Information For Schools
We believe that every child is unique and deserves to have their personality captured in their school photos. Get StartedOur Mission
At Authentic School Portraits, we believe that every child is unique and deserves photos that represent their personality.
Our goals are:
To create a relaxed and comfortable environment for the children during their photo session by training photographers who are already passionate about photography and love kids.
To provide families and communities with a swift turnaround for viewing and receiving their photos and the option to see their photos before making purchasing decisions.
To provide a higher quality, more authentic alternative to the typical school photos that are so common.
You’re In the Right Place If…
You’re sick of stiff school photos that are overposed… sometimes even awkward, and don’t capture the natural energy of children.
You’re also frustrated on the behalf of your school’s community who have to pre-purchase photos unseen and most of the time fall short of their expectations.
You’re tired of having the same conversations with school photographers who can’t seem to get it right the first time.
You need Authentic School Portraits
Our team of photographers are here for you if you want better school portraits that show your student’s personality.
Our photographers are specialists at capturing the unique qualities in every child, that’s what makes an authentic school portrait.
What To Expect
A simple three-step process
Schools get in touch with our School Relationship Manager to book a consultation with our directors to tailor the school’s photo experience and photography needs. From there we book your school for Photo Week and start the communication process with families to get them ready and pre-registered.
Pre-registration is the process of indicating that you are interested in viewing a photo of your child for a potential purchase, but note we do not require any pre-purchase of a package to register. This allows our company to spend more time with children whose parents have indicated they are interested in a photo package, so that we can ensure their natural energy shines through.
We will offer a make-up day for any child that was absent during the week of Photo Week, we can offer makeup days for both educators and children.
What you don’t see
After Photo Week we catalog and process the images ready for colour correcting, ensuring the best photos are selected and notifying the school if any children may need a retake.
We prepare the photos ready for online viewing with a range of packages suitable for all budgets.
Approximately four weeks after Photo Week, the photos will be ready for online viewing and parents will receive personal correspondence from us with a unique code to view their own child’s portraits. From there, they can select the best package for them.
Families have 10 days to receive complimentary school delivery. You can anticipate that two weeks after the initial close of the free delivery period for the printed photos to arrive at the school. If parents opt in for home delivery, they will receive these within 10 days of purchasing.
Passionate & Playful Photographers
Communicating with your children in a way that we know children are receptive to. Play-led portraits by people who are passionate about that they do.
Makeup Days
We provide makeup days for educators and children who were absent during Photo Week.
Online Viewing To Purchase
Parents don’t need to pre-purchase their packages, they have the option to view their photos online before making their purchasing decisions.
Our Story
This story begins in 2017, in the heart of Macgregor, Canberra, where Steph, our creative director with an eye for the genuine and heartfelt, launched her studio. This wasn’t just any photography studio—it was a haven where the laughter and spark of children and families were immortalized through her lens. Over ten years, Steph’s dedication to capturing thousands of unique stories has made her a beacon in the world of portrait photography.
But with parenthood came a new perspective and a challenge that couldn’t be ignored: the world of school portraits, often bland and lacking the essence of the child in the frame. It was a realization that grew into a shared vision when Steph met Ben in 2020. Together, they saw not just a problem but an opportunity for change.
In 2021, Authentic School Portraits was born out of a belief that every child’s spirit deserves to be seen and celebrated. Our mission was clear: to bring authenticity back to school photography. We created a space where kids could be themselves, where their smiles weren’t forced but freely given, captured through “The Playful Approach”. It was about more than just taking pictures; it was about creating an experience that children and educators would love, resulting in photos that families would hold close to their hearts.
With a rich background in capturing the fleeting moments of childhood and family bonds, our studio in Canberra has always known the power of a photograph that truly speaks. At Authentic School Portraits, we’re not just photographers; we’re storytellers, guardians of genuine moments.
As parents ourselves, we understand the priceless value of capturing the essence of who your child is at this moment in time. Let us tell their story through photographs that you’ll treasure as much as the memories they represent.
We Do Things Differently
The Playful Approach
Authentic School Portraits was established to shake up the school portrait industry, we are frustrated that it has been accepted that school photos are almost guaranteed to be awkward or stiff, and ultimately are not an accurate representation of how the child actually is.
Children don't know how to smile for the camera, but they do know how to smile! We just need to coax that out of them.
So we use The Playful Approach, an approach established by Steph in her many years of photographing children and a technique used to teach photographers how to connect with children quickly and effectively to help them relax and get the most out of their portrait experience.
Not Just One Photo
Because we use "The Playful Approach" our photographers are trained to capture children quickly and in many different ways to provide families with a variety of photos to choose from. While we still work quickly, we work effectively and have a successful approach that allows for not just one good photo, but several! For families looking to purchase more than one photo, they will have the option to see a range of expressions of their child. Our packages allow them to purchase all of the photos, or choose only their favourite.
Family Friendly
Through years of photographing children, we are confident that families will love their school photos and purchase them. Therefore we have adapted and have provided a process that is designed for how families prefer to make purchasing decisions. Families will have the opportunity to view their child's photos via an online gallery and select the package that suits their needs.
Through extensive data and research, we have determined what families want in a photo package. Through this, we have created a variety of packages based on the photo options families want. Our online platform also allows families to design within our packages to select from the range of photos.
Our Personal Guarantee
Passionate Photographers
Passionate and talented photographers with a love and respect for children
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Professional service with a focus on satisfaction across the whole school community
A Positive and Inclusive Experience
We will provide every child with the same fun, inclusive and positive experience
Fully Responsive
Professional and open communication with the school and its community
Authenticity
Integrity for providing swift and exceptional service and finished products for families and schools with an authentic representation of each student.
Swift Delivery
14 day turn around for purchased photos delivered to the school