Tips for documenting your child's school year

Take a picture of your child walking in the door at the beginning of the school year and coming out at the end. Side-by-side, these make a great visual.
The school year often starts with new clothes, a book bag and a lunch sack—photos of these items make your photo book a time capsule of trends.
Ask your child the same question at the beginning of the school year and at the end. The answers make a nice open and close for a yearbook.
Action shots of kids performing at music recitals, taking part in assemblies and playing in the school yard balance out a book.
Class outings are a great time to get a group shot of the students.
Photos of lockers, cubbies, a school bell or a blackboard can add interest to pages when used as backgrounds.
Add in pictures of the teachers and the administrationâfrom the Principal to the coach—to represent the people in your child's community.
Photograph or scan your child's best book reports, math quizzes or art projects and add them to the photo book for an educational element.
Jot down fun facts—your child's favorite sandwich, a tally of hours spent on homework and favorite sayings—to personalize your child's story.
Capture an important milestone—like your child accepting a graduation diploma—by shooting one photo right after another to preserve the emotion of the moment.

Ideas for getting more photos

If the school permits, let your child bring their camera to class and document a day in their life from the student's perspective.
Donate a camera to your child's classroom so the teacher and students can use it and share the photos with the parents.
Create a Shutterfly Classroom Share site so parents can upload their photos after field trips and parties.