take your kid’s school portraits! I have two kids of my own (ages 5 and 7) and primarily photograph families with young kids, so these are so much fun for me.

Here are some helpful FAQ, but please don’t hesitate to reach out directly with questions.

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  • I won’t pose your kid or use props, as my style is natural and authentic. I’m just silly and talk to them — they will never hear me say “Cheese”!

    They’ll either sit on a small stool or stand — whatever makes them most comfortable.

  • Get them dressed after breakfast to avoid spills and stains.

    Hair

    Unless I’m explicitly instructed otherwise by a teacher, I won’t change their hair style (e.g., if your kid has a pony tail, I won’t take it out). So if you want their hair down in the pics, please send them to school that way or inform a teacher.

    The focus should be on their face, so if your kid has long hair, headbands, bows, and pony tails are all good options to keep hair out of their face — if they’re not one to keep it behind their ears.

    Tell them about me so that I’m not a total stranger!

    Here are some tidbits:

    • I live in Highland Park

    • Some of my favorite foods are pizza, guacamole, and strawberries.

    • I know all about princesses, dinosaurs, unicorns, and construction vehicles.

    • I have a son (2nd grade) and daughter (pre-k)

    Oh… tell them the magic word is “BANANA DING DONG”… don’t ask, just tell ;)

  • Avoid tops with text on them as the words could get cropped in a funky spot.

    Also keep in mind, kids are more likely to be in good spirits if they love and feel comfortable in their outfit. And that means more natural smiles.

    When my daughter loves what she’s wearing, her eyes literally sparkle. When she hates it, she throws it at me. This happened on Picture Day at our house a few years ago, and she went off to school in a bad mood. I learned my lesson.

  • Transition and glare-prone lenses can wreak havoc on a school portrait.

    If you have regular and/or anti-glare lenses, please send those! Otherwise, I’ll do my best to minimize the glare, but with some lenses it’s just not possible.

  • At least one kid always trips and falls the morning of picture day, or still has a scratch that hasn’t fully healed, etc…it happens!

    I’ll do basic retouching (if needed) to remove minor scratches, etc. No charge.

    If extensive retouching is required, I will contact you; you’ll then choose if you’d like to pay a fee for additional retouching or leave it alone.

  • School Portraits are a modified version of my Personality Portrait sessions. If you can’t get enough, check those out!

    You can add yourself to the waitlist here. Dates are limited.

  • Wednesday 2/26 and Thursday 2/27 (depending on your classroom).

    Your school will let you know which is your date.

  • Please coordinate directly with your school if your kid is not able to attend their designated picture day.

    They could pop in on the other designated day or come for the (1) make-up day the following week.

    Because this is a complimentary service and purchases are optional, there will not be a retake day offered after the photos are delivered.

    All photos taken prior to the make-up day will be reviewed by a school staff member and me. If we feel they should be retaken on make-up day, a school staff member will contact you.

  • I do my very best to make kids feel at ease and most warm up to me quickly; however, some are apprehensive which is understandable at these ages.

    Everyone is guaranteed at least one portrait in color and black-and-white.

    If your kid’s personality comes through, you may receive extra proofs as I love capturing more of who they are and various expressions.

  • Pricing and ordering instructions will be provided with your proofing gallery.

    I’ve worked hard to eliminate the shipping fee and am pleased to offer free shipping/school delivery on orders placed before the deadline.

    Your school will be gifting you a class composite, which will arrive at a later date.

  • There is no pre-ordering as I believe you should see the proofs before deciding what to purchase.

    Within a few weeks after the make-up day, you will receive an email from the school with a link to view your kid’s proofs.

    If you choose to share your album with family members, they’ll be able to purchase photos as well.

  • DISCOUNTED PRICING & SCHOOL DELIVERY (FREE SHIPPING) DEADLINE:

    For the first 2 weeks after proofs are sent, all purchases will be discounted 20% OFF AND receive free shipping/school delivery.

    STANDARD PRICING + SHIPPING FEES AFTER THE DEADLINE:

    After the 2 week deadline, purchases will still be available with standard pricing.

    School delivery will not be an option (only direct shipping), so print orders will be subject to a shipping fee.

    AFTER 2 MONTHS:

    Your album will be removed from the hosting website. If you’d like to make a purchase, there will be a $25 unarchiving fee.

    To be clear: ALL orders placed before the deadline will be delivered to you at school with free shipping. If a non-local family member places an order during this time, it will also be delivered to the school.

    If someone wants an order shipped directly to them, they’ll need to wait until after the 2 week deadline, when all orders ship direct.

    All orders are final.