Capturing The Fall For Stunning School Photography
PEAK OF FALL: GETTING THE DRONE JUST 30 FEET UP AND STUDENTS BECOME CAMOUFLAGED BY LEAVES ON THE PRIMARY SCHOOL PLAYGROUND AT MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY ACADEMY (NJ).
There’s something classic about images of fall on campus. To me, they never get old and taking them has always been a joy. There’s a lot to getting the timing right and juggling the calendar for my October and November campus visits to capture that narrow window when the sparkle of fiery reds and oranges weave into the landscape of pathways, students, and buildings, creating soft, painterly backgrounds.
CHOOSING THE TIME OF YEAR
DROP OFF AT PRINCETON ACADEMY (NJ): FOR ALL THAT NOVEMBER LIGHT AND COLOR BRINGS, THE ENERGY IN THE MORNING CAN’T BE OVERLOOKED.
I have long-time school clients who contact me in the summer each year to book their fall photoshoot so we hit the peak of color. In the Philadelphia and New York City area, where I do half of my work, we gamble on the second and third week of October — and we’re usually spot on. Later November can bring a darker palate but still yields excellent seasonal images.
I have schools I work for in Texas that work around the heat, with March and November being their best times for seasonal coverage.
I recommend schools do at least two photoshoots per year, one in the fall and one in the spring, with 2-6 days of coverage in total.
CRAFTING YOUR SCHEDULE
While the time of year for your photoshoot is important, planning a productive schedule is as well to ensure your current needs will be met and to build a library you can draw from for years to come.
I suggest you bookend the day with outdoor coverage when the sun is low. This time of day is called the “golden hour,” which yields images with a warmth and glow that can’t be achieved during mid-day. I set up as early as possible in the morning and often have the drone up in the sky before students start arriving.
A simplified full-day schedule looks like this:
7:15 - 8:00: Aerials, ground coverage of campus
8:00 - 8:30: Drop-off, students arriving, walking to class
8:30 - 9:30: Students outside (arrange students for the photos; suggest holding a class or two outside if they’re not occurring outside naturally)
9:30 – Until dismissal: Classrooms, candid shots of students and campus, faculty/student relationships, iconic architectural elements
Afterschool: Clubs, sports, general campus photos, aerials
I generally work until the light runs out, the students go home, or we’ve got everything we set out to get…whichever comes first.
EXAMPLES OF GOLDEN HOUR PRIVATE SCHOOL IMAGES
AM GOLDEN HOUR: WE BOOKED TIME DURING FIRST PERIOD WITH THESE upper schoolers at FRIENDS’ CENTRAL (PA).
MID-DAY HOURS: BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN AT AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PARIS IN OCTOBER.
LATER FALL: THE FIRST WEEK IN NOVEMBER AT EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL (NY). THE DRONE ALLOWS US TO SEE THE LONG SHADOWS THAT MORNING LIGHT BRINGS.
SPORTS PRACTICE AT 100 FEET: THE CREW COACH ARRANGED FOR ME TO FLY THE DRONE FROM HIS BOAT TO GET THIS PERSPECTIVE of rowing practice at george school (PA)..
GROUND COVERAGE at newark academy (NJ): PRACTICES ARE OFTEN THE WAY TO GO.
THE LITTLE THINGS: OCTOBER LIGHT AT SAINT JAMES SCHOOL (MD).
FALL IN PHILADELPHIA: A CLASS CHANGE AT GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (PA).
PUTTING FALL IMAGES TO GOOD USE
Here are a few examples of how professional fall photography can enhance an admissions, fundraising, or website project.
THE THIRD WEEK IN NOVEMBER AND WE WERE ABLE TO STILL SHOW FALL IN NEW YORK CITY IN THIS ADMISSIONS AD for staten island academy (NY).
OVERALL PERSPECTIVES WORK WELL FOR THE WEBSITE ABOUT PAGE for solebury school (PA).
THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING CLASSIC ABOUT PICTURES OF FALL ON CAMPUS AND IT FITS ON THIS VIEWBOOK COVER for penn charter (PA)
A FALL Aerial OF THE ATHLETIC FIELD SERVES As THE BACKDROP FOR THIS NEWARK ACADEMY (NJ) Annual Report.
PRO TIP: LEAVE THE LEAVES
THE PEAK OF FALL AT LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL (NJ).
Leaves on the ground make for beautiful photos. This is a fall shoot, right? Have your grounds crew hold off on leaf blowing for at least a week before your shoot.