Hello, FCA families!
My name is Shelby – I’m going to be taking school portraits of your children again this year, and I am already so excited and grateful. I’ve gotten to meet several of you, or we’ve at least met through emails if you’ve had a child at FCA the last 5 years — but for anyone new, I wanted to introduce myself and my approach to school portraits.
First off, I couldn’t be more excited to be providing you with Fine Art School Portraits. I believe strongly in their value, and I want to provide an amazing, easy, and more personal experience to all the families at the schools who have chosen me to photograph their children.
A little about me: I have been photographing weddings and a variety of portraits full-time since I finished college. In 2018, I came across this new approach to school portraits and immediately started making plans to transition out of weddings and into schools, while continuing my family and lifestyle newborn portraits, which I absolutely love. I’m a Nashville girl –went to Lipscomb for high school and college, and I first got connected with FCA because I’m a friend of Laura Blue and her family.
Some questions you may have:
What is a fine art school portrait?
Fine Art School Portraits are a new approach to school photos. No cheesy, inauthentic smiles or strange, distracting backgrounds. The background will be black and the photos will be simple and classic. Instead of forcing a cheesy or unenthused grin, I will encourage the children to be themselves and will do my best to capture a small variety of their unique expressions.
Click to see more Example Photos and read more about my approach.
When will Shelby will be taking photos at FCA?
Friday, August 30th — 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, both individual and class photos. (Optional sibling photos after school)
Friday, September 13th — Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades, both individual and class photos. (Optional sibling photos after school)
I will schedule one final Makeup Day, if needed!
What should my child wear?
I think solid colors and simple patterns look great! I’d say avoid graphics, text, or neon clothing. All shots are shoulder/chest-up. Remember the background will be black, and choose accordingly!
Are these portraits expensive?
No! Don’t let the “fine art” title scare you — these are still school photos, and are priced accordingly! Very comparable to the big, traditional school portrait companies.
How will I order?
Within two weeks of our last photo day (Sept 13), you will be emailed the link to a school proofing gallery. There will be 2-5 images of each child. Images will be given in both color and black + white. I do not choose which photos you print; you do. You will be able to order prints, digital files, and retouching services directly from the viewing gallery. The ordering process is simple and secure. Once the galleries are released, the gallery will be live for about 14 days. ALL PRINT ORDERS MUST BE PLACED IN THAT TWO WEEK PERIOD. Once orders have been placed, your photos will be delivered to your school within 4 weeks. (Digital files are automatically emailed immediately after your purchase, and there is no due date on purchasing digital files!)
Can I get photos of my kids who don’t go to FCa?
After the school day ends, I will stay set up for optional photos of sibling groups! (and individual photos of non-FCA-students) This is completely optional, but if you would like to take advantage of this offering, please plan to stick around with your children after school on one of these days. It will be first come, first serve, and I will move as quickly as possible. It will not cost any extra, you will just have more options in your gallery of photos to order. During the school day, I will get individual photos of every FCA student. NOTE: this can get tricky with infants, so let’s keep it to 18 months and above, please!
Thank you for reading this! I am honored and excited to be providing these portraits for FCA. I so look forward to photographing your beautiful children. I hope to craft portraits that do them justice, and I hope you cherish these photos.
Grace & peace,
Shelby
